Sample Sale Love
I have been going to sample sales since High School. Matter of fact, most of the clothing in my vast and wonderful wardrobe are from sample sales, Barney’s warehouse sale, Filene’s basement or the odd 80% off boutique purchase.See the biggest piece of advice I can give is to shop them and shop often. I am not content with 50% off. Yawn. 75% is good, but when you start getting really nice stuff for up to 90-98% off, then you know you are in the echelons of sample sale shopping.
In high school, it was the DKNY sale that I always looked forward to. But what did I know from super deals? It was one thing to get a pair of shorts for $20 or jeans for $50 but even today, I wouldn’t buy a pair of jeans for $50 at a sample sale unless they were the coolest jeans I had ever seen.
In other words, it takes a lot to get me to lay down my credit card. But recently, I didn’t even have to- kind of. At the Paul Smith sale (home of $250 shirts and $500 shoes retail) I picked out a lovely pair of shoes, a pen, a shirt and a bag…the bag being for my girlfried Debbie. The bag was marked at $835 but was on sale for $75. Ok no brainer. The shoes were $100 which was great as they are handmade and totally unique. The pen I thought I could bargain the guy down on and the shirt I had already decided not to purchase but I didn’t want to just leave it somewhere and thought the person at the register would put it back on the racks eventually. I pay for the shoes and he says the pen is “a great find” but there is no price tag. I suggest a price of $10 and he agrees. Ok bargain #1, as that pen should have retailed for $200 and been at the sale for $50. I tell the dude, “the shirt is nice but I don’t know…for $75 I think ill pass but thank you.” I pay for the shoes, pen and bag and he stuffs the shirt into my bag and says “merry Christmas”. Ok wow. First time I have been GIVEN something at a sample sale. Tres cool.
That is the thing, there are always bargains to find and ways to get better deals. Again the secret is commitment, the desire to look in bins most people are avoiding, on the racks at the back of the sale, and knowing that a small hole on the back shoulder can be easily sewn up but can garner an extra 10-20% off if you ask nicely.
I think most people think they are getting a deal- one of the contenders for Esquire’s best dressed man raved that he found a Polo oxford for $35 at Marshall’s. Umm…Polo for $35 is way overpriced. I went to Bloomingdales one year and found a pair of pants for $10. I found a $150 sweatshirt for $12 at a Filene’s in Washington DC. At a Prada sample sale last year I got a shirt for $20. This year, all shirts are $75. Totally ridiculous. Now I don’t mind spending $75 for a shirt but it has to be an absolutely unreal deal- case in point, Turnbull and Asser’s summer sale. $400 shirts for $75 is ok, not great. But you wont find a Turnbull and Asser shirt anywhere (not even consignment) for that cheap. I bought two shirts, one for me and one for my dad.
It’s also a matter of what you are willing to tolerate. The Barney’s warehouse is terrible nowadays but at the end of the sale when I am with my lady and looking for new stuff for her, I can elbow my way in to scoop up a dozen tops that I bring to her to try on. Establish a system. Be forceful yet polite. Know the sale before you go and most importantly, know what you are looking for. Try to go at the earliest possible time near the end of the sale to avoid crowds and get the best deals. Know your size, and make one or two trips to the dressing room only. Experiment with color- a red and yellow shirt is not for everyone, but for $30 its worth a try. If you get enough of a discount, consignment will earn you your money back if you hate it. Another tip- shop off season. For men, this is tantamount to biblically awesome advice. Those shorts you buy this year will still be fine next year. So I buy summer stuff in February and fall/winter stuff now.
Anyway, sample sales are a distinctly New York thing but it is one of the best reasons to be into fashion and style here in the city. All the showrooms, designers and stores are here. And they ain’t selling out. If they are, I don’t want what everyone else is buying anyway. This is another argument to dress in a more timeless style and avoid trends you see in magazines. Hand tailoring, gorgeous neutrals and classic sartorial expression never go out of style. Neither does getting a bargain.
posted by UpperWestSideGuy @ 3:40 PM
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