Black Friday Frenzy Grows & Your Manolos

Hello-Hello, happy Tuesday.

We begin today with news about a trend in the retail world that seems to be gaining traction: stores opening earlier and earlier for their Black Friday sales. That means this…

…will be like this at an even earlier hour.

Via Plastic Jungle

Many of the bigger chains have announced they will open at midnight this year (more on that momentarily), but Gap is taking things a step further, announcing they will actually open many stores on Thanksgiving Day. More from this WWD story:

  “Gap Inc. will open 1,000 stores on Thanksgiving Day, including 800 Old Navy units — 80 percent of the fleet — as well as 116 Gaps, 54 Banana Republics, 30 Gap and Banana Republic outlets, and eight Athleta stores.

The story points out that Gap tried the strategy last year, but at only about 100 stores.

Several weeks ago Target announced it will be opening stores at midnight this year, Macy’s has also said it will join the fray at midnight. Add Best Buy to the midnight club, here’s how Best Buy’s CEO’s feels via this story:

“…he’s not happy about the race to unlock retail store doors ever earlier.

“I feel terrible because it impacts,” chief executive officer Brian Dunn said. “It’ll change some Thanksgiving plans for some of our employees.

You have to admire Mr. Dunn’s candor, this WWD story has the Macy’s CEO’s explanation about its change to an earlier opening time.

Terry Lundgren, Macy’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, said the midnight maneuver was “in response to our customers’ eagerness to shop early for great deals.”

Back to the Twin Cities Business story on Best Buy’s switch to the midnight hour.

“We were going to be open at much more civilized hour, like 3 or 4 (a.m.),” Dunn told a Business for Social Responsibility conference. But after Target, Macy’s, Kohl’s and other major retailers announced they’d open at midnight, “We made a decision at Best Buy that we need to be where our customers are,” Dunn said.

“I know that the decision has been a bit controversial with some of our folks. But the truth of the matter is, the customers will be out there, lined up, for that midnight opening.”

Kohl’s is also on the Midnight bandwagon, JC Penney has said it is sticking with a 4am opening, we’ve yet to hear from Sears.  So here’s the question: is this all indicative of a time in the not-too-distant future when the majority of retailers will be open on Thanksgiving Day? Having worked in retail, we have seen the impact on families firsthand. It is awful. What do you think…. is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

On a side note, yours truly had no idea how many other Norman Rockwell pieces are titled Thanksgiving, here are just two of them.

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Our other tidbit today involves a book many fashionistas would love to see under the tree this Christmas, the new Manolo Blahnik book.

Monacelli Press/Random House

The new release showcases Mr. Blahnik’s work, with a special focus on his sketches, revered by fans.

Via TLCSweden.com

Manolo’s New Shoes looks like loads of fun, the abundant sketches are so lush and vivid, not to mention the look at his real shoes, it looks like a bargain at $35.

On that vibrant note we say g’bye until next time!

The Princess Has a New Hero

Hello-Hello and happy Thursday!

Things here in the Corner Condo are crazy-busy, so our post is once again more fluff than stuff (translation: more photos than prose).

We start with a look at today’s story in the Times about a classic prep item, the needlepoint belt. “Belts That Spare Muffy the Heartbreak” is a delightful read; it begins with a bit of background on the phenomenon for those not as familiar with the topic.

“THEY used to call it the breakup belt. Women (and it has always been women) of a certain sort and class historically committed themselves to memorializing the bonds of a relationship by stitching a needlepoint belt for the Loved One.”

The focus of the story is Smathers & Branson, below we show a sampling of belts from the firm.

We simply adore the treatment Guy Trebay gives the topic, especially this sentence: 

“…despite the sartorial horrors visited on us lately under the guise of a preppy revival,

Thank you, thank you, thank you Mr. Trebay, you are definitely our new hero at the Prepatorium.  Frequent readers know of the incessant whining and caterwauling occasional concerns shared in this space about the merchandise passing for prep these days, and “sartorial horrors” is a perfect description.  Back to your story:

“… needlepoint belts are jaunty and casual but also so clearly handmade that they achieve an offhand formality equally suitable for wear with shorts or a summer suit. Anyway, the best ones do.”

We are fond of almost every style, but especially like the Islander, the Dark ‘n Stormy, as well as the Elephants with Martinis.

The company also offers a collegiate series.

Back to Mr. Trebay’s story, and his explanation for focusing on Smathers & Branson.

“Other labels were there already: J. McLaughlin, Vineyard Vines and the neo-preppy Tucker Blair all offer their own ranges of hand-stitched needlepoint products. But unlike the competition, Smathers & Branson both indulges the preppy clichés (burgees and Labrador retrievers) and takes a sly wink at them.”

The cummerbund, ample evidence of that wink.

We recommend reading the story in full, our synopsis really can’t do it justice.

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A story in today’s Post provides a clue on today’s other topic of note: “Why We Love Don Draper“. SPOILER ALERT: Do NOT click on the link if you don’t want to know about Sunday’s episode!

Below we see Don actor Jon Hamm at Tuesday night’s premiere of Mad Men Season 4 in Los Angeles.

Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

Although the new season doesn’t debut to the public until Sunday night, a select few were on hand for Tuesday’s event, including Mr. Hamm’s costars Elizabeth Moss (L) and Christina Hendricks.

Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

We aren’t going to mention any names, but some friends are even counting down until the show is on the air.

Courtesy of the Divine Miss ATS&P

Perhaps the most catching image is that of little Sally Draper at Tuesday’s sneak peek.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Actress Kiernan Shipka looks so different from last season!

Back to that story in the Post:

“So, what’s his appeal? Simple. Don Draper represents, in his repressed way, everything we’re either not supposed to do or are even allowed to do anymore.

He smokes fantastic amounts at work, in restaurants, at home and in the car with his kids.

He drinks at lunch, at work, at home and before getting into his car. He’d rather have sex than babysit.

His favorite food group is steer.”

Hmmm, it probably is a sensible theory. We aren’t exactly into all the analysis about why we watch, we just watch, proof positive that behind the moat and drawbridge, we’re just a couple of simpletons lolling about the Palace! (Heh, heh, heh.)

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We leave you with a Sales & Savings opportunity.

Courtesy Target

Le Boutique Targét is playing upon the Black Friday insanity, and doing an online only promotion, Back in Black Friday tomorrow.

Until next time, g’bye!

Black Friday Ads: Target, Polo Ralph Lauren & Hilfiger & J. Crew, Banana Republic Outlet Stores

Greetings of the day and all appropriate niceties, we thought it best if we just shared this information with you right away.  We have more information on a number of Black Friday sales, starting with Target’s ad, available here.

To view the complete insert that will be in local newspapers the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, click here.

Also, expect lower prices at your local Boutique Tarzshay for the foreseeable future, especially in the clothing and home store areas.  The effort to jumpstart Target’s slow sales includes going head-to-head with Walmart on some merchandise, along with using the online component to boost sales. From a recent Associated Press story:

“The company will also offer half a dozen “value items” online every day at special prices.”

“We have taken a very aggressive point of view this year in terms of our promotional pricing, so we expect to be price leaders on selected items … “

The information for the Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Stores event is also now available; they are calling the promotion ‘Midnight Madness.’

Courtesy Polo Ralph Lauren

We will continue to monitor them for information on what to expect at the regular Ralph Lauren stores as well as what additional savings are planned at factory stores other than this initial 20% discount off purchases of $150+.

Tommy Hilfiger is offering substantial savings for Black Friday:

There are also a number of coupons for specific savings, like the one shown below, “Save an Additional 25% on any $200 Purchase,” but we have no idea if one must have an “official coupon,” or if it could be printed off any site, like ours.

The J. Crew Factory Outlet stores are also doing Black Friday:

If it is difficult to read the small print up above, early risers who shop before 10am can take an additional 50% off clearance styles, nothing to sneeze at.

Bath and Body Works is doing a VIP Bag with purchases over $100, their scan can be seen here.

They are also doing Buy 1, Get 1 at 50% off now…

…along with several “Secret Online Sales.”

Other savings at specific factory outlets and stores:

• Banana Republic Factory Stores Midnight Madness 40% off the entire store! Expires: 11/28/08
• Eddie Bauer Factory Stores Midnight Madness Save an extra 30% off your entire purchase. Ad Code: 5700. Expires: 11/28/08

Vera Bradley will be offering free shipping on Dec.1,

We are a little surprised at Nautica’s listings, essentially $20 off a purchase of $100 or more, not nearly as aggressive as we anticipated considering their ongoing struggles in the marketplace.

For online shoppers, right now the company is offering free ground shipping on orders totaling more than $100.

On the electronics front, Best Buy has a number of discounts and markdowns that can be seen here.  The retailer will open at 5am the Friday morning after Thanksgiving.

Circuit City will also open at 5am; their ad scans are available here.

We do not yet have specifics on the Ann Taylor Loft stores, but can tell you they are now taking an Additional 40% off already reduced prices, a good deal in and of itself…

as well as offering a $25 gift card for every $50 you spend.

Keep an eye on the Tanger Outlet store site as well as the Prime Outlets site; both are decent resources for updates on special discounts and hours for the stores, although Tanger provides much more information than the Prime Outlets site offers.

When we have more on other retailers generally thought to offer a ‘preppy aesthetic’ or preppy styles, we’ll get that information to you, including the non-factory store sales and markdowns.