Sales and Savings of a Preptastic Kind

Hello-Hello, we have a weekend edition today because of all the Sales and Savings opportunities we feel compelled to share!

The Land of Nod almost never disappoints, and their Summer Sale offers quite a bit of merchandise, like the Everything’s Coming Up Roses bedding.

The offerings at Barneys continue apace with their Clearance Sale. (That still sounds so odd, saying ‘Barneys’ and Clearance Sale’ in the same breath, let alone the same sentence.)

If in need of cosmetics, all of the Vincent Longo appears to be discounted by at least 50%.

Kate Spade is taking an additional 25% off all sale items.

That means the hibiscus island baby stevie will be approximately $160; it was originally priced at $425.

Seen in the pink and poppy colorway, the bag evidently has 14-karat gold plated hardware. Honestly. We were about to say this might serve us very well for today’s Pretty in Pink.  Scratch that. (The sound you just heard? TP’s mind slamming shut.)

The sale at Kate Spade runs through the 14th.

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The Designer Sale at Saks ends this Sunday night, the 12th.

There is a substantial amount of merchandise now discounted at the upscale retailer. Frankly, some of it deserves to be on sale. For your perusal, Exhibit A:

Burberry at Saks

The Transparent Burberry Rain Slicker was originally $695. It is now being sold for $417. There seems to be a sufficient supply of these on hand from what we can ascertain. Indeed.

The Lilly Pulitzer Shandy Top initially selling at $198, the top is now $118.

As much as we love this particular Lilly print, the ruffles make the top a little frou-frou for us, but it will be darling on most readers, we just know that for a fact.

Also at Saks, the Ralph Lauren Infant Patchwork Jumper in a madras we simply adore.

The jumper (shown with a sweet little blouse) is now $22.45, the original price was $65.

BTW, a good part of the Sale merchandise at the Polo Ralph Lauren online shop is also reduced an additional 25%  making a visit there worth the investment of time should one be in need of apparel, accessories, or home goods.  For example, the Large Equestrian Canvas Tote is now$299.

The original selling price was $695.

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Garnet Hill‘s sale runs through August 4th, so there is still a little time to look around.

The online and catalog retailer has Hanky Panky unmentionables on sale, including the Lace Bralette.

This item is selling for $29, it is usually $45.

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Many other retailers not shown here are offering substantial discounts. Brooks Brothers, is doing their Annual Sale, there is quite a bit of Black Fleece merchandise marked down. J. Crew and Tommy Hilfiger, and J. McLaughlin continue their sales as well.

We leave you another brand we are generally fond of, Lacoste, and their Carnaby Sneaker for Toddler, Little Kid & Big Kid on sale at Nordstrom.

This cutie is discounted in all sizes.  And don’t forget the Nordie’s Anniversay Sale beginning next week.

Enjoy!

The Times Sends the Critical Shopper to Tommy Hilfiger

Hello-Hello…. are we all sufficiently sodden and soggy at this point? The rain is beginning to seem like an enemy instead of a welcome friend. Waaahhh! (And how long ago was it we were whining about snow?? Indeed.)

Regular readers know we are gaga about the Times’ Critical Shopper column, having been exposed to same in this blog countless times.  In this week’s column writer Mike Albo pays a visit to the Tommy Hilfiger store on Bleecker Street.

PHOTO: Katie Orlinsky for The New York Times

Mr. Albo’s assessment of any recessionary impact (none) on shopping in this West Village neighborhood is rather humorous:

“… as busy as ever. This little hamlet of cute shops and cupcakeries is not like the rest of the country. It should be rezoned on maps and called the People’s Republic of Carrie Bradshaw.”

The store has been open since 2007, but recently underwent a little updating and tweaking. The column has some positive comments on the merchandise:

“Many of the clothes are bright, eye-catching and playful — almost a parody of what rich people wear. A seersucker suit ($498) hung near seersucker shorts embroidered with little lobsters ($49).”

Tommy Hilfiger

We quite like the shorts! But then we have the Clarkston Board Shorts (seen below) for men. They really don’t work for us, despite our fondness for anchors.

Tommy Hilfiger

From Mr. Albo’s critique of the store, not everything works for him either:

“Many clothes teeter on garishness. A striped shirt with a bright floral print on the inside cuff and collar ($98) was too in love with its own hidden follies, and a shirt with a white-on-white vine pattern on the shoulders evoked high school prom, Long Beach, 1989.

We’re guessing the Ben Stripe Shirt (seen below) is the first item Mr. Albo references in the paragraph up above. We don’t find the floral trim to be hideous, but the large logo on the pocket proclaiming the brand?  We think not.

Tommy Hilfiger

The column continues with other concerns about Hilfiger designs:

A loud button-down shirt with an eye-searing print of orange and red flowers ($49.99) would only be right for the brilliant, queeny comedian Paul Lynde if he were still alive. These garments made me worry that Mr. Hilfiger was still designing for his label’s heyday, a time when it was cool to promenade around the Hamptons with a professional umbrella holder.”

It is just a guess on our part, but it seems possible Mr. Albo might file this under “When Preppy Goes Wrong.”  We find ourselves feeling a tad more charitable. (Yes, you read that correctly, and we do know it is the shocker of the day, almost headline material.)

There are redeeming qualities in some of Mr. Hilfiger’s creations.

And best of all, there is also an online promotion underway, providing an Additional 30% Off Sale Merchandise, bringing some inventory to about 75% off its original selling price.  We are claiming the Women’s Basic Fitted Oxford as today’s Pretty in Pink, especially as it is now available in three colors for $29.99.

Tommy Hilfiger

And just to have an Adventure in Argyle today, we’ll share the Men’s Hampton Argyle V-Neck, a nice look for The Consort perhaps.

Tommy Hilfiger

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Before we dash,a few quick sale updates, starting with the Summer Sale at J. Crew:

J. Crew

Kate Spade is promoting ‘Up to 75% Off‘, while competitor Tory Burch is offering “Up to 60% Off” with their sale.

And the Alexander McQueen Sale starts next Tuesday, June 2nd. Click on the image below to pop over to the McQueen site to register for the sale, offering up to “40% off original retail prices”.

McQueen fans won’t want to forget the big markdowns on the McQueen for Target Collection, including the Tattoo Print Strapless dress, now selling at $19.98. (Originally marked at $79.99.)

Until next time, may the sun shine upon you and those you love today!

It is All About the Pink!

Good afternoon dollfaces…

We seem to be a tad scattered this sunny afternoon; the prospect of sun and 60 degrees arriving at the same time has our brain addled.

Because of said addled state, we shall proceed with a brief, yet thematically consistent post.  We know how vitally important thematic standards are to everyone, precisely the reason we are so consistently inconsistent. (Heh-heh.)

We begin with additions to previous posts about ongoing sales at many retailers trading in preppish wares.  Now Tommy Hilfiger isn’t really in this category, more on the bubble in our mind, but they do merit the occasional drive-by and are having quite the clearance sale:

In The Pink Zone we show the Fitted Oxford Stripe Shirt, marked down about 40%, from $68 to $39.99.

 

TommyHilfiger.com

Over at Lacoste there is also a broad selection of merchandise on sale. The Girls Cotton Drawstring Skirt was $65 and is now offered at $38.99, the Misses Cotton Knit Pea Coat is $163 from $235.

Next, we move to the treasures at Baekgaard, including the pink luggage Tags:

 

Courtesy Baekgaard Ltd.

Also on sale, Baekgaard’s Mini Card Case in scads of fabulous color combinations.

 

Courtesy Baekgaard Ltd.

We do adore this line, in large part because they do use lush, rich colors; we actually discussed carrying it here at the Princess.

For our final pink item selling at a reduced price, the Lilly Pulitzer Toddler’s Maddy Dress.

 

Lilly Ulitzer Maddy Dress at Saks.com

The dress originally retailed at $68; it is now $46.90. BTW, if planning a visit to Saks, remember it is Friends & Family Sale time, as discussed in this post.

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We move on to a question for everyone about this Brooks Brothers skirt. On the surface it would seem the Country Club Embroidered Wrap Skirt has everything a Princess would love.

 

Courtesy Brooks Brothers

The skirt has pink. It has seersucker. It has little embroidered thingies. It even has grosgrain ribbon, used as tipping. Unfortunately when looking at it our mind sees only one thing: the word FRUMP.  What do you think? In our mind each and every reader is a Princess (or Prince), and we need your input. Are we being too hard on B2? Do you like it? Would you wear it? Do tell, as our expiring mind is dying to know.

Also not on sale but priced so reasonably it had to be shared:

 

The Pink Whale Supply Bags just landed here at the Prepatorium and we are loving them because they are so versatile.  At 9 x 4 x 4 they are simply perfect for your little one’s school supplies, or toiletries when traveling, or even your cosmetics.  The cute factor is off the charts, they are certified PVC-free, and at $14 a great buy. (Psst…if you like the whales, there are also Toddler Backpacks, bigger kids Book Backpacks, as well as Duffle Bags.)

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Finally we share the snappiest item we have seen in a long, l-o-n-g time, perhaps the ultimate Pretty in Pink. This gem is a Digital Photo Frame Japanese design firm Greenhouse.  TDF.

Courtesy Greenhouse Design via Gizmine

The frame is also an alarm clock and calendar. The screen is 3.5″ and the frame can run about 2 hours on one battery charge, or one may use the AC adapter, included in the $100 price. But wait – there’s still more! (We always wanted to sound like an infomercial.)

Are you sitting down? This also plays back MP3 audio and mjpeg video files! How cool is that?!  The frame is available at Gizmine and does come in several other colors. In fact, this is so nifty we just have to go oput on a limb and declare it to be officially Prepalicious!

With this on our minds, we are racing off to the Gizmine site.  Have a fabulous evening!

J. Crew’s Exclusive Tennies, Preppy Sales Continue

Happy day to everyone, as we all continue making our way through the week. Here at the Prepatorium we are grateful to be careening toward the end of February!

We start today with a look at the delightfully cute Jack Purcells made exclusively for J. Crew by the designing minds at Converse.

PHOTO: Courtesy J. Crew via High Snobiety

The sneakers are in the distressed material currently popular, and they are available online and at the Liquor Store in blue as well as white.  This is unisex sizing again, women are advised to order 1-1/2 sizes smaller than their normal size.

Some readers may be familiar with the Converse One Star collection at Target.  An FYI, many of the Converse pieces are marked down significantly, like the Men’s Track Jacket, Originally $34.99 and now priced at $13.99.

Courtesy Target

We thought the Toddler Girl’s Oxford Pink was cute. (It is not on sale, still at its $17.99 price point.)

Courtesy Target

Polo Ralph Lauren continues to promote their Last Chance Sale, touting “Up to 75% Off” original prices.  The Women’s Skinny-Fit Polo is now $49.99, a markdown of about 33%.

There are scads of wonderful bargains to be found at Ralph Lauren in every line, including the Home collection.

Tommy Hilfiger still has substantial amounts of merchandise at 75% off, and the markdowns also continue at Brooks Brothers.

Speaking of sales and clearances, J. Crew’s “Final Sale” is offering “free shipping” to those spending $100 or more online; the coupon code is SHOPNOW.  This promotion runs through Thursday, the 19th.

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Forbes Online reports on the latest survey detailing “America’s Most Popular Stores” and the news is basically positive, with increases in the Customer Satisfaction Index for many retailers.  Where do shoppers like buying the most? Nordstrom maintains its ranking in first place, with Kohl’s close behind.  Below, a few more stores and comments from the story:

Target was flat, neither scoring higher or lower than last year.

Wal-Mart moved up on the scale, scoring a 72.

“The reason Wal-Mart appears so low in the index, despite its current financial success, is because it is a pure price competitor, Fornell says. While price does play a role in customer satisfaction, shoppers are happier snagging an item they really want along with an enjoyable shopping experience. “Many of the customers who frequent the discounter would not be doing so if they had a bigger wallet,” Fornell says.

What stores dropped in their scores? Dillard’s, Macy’s (said to “… rank among the worst…”) and Sears:

“In every division, Sears is failing against its competitors, Fornell says. While it remains flat with a score of 72, the department store is struggling to hold on to shoppers, with low scores across the board and an increase in customer complaints.”

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Fashion Week continues; we thought we would close with a few looks from this fall’s collection by Lauren Pierce.

PHOTO: Pasha Antonov

The eco-friendly line is designed by Lauren Bush, a niece of the former President. The ultimate customer for this line is described in the following way on the Lauren Pierce website:

“She is socially conscious and cares about the world she lives in. She doesn’t dress according to passing trends. She views her clothes as natural extensions of who she is inside and out.”

PHOTO: Pasha Antonov

Yes, it is the woman whose significant other is David Lauren of Ralph Lauren fame.  This is the point at which TP always asks the same question: “So, if they get married will her name be Lauren Lauren?”

Honestly.  (Silly Princess.)

Ralph Lauren…at the White House? Gossip Girl Reality Show in the Works

Hello and Happy Friday!  It seems the week has either flown by at a furious pace or been painfuly slow, no in-betweens for our friends and business associates. What about you? Frenzied crazy-fast? Or painfully slow-as-molasses?

Speaking of a frenzy, Fashion Week is officially underway. We will do our best to share relevant updates, photos and info as we can.  In fact, we’ll start with a little gossip via the always-on-top-of-things staff at NY Mag.  The GQ fashion week party was Wednesday night, and apparently the conversation turned to the Obama family and their sartorial selections.  Several attendees considered ‘preppy purveyors’ talked about the President’s selection of neckties.

“… designer Tommy Hilfiger said that while his company had not formally approached the Obamas about wearing his designs, “I know Barack wears some of my ties, I’ve seen them.” David Lauren, clad in Rugby and wearing a foot cast after a run-in with a cracked Soho sidewalk, added that the Obamas “have great style … and if they choose to wear us, we’d love it.”

The “He likes me better!” “No he doesn’t, he likes me best!” one-upsmanship apparently continued:

“But even if Sasha and Malia Obama eschew outsized Polo ponies this season, rest assured that the Ralph Lauren brand has already made its mark on the White House. “I believe that [the Obama girls’] rooms have been painted with Ralph Lauren paints,” said Lauren.”

We expect everyone shall enjoy much more restful sleep this evening being in possession of this information.

BTW, the online Tommy store does have *all* kids merchandise 30% off, according to the website:

Tommy Hilfiger

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On a quasi-related note, one of our original Anti-Preps, Kim Kardashian, is evidently attending some shows at Fashion Week.  Seriously.  Ms.Kardashian claims the idea to attend some of the shows was actually the brainchild (?) of “Reggie.” (Apologies, but we do not know Reggie, although we presume he is a romantic interest for Ms. Kardashian.)

At any rate, apparently the two are planning on being at the Adidas Y-3 show. Below we show a Y-3 look:

Courtesy Ruby Hornet

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Big news for Gossip Girl fans: Bravo is launching a reality show based on Gossip Girl! Broadcasting & Cable reports a new show is planned by the producer who does Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style.

The story on the magazine’s website says:

“The docudrama is being described by insiders as the real-life Gossip Girl, although the show will not feature any of Manhattan’s exclusive schools specifically.

This is not the first time a reality show based on the G2 theme has been attempted:

‘CBS also looked into a reality series about students at the Manhattan private school York Prep, but the school was said to be skittish about the attention such a project would bring.”

The story says the show will air later this year.

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We share a few SOTTs (Signs of the Times) our readers may deem to be of note:

• Both the The Inter-Con Montelucita & W resort hotels in Scottsdale are facing foreclosure. (Both remain 0pen.)
• The Knickerbocker Yacht Club is closing, according to this Newsday story.  Not a club we have ever visited, the article’s online photos show the charm of the Port Washington Club.  Apparently members even looked at merging with Manhasset Bay Yacht Club YC, but that is not an option. The Club has been in operation for 135 years.

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  PHOTO: Ana P. Gutierrez/Newsday

Our thanks to Luxist for both of these tips.

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Hello Kitty now has some hip apparel designs to accompany her MAC Cosmetics collection. MAC asked multiple designers to create looks for the doll; below we show two sketches, starting with Emanuel Ungaro:

Courtesy Vogue UK/Ungaro

If that isn’t the cutest pink bow, we don’t know what is. Of course, here at the Prepatorium we believe “Life is Better with a Bow,” so we are favorably predisposed to bows. Especially if they are pink.  This creation by Elie Saab also features a pink bow, although not quite as prominently.

Courtesy Vogue UK/Elie Saab

Other designers include Herve Leger by Max Azria, Zac Posen and Charlotte Ronson.  Each of the eight designs was then made into an actual garment; they are now being auctioned on eBay as a fundraiser for the FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York. It is worth a nanosecond or two to see how the sketches translated into reality, very fun!

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Okay, it is time for some Pretty in Pink to perk up the gray day outside.  How about these darlings for your little darling? The Kenneth Cole Bow Glitz ‘n Bow Flats are sized for Infants & Toddlers; they are on sale for about $19 at 6pm.

A reminder that 6pm is actually Zappo’s site for sale and clearance merchandise – bargains abound! And speaking of fiscally friendly shopping, Target has the entire Thakoon Collection marked down, with discounts that look substantial.

On that happy note, don’t forget to enter our Lilly Pulitzer Stationery Giveaway, and Happy-Happy weekend!