Tuesday: gold linen Prada wedges

So the first real designer sales (Saks, Bergdorf’s, Neiman’s) begin this week. But am I ready?? In a word, um, no! I’ve been so obsessed with my new dressmaker that I honestly haven’t really been studying the season’s selections very well.

As I wrote last week, this is the time for the second tier of shopping: the stuff you didn’t want to buy at full price, and knew you could wait for the first markdown. This means you, Prada shoes and Missoni pieces. So what should I be calling my saleswoman (or rather my sister’s saleswoman at the Beverly Hills Saks) to ask her to hoover up?

Maybe these Prada linen wedges with passementerie detail. They’re neutral and could last all summer. And no, they’re not too similar to what I already have… I mean, not really.

I have to say I wasn’t bowled over by this season’s Missoni collection, but I do rather like this trumpet dress and coordinating cardi. I’ve always said I wasn’t the matchy-matchy type, but ever since I started going to this dressmaker, I’ve been a most devoted convert. Heavens, you must have a jacket for every dress — even better if the lining of said jacket was made of the same silk as the dress. Oh yes, that is the life.

Though separates are important too. This Marc Jacobs navy wrap skirt is something I have had my eye on for a while now.

Maybe I’ll finally get these Chloe silver python sandals!

And I never did give up on these Bottega Veneta kiltie slingbacks. My other pair are closed-toe — totally different!

Hmm… so maybe this round of shopping won’t be so difficult after all!

Technorati Tags: designer sale, shopping, first markdowns, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman

Friday: bronze Manolo D'Orsay heels

Sigh. . . another year on this earth, another year of practicing my subtraction skills. Of course, there’s some addition that can be done on birthdays as well: presents! And the best kind of presents? The ones you give yourself! Okay, so maybe a perfectly selected bauble from Prince Charming might just one-up that one. But while we’re still living in this reality we’ve been given, let’s go back to the matter at hand: From Me, To Me.

I admit that the past few months have already been all about me, me, me — spring shoes galore, Lainey trunk show weakness, new dressmaker obsession… But that doesn’t mean that there can’t be more, more, more! Besides, no matter how much you’ve bought yourself all year, your special day calls for something really special. So special that it’s just one item and I’m totally cool with that. Now when have I ever thought that way?

In any case, here goes my wish list, From Me, To Me:

It’s pretty decadent to purchase a white blouse for more than $2000, even if it’s as beautiful as this Chloe bib front blouse. After all, it’s not couture (add another zero for that); it’s not even made to measure. And even my perfectly fitted tops from the dressmaker are a fraction of this cost — even when they’re made of a fancy imported French eyelet. Moving right along…

This Nancy Gonzalez crocodile bag is practically practical; unlike most of her bags, it’s actually a wearable chocolate brown color. Practical? Birthday presents can’t be practical (not even when they cost $2875)! Next…

I’ve been longing for one of these Temple St. Clair egg pendants, and this one is simply amazing… though $4,800 is quite the nest egg, huh? A side note: Certain people think it’s laughable that my mom insists jewelry is a “good investment.” Heh, maybe not according to the basic tenets of economics, but that’s my mom for you!

There’s also the possibility of a Tranquil Ayurvedic Ritual at the luxe Mandarin Oriental spa in Manhattan. It’s not just a ritual, it’s five and a half hours of “a holistic journey”… that begins with a “foot ritual” (i.e. foot rub). Three hours of “body work” and one and a half for a facial. I could handle that. And it’s a relative deal at $975 — you can use the pool, sauna, steam room, tea lounge, etc, for the whole day. At that rate, I could relax and maybe catch up on sleep (come on, everyone does it) and best of all, be kept from doing any other shopping for a whole day. Now tell me that’s not the gift that keeps on giving!

Happy birthday to me, y’all!

Technorati Tags: shopping, extravagant birthday gift, jewelry, spa day, crocodile bag, from me to me

Wednesday: pink Prada mules

After much thought and research, I’ve come up with a new taxonomy for shopping. It’s like the food pyramid, only upside down, more bottom-heavy (no pun intended). Though in my case it’s more like a really wide rectangle. I’ve got a similar taxonomy for movies: what you’d go see the first weekend; later in the run; on DVD; at a screening; on demand; on regular cable… But anyhow, without further ado:

At the top there are some things you just know you have to have, at the beginning of each season (or even before, as the case may be): that Louboutin espadrille you just know will be sold out forever, the Chloe handbag you’ll wear all season, that “it” item that everyone will want, like the white eyelet Nanette Lepore top you had your eye on ages ago but then disappeared from the racks once it had the misfortune (for you anyway) of being featured in Lucky. For those items, it’s you snooze, you lose.

Next, there’s the second tier of items that you know you can wait til the first 40% markdown to buy: generally Prada shoes (except for that one variation of a signature style that’s only sold at Bergdorf’s, say, which would put it in the category above), maybe Missoni pieces (especially in small sizes, which get snapped up quickly). N.B. there is a subcategory (or should it be supercategory?) here: the stuff that forces you to go to the one-night-only private sales, which are usually about a month before the first sales. Some Marc Jacobs bags fall in this area.

And then at the bottom there are the pieces that you may not have even thought you liked, much less have paid full price, but during Last Call you just can’t pass up. Never mind a second look — try a third or fourth. The purchase of said goods is usually also encouraged by the massive peer pressure felt on the day after Christmas, early in the morning, when you are surrounded by hundreds of other shoppers grabbing everything in sight.

In this final category I place Tory Burch, because let’s be honest, after a while one tunic looks like all the rest (though I do like the new dresses in the pre-fall collection). On the other hand, also in this category are Manolos, because except for the rare item that you buy immediately, (1) you can never have too many Manolos, (2) Manolos never go out of style, and (3) no matter how odd the color, a sale Manolo is a great Manolo. Okay, maybe there are some exceptions…

Technorati Tags: shopping, sales, Last Call, Neiman Marcus, Manolo Blahnik

Monday: lemon Manolo heels

We had the weirdest weather on Friday, which made for some real wardrobe angst. I’m obsessive about weather forecasts for that very reason, and I knew it would be rainy, then sunny that day. When I got dressed in the morning, it was just getting overcast, so I put on my nice crocodile Pradas and hoped the sky would hold — at least until I got to the office.

Luckily, it did, but half an hour later, the sky had darkened ominously, and soon the torrential rain began. I stared out my window and panicked. I had lunch plans out of the office — I had to run uptown for a fitting! I later heard that there was hail in some parts, and a tornado warning in New York. Hello Toto, are we in Kansas?

By the time lunchtime came around, the rain had stopped and the sun was blinding. I was relieved that I made it to my appointment completely dry. Of course, by the time I left half an hour later, the sky was dark again, and the trees were swaying in the wind. I couldn’t find a cab, and the first fat raindrops were beginning to fall when I jumped on the nearest bus. And then it really poured.

Now I was really panicked — not only was I wearing nice shoes, but I had also just picked up two of my dresses from the dressmaker. I cursed the day I never learned an anti-rain dance… But then I remembered that I had thrown in a pair of flip-flops in my bag that morning, along with the shoes I needed for my fitting. Genius! I slipped on the flip-flops (at that point, I just couldn’t worry about how they didn’t go with the outfit, but at least I was wearing jeans), pulled out my umbrella and made a run for it back to the office. I was so proud of my foresight.

But the coda to all this? I got in the elevator with this guy, and he looked down at my feet and commented that they must be so cold and wet — didn’t I wish I had a little more foot coverage? And that’s when, once again, I found proof that men and women simply have different priorities. Who cares about cold, wet feet? At least my nice shoes were dry! Though I am gratified that he noticed my new pedicure…

Technorati Tags: dry shoes, rain

Friday: Prada croc heels

Sometimes when I’m on the subway I’ll notice someone’s shoes and think about saying something to the well-heeled commuter. But most of the time I stop myself, because what’s the etiquette? You don’t want to seem weirdly overenthusiastic; you don’t want to appear too covetous; you don’t want to stare; and you don’t want to invade the person’s space.

Alas, some people have some really bad manners.

But seriously… I mean, I’ve had people comment on my shoes, and most of the time, it’s in passing, I say thank you (because what do you say?), and we pass like two ships in the night. Other times I’ve been quizzed, and I’m always happy to say exactly where I got it and when and if it’s on sale now. (Though if it’s just a passing compliment I won’t volunteer all that information. Don’t want to seem too weirdly overenthusiastic, after all.)

And then there was the time that I made a new friend. I was on my way home from Bergdorf’s, weighed down by two big shopping bags worth of shoes (and one pair was on my feet!), when a friendly blonde opened the conversation with, “So you made out well!”

Now on most occasions, that could go either way. Weird or friendly? But she looked innocent enough, so we started chatting. Next thing you know I was offering to go shopping with her. We shopaholics can spot one another from a mile away… the shoes give us away!