How to save $2,500 in 3 hours or less

(Or how to spend $375 in the same amount of time. It’s all about perspective, really.)

Not too long ago, I was lamenting about how I was so uninspired about shopping. My only purchase during the post-Christmas sales was a plastic container for storing muffins. And maybe some hair ties. And get this —

They weren’t even on sale.

Well, one absolutely amazing sample sale later, and I am happy to report that I have made significant progress. Enormous strides… leaps, even!

It happened about 2 weeks ago, and on that sunny Thursday afternoon, I bought (wait for it………):

• 7 Jigsaw/David Lawrence dresses @ $40 each, usually between $279 and $399 RRP
• 3 Jigsaw skirts @ $25 each, usually between $179 and $199 RRP
• 1 David Lawrence blouse @ $20 each, usually $149 RRP

The sale was held by Webster Holdings around their HQ in Waterloo, so Marcs samples were also available but I didn’t manage to pick any up.  No insider info about when the next sale is on, I’m afraid…

Also unfortunately, as with all sample sales there can be casualties. In this case, a parking ticket (not mine, but hopefully the cops will forget to process it!) and some missing fabric.

Can you spot which of the items I bought has a chunk of material missing?

(Answer: It’s this one.)

Cyber Monday Sales 2012

I’ve been lamenting to anyone who will listen that I’m rather underwhelmed by this year’s Black Friday sales. Le sigh and le big sad face. After an exciting order of two bags from Shopbop last Wednesday, I’ve been in a state of indecision and nothing’s really inspired me to click that “submit order” button. Main issue? The deals just weren’t quite at the level that I remembered from last year.

Luckily, Cyber Monday is here!  And I’m happy to report that stores are giving something just a little extra than they did at the Black Friday sales (but some just changed their codes).

Most of these are one day offers and only valid with US shipping:

Codes: 

• Origins – $10 off orders of $25 plus free shipping with code TENOFF
• J. Crew – still 25% off everything with the code MONDAY
• J. Crew Factory – was 40% off everything, now 50% off everything with the code YOURGIFT
• Loft – was 40% off everything (then 40% off selected items only), now 50% off everything with the code TODAYONLY
• Ann Taylor – was 40% everything… still 40% off everything with the code MONDAY
• Banana Republic, GAP, Old Navy – was 25% off storewide, now 30% off storewide with the code CYBER
• Piperlime – still 20% off with the code CYBER
• Urban Outfitters – $15 off $75 with the code SUPERCYBER

No code necessary:

• Kate Spade – surprise cyber sale
• Nordstrom – new markdowns
• Barneys – new markdowns and free shipping on orders over $200

My favorite of the bunch is this Kate Spade tote (was $425, now $199).  The only way this could be better if it was half the size!

A good friend also alerted me to a Chloe Marcie bag – small in nubuck leather which is newly marked down from $1,895 to $1,136 on Nordstrom… tempting, but I’m still holding out for the mini version!

Net-A-Porter (US Site): Sale on Now!

Technically I could’ve updated yesterday’s post, but this kind of needed a post of its own.

So normally I get Net-A-Porter sales notifications a bit late.  Maybe a few hours after it starts, sometimes a whole day.  And if you’re familiar with the world of online sales frenzy, a few hours is like a lifetime (half joking, maybe).

This time around, I was prepared.  I created a wishlist. I lurked. I checked my wish list throughout the day, and it paid off because before any emails or even before it was announced on the homepage, I discovered that some of my wish list items had been marked down!!!!!! I felt like I had beat the system!!

…except I couldn’t find anything to buy.  I considered this Mulberry Small Bayswater which is down to $945 (reduced by 30%).

I ooh’ed over this small Chloe Paraty.  It’s 40% down to $1077 (and I preened because I bought it in black last year at around the same price).

I aaah’ed over these Mulberry patent heels, reduced by 40% to $300.

At this point I realised I was probably just attracted to the colour orange and should not make any sudden purchasing decisions.  Another site in the “to be revisited” list.

P.S. Shipping to Australia is $55 from the US site.

Thanksgiving & Black Friday Sales 2012

My absolute favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, which may sound weird as we don’t celebrate it here in Australia.  The end of November brings joy and happiness a-plenty, because it is followed by the Biggest Shopping Day of the Year in the US and, by extension through the world wide web, the rest of the world as well.

Unfortunately it also breeds a bit of silly behavior — case in point: today I turned down dinner with a good friend with the response “Um I can’t!! Black Friday sales have started and I must go home and shop!!!!!! Raincheck?”

(Number of exclamation marks are as per original text.)

(She seemed to understand.)

Anyway, after several hours of scouring the beginnings of the sale, I thought I’d report back with my favorite finds.  Unfortunately most of the deals I like are US shipping only, so I’m still working on the logistics and whether it’s worth going through a mail forwarder this time around…

Of course there are plenty more sales going on, and I might add them as I go along.  Or I might not.  You know, could be too busy shopping. 😉

****

Added 22 November 2012

Shopbop – Spend $250, save 20%; Spend $500, save $25%, Spend $1000, save 30%; Spend $1500, save 35% with code BIGEVENT12. Offer ends November 26.  Free worldwide shipping.

I’d say shopbop has the best deal at the moment because it’s a sitewide discount, but things are selling out likely crazy so I hope you have a wishlist ready to go!  Tip: if something is sold out, it might just be reserved in someone else’s cart.  Check back in half an hour and it might be yours!

I was eyeing these turquoise Salvatore Ferragamo Varina flats literally 2 hours before the sale started, and by the time I woke up the next morning to see the sale notification, my size had already sold out.  Oh well.  It’s probably for the best — my red pair is still in its box in pristine condition.

Anthropologie – extra 25% of sale. Ends November 25. $25 flat rate shipping to Australia.

My wishlist items are already out of stock, so I’m holding out to see if anything else goes on sale.  I have this pleated skirt in the “maybe” list.

Last Call by Neiman Marcus – extra 40% off sale.  Ends November 22.  US shipping only — international orders can be placed by phone, but no information about shipping costs.

These Chloe sunglasses are down to $71.40, and I’m tempted to snap them up even though I already have a similar pair!  It’s always good to have a back up, no?

J. Crew: 25% off your entire purchase with code COLOR25; free shipping on $150+. Ends November 25.  US shipping only, as the promo doesn’t apply to the Australian site.

J. Crew Factory: 40% off everything, and extra 15% off when spending $100+, with code GIVEANDGET.  Ends November 25.  US shipping only.

Been eyeing the Copley Saddlebag for the longest time, but I recently acquired a butterscotch colored saddle bag so it’s probably a bit early for a neon persimmon version as well.  Not to mention 2 even more recently acquired bags which are yet to arrive….!

Madewell – 25% off everything with the code TREAT. Ends November 26.  US shipping only.

I really like J. Crew’s more casual cool sister, and their silk shirts are always nice to wear.  I have last year’s version of this solid silk boyshirt.

Loft – 40% off everything with the code ENJOY. Offer is on for a “limited time”. US shipping only.

Ann Taylor – 40% off full-price items and 25% off sale items, use the code THANKS.  Again, offer is on for a “limited time”. US shipping only.

Sparkly block heels!  I’ve been planning on the DIY for months now, but maybe I should just buy a ready-made pair?

 

Added 23 November 2012

SSENSE – markdowns and free worldwide shipping with code FREESHIPWW.  Limited time only.

A Proenza Schouler PS11 for US$1365… to buy or not to buy? I decided to not buy, or at least wait until I boosted the non “cross body bag wth structured shape and a flap” part of my bag collection.

Beautybay – 20% of your purchase with free international shipping, no code needed.  Black Friday (Nov 23) offer only.  Seems to be a good place to pick up Nails Inc polish for £7.96, or Parlux hairdryer for £52.45.

Saks Fifth Avenue – General markdowns, plus $10.95 USD Express Shipping to Hong Kong and Australia on orders of $250 USD or more with code: HOLIDAY1. Ends November 26.

Barneys New York – Sale on now, plus complimentary international shipping on orders of $200 or more. Limited time only.

How cute is this Alexander Wang Rockie Duffle bag, was $725 and now $439?

Neiman Marcus – further 20% off sale, ends November 24. $19.95 express shipping to selected countries.

Flannels Fashion – 20% off full price stock with the code GIFT20, exclusions apply. Shipping to Australia is £45.  I haven’t bought anything from here myself, but it says advertised prices include VAT, and they’ll take off the VAT when sending to Australia.

Urban Outfitters – general markdowns.  Shipping to Australia is $5, with free shipping for orders over $50.

While it’s not really my style, how interesting is this stingray clutch?

 

Benefit Cosmetics – up to 3 free gifts with order: spend $30 and get free BADgal lash mascara mini; $60 and also get a FREEdeluxe the porefessional mini; spend $90 and also get a deluxesugarbomb mini.  Enter STAYCATION at checkout.  Offer valid through November 25.

Revolve clothing – Spend and save offer, valid to November 26.  Shipping to Australia is $10, or free for orders over $100.

Banana Republic – 40% off your purchase with the code BRFRIDAY, valid November 23 only.  Ships to Australia using FiftyOne Global, which is generally weight-based.

Piperlime – 20% off storewide with the code ME. Ends November 26.  Same umbrella as Banana Republic and Gap, so you can combined the order to save (maybe) on shipping

Gap – 20% off purchase with the code GAPGIFT.  Ends November 23.

Gold Medal for ASOS

I’m not following the Olympics, so I don’t know if ASOS is giving misleading information here, but at least they do it with a discount code:

We’ve hit gold! Australia has done it – celebrate our gold rush with 15% off everything*.  Enter promo code AUSSIE at checkout. Ends midnight AEST Saturday.

(Interestingly enough, that * leads to a bunch of T&Cs including “Valid on selected items only and some exclusions may apply.” Hmm.)

Hope this code helps someone out there — I’ve been trying to find something to buy these past few weeks since the FX rate is so tempting, but to no avail….

ETA: For some reason, the code is now AUSSIE1

Essie Mini Color Cubes

Loot of the day: Essie Mini Color Cubes from the Cosmetic Fragrance Direct store at Birkenhead Point, for only $5 a set!  These are normally $25 RRP – what a bargain!!!

I picked up both collections:

• Resort Collection: Fair Game, Your Hut or Mine, Lion Around and Da Bush
• Summer Collection: Braziliant, Smooth Sailing, Super Bossa Nova, Meet Me At Sunset

Net-a-Porter Sale (US site)

The much awaited net-a-porter.com sale started today, and I had to hold off posting about it because I was in the middle of deciding whether or not to buy these Chloe two-tone leather pumps which are currently 50% off:

I love the minimalist look of these heels, and I’ve tried them on in store so I know they’re super comfortable as well. For the time being, I’ve tentatively decided against buying them, but who knows what will happen in the next few hours… or half hour… or 10 minutes….

P.S. If you can’t see the sale, you’re probably on the UK website.  Click the country in the top left-hand corner to select the US site by choosing United States as the location.

A suitcase full of heaven

I’ve been trying to find the right words to describe my first full day in NYC, but this little family portrait of goodies from Woodbury Commons pretty much sums it up:

Best finds of the day were definitely the $300 red Miu Miu cross-body bag and the $75 Sam Edelman suede/leather ankle boots from Saks Off 5th.

The lack of food pictures is because to offset my spending, I ate McDonalds for breakfast (before arriving) and dinner (after shops closed).  I could not afford that third meal in the middle of the day.  Cheapest (food) day ever.

The Shopparama approach

If you are in New York, you must go to Woodbury.  No excuses.  Go early.  Set aside an entire day and bring an empty suitcase, unless you plan to buy one at Samsonite (shop no. 642).

(Yes, your inexperienced fellow passengers on the bus may laugh at you when they first see your suitcase, but you will laugh last by the end of the night when your suitcase is overflowing and those poor novices have been limited by what they can carry in their two bare hands… mwahahah!)

Bring water.  I don’t want to advocate starving yourself, but perhaps some barley sugar is not a bad idea.  And maybe bandaids.  Wear comfortable but still fashionable shoes that are easy to put on and take off (e.g. flats).  Use the same principle for what you wear.  Download the center directory and memorize your plan of attack, because there is no time to look up shop locations while you’re on the move!

Or, you could just have a nice stroll around the outdoorsy outlet village, but you may suffer non-shopping remorse.  As a survivor, I am here to tell you that this is a serious condition.  It’s best not to risk it.

Some practical information

There’s some information on the Woodbury Commons website about how to get there, but it’s basically a one-hour bus ride from Manhattan.  You will even see some highway scenery along the way — talk about multi-tasking!

I used the New York Explorer pass to get to Woodbury (the bus is the best included “attraction”, in my opinion), but the return trip is usually $42.  Either way, this includes a voucher for a booklet of discount vouchers which usually gives you an extra 10% off most stores excluding designer brands, to be picked up at the Information Desk in the tower building near the bus stop.

You can buy the bus tickets inside Madame Tussard in Times Square (fun fact: this is very close to the Forever 21 which opens til 2am), but there are probably other bus operators and ticket outlets as well.

Even more practical information

And in case you’re worried that Woodbury will ruin all other shopping experiences because, oh em gee, will everything else be full price??

Never fear.

• Macy’s and Bloomingdales both have a 10% discount for international visitors.  You’ll need to show your passport or driver’s licence at the Visitor Center to pick up the pass.
• Lord & Taylor has a 15% discount for international visitors, which is matched by the Bloomingdales on 59th Street if you have the New York Explorer pass.
• Other department stores might agree to give some type of similar discount if you ask, but I don’t think they officially offer it.  Choose your sales assistant wisely.  I’d say the likelihood of getting this is proportional to how much you bring to the table.  (This is not code for negotiating tactics, I just mean how much you are buying.)
• It’s also worth knowing that these discounts usually exclude designer brands and cosmetics, but I know for a fact that the Bloomingdales discount works on Ferragamo shoes. 😉

In conclusion: I think it’s time to book another trip!

P.S. In case anyone is wondering, I bought the Mini Elsie bag from Chloe in skylight blue and I just want to pinch its cheeks every time I see it!

A Burst of Colour!

The sun is out, the sun is out this morning!!

I don’t exactly leap out of bed most mornings (and I didn’t today either), but I did get a nice burst of energy when I stepped out of the house and felt the natural sunlight on my sunscreened face, the sea breeze in my hair… the sound of nearby traffic reminding me that my bus was due any moment now.

I did however find a spare moment to photograph my outfit today, inspired by in my shoes‘s photos of her outfits, as seen from an “in my shoes” viewpoint.

Wearing: silk floral dress by Warehouse, cyan coloured heels by Hobbs, and cerise mini shoulder bag by Reed Krakoff (you may remember this bag as the other half of a tumultuous love affair that started in Boston).

And to my shopping buddies on the trip: yes, the heels and bag are filed under “C” in my mental shopping Filofax!

Speaking of shopping, Harrods has a 10% off offer available to Rewards members this weekend. I’ve been trying to decide on a colour in the Chloe Elsie mini bag, and this sale is just the push I needed to make a decision!


My heart says coral but my head says I have too much coral, so go for the skylight blue. (Net a porter says papaya red, which I’m not entirely sure is a different colour, but there’s no sale there so it doesn’t get a vote).

This is too much to deal with on a Tuesday morning!

Shopbop 20% off discount code!

Are you having trouble sleeping? At work but dying for a coffee break? Feeling blah and just need a boost? The answer to all of your problems is here:

Shopbop has a 20% off discount code for all orders!

Just enter code INTHEFAMILY20 at checkout. Offer ends Wednesday, April 18, at 11:59pm PT. Code cannot be applied to gift certificates or shipping costs. Designer exclusions apply.