Gilt was the first site I’d seen, and maybe that’s why I love it the most. There’s no competing with a first love, right?
PROS
Gilt’s site is easy to navigate, and their sales are well-organized. The site has gotten easier to use over the time I’ve used them. They have sales for men, women, children, and homes. In addition, they’ve recently added a travel sale website.
CONS
Gilt’s sales are rarely cheap. They are cheap compared to the normal price of the clothing they are selling, but it isn’t always going to be as cheap as to going to the mall. Granted, I’ve been very satisfied with the quality of everything I’ve purchased from them, but you will pay a pretty penny for Gilt purchases.
To join Gilt, click here.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sample Sale 3: Billion Dollar Babes
Billion Dollar Babes is another sample sale website that I haven’t used extensively.
PROS
BDB has an easy-to-use website. It feels welcoming, and it’s easy to navigate. The sales are good, with a variety of items.
CONS
Like ideeli, BDB has a VIP pass that costs $100 a year. The VIP pass allows users to access the sales two hours earlier, and it also allows free shipping.
The sales on BDB aren’t as frequent as other sample sale websites, which may or may not be a good thing depending on how addicted you get to the sales.
To join, Billion Dollar Babes, click here.
PROS
BDB has an easy-to-use website. It feels welcoming, and it’s easy to navigate. The sales are good, with a variety of items.
CONS
Like ideeli, BDB has a VIP pass that costs $100 a year. The VIP pass allows users to access the sales two hours earlier, and it also allows free shipping.
The sales on BDB aren’t as frequent as other sample sale websites, which may or may not be a good thing depending on how addicted you get to the sales.
To join, Billion Dollar Babes, click here.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Sample Sale 2: Beyond The Rack
Beyond the Rack is our second featured online sample sale. I haven’t used this site as extensively as some of the others, although the site is easy to navigate and well-designed. The sales last thirty-six hours.
PROS
The site, as I mentioned, is user-friendly. In addition, it has a lot of sales. Some sample sale websites just have one or two sales that start each day, but Beyond the Rack has a plethora of sales. Additionally, the sales are in a variety of price ranges. Whether your budget is $20 or $200, you can probably find something priced to fit your budget.
CONS
I honestly haven’t used Beyond the Rack enough to notice any cons. Do any frequent users have cons to mention?
To join Beyond the Rack, click here.
PROS
The site, as I mentioned, is user-friendly. In addition, it has a lot of sales. Some sample sale websites just have one or two sales that start each day, but Beyond the Rack has a plethora of sales. Additionally, the sales are in a variety of price ranges. Whether your budget is $20 or $200, you can probably find something priced to fit your budget.
CONS
I honestly haven’t used Beyond the Rack enough to notice any cons. Do any frequent users have cons to mention?
To join Beyond the Rack, click here.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Rodarte for Target
In addition to our first discussion of online sample sales, I want to remind all you readers that Rodarte’s Target line rolls out on December 20.
On this blog, we try to remain fashion and budget conscious, and Target’s designer lines are one of the best ways I know to be both.
Rodarte’s line, in particular, looks amazing. I’ve already seen the lookbook, and I can tell you that I will be online December 20 (as I won’t be in the U.S.) to snatch up some of the best pieces.
Rodarte (pronounced Ro-dar-tay) is run by two sisters in California, and it has quickly become a fashion favorite for the red carpet group. Since I am neither red carpet nor about to drop red carpet prices on dresses (no matter how amazing they look on Vogue’s models), I am excited to get my hands on their designs.
On this blog, we try to remain fashion and budget conscious, and Target’s designer lines are one of the best ways I know to be both.
Rodarte’s line, in particular, looks amazing. I’ve already seen the lookbook, and I can tell you that I will be online December 20 (as I won’t be in the U.S.) to snatch up some of the best pieces.
Rodarte (pronounced Ro-dar-tay) is run by two sisters in California, and it has quickly become a fashion favorite for the red carpet group. Since I am neither red carpet nor about to drop red carpet prices on dresses (no matter how amazing they look on Vogue’s models), I am excited to get my hands on their designs.
Sample Sale 1: Ideeli
Sample Sale 1: Ideeli
Yesterday, we had our introduction to online sample sales, and today we are going to start discussing specific sample sale websites.
The first sample sale website I want to discuss is ideeli. Each day, ideeli offers a variety of thirty-six hour sample sales. For example, today they are offering a Dolce & Gabbana sale.
PROS
Ideeli offers a lot of giveaways. The prizes are always cuter (and expensive), and it’s free to enter.
CONS
There are several reasons I don’t love ideeli. The site isn’t completely user-friendly. It takes a few minutes to load, and for some reason it doesn’t save my user information. The other downside of ideeli is that first row members (who pay to use the site) can enter the sale an hour earlier. Of course, this is a good way for those running ideeli to make more money, but they are the only major sample sale website I know who does this.
Although I don’t love the layout of the site, the giveaways alone are a reason to join ideeli. Which leads us to - how do you join? Join ideeli by clicking here.
Yesterday, we had our introduction to online sample sales, and today we are going to start discussing specific sample sale websites.
The first sample sale website I want to discuss is ideeli. Each day, ideeli offers a variety of thirty-six hour sample sales. For example, today they are offering a Dolce & Gabbana sale.
PROS
Ideeli offers a lot of giveaways. The prizes are always cuter (and expensive), and it’s free to enter.
CONS
There are several reasons I don’t love ideeli. The site isn’t completely user-friendly. It takes a few minutes to load, and for some reason it doesn’t save my user information. The other downside of ideeli is that first row members (who pay to use the site) can enter the sale an hour earlier. Of course, this is a good way for those running ideeli to make more money, but they are the only major sample sale website I know who does this.
Although I don’t love the layout of the site, the giveaways alone are a reason to join ideeli. Which leads us to - how do you join? Join ideeli by clicking here.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Sample this!
Before the explosion of online sample sales, sample sales were relegated to lucky girls in New York City and Los Angeles who could hurry down to nearby warehouses to snatch at designer goods for low prices. I always imagined the Chanel and Prada I could be donning if only I lived in one of these major cities. Alas, I was a poor college student spending her paychecks on groceries, textbooks, and outlet store finds.
Since then, I have been to one sample sale while visiting New York City. I was with two girlfriends in Soho, and we happened upon a sparsely decorated space with racks of designer clothes. Women swarmed through these racks, and soon my friends and I were in the mix, snatching at anything remotely cute in our sizes.
The dressing rooms were hollow spaces with curtains draped over the fronts - the type of makeshift dressing rooms seen in Halloween stores. I found a black sweater (which I’m actually wearing today), and one of my girlfriends found a steal on a dress to wear to her birthday party that weekend.
The problem with sample sales, as I mentioned, is that they don’t take place everywhere. And if you want to get the best clothing, you have to be there early in the morning to fight your way through crowds of stiletto-clad girls for the best deal.
Those of us who work desk jobs Monday - Friday in ho-hum suburbs know that neither the time nor location is conducive to our lifestyles. We have had to kiss sample sales, and their good deals, goodbye.
Until now.
Brilliant entrepreneurs decided to put these sample sales online, probably saving themselves overhead, but bringing fashion discounts to anyone who has access to a computer. Often these sample sales start near lunch time, so even if you are at work, you can hop on for a few minutes over lunch and find yourself a good deal.
As we begin our discussion on sample sales, I want to remind everyone that these are not bargain basement prices. Depending on the brand, you may still be paying a lot of money. For example, $7,000 Valentino dresses are not going to be marked down to $50. They may be $2,500, and if you have the budget for Valentino, this is going to feel like a steal. Don’t let this discourage you though. Some sample sales may be way out of your price range, and others may be just what you want. For example, $685 Sergio Rossi wedges for $118 may be exactly what you need, putting something out of your price range into your price range.
Like storefront sample sales, online sample sales only last approximately forty-eight hours, and the competition for some items is fierce. Be cautious not to get wrapped up in the excitement of the sale and forget your budget. It’s only a deal if you are going to wear it and you can afford it. Those six-inch electric blue heels may be discounted tremendously, but if your entire wardrobe consists of khaki pants and fair isle knits, they are only going to make a stunning decoration to the bottom of your closet.
Stay tuned as we begin our sample sale discussion. May the shopping begin!
Since then, I have been to one sample sale while visiting New York City. I was with two girlfriends in Soho, and we happened upon a sparsely decorated space with racks of designer clothes. Women swarmed through these racks, and soon my friends and I were in the mix, snatching at anything remotely cute in our sizes.
The dressing rooms were hollow spaces with curtains draped over the fronts - the type of makeshift dressing rooms seen in Halloween stores. I found a black sweater (which I’m actually wearing today), and one of my girlfriends found a steal on a dress to wear to her birthday party that weekend.
The problem with sample sales, as I mentioned, is that they don’t take place everywhere. And if you want to get the best clothing, you have to be there early in the morning to fight your way through crowds of stiletto-clad girls for the best deal.
Those of us who work desk jobs Monday - Friday in ho-hum suburbs know that neither the time nor location is conducive to our lifestyles. We have had to kiss sample sales, and their good deals, goodbye.
Until now.
Brilliant entrepreneurs decided to put these sample sales online, probably saving themselves overhead, but bringing fashion discounts to anyone who has access to a computer. Often these sample sales start near lunch time, so even if you are at work, you can hop on for a few minutes over lunch and find yourself a good deal.
As we begin our discussion on sample sales, I want to remind everyone that these are not bargain basement prices. Depending on the brand, you may still be paying a lot of money. For example, $7,000 Valentino dresses are not going to be marked down to $50. They may be $2,500, and if you have the budget for Valentino, this is going to feel like a steal. Don’t let this discourage you though. Some sample sales may be way out of your price range, and others may be just what you want. For example, $685 Sergio Rossi wedges for $118 may be exactly what you need, putting something out of your price range into your price range.
Like storefront sample sales, online sample sales only last approximately forty-eight hours, and the competition for some items is fierce. Be cautious not to get wrapped up in the excitement of the sale and forget your budget. It’s only a deal if you are going to wear it and you can afford it. Those six-inch electric blue heels may be discounted tremendously, but if your entire wardrobe consists of khaki pants and fair isle knits, they are only going to make a stunning decoration to the bottom of your closet.
Stay tuned as we begin our sample sale discussion. May the shopping begin!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
I Am the Winner of Project Runway (and so are you).
I love Project Runway. I love Heidi, Michael, and Nina. I love the creative challenges in which the designers participate. I love dissecting the episodes with a close girlfriend after they air.
I imagine myself as an aspiring designer, Nina Garcia telling me I’m the next Donna Karan and Mary-Kate Olson sitting in the guest judge seat saying she wants to interview me in her next book. Tim Gunn will be speechless, his impressive vocabulary caught in his throat as he worships my red-carpet-worthy garment made only from banana peels and chewed gum.
The problem is that I don’t know how to make clothes. And even if I start learning tomorrow, I probably will not be good enough to be on Project Runway before Heidi Klum retires to her Mexican mansion with Seal and their ten beautiful babies.
The next best thing to actually doing something is to do it in a video game. I’ve fulfilled all my rock star dreams with Rock Band. And my husband and his friends are weekend warriors (of the Call of Duty kind). Now I can fulfill my fashion designer dreams with the newest Project Runway video game.
The game allows players to take the role of a Project Runway contestant, creating outfits during creative challenges. After dressing your model in an outfit (complete with hair and make-up), you can play as the model, rocking your outfit on the runway.
Be prepared because your competition is stiff. Can you outdesign Irena, the season six winner? You’d better be able to do so, because the top eight contestants from season six will be featured in the game.
And if being a designer and a fashion model isn’t enough for you, the Project Runway video game also allows you to be a fashion photographer. It’s any fashionista’s three dream jobs all rolled into one game.
The game is being created exclusively for the Wii and comes with its own balance board (for those catwalks). It’s due to arrive on March 2, 2010.
I imagine myself as an aspiring designer, Nina Garcia telling me I’m the next Donna Karan and Mary-Kate Olson sitting in the guest judge seat saying she wants to interview me in her next book. Tim Gunn will be speechless, his impressive vocabulary caught in his throat as he worships my red-carpet-worthy garment made only from banana peels and chewed gum.
The problem is that I don’t know how to make clothes. And even if I start learning tomorrow, I probably will not be good enough to be on Project Runway before Heidi Klum retires to her Mexican mansion with Seal and their ten beautiful babies.
The next best thing to actually doing something is to do it in a video game. I’ve fulfilled all my rock star dreams with Rock Band. And my husband and his friends are weekend warriors (of the Call of Duty kind). Now I can fulfill my fashion designer dreams with the newest Project Runway video game.
The game allows players to take the role of a Project Runway contestant, creating outfits during creative challenges. After dressing your model in an outfit (complete with hair and make-up), you can play as the model, rocking your outfit on the runway.
Be prepared because your competition is stiff. Can you outdesign Irena, the season six winner? You’d better be able to do so, because the top eight contestants from season six will be featured in the game.
And if being a designer and a fashion model isn’t enough for you, the Project Runway video game also allows you to be a fashion photographer. It’s any fashionista’s three dream jobs all rolled into one game.
The game is being created exclusively for the Wii and comes with its own balance board (for those catwalks). It’s due to arrive on March 2, 2010.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
