Journelle Sample Sale Report

Hi chickadees!

So I finally made myself leave the house long enough to attend the Journelle Sample Sale preview night. It helps that I attended an amazing concert beforehand which I unfortunately can't tell you anything about at this time (but it wouldn't really be that interesting if I could since I don't have any photos or videos to share.) Where was I? Oh, right. The Journelle Sample Sale. :)

I headed to the location, at 260 5th Avenue (b/n 28th and 29th St) pretty darn early so I beat the crowds, which was marvelous for me since it usually takes me forever to find a bra I like when I'm shopping. I managed to walk out with a $32 Natori bra (originally $64) that is actually really comfortable.

So, I think the easiest way for me to explain things will be to guide you through the layout of the space through the pictures I took.

As you walk in, you are confronted with the standard coat check. They made me check my coat and bag (even though I just brought my little baguette). I don't know if you'll have to check all your things during the actual sale or if this was just for the preview, but go prepared with pockets or some other way of holding your things just in case.

I made my way through the space in a clockwise direction starting from the left as you walk in (the direction of the coat check) and ending up at the cash register. On the left wall is where you'll find racks with the least expensive bras. Items without a sticker are 50% off. I checked a lot of the tags in this section and I found that most of the prices on the tags ranged from $45 to $90 which means you're looking at $22 to $45 bras, an amazing steal even for non-designer brands. Bras are arranged by band size (number) as you can see in the picture. I saw a lot of B's and C's in all of the racks but the cup sizes went all the way up to DD for some Donna Karan foundation bras. I didn't manage to find any A's but it's possible they were in there.

There was nothing all that wild or risque in terms of style or color selection. Most of the bras were black or nude/beige or white. There were some muted colors and a few randoms brights but for the most part, colors were more practical than eye-catching. The styles were fairly feminine and girly. There was a lot of lace but nothing I'd call daring or aggressive. The one item I spied that might raise a few eyebrows was a red bra with  a criss-crossing band pattern above the cup. I do remember seeing a few teddies but I can't remember if they were with the regular bras or in the Emerging Designers section.

To the immediate right of the racks along the wall you'll find sleepwear and undergarments.

Camis - $35

Babydoll w/G-string $50

Robes $60-$85

Rompers $40

There were also some robes along the wall as well.

Towards the back, approaching the dressing room are the Emerging Designers racks and the Clearance racks. The Emerging Designers racks, although also 50% off contain some of the pricier items. Items are a little bit sexier but they'll cost you up to $200 (before the 50% off). Don't be fooled by the word "clearance". Prices in this section start around $80 and I think they were marked with stickers so there is no further discount.

In the center of the room, you'll find all the bins. Hosiery is $25. Sadly, there were no Donna Karan black tights. 

There were both thongs and cup-less bras in this section.

So called "softbras" were mainly in the $20-$30 range. They were arranged in small, medium, and large bins.

The underwear was separated into small, medium, and large bins. It was mainly in the $30 range.

The most expensive items were definitely on the right side of the room (same side as the cash registers). There were nightgowns and camis in the very back that went up to $400. The items on this side of the room were arranged by designer more than by size. These Stella McCartney bras were marked as $140. (No sticker so I think you can take 50% of that.)

 These Myla bras are marked as $195. Also no sticker that I could see.

These Fifi Chachnil L'amour suspender bras in front are marked as $254. They did have a pink sticker.

The communal dressing room is the same as always, curtained off, racks for your items and clothes, tall mirrors. As always, the goal is to get in and out as quickly as possible. I didn't really need much help but the staff seemed as nice as always and familiar enough with the stock to know if they had items in a larger/smaller size. 

When I asked they said they might be restocking later in the sale but the items would most likely be similar to the ones already out. 

I would recommend heading out to this sale if you like simple foundation bras or lacy, feminine lingerie. Women who are looking for something a little sexier or racier might be disappointed. The prices can be very high but there are a lot of inexpensive finds so I do think it's worth a trip if you go early. However, anyone who shops at 260 Sample Sale knows that if they have a lot of stock left over they tend to slash prices towards the end of the week. Since this is lingerie and undergarments and not apparel, I hesitate to suggest doing this as it's doubtful they'll have the exact size/style you want if you wait that long. Still, you could always give it a shot.

Anyway, happy shopping!
Cat

UPDATE: Extra 25% and sale extended until January 21.