Natori Sample Sale Report December 2013

Hello chickadees!

I stopped into the Natori sale at 102 Madison Avenue today around 1:00 pm. The sale will reopen tomorrow at 10:00 am and close at 4:00 pm. The sale is on the third floor of the building and they accept both cash and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover). There are no try-ons, returns, large bags, or shopping carts and all sales are final. The building is so professional that it's a bit intimidating when you first see the chaos that is this sale. Now, there is no aggressive behavior or anything like that but there are bras. Lots and lots of bras. Bras hanging on the wall. Bras in boxes on the table. Bras in boxes on the floor. It's a lot to take in at one time.

Personally, I feel like shopping for bras and lingerie is something that should be special. The Natori sample sale is not special. It is grabbing $10 sample bras, $12 regular bras and digging through cardboard boxes in a roomful of women while some random guys stand around. I don't think they were security. I'm not going to get into it but it was weird.

In the center of the room there are boxes of bras arranged by their exact sizes (e.g. 34 DD). For the most part the right bras were in the right boxes though I did find a few bras without labels. Unfortunately there is no way of telling what size those bras are without measuring them. I think the bras that aren't in the bags are supposed to be the samples but there's no way of telling as some of the bags seem to have been removed during the course of the sale. The women working out the checkout counter seem to be familiar with the styles or the labels so there shouldn't be an issue with this.

Then there are the bras hanging up on the wall which are arranged mostly by band size (number) with the a few sections for the highest cup sizes (G, H, DDD). Among the bras on the wall I found a lot more A's and B's with some of the larger sizes mixed in as well.

NEST Fragrance Sample Sale Report December 2013

Hello my darlings,

December 4 - December 6

Wed-Thurs 9am - 6pm

Fri 9am - 1pm

601 W 26th St. b/n 11th and 12th Ave Suite 360

UPDATE: Aerin Candles $20, Link Candles $5, Tall Pillar Candles 3 for $12, Small Pillar Candles 3 for $10, Classic Candles still $17 but 6 for $90

I am just back from the NEST sample sale. Seriously, my hands are still stinging from carrying those bags of candles. I barely made it to the subway and was walking in pathetic half-block increments. Someone remind me to get a significant other or a trolley. Anyway, that is my only complaint about the sale. While prices were not at rock bottom (You can see from Mizhattan's post from the last sale that Aerin candles used to be $20... now $25 and classic candles used to be $15... now $17) I did manage to find a lot of beautiful scents and I'm very happy with all of my purchases. I think this is definitely a sale for you to check out as there are items available in all price ranges from $5 to $25 and any girls who are addicted to Bath and Body Works will not want to miss this sale.

OK, let's get into the actual merchandise because I took a ridiculous number of pictures. Which reminds me... the girls working at the sale were complete sweethearts. Let's just say I was a hot mess today and they took it all in stride and were as helpful as possible.

Fine Fragrance Rollerballs $15 each

Fine Fragrance Parfum EDP $50

Fine Fragrance Cream $25

3X6 Pillar Candles $7

They also had a cheaper version of these candles on the other side of the room. If I'm remembering correctly, they were 3X4 Pillar Candles and cost $5 or $6. 

I don't remember each of the scents but I think there were peach, rose, lemon, lime, and tulip candles each with an accompanying note. 

Glass Candles $10

Glass Candles $10

Pillar Holders $5

I think these are so pretty, especially for the holidays and even if you don't have a candle that fits, you could use them for storage. I think these pillar holders would be a great way to store earrings or rings so they don't get lost.

Bar Soap $5

Wasabi Pear

Bar Soap $5

Bamboo

I didn't really love the scent of this one but there was a woman grabbing them two at a time.

Bar Soap $5 Moroccan Amber

Reed Diffusers $19

Link Jar Candles $8

Some of these smell so delicious. If you like Bath and Body Works candles, these are the ones you'll like. The scent is nice and strong and they just seem perfect for the holidays. Holiday Berry Spiced Clove is just slightly spicy and smells like Christmas to me. Harvest Pumpkin Warm Spice is a creamy, sweeter scent. It reminds me of the vanilla/marshmallow candles that Bath and Body Works carries but I like it much better. These are the candles I'm really tempted to go back and get more of.

Tin Candles $10

If I'm remembering right these candles have two or three wicks. I didn't see the point in getting something heavier to add to my burden so I skipped past these pretty quickly. 

Classic Candles $17

3-Wick Birchwood Pine $25

I didn't see very many 3-wick candles other than these. Basically, the medium sized candles are $17 and the larger ones are $25. 

Classic Candles $25

Why are these "classic candles" more expensive? They are part of the Aerin line and they come in a heavy frosted glass. I resisted the display because of the shocking price tag even though the girl was very sweet but I could not resist the candles in the following photo.

Classic Candles $25

These are more Aerin candles. The Sky Winter was the one I caved and bought. It smells like gardenia. I don't discuss fragrance a lot on this site but like a lot of people I am obsessed with gardenia and jasmine. Because of the lovely packaging, this would make a great hostess gift or Christmas present but no, this one is all mine. If you're looking for a special gift, head right to this display as I'm not sure how many more of them they have. 

Paisley Body Wash $5

One scent was jasmine something or other and I can't remember what the green body wash was supposed to smell like. In spite of my obsession with jasmine and the low price tag, I did not like the scent of this one. 

Classic Candles $17

I'm pretty sure all the scents that you could find on the website were there. 

I saw Orange Blossom and Moroccan Amber. And I think the other two were the moss and mint and bamboo candles. I forgot to take a picture (and I was also juggling bags at this point) but they also had a Peony candle in a pretty light pink box. It smelled lovely but subtle so I reluctantly put it back. If I returned to the sale, I'd go back for it. 

Laura Mercier Sample Sale

Hi chickadees!

I made myself leave the apartment today. It's not every day that there's a makeup sample sale so I told myself I had to cover it. After spending last night doing some research I went in with a game plan (translation: a list of the products I wanted) as I'm not familiar with Laura Mercier products. But who is going to pass up 50% off?

The Laura Mercier sample sale is being held at Clothingline from today, Tuesday October 22 through Thursday October 24. Hours are 11am to 7pm. Since the sale is at 261 W 36th St between 7th and 8th Ave the easiest way to get there is to take the A, C, or E to 34th St Penn Station and then walk to 36th St.

The sale was pretty calm when I went by around 4pm. The guy at the coat check said it had been busy earlier in the day but the saleswomen said that they had the same stock all day. I'm not sure what their stock is like but I get the feeling that this is the kind of sale where you don't have to be as worried about them running out of products.

I don't think I've ever been to a sale at Clothingline. There are plenty of signs directing you up to the sale on the second floor. The space is quite large and the Laura Mercier sale is sharing space with a clothing sale. After the coat check, walk all the way back past the checkout line and the clothing sale to the tables at the back. There are a few stations where the products are laid out so you can swatch them. The tables have the exact same set of products so you don't need to bother going to each station. Once you know what you want, just tell one of the saleswomen and she will go get you the products from the boxes behind the table. The saleswomen were all friendly but I don't know how much they know about the products. This isn't Sephora. I would try and get some idea of what the products are like before going to the sale if you aren't already familiar with Laura Mercier.

I expect that a lot of you will have already read the Racked NY post covering the sale so I decided to focus more on the actual products being offered.

For me, the color selection was a little disappointing. In this picture you can see the Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colour Lipsticks. The available colors included Iced Melon, Tulip, Cameo, Mod Pink, and Cocoa. I tend to stay away from light pinks because they just aren't flattering on me and while I like dark lipsticks, browns really only look good on women with darker complexions so this was a bit of a letdown. I was hoping to pick up Sienna or Plum Orchid. The lipsticks were $12 though which is a great discount if you do like pinks and browns. 

They were also selling most of the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colors for $10 which is a fantastic discount. That's almost the equivalent of a drugstore product. I had more luck here as they have most of the colors in the line. They were selling Pink Opal, Seashell, Plum, Sapphire, Jungle, Mint Snow, Orchid, Smoke, Grey Pearl, and Sugar Frost. I picked up Plum, Sapphire, and Jungle because I'm apparently convinced that I need blue, green, and purple eyeliners from every brand. I know these aren't eyeliners but cream eyeshadows/eyeshadow bases but I'm probably going to use them as eyeliners. I was really hoping to find Amethyst but unfortunately they are not selling it at this sale. Oh, well. 

You can also see the kohl eye pencils and the brow pencils in this picture which were also being sold for $10. I decided to not be a complete creeper so I didn't take the time to write down the shade selection. There are 7 kohl eye pencils in the line and 5 in the photo so obviously two are missing. My guess is that the missing colors are Black Turquoise and Brown Copper but I can't be sure.

The sale also featured a small selection of regular eyeshadows and the very popular Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liners. The baked shadows and tightline eyeliners were $10 and the illuminating eye color shadows were $12. The illuminating eye color shadows were pretty but I just have too many shades like this already. The three colors on sale were Earth Glow, Fire Glow, and Sun Glow.

As for the Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liners, I was again a bit disappointed by the shade selection. Yes, I do love unconventional colors. But I was hoping to find Black Ebony or Bleu Marine. Black Ebony would have been a practical shade and Bleu Marine would have been a fun one to brighten the eyes a little. Purple and green are a little harder to wear. The colors they had were Plum Riche, Forest Green, and Charcoal Gray. I decided to just get Plum Riche so I could test the formula. 

I did not pay much attention to the Baked shadows as I had read too many bad reviews about the amount of glitter and fallout the night before.

I seem to have forgotten to get a good picture of the three Laura Mercier Lip Glace's that were being sold but they were selling Plum Noir, Pout, and Desert Rose for $12. 

Sun Glow was photographing weirdly so here is a close up.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Compact $20

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Compact $20

Laura Mercier Moisture Supreme Foundation $20

Nail Lacquer $8 

Now anyone who is a frequent reader of this blog knows that I'm a nail polish girl. But the shade selection was just too boring for me. 

If you aren't a fan of Laura Mercier, I don't think this is a sale you need to rush to attend. For me, the nail lacquer selection and the lip products were a bit of a disappointment and I'm not all that interested in foundation or tinted moisturizer. However, I do think they have a respectable selection of eyeliners and the caviar stick eye colors. If you are a fan of Laura Mercier or you want to try the eyeliners or caviar stick eye colors in unconventional colors, then I would pop by the sale if you have the time.

Erica Weiner Sample Sale Report September 2013

Hello darlings!

What? Two posts in one day? I know. I know. Try and contain your shock.

After reading Racked NY's report, I was not excited for the Erica Weiner sample sale running from today (Friday September 20) through Sunday (September 22). Friday hours are 4pm-8pm. Saturday hours are 12pm-7pm. Sunday hours are 12pm-5pm. I forgot to ask if they'll be restocking.

The sale is being held at 195 Chrystie St. between Stanton and Rivington in room 809H. It's pretty easy to locate. The 195 is painted in big green numbers over the door. But there's also a little flyer in the window about the sale and when I went, everyone was heading to the eight floor. I was right on time with the first group of about 10 people.

This sale is for a certain kind of shopper. If you're looking for big embellished Dannijo-style pieces, you'll be disappointed. If you want lockets and raw materials, you will be as thrilled as I was. I managed to walk out with a crazy haul for less than $50. I will do a haul post in the future.

Earrings are mostly in the $5 range. There is a bin you can sort through full of discontinued items. I picked up three pairs of earrings, a pair of mesh ginko leaves, a pair of maple leaf studs with little fake diamonds, and a pair of birds in flight. There were also a ton of the fleur de lis earrings I showed you in my last Erica Weiner sample sale haul and some other earrings you can see in the photos.

Necklaces (pendant and chain) were mostly in the $25 and up range. I think I saw one or two pieces for $75 but I wasn't paying much attention as I was more interested in the pendants sans chain. I personally think that the more expensive pieces were the weakest. There are no talons or bird skulls. It's mostly items you could DIY if you had the materials.

As for what I'm terming raw materials, there were small bags of crystals and lots of pendants and charms that you could just string on a chain or a ribbon or use to make more complicated pieces. I grabbed 3 bags of the crystals for $3 each even though I have no idea what I'm going to do with them. I'm sure I'll think of something. People were jealous. I also bought a lot of lockets. There were simple small, unembellished lockets at $1 each, cute little textured box lockets for $2, and heavily embellished larger lockets for $3. To give you some idea of the discount, I bought the exact pendant that was being sold on a chain at the last sale for $25 for $3 at this sale. I know. I know. There was also a big jar of heart (haha, I know it's the title of a Christina Perri song) pendants with a key shaped cutout and the words "He Who Holds the Key Can Unlock My Heart" being sold for 50 cents. I bought a locket at the last sale with this charm as well as a locket for $25. There were little gold mesh bows. I also picked up some random items like a tarnished key for $2, a saint pendant, and a porcupine quill for $1. Altogether it was a pretty productive day. You'll have to decide for yourself if the sale is worth attending but you had better decide quickly because the sale was pretty busy as I was leaving.

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.

Charm and Chain Sample Sale November 2012

Hi chickadees!

I stopped into the Charm and Chain around 1pm. The sale is at 611 Broadway from 11am-7pm today and 11am-6pm tomorrow. I didn't have a floor number so I headed up to their office at room 701. DON'T DO THIS. The sale is being held in room 401 on the 4th Floor. It's to the left of the elevators.

I'm keeping it to pictures this post because the showroom was pretty empty and there's not much to comment on in the way of sizes or whatnot like with a clothing sale. I saw a bit of Alexis Bittar, Dannijo, Kenneth J Lane, House of Harlow, as well as a ton of brands I'm not familiar with.

Alexis Bittar Sample Sale Report November 2012

Hi chickadees!

I ran to the Alexis Bittar sample sale during my break. It took me 2 trains. It’s at 344 W. 14^th St. so the easiest thing to do is take the A, C, or E to 14^th St. The hours are 9am-6:30pm today and tomorrow. It’s unassuming from the outside, a rented storefront plastered with Alexis Bittar signage and blaring pop music. But inside… a wondrous cavern of glittering gems.

You will have to check your coat but checking larger bags is optional and they let you keep your purses.

Merchandise: There was so much variety that it’s impossible to describe it all. Gold, silver, pewter, rose gold (though gold was dominant). Lucite, gems, stones, rhinestones, beads. Chunky bangles, delicate filigree, huge embedded geodes, parrot-shaped bangles, flower brooches and just stunning art pieces that defy paltry descriptions. I tried to take a lot of pictures but there was no way I could cover it all because….

Layout: …the merchandise is not really organized. You’ll find the cheapest pieces closest to the coat check. This is where the bags reside. Along one wall is a huge array of bangles and at the end of the shelves is the selection of pewter and rose gold jewelry. But everything else is random. There are bins to dig through and seemingly every other available surface is covered with something sparkly and alluring.

Pricing: Pricing was all over the place. At the low end were the cheaper items, wood bangles for $5-$10, plastic bangles for $15, and little zip bags for $15. The next price point was around $70-$100. If you find this affordable, you should be pretty pleased with this sale. There were plenty of earrings and rings in this range. The highest price range was around $200-$300. These were mainly the items with tiny red dots drawn onto the price tags. Red dots mean the merchandise is 50% the written price. I’m not so sure about the Lucite flower brooches, but you can certainly tell why some of those bracelets cost what they do. I mean, I would go by the sale just to ogle them, they’re that gorgeous.

Shoppers: Shoppers broke into two main categories: the older Ab/Fab set collecting mountains of bangles on their trays, and 20-somethings picking through for a few special pieces. And both groups were well represented. If you really want to take advantage of this sale you need to clear out some time and be prepared to dig with the crowds through bins. There wasn’t any pushing or rudeness thank goodness, but there was a lot of waiting.

I think this sale would be good for those people who want to do some expensive Christmas shopping. It’s a nice chance to get one or two special pieces for those people on your list that you want to splurge on at a discounted price. Personally, I didn’t find anything I’d be willing to splurge on without considering it. That and I have nowhere to wear museum-quality bangles.

PICTURES FROM INSIDE THE SALE

Full Essie Winter Collection Spotted

Hello darlings!

I was going to add this into a review of Essie's Bobbing for Baubles which I've been madly searching for at all the local drugstores in NY to no avail, but I've decided that a few coats of O.P.I.'s Ski Teal We Drop will make me much happier right now. Teal is, after all, my favorite color. Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know that if you've been searching in vain for the full Essie nail polish collection for Winter 2011, it's available at Beauty 35, located at 505 8th Ave between 35th St & 36th St. I found it on my way to the Noir sample sale.

I'm not sure if I will be checking out any sample sales this week. It depends if I manage to get all my work done and if inspiration strikes soon enough for me to get a handle on a crazy assignment for my theater class. Now, if the first part of that sentence doesn't make me sound like Cinderella...perhaps the influence of "Once Upon a Time" has altered my view of the world. That or my rapid consumption of fairytales from birth. I was born during the Disney Renaissance, after all. Getting back on track, if I do check out any sales, it will either be Anna Sui, Rebecca Minkoff, or Thakoon. My rainy day budget is dwindling quickly so I have to exercise greater judgment before walking into all these lairs of temptation. Ah there it is again, now the influence of Tartuffe is starting to creep into my writing. OK, I am off before I write something that sounds like Henry James. Oh, the perils of being an English major.

Just one more thing, my lips have been very unhealthy lately so I've been treating them with a steady regimen of Covergirl Natureluxe glossbalm, Vaseline, and Aquaphor. This means I haven't really been testing out any lip products. I can recommend "Marble" (a very natural sheer pink shade, darker and more natural than the other one I reviewed with less noticeable shimmer) and "Peony" (bright red, also sheer but pretty pigmented and definitely reads as a red upclose and at a distance) from Covergirl Natureluxe glossbalms but you might have a long wait for any reviews of lipsticks. I have been trying out the Tarte blush in Dollface I picked up from the Sephora F&F sale almost daily and I love it, so a review should be coming in a month or two.

Sample Sales

I have never been to a good sample sale (up to this point).

Part 1: Merchandise
It's difficult enough as it is if you aren't a hanger or a mannequin to find something that looks good and fits in ready-to-wear at an affordable price in a regular store on a regular non-sample sale day. Ah, for the brief moment when I was a size 4, 106 pounds. Short of exercisingly furious and going on one of those ridiculous cleanses where you only drink your meals in the form of lemon juice and cayenne pepper, I'm still stuck looking for outfits that fit when I try them on and not (optimistically) in the few months it will take me to shed a few pounds. (Side note: I've always had a problem with the term "shedding a few pounds." It sounds reminiscent of a snake shedding its skin, making it seem like something that's quite natural to do...habitually...when in fact regularly gaining and losing a significant amount of weight is far from healthy...anyway...) The things you find at sample sales almost never fit right even if you are a sample size (I do happen to fit a 4-6, Small for the most part). It's not just that there's not a lot of choice (which there isn't) but that there often seems to be something wrong with what's on sale. Unusual bulge in the back of a jacket, an improperly sewn and thus puckering seam on the side of a silk or chiffon dress, something that looks good in the store but when taken home and washed once reveals itself to be terribly constructed and so fragile that for whatever reason it can never be worn again. Yay, sample sales.

Part 2: Location
For some unknown reason, unless the sale is happening in a store, it's happening up flights and flights of stairs in a dirty, unassuming, seemingly abandoned building that is barely marked and that you have to hunt for even when you're already standing on that block. That, or it's happening in an office building down a long corridor that smells stale, and like hopelessness. This location usually does not seem like it's been chosen because it's the best of all possible locations regardless of what Pangloss might say about the matter should we question him. No, it's usually terribly crowded, with no way of really arranging the merchandise without everyone still bumping into each other without space to maneuver. That brings us to...

Part 3: Fellow Shoppers
Now, I'm a New Yorker. I'm used to it here. But suddenly during sample sales all rules go out the window. Girls who might be the sweetest people you will ever meet outside of a sample sale are suddenly yelling and pushing, monopolizing time in front of the mirror when they aren't throwing things all over the place with complete disregard for the safety hazard or the people who then have to clean it up.

So what's my point? I guess this post is just an extended dejected sigh. And yet I keep going back. It's more than wanting to find a good bargain. There's something tantalizing about a sample sale. The promise of finding a truly special piece that everyone else isn't going to own...the chance of obtaining something that's within your means although under normal circumstances it wouldn't be. I suppose that's it. Sample sales have a little bit of magic about them, despite the lack of glamour that comes with the reality. They're like that liminal time or place in the fairytale when something out of the ordinary can happen, when you can bridge the gap between your world and one you aspire to, when you can steal some of the magic and use it to transform yourself... Perhaps I'm overthinking things. I tend to do that. Suffice it to say, once again I've returned home empty handed but not defeated. I'll be right back out there hunting through the racks soon enough.

Until next time... :)