What’s in a Name (When it Comes to Designer Shopping)?

Posted by Katie Gutierrez Painter Categories: Editorials, Fashion

In the last, oh, say five years, I’ve gone from swearing American Eagle was the only brand I’d ever love to seeking out designer clothing and accessories for their quality, workmanship, and lasting value. (Oh, and because they’re preeeeetty.) But one thing that hasn’t changed is that I still will not buy goods that have the designer’s name splashed all over them. Monogram purses, for example? So not my thing. Even if I admire the shape and quality of some Louis Vuitton bags (like the Speedy, above), I won’t buy them if they’re covered in the signature LV. And why would I want a belt stamped all over with the Coach logo and featuring a buckle spelling, what else, Coach? To me, these are gratuitous status symbols, and that’s not why I shop designer.

Granted, I know there’s a threshold—a line dividing classic from tacky. But that line is much thinner to me than it is to, I think, a lot of people. And don’t get me wrong: My little pet peeve can get pretty annoying. Because plenty of designers I really like, such as Marc Jacobs, sneak their name onto the most innocuous places, like the buttons on a blouse. Buttons! Or this otherwise perfect daytime Miss Sixty purse that I would totally buy if it didn’t have MISS SIXTY right in front. See it? Sure, it’s small, discreet, and perfectly tasteful, but it’s there. For things like this, I know my distaste is silly, but I can’t help it.

Am I alone in my abhorrence of designer name-flaunting? I’d actually love to hear from people who disagree with me—please share why!

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (4)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

Best Sale Sites on the Web

Posted by Katie Gutierrez Painter Categories: Advice, Fashion, How To

I have to say: If there’s one upside to this economy, it’s that department stores, boutiques, online shopping sites, and designers alike are so desperate to clothe us (a.k.a. sell stuff) that prices on everything from sunglasses to wedding gowns are slashed. Which is great for girls like me, who are, well, still desperate to be clothed by them! The bottom line is that, if you know where to look, you’ll never buy a full-priced handbag, pair of It jeans, or must-have dress again.

Shop it to Me

Shop it to Me markets itself as your own personal shopper, and it’s a pretty accurate tagline. Sign up on the website; tell it what types of sales you’d like to hear about (i.e. women’s clothing, bags, and shoes and girls’ clothing); input your various sizes; select your favorite brands/designers from dozens of options, including Marc by Marc Jacobs, BCBG, Theory, DKNY, Nanette Lepore, See by Chloe, and many more; let the site know how often you’d like to receive Sale Mail (I choose twice a week) and, of course, the minimum percent off you’d like to hear about. Voila! Every Tuesday and Friday at 9 a.m. I have a lengthy list of sales from Nordstrom, Shopbop.com, Zappos, Macy’s, and more. Plus, for every 10 friends you recommend who sign on to the site, you get a $10 gift card.

Gilt Groupe

Gilt Groupe is a dream find for designer-hounds. The equivalent of exclusive New York sample sales, the site offers access to women’s, men’s, and children’s luxury designer merchandise reduced by up to 70%. Home decor items are available as well. The way it works: Everyday, you’ll receive an email letting you know of that day’s sale, which will last only 36 hours and usually feature less than a dozen items hand-picked by the designer. It’s not unusual for items to sell out very early, but you can always put yourself on the waiting list. Today, I had my eye on a vivid tangerine silk ruffle dress by Miguelina, reduced from $495 to $198. Unfortunately, my size was already sold out—lesson learned!

Eluxury

Check out the sales section of Eluxury.com for reduced-priced goods from such coveted designers as Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, L.A.M.B., and Marc by Marc Jacobs. If you’ve got a spare $1,300 stashed in a sock drawer somewhere (ha..ha), do me a favor and splurge on this mink-fur stamped suede Fendi bag reduced from $2,450. For the rest of us, how about this edgy snake bracelet from Roberto Cavalli, down to $139 from $350?

Edressme

Full disclosure: I own more than 50 dresses. Knowing it’s obscene won’t stop me from buying more, and when the compulsion hits, I turn to edressme.com. It is the site exclusively devoted to dresses, and you’ll find a ton of bargains on their “under $99” page. How about this adorable black and white tank and ruffle combination by edressme.com for only $61.20?

Retail Me Not

Retail Me Not offers online coupons for more than 20,000 stores. So before the adrenaline rush makes you hit “Pay,” make sure you’re not missing out on a coupon for free shipping, an additional 20% off, or buy-one-get-one-half-off. I’ve saved up to an additional 30% on purchases through this baby!

And Don’t Neglect to Shop Local

Many local boutiques ask for your e-mail address when you check out. If you love the boutique, give it to ‘em. You’ll be the first to know about sales and events. Just this week, for example, I received an e-mail from one of my favorite local boutiques advertising its spring sale with 20% off new merchandise… and champagne during shopping! Sometimes, boutiques along the same street will put together a joint sales event or host trunk shows by some of their designers. Half the time, these events also offer nibbles by local restaurants and complimentary wine or champagne. If you’re worried that your reserve will fail if you get a little tipsy, just BYO non-influencing beverage.

Happy sale-ing! Let me know what you find.

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (7)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story

Style Yourself Successful: Four looks that show you how

Posted by Katie Gutierrez Painter Categories: Advice, Editorials, Entertainment, Fashion, How To, Humor

I have an unstylish little secret: Since I work from home, it’s not unusual for my husband to arrive in the afternoon and see me in the same clothes I woke up in that morning. In fact, yesterday he came home early and caught me in my pajamas, on the couch, cup of coffee in hand and watching the end of a Lifetime drama. It was three p.m. “I swear, I didn’t just wake up, and I haven’t been doing this all day!” I announced before I’d even said hello. My immediately defensiveness wasn’t because I thought he’d judge me. It was because I was kinda judging myself a little. What am I , I thought, some slobby kid home from college for the holidays? No. I own a business. I’ve published books. I write about beauty and health, for God’s sake!

This morning, I woke up, went straight into my closet, and pulled on a little red jersey dress. I did the fresh-face routine, brushed and styled my hair, and then made my cup of coffee and got to work. Fifteen minutes of my time, quite a simple look, and I suddenly felt like a professional again. The point is this: You can style yourself successful. The psychology is simple—looking good makes us feel good. Knowing that we appear put-together gives us confidence, with which we’re more apt to take on new projects, invite the boss to lunch, and impress clients. And it works both ways. The people around us take subtle cues about our personalities, capabilities, and desires from the clothes we wear—and they act on those cues. So, read on for a few looks that will help you achieve your daily goals.

Click to continue reading Style Yourself Successful: Four looks that show you how

• Tools:
• Permalink
• Comments (0)
• Digg This
• Share on Facebook
• Email this story