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We are lucky, lucky people.

Obama won (woo-hoo!) and now, Abaeté (a forever-favorite label of mine) is having is having it’s seasonal sample sale tomorrow. And you know what that means ladies…

40-60% savings on a bevy of beautiful dresses, amazing coats, sexy skirts, and great easy tees usually found in Bergdorf, Saks, and Bendels. Lots of styles - especially in sizes 4 and 6.

Thursday, 11/6 | 11am-7pm
Friday, 11/7 | 11am-7pm
Saturday, 11/8 | 12pm-6pm

560 Broadway, Suite 509 (at Prince Street in SoHo)
Trains: R/W to Prince | B/D/F/V to Broadway/Lafayette
credit cards and cash gladly accepted

Want to know more about Abaeté?
See my review of the Spring ‘09 Collection, a trend alert, and see how the label contributed greatly to my personal style.

Prada does everything right. This morning (even with a head-splitting hangover), I managed to make it to the fabulous Prada sample sale.

This is by far the most organized, clean, peaceful sample sale I have ever been to - and certainly worth the trek over to 609 west 51st street (which is all the way on the west side between 11th and 12th avenues).

There is lots and lots of amazing stuff from fall ‘07 (including a coat I’m just dying for that’s marked down from something around $3000 to a mere $675), and practically everything from the drop-dead gorgeous resort ‘08 and spring ‘08 collections.

There are no handbags, some shoes, tons of women’s dresses, jackets and coats; there is also very little for men (other than some absolutely absurd abominable snowman-inspired wooly jackets). There are also some decent Miu Miu pieces.

The sale continues through next Saturday and I highly recommend you check it out. I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about it all tonight…*sigh*

PRADA Sample Sale
Saturday, Oct 18th through Saturday Oct 25th
9am to 7pm
609 West 51st St | 7th Floor | NYC

No appointment necessary. Lots of women’s clothing, some shoes, and a bit for the fellas…Credit cards only.

UPDATE: For news on the sample sale (what you’ll find, what you won’t, etc.) see here…

…and now, a ray of sunshine for our beloved yet beat-up New York:

Hermes Sample Sale

Wed. 9/24, 10am-6pm
Thurs. 10am-8pm
Fri.-Sat. 10am-6pm
Sun. 9/28, 1-6pm

Metropolitan Pavilion
125 W. 18th St. 4th Fl (6th/7th Ave)

Shop bags, scarves, ties, home collectibles, ready-to-wear, etc. and have fun!

UPDATE: Today around 11:30am we walked over to the Hermes sample sale and what did we see? Millions of scarves? Hundreds of ties? No. We didn’t see any Hermes at all - we simply saw a huge line of well-dressed fashionistas. Stretching down W. 18th St, up 6th Ave, blocking the entrance to the Container Store, and then curving around W. 19th St. were girls and boys patiently waiting in line while proudly displaying their classic ‘H’ belts and clacking away on their blackberries.

It was a sight to behold, but not something we really felt like being a part of (it’s true that I waited in line for my iPhone, but I’ve got enough Hermes to satisfy me for the time being). So what did we do instead? We waited in another line - at the Shake Shack. That’s right - we did not wait for Hermes but we waited for double cheeseburgers and fries.

Learn a bit about Hermes’ famous Birkin and Kelly bags here.

Yesterday for lunch we made a run to the big Intermix sale at the Metropolitan Pavillion. It was definitely larger than we had anticipated and as soon as you walk in you are greeted by the designer collections on the left - lots of Chloe, Stella McCartney, some Helmut Lang, Zac Posen, etc.

I spotted a lone Thakoon dress that I obsessed about last fall, a bunch of gorgeous Stella sweaters, all of the ‘it’ Chloe dresses of this and seasons past…and then I spotted something extraordinary.

Rummaging through the racks, my hand fell upon a lightly waxed trench coat. No label, no price, no info - just a stunning coat created with careful draping and yards and yards of fabric. I couldn’t help but pick it up and haul it into the dressing room along with my other finds including high-waisted jeans from Earnest Sewn and a little silk romper.

The dressing room was exactly what you’re expecting - a bunch of girls stripping and clothing thrown all over the floor. I started with the Thakoon dress, which was of course too large (a girl can dream) and then moved along too the jeans. The fit was terrific, but flattened out things in back a bit too much so I moved on to the trench, which I knew I was going to love.

The trench was perfect. A little beat up, but perfect nonetheless. I twirled in the dressing room and knew it was going to cost too much, but took it to the counter and waited for the girls to give me a price. They said it was Lanvin, originally around $3,000 and that I could buy it for $700. After a bit of investigating back at the office, I discovered it was from the Spring 2005 Runway. I didn’t buy it because I already have a trench coat (and one I love) and because we need to buy a new couch, but I’m sad that I don’t own it since I’d wear it forever and love it always. Too bad I don’t still charge up a storm or that beauty would be mine…and now I need a trench to protect me from my own tears of sorrow!!

Anyway, go and get your own freak on (and if you see the Lanvin Trench think of me):
Intermix Sample Sale
Aug. 26-28. Tues.-Thurs.
9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Metropolitan Pavilion
110 W 19th Street (6th/7th Ave)

Yesterday, after work and before Soho House, I stopped off at Studio Dee Services to shop the sample sale.

I picked up a gorgeous, super cool Jil Sander cream-colored satin coat for only $70, a great tie-inspired scarf for $5, and 3 sparkly brooches by Erickson Beamon for merely $10 each (that are just as awesome as the ring pictured to the left, which recently landed at NET-A-PORTER for $235).

This, my friends, is a real sample sale with real sample sale prices, and one you will kick yourself for missing. Other finds include shagreen bags for $25, lots of shoes, brightly-colored gloves, tons and tons of accessories and clothing for both men and women…Shop now through Saturday, June 28th, 10am to 6/7pm. Studio Dee Services - 152 W. 36th St, Ste 604 between Broadway and 7th.