Style: Celebrate Flag Day with C.Wonder Sales!

Happy Flag Day, everyone!
C.Wonder is currently offering TWO fantastic sales. Until 6/17 you can get 25% OFF of all clothing, bags, and shoes. The discount is automatically applied at checkout. You can also get an extra 50% OFF all items in their sale section with the code "SALE50". If you use ebates.com, you'll also receive an additional 5% cash back on everything. Get patriotic with primary colors!

Clothing:

Accessories & Home Decor:

Three cheers for the red, white, and blue!

Events: A Report From Shecky's Girls Night Out

Over the past few years I had seen several advertisements for Shecky's Girls Night Out. A few times each year Shecky's hosts ticketed nights in different cities throughout the USA in which they host fashion & beauty vendors (small boutiques as I understood), serve cocktails, offer mini-makeovers, and give out their infamous goody bags. I had always planned to go to one at some point because they sounded and looked so fantastic in their marketing materials. So, when a complimentary ticket offer came up on Goldstar this month, I decided to finally give it a shot.

Photo Source: Goldstar

Wait time: The event lasted from 4:30-9:30pm on Thursday. I went just a little before 5 and left about 30 minutes later. There was no line when I arrived. When I left, a line had formed to get into the venue. While I was at the event, there were no lines for any booths. It only takes about 30 minutes to circle the room several times and pick up all the samples you'd like.
Location: This year's venue is all the way over on W. 37th Street between 10th & 11th Avenues. If you plan to take the subway to get there, you will definitely have quite a bit of a hike from any of the closest stations. If you're coming from the east, some nearby areas aren't that great. Not all streets are through streets because of the Lincoln Tunnel. You may also have to walk through the 37th Street NJ Transit bus parking lot on your way. Keep that in mind if you go alone and it's getting dark.
Retail Booths: I was thoroughly disappointed with the quality of the products that were on sale. Luckily, I had read all the Yelp reviews the night before so I tried not to go in with high expectations. However, an event that is advertised so well seems like it would be a great venue for booths by smaller-but-quality retailers like Three Jane, GiGi New York, or Fibi & Clo...or at least independent sales representatives from companies like Stella & Dot, Chloe + Isabel, or Avon. However, the majority of the products were of the quality I would see at a flea market or being sold on the sidewalk in New York (and often at much higher prices) or possibly on an infomercial. There were a few exceptions but only a very few. My favorite was the Tracy Chambers Vintage clothing booth pictured below. At that vendor, dresses averaged around just $40 and seemed to be the highest quality products at the entire event! I heard a number of other guests commenting on how they weren't going to buy anything because it was all too "chintzy" or "cheap looking". Judging from what I've heard about past years, I think the crowd has become less upscale because a lot of people know by now that the quality of the events has gone downhill. Note: many of the booths were cash-only.

Cocktails: If this is what you're looking for, this is the one element of the event that's exactly as advertised. There were three different booths to get free drinks and none of them had lines. There was: 1) Sweet n' Low booth making a diet fruity cocktail that was delicious, 2) Parrot Bay booth serving pre-mixed frozen drinks like daiquiris and piña coladas or peach bellini Smirnoff Ices, and 3) Blush wines. As far as I could tell, there was no limit on drinks. So, if you just look at this event as a "happy hour" with your friends, you're set. Note: there were a few food options at the event, alcohol infused cupcakes and casserole dishes heating on hot plates. However, you had to pay extra for any of that.

Goody Bags: First of all, they DON'T come in those reusable Shecky's branded bags you see in ALL the photos. They come in a flimsy 99 cent store throw-away pink clear plastic gift bag. The contents include: 

• Tampax/Always sample size packages of products (3)
• Paperback romance novels, "Waking Up Married" by Mira Lyn Kelly & "Tempted" by Megan Hart (2)
• Honest brand organic juice (1)
• Shampoo & conditioner samples from Salma Hayek's line Nuance (2, 2 fl. oz. each)
• Small packets of Sweet n' Low (2)
• Travel size Dickinson's Witch Hazel pore perfecting toner
• 1ColorProof's CrazySmooth extreme shine hair treatment oil (1, 10mL sample size)
• GoMacro Granola + Coconut Macrobar (1, .9 oz.)
• Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls (1, 1 fl. oz.) 
• A bunch of paper advertising

Any extra items you see in my photos were things I picked up from the different booths. Overall, the bag had a minute retail value, especially if you aren't interested in the romance novels and don't have curly hair. There's nothing particularly high-end or indulgent about it. They were worse than even the bad Yelp reviews had described and photos of bags from years past had a lot more product in them and were given out in attractive re-usable bags.

Mini Makeovers: These were virtually non-existent. There were two small tables set up with people offering to straighten or curl your hair with flatirons. At least one of them was trying to sell you the flatiron at the same time. There were no make-up artists or anything like that.
Speakers: I didn't stay for any of the guest lectures. However, there were about 5 throughout the night. I recognized one of the speakers' names, Laurie Davis the "eflirt expert", from having met her at the HowAboutWe launch party a few years ago. I hadn't heard of any of the other speakers before.
My Verdict: If you just want a cheap happy hour or get a free ticket, it could be worth 30 minutes of your time. Personally, if the quality of the vendors and goody bags don't improve, I probably won't go again. I would never pay full price for a ticket. Every single one of the Yelp reviews seem to agree with me on these points.

Style: ModCloth NYC Pop-Up Shop Tomorrow!

You're invited to...

Elegance for All

A ModCloth Pop-up Shop

featuring clothes for women of ALL sizes!

Curvy fashionistas rejoice - ModCloth will be introducing their new Plus Size collection at this event! (Regular sizes will also be available.)

What to expect:

• Darling clothing & accessories available in all sizes
• Fun DIY activities
• A $100 gift card contest
• In-person style advice from the ModStylists
• Free ModCloth tote with each purchase

Location05

Friday, June 14th, 2013 | 6-8pm

509 W. 34th Street (10th/11th Ave), 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10001

Credit cards only.

Kindly RSVP at: http://eleganceforall.eventbrite.com/

If you're not already familiar with ModCloth, it's a great online store that offers flirty vintage-inspired fashion at wallet-friendly prices. Check out some of their great designs as modeled by a lovely blogger I met this year, Sarah Hartley of StoryGirlSarah. She was the winner of ModCloth's Year of Dresses Contest!
Here are a few of my fave items at ModCloth:
Regular Sizes:

Plus Sizes:

Get your Betty Draper on!

Style: Wishlist Wednesday ~ Haute Off The Runway

{Beaded Messenger Bag} // Zara $89.90 {Stone Shield Collar} // Topshop $50.00 {Mini Moon and Star Earrings} // Topshop $12.00 {Homies White & Gold Tee} // Reason Clothing $28.00 {Mattie Lucite Wedge Sandal} // Calvin Klein via 6pm $66.99
Everything pictured is under $90! Who doesn't love looking chic on the cheap?

Style: Report on the Tory Burch Sample Sale

Original Photo Credit: Huffington Post

Clothingline is hosting a Tory Burch Sample Sale this week. It started yesterday (Monday) afternoon with a surprise opening one day earlier than originally announced. The sale will continue through this Saturday. It's open every day from 11am-7pm except Saturday when it will close at 5pm. Clothingline is located at 261 W. 36th Street (close to 8th Avenue). All the details you need are posted HERE.

I went today and barely made it into the sale! I arrived right after work (shortly before 6pm). I waited in line for about 30 minutes and then they started handing out red tickets. If you didn't get one, they sent you home. Luckily, I was one of the last 10 or so to receive one! I still had to wait about another 30 minutes in the line (~6o minutes wait time total). I heard that earlier in the day (around lunchtime) the line was about 2 hours long! So, I guess I should be thankful :) 

If you do aim to arrive later in the day, keep this in mind: 1) they close down the shoe case earlier than everything else so you might miss out on shoes, 2) they close the changing room promptly at 7. They did keep the sale open until around 7:30pm for the last people in line.

There was a particularly large number of items in size 10. However, there were plenty of items in sizes 2-14 (at least, probably some smaller too) as well. There were not many tunics/kaftans and not a large variety of pants either. It was mostly dresses, tees, blouses, and skirts. Lots of people were also there to just pick up shoes or bags. 
Here's the price breakdown:

• Tees & Polo's: Regular $65, Embellished $75
• Sleeveless/Short Sleeve Tops & All Bottoms: $85
• Cardigans, Tunics, & Long-sleeve Blouses: $95
• Sweaters $125
• Dresses/Kaftans: $150
• Blazers & Sequin Items: $195
• Outerwear: $225
• Leather & Suede: $250
• Shoes: $75-$150
• Handbags: $95-$295

You can pay with cash or credit card. Sales are not final! You can exchange merchandise other than handbags and shoes later on during the same sample sale. All shoe and handbag purchases ARE final.

My verdict: It was a pretty stressful experience getting in and not too many "signature" Tory Burch items. The prices weren't overly low either. I really loved the design of a few items like the highly sought-after black flower sweater above (I jumped for joy when I saw the last one). Unfortunately, in person it was too sheer like a few other items, made from a lower quality material than I'd expect, and just didn't seem worth the $120 :( As far as handbags are concerned, the cheapest $150 & $175 were made of canvas and nylon respectively. You definitely had to pay almost $200 for the cheapest leather one. Next time I might save the time/energy for a trip to the Tory Burch outlet at Woodbury Common. It is of note, I had about the same amount of mixed feelings about the stock last year. Pro Tip: Bring a good book to read in line & don't bring big bags/accessories because you'll have to check them inside!
My pick - best quality, value, and classically Tory:

I survived - still mad for Tory!

Style: In Stores Now ~ Century 21

I took a trip down to discount department store Century 21 in the Financial District last week. Overall, I was really impressed with their current stock! They had all of my favorite items from my fave designers' past seasons. Take a look at a few of my best finds:

1. Dresses by Issa London

Long Sleeve: $199, Short Sleeve: $99

It's one of Kate Middleton's favorite brands at less than half the retail price! I just adored these summery designs that were very Emilio Pucci-esque. The fits are very flattering and it's easy to slip into a smaller size than what you'd normally wear. They only had some US 4s, 6s, and smaller sizes.

2. Sleeveless Top by Kate Spade

Top: $60

This tennis ball print was my absolute favorite from her collections over the past couple years. I was sad to have never gotten anything from it, since I'm an avid pro tennis fan! Sadly, Century21 had many of these tops in stock, but only in Size 00.

3. Kate Spade Tunic Top

Long Sleeve Top: $200

I absolutely loved all the small details on this top - the picture doesn't do it justice! There are gorgeous mirrored parts, pink and orange tassels, and some fine embroidery work. It just screams "fun in the sun"! While $200 wouldn't be unheard of for a nice cocktail dress, it's a little too much (in my opinion) for a casual top. So, unfortunately I had to pass up on this one. I'm wondering if it could inspire another DIY project though :)

4. New York City Embroidered Pillow

Pillow (insert included): $60

This immediately reminded me of those fabulous Cat Studio pillows I've seen in the windows of many Madison Avenue boutiques. Unfortunately, those will run you about $158 each. This definitely seemed like an excellent alternative! The NYC one's very cute, but I didn't see any other cities.

5. "Come and Get it" Throw Pillow

I didn't catch the price on this one, but I've seen similar styles (probably by the same company) on Dormify at full price for $89. So, it must be less than that. It's not something I would personally splurge on, but it made me giggle because it's so Selena Gomez - worthy. I definitely had her song stuck in my head after I saw it.

6. Ornate Initial Necklace

Gold or Silver Tone: $13

I've seen a bunch of initial jewelry in this style lately at a much higher price point. So, I thought these were an absolute bargain! They only had about 7 different letters though - including S, T, J, L, M, and A - from what I remember. Sadly, V's just not too common.

7. Izak Patent & Canvas Totes

Totes: $32 each

These totes really impressed me. First of all, any designs by Izak are absolutely adorable. They are so feminine and chic. What makes these bags even better is that they seem like the super high quality you'd get from a similar type of bag by Rebecca Minkoff or Tory Burch. So, I was absolutely shocked when I saw the price tag. What a steal! It's really the perfect summer bag for daytime in the city or at the beach!

8. Juicy Couture Cities iPad 3 Cover

iPad Cover: $19.99

I had admired this case for a while after seeing it on Juicy's website and on ASOS (Full Retail Value: $58). Unfortunately, by the time it went on sale, I believe Juicy was sold out of the London one and ASOS was sold out of all of them. I was thrilled to see these at Century21 because, like the Kate Spade top, they were from several seasons back. I only saw two of the designs - the London one and the Beijing one. The Beijing one was absolutely charming too! I was looking after my wallet today, so this case was the only item I brought home. I absolutely love it!

Century 21 definitely is "fashion worth fighting for"!

Events: A Report From the Lilly Pulitzer Warehouse Sale 2013

The Lilly Pulitzer Warehouse Sale 2013 near King of Prussia, PA is only hours away from ending this year (at 4pm today). Here's some important info case you're considering making the last minute dash! Note: this is the ONLY Lilly Warehouse Sale of the year! They have canceled the Resort Warehouse Sale that they've done in past years in November/December.

I went to the sale yesterday late afternoon. Overall, I was pretty underwhelmed with everything. As compared to last year (when I also went on the second day), the selection was not as exciting and the overall inventory was far smaller. This year, most of the tees, sweaters, shorts, pants, and tops were solid colors rather than Lilly's signature prints. There were sizes 00-14 and XS-XL in each category though.

There was no accessories table that was offering up the old "GWP Gifts With Purchase". That was a really awesome table last year where I snagged a shift pillow, picnic basket, & more! In fact, nearly all of the accessories that were sold were from the sorority collection including jewelry. If you're my Chi O sister, they only had the Murfette Scarf, bangle bracelet, and iPhone 4/4s case in our print. A few other sororities like AOPi and KKG had totes, picture frames, and cosmetics bags too. ALL iPhone cases were 4/4s so you're out of luck if you have a new iPhone 5.

Most of the dresses and skirts were from the fluorescent collection. Sadly, there were no longer any floor length dresses when I went. They'd also run out of most of the "Pop" print dresses except in sizes 0 and 2. Swimsuits were also slim pickings. Highlights were: Wendy Embroidered Tunic Dresses in Coral prints, Lacina Lace Dresses in Just Add Mint (now available from 6pm & Saks for just $37 more at $136), Malibu Blazers in Flutter Blue Lucky Charm in XS or XL, a few Minnie's Shift Dresses, and Men's Swim Trunks - only in S or XXL though.

The average prices of items were:

• Dresses $100 ($119 for the Wendy Dress)
• Tops $70, L/S Tees: $35
• Blazers $80
• Pants, Shoes, & Totes $60 ($29 Shoreline Totes, but I snagged the very last one)
• iPhone 4/4s Cases $19 (there were no 5 Cases)
• Sorority Bangle Bracelets $19 (no non-sorority)
• Scarves $30 (mainly sorority Murfettes)

Here's a look at my haul below. I felt like I picked up the best of what was left. Which item is your fave?

Look lovely in your new Lilly!