Recessionistas, Charge It!

It's that time of year when retailers take advantage of holiday consumerism. This year in particular, sellers are out in full force, with even deeper discounts to lure the plastic out of our wallets. Note the dearth of sample sales here in NYC- pages and pages- detailed on sites such as DailyCandy.com and TopButton.com, and New York Magazine's Sales & Bargains list. LSL has been on a self-inflicted spending moratorium which thankfully ended last month. To celebrate, my shopping BFF and I will be hitting multiple targets and expect huge collateral losses to our savings. Here's how we're taking advantage of the flailing economy- call us recessionistas or shopportunists or any of the other catchy colloquialisms coined of late. Since Queen Eliza RSVP'd no for the holiday soiree, we'll forgo the Baccarat and luxury French linen sales. Instead, we stalked Catharine Malandrino's biannual sample sale; this year the selection was much improved from the previous season (bad weather is the bargain hunter's sunny day). There was much swag to snag, including pants with pintuck detailing for $65 and dresses for $150, which is more than 75% off retail. They even carried size 0 petite bottoms- along with the stretch cotton and knit dresses, I was in fit heaven. As further enticement, there was an additional reduction in prices on the second day of the event. In the fashion district, I scored belts- skinny, wide, leather, elastic- from such designers as Badgley Micshka and Via Spiga for $5-13! TSE offers its fine cashmere at up to 80% off retail price during its annual fall (usually beginning of December) sample sale. This year I struck gold at penny prices- a sequin lined black cardigan and skirt set for Mom, a $45 sweater for myself, warm weather accessories and men's sweaters. Granted not everything fits on site, but nothing yet has stumped my Upper East Side Genius Tailor (for a not so small fee). So yes, Santa, I have been a good girl by infusing much needed funds into the flailing economy- please drop off the Chanel booties in the Bergdorf window in my stocking this year.

California Dreaming

I recently returned from a trip home to sunny Southern California and experienced a bit of a climate shock. It was 90 degrees in the middle of November. It called to mind an old adage- the only seasons in California are on television. While not everyone in SoCal cruises around town in their convertibles and bikinis as the short-lived series The OC would have the rest of America believe, the fashion de rigeur is dominated by t-shirts, short hemlines, and platform sandals (many of the rubbery nature) almost year round. So upon landing back in NYC, I was greeted with a shock of windchill that reminded me it is indeed almost winter. I must admit, at that moment, I missed the carefree California lifestyle- imagine leaving the house in the middle of winter and not have to spend 2 hours piling on sweaters, thermals, scarves, hats, and winter coats only to realize your bladder's refilled in the interim. On the other hand, when would I have the opportunity to strut around in all those fabulous winter coats, cashmere scarves and knee high Jimmy Choo boots? And fur would be an oxymoron in the semiarid California landscape. Plus, no one notices if your skin is a little more furry or your toesnails are chipped.

In my view, the perfect balance would be a bicoastal existence- that, or you can defiantly wear a bikini under all those woolly layers. For those lucky enough to nest on both sides of the country, here are some wardrobe suggestions to blend in with the natives.

East

West