bloggains

“Instead of visiting hundreds of retailer sites or scouring newspaper ads, circulars, direct mail,” says Michael Falkson, “shoppers can visit one resource, SaleLocator, online or via a mobile app, that brings this information together in one location.”

The site lists more than 275,000 retail and online sales per day for about 1,000 stores, many big-box and chain retailers. It’s extremely simple: The site detects where you are geographically (or you can search in other locations). Then users can shop by category or even search for something specific. You never know what will be on sale.

You’re probably wondering how they are able to get all this information. An Internet veteran, Udi Falkson helped develop Yahoo! Answers, so the Falkson’s site use a special computer program that communicates with retailers. But Michael Falkson also says some dedicated human research is involved.

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Long-awaited pictures are out for the latest designer-discount store collaboration: Versace for H&M.  Though it doesn’t go on sale until November 19 in about 300 stores worldwide, you can catch your first peek at some of the colorful looks for both men and women below. Prices range from $299 for the dress Donatella Versace is wearing (left) to $19.95 rings and earrings. There are three shoe designs for both men and women, from $129 to $149 each (and leather, not pleather). There are also home items, pillows priced from $29.99 to $39.99 and a beadspread, $149. Priced well, considering what Versace usually sells for!

Also, still awaiting details, but we hear that Loehmann’s will offer online shopping beginning November 7. And H&M is following suit in fall 2012. We hope other retailers like T.J.Maxx in the United States follow suit! Right now, you can shop online at Century 21, which always has amazing things, but you always do better in-store. We’ll see what Loehmann’s is offering up soon.

There’s nothing better than someone who’s hosting a sample sale being so excited about it, they actually are sad to part with some of the merchandise. It also shows how great the deals and items are. That describes the folks at EmphaticNYC.com–a designer resale Web site. They are offering an amazing selection of items in their Garment District showroom that would normally only be available online. EmphaticNYC’s first sample sale takes place Thursday, October 20, through Saturday, October 22. You could say they are emphatically enthusiastic. And it’s easy to see why. First of all, look at the savings: up to 85% off (a few items are discounted even more). The designers: Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel, Moschino, Manolo Blahnik, Diane von Furstenberg, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent and more! If you can’t make it to the sale, there are still plenty of deals online. So, what are some of the pieces owner Adrianne Hayon is sad to see go?

Escada oatmeal tweed coat with fur collar, $894.95 (68% off)

Alberta Ferretti silk embroidered dress, $84.95 (almost 93% off!)

Coach limited-edition tote with snakeskin trim, $824.95 (45% off)

But if you want the best, always good to get there early. Doors open at 8 a.m. And if you don’t get a chance to visit EmphaticNYC’s showroom, stay tuned: Bloggains will take you on a tour and show you the racks of wonderful clothes and accessories. EmphaticNYC, 262 West 38th Street, Suite 201, Manhattan, (212) 239-6762; October 20-October 22, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Let me start this post by saying that the following in no way diminishes the value of sites like Myopenbar.com. But hopefully some of you did not receive the e-mail I did today, after RSVPing last week. It said the following:

Well, this is not how you treat the press nor bloggers, and I consider myself a member of both groups. And it’s certainly not how you treat potential customers: simply encouraging them to sign up for a Web site promoting the product without any incentive. I would like to call out the apparently inexperienced PR firm of Maloney & Fox for sending out automatic RSVP confirmations. It’s almost as bad as the Target-Missoni mishandling. I’ve dealt with many publicists and this is not how it’s done. So, it’s your prerogative to attend this event if your RSVP confirmation was not de-confirmed. But I would encourage you to send Balvenie and the amateurs at Maloney & Fox a message by not attending. But please do sign up for Myopenbar.com, because the listings there are pretty solid. I also don’t want to disparage Sons of Essex because, as I said in the previous post, I’ve only heard good things about it. There are other free and inexpensive events Wednesday; to see some of them, check out MyFreeConcert.com.

Thanks to Myopenbar.com

Please excuse my first foray into amateur video blogging (I’m used to working with the best equipment, but I used my old home DV camera and iMovie to make this one). But alas, an inside peek into Beacon’s Closet’s newest location–and its first in Manhattan. It’s one of the best “buy-sell-trade” stores in the city, in my opinion. The new outpost opened September 2 at 10 West 13th Street, and just happens to be surrounded by the best clientele for the store–students from Parsons, SVA, Pratt and NYU. Take a look…. and even find out the story behind the store, how the buyers decide what to buy and even a bit about the logo!

Beacon’s Closet, 10 West 13th Street, Manhattan, (917) 261-4863, beaconscloset.com

See, signing up for the things I write about can pay off. Today I received an e-mail from Myopenbar.com for the following, which is completely complimentary (you must RSVP). I’ve also heard Sons of Essex is pretty cool, too.

Thanks to Myopenbar.com

I haven’t written about free beauty events since Fashion’s Night Out. So I thought, for a change of pace, I’d just throw in some listings, since it is “Spa Week” in New York. And while Spa Week offers deep discounts on treatments at various locations around the city, they’re not free. The following isn’t really a revelation, but in case you didn’t know, most makeup counters at major department stores will do your makeup–or at least show you how to do it–for free. Bloomingdale’s and Barneys are no exceptions. So here are just a few events (you can find more on the stores’ Web sites) to help freshen up your face without dropping the dinero.

3Lab Facial
Receive a complimentary facial.
Saturday, October 15; Friday, November 11; and Monday, December 5, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Barneys New York, Madison Avenue Treatment Room, 660 Madison Avenue, Manhattan, call (212) 833-2316 for an appointment

Estée Lauder “Look as Young as You Feel”
Learn tips and tricks to achieve a “24-hour lift” using makeup and Estée Lauder’s new Resilience Lift moisturizer. Also receive a complimentary sample of the moisturizer.
October 13 through October 23
Bloomingdale’s, 1000 Third Avenue, Manhattan, call (212) 705-2895 for an appointment

Chantecaille National Makeup Artist Eddie Hernandez
Get a look at the makeup line’s fall collection and a complimentary consultation with Eddie Hernandez.
October 21 through October 23,  11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bloomingdale’s, 1000 Third Avenue, Manhattan, call (212) 705-2874 for an appointment

Borghese Spa Facial Event
Receive a complimentary spa facial at the Borghese counter, which includes a Fango Mud Mask.
October 22, 2011
Bloomingdale’s, 1000 Third Avenue, Manhattan, call (212) 705-2885 for an appointment

What Myopenbar.com founder Seva Granik says started as a joke has turned into a helpful resource (at least I think so) for New Yorkers who like to party, yet not spend their whole paycheck to do it.

“My roommate and I, we went out quite a bit in the early 2000s but didn’t have much money,” says the 36-year-old Granik. “So we sought out open bars as means to get our party on without having to pay.”

During the summer of 2005, he says he started a simple blog and an e-mail listing service around it because he was unemployed and bored.

“It blew up overnight,” Granik says.

Courtesy: Myopenbar/Hope Gangloff

And it’s no wonder why: Myopenbar provides daily listings of events, bars and clubs around the city that have open bars or deeply discounted drink specials, with details on times, covers and what’s included. For example, $6 will get you unlimited well drinks, Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR) and Tater Tots Monday through Thursday from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Trash Bar in Williamsburg; Friday and Saturday nights, it’s a $7 cover. Get the idea?

So how does Granik find the listings?

“All of the content that’s up on the Web site is submitted to us,” he says. “We used to do a lot of research and sometimes even steal listings from other Web sites, but we got way lazy and now we rely entirely on what people send to us.”

While he focuses primarily on New York City, Granik says he has maintained extensive lists accumulated in other cities.

“We got really greedy and high on our success early on and opened branches in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami,” Granik says. “But soon [we] realized that we didn’t have a stable business model in those cities to support the editorial teams, and closed those branches.”

Although there is nothing new on the horizon for Myopenbar, Granik says it still generates money through events and marketing campaigns.

“You can only do so much with a Web site about free booze, you know?” he says. “And we certainly did a lot with it…. The old girl had a good run but she’s still kicking major ass.”

Visit Myopenbar.com for daily and ongoing drink specials and get your party on!

There are so many celebrity clothing lines out now, including the much-publicized Sofia Vergara collection for Kmart and Jennifer Lopez’s for Kohl’s. Wow, have discount department stores come a long way from Jaclyn Smith (which is still going strong at Kmart). While I haven’t seen the Vergara or Lopez lines in person, they look OK. Some fun pieces; the dresses and jackets seem to be the best. The materials in the Vergara line are lower-quality than those in Lopez’s (like if you wear a dress with a bag, the side you wear your bag on starts to pill or wear easily–cotton knits, cotton blends, acrylics). But the price reflects that, and rightly so. However, J.Lo’s line is way overpriced; by better materials, I don’t mean silk and cashmere. Who is willing to buy pleather shoes for more than $100? If you’ve read previous posts, you know it’s not me–well, maybe if they were from an actual designer.

One celebrity collection I think didn’t get much ink is the line from the Kardashians for Kmart’s larger sibling, Sears, which launched August 25. My theory is that Kim Kardashian’s engagement and wedding to Kris Humphries overshadowed publicity for it. So I figured I’d check it out because I saw some items online that looked great. And they do look great, with many well-fitted dresses and jackets. But I also have a few problems with the line, the first being that it, like J.Lo’s, is overpriced. The other is that none of the dresses (which can be very flattering, especially for curvy women) aren’t lined–you need to wear a Spanx slip or nothing at all under them to prevent unseemly undergarment lines. My last complaint is very specific: There’s a cute romper (above, right) with a sheer back, but cut way too low in the front that you’d either need to wear a camisole under it (which takes some of the sexy out of it) or double-sided tape. However, I especially like this ribbed shift with a mesh plunge cutout in front (left), which was originally priced at $99, but is now $68.99. In fact, everything is 30% off, but much of the collection is still more than $50. Many pieces have great details like grosgrain ribbon or interesting cutouts. I liked two of the shoes, especially the faux-suede Washington wedge (below, right) and
Atlanta heels (below, far right), both reduced from $51.99 to $41.99 (less
than what they cost online).

After looking through that collection, I discovered around the corner that Sears carries French Connection (rather, a version for Sears called UK Style by French Connection). I remember as a teenager it was a very popular–and expensive–brand, with a store on West Broadway we could only browse through at the time. Apparently, according to Sears, it launched earlier this year. So I got a little excited, and even more so when I saw the pieces and prices. To see a strong contemporary brand with more than 1,500 outlets around the world, according to the retailer, in Sears was unbelievable!

The whole collection–even the newest items, which included wide-leg pantsuits, tweed blazers and secretary blouses–was already reduced by either 30% or 50%. And then there was the clearance rack with items ranging from $4.99 for a floral-print tie-waist blouse (left) that was originally $26.90 to a metallic woven bolero (below, right) for $7.99 that was originally $59.90.

That is just a sampling. See some more in the slideshow below.

So, for those of us who can’t get to
the Gilt warehouse sale Saturday (which is already sold out it seems) to get some real designer duds because of Yom Kippur, there are other options, like the UK Style by French Connection line. Plus, there’s even more
to look forward to in the discount store–designer collaboration department.
And two of the chains that I think do it the best are Target (minus the Missoni fiasco) and H&M (I also happen to like the Simply Vera Vera Wang line for Kohl’s, much of which happens to be on sale now). And Target confirmed Monday that Jason Wu (remember Michelle Obama’s white inauguration ball gown?) will be the next designer to collaborate with Target. That line will launch February 5, 2012. And of course the Versace collection for H&M is coming November 19 to select stores. More on the Versace and Jason Wu lines to come, when more details are available.

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