East Coast, West Coast, Sample Sale

Seasonal markdowns have begun, and temptation abounds.  Nonetheless, I am resisting the urge to impulse purchase things I know I'll soon regret, and am instead trying to be adult and save my cash for the sales that count.  I just received word of two good ones that are coming up, one for each coast.  In New York, Mary Ping, Slow and Steady Wins the Race, Mandarin & General, Emmanuelle, and Haerfest are teaming up for combined sample and inventory sale. In L.A., our friends at Blood is the New Black are having a massive sale which will include $5 shirts, and free beer, margaritas, and barbecue to sweeten the deal.  If I were on the West Coast, I wouldn't want to miss it.

-Tiffany

Back in the New York Groove: Two Great Sales for this Weekend

Triskaidekaphobia Buckle Ring

After a long Swedish winter, I'm finally back in New York, and arrived just in time for the beginning of sale season.  First off, Triskaidekaphobia and Arms and Armory will be participating again in the second edition of Pop Souk, Ladyfag's market for downtown designers and nightlife kids.  Legendary designer Pam Hogg will be the special guest, selling a selection of limited archival pieces from her collection.  The event will take place from 12-6pm on Saturday, May 12th at Greenhouse on 150 Varick St.

One of my favorite online retailers, Fabricly, will also be hosting a massive warehouse sale this week.  From Friday to Saturday, they'll be selling pieces from their great selection of emerging designers, including Stylestalker, Mary Meyer, and Species By the Thousands, for up to 90% off.  The sale is at 30 W. 18th St, and you can find more info here.

Stylestalker dress from Fabricly

-Tiffany

Holiday Bling Bling Bling

Holiday season is full swing, and we're celebrating with two sales: one in New York, and one online for those of us who can't be in New York for the holidays (myself included :::SOB:::).  This Friday, we will be selling Triskaidekaphobia pieces for at least 50% off the retail price, alongside some of our other favorite jewelry designer friends: Bijules, Chris Habana, and Arms and Armory.  If you can't make the sale, we are also currently participating in Chictopia's 12 Days of Chic.  We're offering selected pieces from our store, with special discounts on certain items.  Shop for yourself, or if you're feeling generous, pick up a gift for someone else!

-Tiffany

Camilla Norrback Sample Sale- Stockholm

Just a quick note to let you know that if you're in Stockholm, the company that I'm working at now, Camilla Norrback, is hosting their seasonal sample sale.  Prices start at 100 kr, and there's plenty of super-discounted warm and fuzzy knits that would make a great Christmas gift for yourself, or more generously, someone else.  Additionally, the current Fall collection will be discounted 50%. Make sure to stop by sometime this weekend for some glogg and shopping; the store is at Norrbacksgatan 60, and will be open tomorrow and Sunday from 12-5.

-Tiffany

Triskaidekaphobia Sample Sale!

I am in Tallin right now, but we will be having a great sample sale with our besties Jules of Bijules and Chris Habana. Make sure to stop by and stock up on all the jewelry you ever wanted but couldn't bear to pay full price for!

-Tiffany

Non-Bummer Summer

If you're stuck in the city for the rest of this sticky endless summer, there a couple of cute events to look forward to...

Tomorrow and Friday, VPL will be hosting a Rag Tag sale featuring vintage clothing and accessories from local clothes horses like Victoria Bartlett and Arden Wohl. Additionally, there will be a Rag Tag sale hosted by TAO, with proceeds benefiting Japan. I do not know if this means that there will be actual TAO merchandise on hand, but I have my fingers crossed!


Every summer, Adidas hosts a soccer tournament featuring downtown's finest, with teams from Opening Ceremony, Vice Magazine, The Smile, etcetera. There's free barbeque and beer, and probably cute boys too (not that I'm looking!).



Next weekend, recently launched Terrific Magazine will be hosting a Pool Supplies Sale, at Union Pool in Brooklyn featuring wares from local (and personal) favorites like Suzanne Rae, Timo Weiland, Dusen Dusen, Elizabeth Knight + many, many more.

-Tiffany

Life: Curated Stockroom Sale!

I've been working a lot this week, but just wanted to write a quick note to let all you New Yorkers know that my dear friends at Life: Curated are having their first ever stockroom sale! Full disclosure: I'm a little biased because they're friends, and they also carry Triskaidekaphobia. Nonetheless, they also carry plenty of other fantastic goods, for both your closet and your home, including favorite friends like 80%20, Mary Meyer, Obesity and Speed, and Mike Gonzalez. I love them all, and even though I am totally cash poor from hitting up all the sample sales that have been happening this month, I'm planning on stopping by--I have my eyes on some Suki Cheema pillows! Everything will be at least 50% off or more, and for a sneak preview, you can check out some of the featured sale items on the Life: Curated blog. For those of you who aren't in NYC, sit tight, their online store is coming!

-Tiffany

Comme As You Are

Comme des Garcons jumper, Comme des Garcons x H&M jacket, shirt from Bangkok, Banana Republic tights, Alexander Wang boots, Devaki hat, Charles Anastase sunglasses, French and English Confectioners backpack.

As soon as I got word of the first ever Comme des Garcons public sample sale in New York, I was jumping with excitement. Brandon, who is a Japanese designer fanatic, was hoping that word wouldn't spread while simultaneously leaking the information to everyone within earshot. Of course it didn't end up being much of a secret, and by the time I got there on the first day of the sale, there was a long line looping around the block. No matter. Some things are worth waiting for, and all of my friends who waited patiently to enter alternatively described it as "Christmas" and "heaven." I went with the intention of finding a plaid red jumper from the Fall 2008 collection that I had once made the mistake of letting go when it was severely discounted at Saks. I've kicked myself ever since, and knowing that the sale would be full of archival pieces from previous seasons, I set about to find it. I was lucky to grab the only one that I saw at the sale, and even though it still cost a pretty penny after 70% off, it was certainly worth it. Can't wait to see what everyone else got!

-Tiffany

Two Tips for Tomorrow

Just wanted to alert my fellow New Yorkers to two events that I will be going to tomorrow, in case any of you are interested in stopping by! The first is a the Museum of Chinese in America's YPX Gala. There will be appearances by some of New York's best Asian American fashion designers, like Mary Ping and 80%20, will be on hand selling their collections. Tickets are $100, but there will be an open bar and dim sum served from 7-9pm.

The second event is a sample sale for Nomia and Heutchy at the Aikaz Showroom from 5-8pm. Wine will be served, and there will be sweet discounts on current Fall 2010 collections, as well as past season merchandise. Hope to see you out tomorrow!



Nomia Spring 2010, which will be part of the sample sale

Heutchy Boots

-Tiffany

Russel Brand Loves Triskaidekaphobia + We're Having a Sample Sale

Russell Brand wearing our Triskaidekaphobia "Drink Me" necklace. Image by Getty Images via Gawker.

So, I'm about two minutes from passing out (when will I learn that ten hour work days on four hours of sleep never work), but I have two tidbits of information that I wanted to share with you all. First off, my eagle-eyed friend Maddy spotted this picture of Russell Brand wearing our "Drink Me" bottle necklace on Gawker yesterday. I know the bottle is backwards, but like a mother knows her child, I know that we produced this necklace. Making things is a strange business. Christina and I put everything together in our shoebox apartments, and then send them off into the world. We don't know where they end up. Sometimes they land on our friends who we love and adore, and sometimes they land in unexpected places, like on the neck of Russell Brand (who we love and adore from a very far distance) while he patronizes Harry Potter events. I don't know how Russell got it, if he bought it himself, or if it was a gift. I like to imagine that maybe it was a present from his fiancee Katy Perry. In all probability though, I'm guessing it was bought at London jewelry store Kabiri, where Helena Bonham Carter also picked up a "Drink Me" bottle necklace.

Anyway, this brings me to my second tidbit of information. If you live in New York and would like to get a hold of one of our pieces, including the aforementioned "Drink Me" necklace, we will be having a one night only sample sale at the Ace Hotel (20 W.29th St. Room 811) tomorrow evening from 5-8pm. Our jewelry will be 50-70% of retail, and we'll be selling our wares alongside ten other awesome up-and-coming designers. Cupcakes and champagne will be served. You can find out more information on all the designers involved at the Ace Hotel Pop-up Showroom Website. Hope to see you there--I'll be getting there a little late since I'm coming from work, but I would love to meet you all!

-Tiffany

Fabulous Finds at Fiftytwo

Just a quick note to my fellow New Yorkers to make time this week to stop by Fiftytwo Showroom for their sample sale. I went yesterday and the highlights include plenty of Rue jewelry, hundreds of Rosa Cha and Jo De Mer swimsuits, Coven knits, and adorable Lerario Beatriz dresses, all at extremely discounted prices and perfectly suited for summer. I picked up a beautiful white dress and silk skirt from Lerario Beatriz, and am seriously tempted to go back again for some Rue rings. My friend Katie (the cute blond wearing a Triskaidekaphobia necklace) will be happy to help you out!

-Tiffany

Best Lil' Sample Sale Ever

This Friday, a bunch of the best young designers in New York City are getting together to have a sample sale at my friend Dom's old apartment (60 W. 8th St. Apt 5A., text 347-432-7643 to get inside the building). Dom is moving to the East Village, so he decided to take the opportunity to use the empty space to hold a sample sale with his closest friends. I unfortunately will not be able to make it, since I'm going to be at The Kentucky Derby (!!!), but Christina will be there peddling Arms & Armory jewelry, and maybe a few of our Triskaidekphobia samples too (but no promises, we don't have much stock to get rid of). Dom will be selling his Antoine Dom tees, and there will also be jewelry and hats from Chrishabana and clothes from Telfar (who will also be providing the music). Everything will be SUPER cheap, starting around $20, so stop by to shop and stay for a drink.

Chrishabana jewelry

Arms and Armory jewelry

Chrishabana jewelry and hat
Antoine Dom tee

Telfar

-Tiffany

New Things

Mini boater hat, $12 from H&M.  I love this silly little knock-off of the Marc Jacobs Spring 09 squashed straw hat.  The real version is currently on sale at the MJ store for around $100, which was really tempting, but two seconds after I tried it on, the elastic band that secures it to your head snapped off.  Maybe I just have a really huge head, but I think this means it's a bad investment.

I finally got my new Canon Rebel Xsi in the mail today, and have been spending the entire afternoon trying to read the dense instruction manuals etc. I have a ridiculously short attention span though, so instead of getting through it all, I thought I would play around with taking some test pictures around my apartment of a couple of new things I bought this week.  Naturally, Christina bought most of the same things, so you'll probably see them incorporated into our 66S outfits in the future.  Speaking of which, you can expect a lot more quality outfit shots, now that I have my new camera.  It's going to take a few weeks to figure out all the functions, but I'm already totally impressed with how much better it is than my crappy (now broken) point and shoot. If anyone has any suggestions, or camera tips/tricks, please share!


I picked up this VPL bra and underwear set at the sample sale last week.  I just love the flash of neon pink, not to mention the fact that it's super comfortable.  Christina and I are planning on wearing the top to Six Six Sick tonight.

I picked up this Clu patchwork tank at The News sample sale this weekend for $10. I was mainly buying presents for other people, but it was so cheap I couldn't resist.

This braided hair band from Topshop would be super easy to DIY, but I had to have it immediately so I shelled out $20 (not cheap) for it anyway.  My husband saw me wearing it and thought I had a cute new hairstyle, but completely freaked out and wouldn't talk to me when he found out it was fake.  Christina got the same one in blond!

-Tiffany

Sample Sale Season

Sample sale season is here, and I'm really excited to finally be able to start affording things. While there are plenty of sales going on, I'm still on a limited budget, and only make the time to spread my wallet for the very best. For those of you who are in New York, you should definitely stop by The News sample sale which is starting tomorrow. I usually stop by late on the last day, when they discount everything further, and always end up picking up something, whether it's for myself, or as a gift for the significant males (brother and husband) in my life. Jimmy's birthday is coming up, and it's really a good sale for the boys.

Also, my former office neighbors, VPL are having a sample sale starting tomorrow at their offices on 39 W 38th St. Although the prices are a bit high for a sample sale, I always love their knits and shoes (and of course their underwear), and am hoping to get another pair of sandals, since I wear my current pair every day of the summer. Plus, if you're lucky, you might get a sneak peak of Victoria's awesome inspiration board...

-Tiffany

My Preferred Mode of Shopping...

Oops.  Sorry for the late notice. Ana Lerario, who runs Fiftytwo Showroom and designs the line Lerario Beatriz, will be having a trunk show tonight from 4pm-8pm, where you can preview her Fall 2009 collection, as well as pre-order pieces at wholesale prices.  In addition, she will have pieces from Spring available at discounted prices.  This season's collection was inspired by Tim Burton, and is darkly romantic, full of rich velvets, sequins, wood sequins (!!!), all with a hand finished couture touch.  This is my favorite way to shop---at a discount, and ahead of time---I already have my eye on ordering a pair of the stirrup leggings and the wood-sequin embellished jacket.  I will probably stop by sometime before or after I go to Allegra's gallery opening, and for those of you who live in New York, you should definitely pop in and take a look.

-Tiffany

The Bold and The Beautiful

A couple of weeks ago, I stopped in to check out the recently opened designer second hand store, Mina.  While there were racks of past-season Chloe, and plenty of other treasures from the owner's extensive archive, the one thing that truly caught my eye was the display of extremely bold, colorful geometric printed leggings and dresses at the front of the store.  I'm always a fan of big, psychedelic prints that are more trippy than hippy, more bold than boho, and Michael Angel satisfies these criterion.  The Australian designer, who launched his first collection for Spring 08 at New York Fashion Week,  seems to favor making voluminous silk pieces full of vibrant colors, which are offset by structured metallic pieces, and the occasional flash of Swarovski crystal.  What could be saccharine, pretty evening gowns are balanced with a hard edge, striking a chord that any downtown girl can understand, without reverting to the rock'n'roll tropes and cliches that are all too commonplace these days. 

While I could never dream of affording his clothing at full retail price, Michael Angel is having a sample sale this weekend at Mina, and I definitely will stop by in the hopes of being able to afford something, even though I am pinching my pennies in these doom and gloom days.  For those of you who won't be able to make it, here are some pictures of his Spring 09 collection from Dazed Digital. 

This psychedelic ombre is like a highly evolved tie-dye.

A Zebra striped dress with Swarovski crystal studded shoulder pads, paired with lame leggings.

Another beautiful gown being steamed backstage.

An elegant top is offset with a rhinestone belt and metallic pants.

Ashley Olsen wearing one of Michael Angel's pieces in her book, Influence.

-Tiffany

Going to San Francisco...

Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony mesh paneled dress, DIY shredded thermal, Rachel Comey boots, H&M star covered fishnet tights, Antti Asplund cross necklace, and studded bracelet from St. Mark's Place.

Thank God for the holidays. Weather permitting, I will be flying out to San Francisco this evening to spend Christmas with my Father's side of the family, so I might not be hanging out here on the blog that much next week.

Anyway, Christmas, and Christmas cash, couldn't come any sooner, as I have been in desperate need of some spending money to keep up with the rampant fire of sample sales that have been going on for the past six weeks. This Friday I stopped by the Opening Ceremony sample sale at 11 AM sharp, right when doors were scheduled to open, and found a long line had already developed. Lucky for me, my old friend Lauren was standing at the very front of the line, with a new friend that she had made, Ciana, and I was able to go in with them. It turns out they had been waiting in the snow and sleet since 9:30 AM. And I thought I was hardcore. We quickly dashed in, hoarded our goods in massive piles, and then went through the lengthy procedure of trying and eliminating. Even though the prices weren't amazingly cheap, I was still very happy, since I managed to leave with two items I've been eyeing in the store for the past year.

The first is a Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony sheer paneled black jersey dress, that had the added bonus of being designed by my super-talented friend Madeleine when she worked as a designer at O.C.  It was originally priced around $275, and I got to snag it for $75. The second piece was a Burfitt high-waisted denim miniskirt which I've been lusting after since I lived in Sweden, and which finally went down from around $475 to $90, which is more in my ballpark. Not exactly a steal, but definitely a deal.  Now it's off to marginally warmer climes...

-Tiffany

On Your Way to Wang...Make Sure to Stop by 52!

Nicollette wearing her finds: A gigantic Maria Bonita Extra Leather bag with a bottom compartment to put your shoes in for $50, and a pair of Coven heels for $20, which she paired with her Six Six Sick shredded thermal.

So, I'm still in a haze from the Screaming Mimi's 30th Anniversary Party (pictures to come very soon), which was one of the best nights we've ever hosted, featuring all of our extended downtown family, and from Malik's Birthday Party at Bungalow 8 last night. For this entire week, my schedule is devoted to hosting holiday parties at night, and hitting up a sample sale or two during the day. I know. My life is hard. Sometimes I lie in bed hungover and whine about it and my husband tells me to shut up. Anyway, I mentioned earlier this week that Fiftytwo Showroom, the company I freelance for, is holding a sample sale, which started yesterday, and is going till Friday.  There are tons of amazing deals to have, and plenty of great holiday presents for all the women in your life.  I was allowed to pick out three Maria Bonita pieces to take home, and also took a look at all the goodies that are up for sale.   Nicollette also did some major shopping, and we thought we would show you some of our finds and picks!  Remember, the sale is at 52 Walker Street, Fifth Floor, and goes till 7PM on Friday.

Nicollette modeling the plaid Coven pants that she got for $50, along with her $20 strappy Coven shoes.

I picked out this super sweet bow-adorned grey sweater from Maria Bonita Extra, which I got for free, but probably is priced around $50.  I paired it with a ruffle skirt I got in Japan, tons of pearls, and an Arms and Armory necklace.

I'm totally smitten with this Coven skirt.  I might have to pick it up if it's still there this afternoon!

I'm also dying over this maroon Coven sweater, that is covered in chunky braided knit.  So over the top, but it's also super practical and warm.

Call me crazy, but I'm kinda fascinated by this Rosa Cha runway sample that features a metal cutout back.  I'm obsessed with body armor type pieces, and even though this is meant to be a bikini top (really, I need to go to Brazil sometime to see if women there actually wear all these cray-cray things to hang out on the beach), I can imagine so many other ways to wear it as a vest etc.

I love these Coven belts with enameled belt buckles!

-Tiffany

Please Don't Tell: Alexander Wang Fall 08 Sample Sale

I know we've been talking way too much about shopping lately, but it's hard not to, when there are so many massive sales going on.  Anyway, I still think you will appreciate some advanced notice on the Alexander Wang Sample Sale, which is coming up in a little over two weeks.  It makes me feel a lot better about not splurging on heavily discounted CDG and Junya at the Saks sale yesterday.  I'm already compiling my wish list of items, remembering how wallet friendly the sale was last season.  Hopefully I'll find a way to finagle a way into the Private Sale.

-Tiffany

Keep It Like A Secret: Melissa Shoes Samples Sale

I know this a little far in advance, but after all the excitement generated after our visit to the Melissa Shoes Showroom, I thought I would give everyone a little early notice on the upcoming Sample Sale.  I'm hoping to get some of the Vivienne Westwood shoes that we previewed in the showroom, as well as some of their super-comfortable flats (perhaps the famous plastic brogues?), that are suitable for all weather.  The shoes are always very reasonably priced, but it will be nice to get them at an extra discount.  For a preview go to the Melissa Plastic Dreams website.

-Tiffany