Shawls

If you've wanted a Virginia Johnson shawl and don't have a particular one in mind, now might be the time to go for it. Today the site is having a flash sale where 4 shawls are $50 (usually $195). I like this brown and magenta one, but there's also a nice orange lobster print. I also like this black and white one on eBay with a starting price of $75, 4 days and no bids. Now if only they'd only just bring back the heavier wool ones.

Holiday Sales

Happy Holiday$! I have been laying low the last few months; the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season and sales paradoxically make me not want to shop. But these Rachel Comey Mars boots in grape embossed leather and suede for $126 at Saks are tempting. Originally $400, they are on sale for $140 with an extra 10% off if you join the Saks email list.

Pool Time

Photographic pool scene + triangles overlay = badass print by fashion darlings Proenza Schouler. Silk snap shirt on sale in a size 6 for $206 from $790 at Forward by Elyse Walker. Download and buy it with Forward's iPhone app and take an extra 15% off, bringing it to about $175. Free shipping, too.

Bananas

I have mixed feelings about the fruit -- apparently it is nearly all sugar, and the process by which it is picked in Latin America and shipped to the U.S. is a study in the problems with globalized food consumption -- but I do like these facsimiles. From above, zipped lined hemp tote with leather handles and a silkscreened image, $73.75 (was $295!) from Virginia Johnson. Clever resin banana bowl by Areaware on eBay for $59.99 with zero bids and 1 day left, or buy-it-now for $100 (usually retails for $140).

Weirdly Shaped Bags + Columbus Day Sales

Are calling out to me. Of a Kind is offering $50 off any purchase of $150 or more through today, the 14th, with the code OCTOBERBEST, including this hexagonal shaped cream leather bag with black trim (the other one is sold out, sadly) by Metalepsis Projects -- made in LA -- for $124 (was $174). I also love this still-pricey bright orange pentagonal bag by for $270 (was $450) by Imago-a -- made in NYC -- at Pour Porter.

Other Columbus Day sales, as Racked NY aptly says, "in honor of a man that definitely didn't discover America,"make aspirational items slightly more within reach. Creatures of Comfort took an extra 10% off everything today only (no code needed); Maryam Nassir Zedah has a 15% off coupon, columbusday, good on everything through tomorrow the 15th; and La Garconne is offering an extra 20% off all sale items through today with code FALLOCT20. More comprehensive sale lists are here and here.

Comey Cardigans

A bunch of Rachel Comey from seasons past has been posted on eBay, including several nice size medium cardigans, with starting prices of $50. I particularly like the shiny blue one, but the others are perhaps a bit more practical.

Back-to-School/Work Geometry at CoC

Creatures of Comfort is finally marking things down to 70% off. I like this short-sleeved silk top by the Creatures of Comfort in-house brand, $54 (was $180), and this long-sleeved cotton button down by Emmanuelle for $87 (was $290). Both very work appropriate.

Dusen Dusen

One of my favorite print creators, Dusen Dusen, has a lot of nice stuff on sale on her site and elsewhere. I like, from above, this orange silk dress from seasons past at Pour Porter for only $59.75 (was $239); this silk blue and beige patterned top from the designer's site for $81 (was $192); and this fruit patterned shift dress on eBay for $88, which I'm probably too old to wear but which I can admire from afar.

Alternative Wedding Dress Ideas

I have had at least a few requests to look for affordable alternatives to the standard type wedding dress over the last few years, but it's so hard to find something like that when you're looking. Perhaps the first in a random series, this Rachel Comey fringe dress is so pretty and is $169 right now from Bird in a size 6 (was $690 -- still way less than I think wedding dresses tend to run, but my knowledge is based solely on Say Yes to the Dress). For a bit more bling, there's also this.

Ace & Jig

Before it cooled down a bit and was all kinds of hot, Ace & Jig seemed like the only reasonable sartorial option. There are a bunch of the super soft cotton pieces on sale at Ace & Jig's online shop affiliated with Of A Kind. Elsewhere, from above, this dress is $59.95 at Anthropologie (originally $198); these tops are both $95 (were originally around $150) from Pommettes and Founders & Followers, respectively; and these shorts are $80 (were $161) from Spindle & Canister.

Otte NY

Is taking an extra 40% their entire sale section with code EXTRASCOOP through July 14.

Sale on Sale (Blues)

Fourth of July = sales on the sales, among other things. I like, from above, this Creatures of Comfort velvet burnout blouse for $54 (was $225) with code UNCLESAM, which takes an extra 20% off all sale items through the 4th; this Henrik Vibskov chambray shirtdress at La Garconne for $134ish (originally $239) with code USADAY, which takes an extra 20% off all sale items but through July 7th; and this blue silky blouse by Won Hundred (would work well with either jeans etc or slim workish pants) at Need Supply Co. for $80 (originally $115) with code EXTRA20, which also takes an extra 20% off all sale items through July 7.

Back, and to Metallic

Metallic shoes are weirdly useful, these, from top to bottom, included. I'm not an oxfords person generally, but I do like these Dieppa Restrepo rose gold oxfords at Anaïse, $177 (originally $253). These cult Acne pistol boots are on sale in gunmental at Matches for $226 plus $20 shipping from the UK (originally $400+). More attainable are these gold ankle boots from the Emerson Fry outlet for $98 (were $348, although these are "imperfect"). Though maybe gold and black is a bit too glam?

Analog Sales

For those of you in New York, tonight from 6-10 at the Textile Arts Center in the West Village is USA Made, where Dusen Dusen, Gretchen Jones, Samantha Pleet and other designers whose manufacturing is stateside will be selling their wares at 20-60% off. Today is also the Comme de Garçon archival sale, where the avant-garde brand is selling both runway pieces and stuff from their (slightly) lower-priced lines from the last several years. Lots more sales on the way in May; see Racked's complete listing here. 

Tucker

By Gaby Besora is having a sample sale through today. I like this silk jersey paper clip-patterned tank top for $50, and these pink silk pants for $75. But there are also a bunch of nice pieces in the flower and geometric patterns that Tucker is known for. 

White Shirts

I have never liked white shirts and can't remember ever owning one. But these offer a bit of a twist on the classic that I find appealing. From top, a jacket-like top by Rodebjer in a size large reduced at Les Nouvelles to $84 with the extra 15% off code "BESTIE" (good until April 22 -- originally $295); a nice pullover cotton blouse with a pointed peter pan collar in a size medium by ffiXXed at Anaïse for $85, originally $165 (an extra 20% off coupon code "fete"just expired yesterday, crap, but maybe it still works); and a vintage 1980s Marimekko tunic-length button-down on eBay in a size small for $59.99 with buy it now. 

Marni

If there ever was a time to invest in some Marni and you don't care which season it would probably be now, from Yoox's sale section, which is at 85% off the site's prices -- which are already reduced from elsewhere -- plus an extra 15% off site-wide with code spring13 (through March 28). I go for the geometrics: from top, orange, black, and white silk dress for $165 (was $690 on Yoox and who-knows-what originally); green and black velvet skirt for $93 (originally $325 at Yoox ); and this wool patterned blazer for $250 (was $990 from Yoox). But there are plenty of crazy florals, abstract prints and even solids, too.

Electric Blue

Gets me every time. This Clare Vivier pebbled clutch is on eBay for $31 (usually $150+) with 8 bids and 3 days left. These Beatrice Valenzuela lace-ups are $110 (usually $190) at The Supply Room, though I'm holding out for these -- or even, with the right sale, these.

Ruching

I have mixed feelings about ruching, but I just bought a Prada shirt/jacket thing from the 90s that does it with gusto, so I guess, for the moment, I'm in. In this dark green jersey dress it looks like the technique will flatter. And the price is right: the code sale45sale (which takes 45% off all sale!) makes it $49.50 at Beklina.

Thomas Sires

Is having a sample sale on Of a Kind. Sadly the chambray shirt  I like is no longer available in my size, but there are a lot of nice knits and jackets from the Nolita boutique still there.

Bags

Baggu's leather bags are on sale at various places around the interwebs. I am a bit non-plussed by the relationship of the straps to the bag (shouldn't they go the other way?), but the leather is super soft and the colors are great. At Beklina, this light blue medium-sized bag is down to $64 with code sale20asap (was $170), and at Karmaloop this gold small-sized bag is $50 with code 30sale (was $120).

Dress

Amazing dress in a size 6 by A Détacher, on super sale at La Garconne -- was $863, now $208 -- with code JAN2013, which takes an extra 20% off all sale items through January 27.

two-toned

I'm not sure what it is about the red shoes navy tips combo, but I like it. From above, a rare appearance of two-toned suede and wool Rachel Comey Barbaro boots in a size 9 (so tempting) -- I think her older shoes like these are a bit more adventurous/quirky -- with a starting price of $99, 1 bid and nearly two days left on eBay; and current season Dieppa Restrepo patent leather and leather oxfords at Creatures of Comfort for $209 (was $299. . . hopefully they'll drop further).

New Year, Old Leopard

Times change but my desire for a few key leopard pieces remains the same. Spotted on eBay are both the iconic Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony angora cardigan I have posted about before, this time in a size large (in unisex sizing) with a starting bid of $99, zero bids, and three days left; and the Rachel Comey leopard-print silk skirt from seasons past in a size medium and a starting price of $50 with zero bids and less than a day left, or a buy-it-now option of $100. I also really like the knit blue leopard dress from Conifer, on sale for $187 (was $474).

Ace & Jig

Is 65% off at Of a Kind. There isn't a whole lot left and it is going fast, but, among other things, this blue tank dress is $60 (was $170), this scarf is $53 (was $150), and this red tank is $43 (was $124).