SHOPPING DIARIES - November 21, 2010

Today I headed downtown to Soho with a friend of mine to get some brunch at Delicatessen (the Texas Eggs Benedict is unreal) and do some shopping

First we headed to the Pop Up Flea Market by A Continuous Lean, and it was a huge success! The place was pretty crowded (see above) and the booths were really well curated and appealing (see below for a photo of one of the vintage stations).

I was most impressed with the L.L. Bean Signature booth which had a great selection of outerwear and knitwear, all under $200! The Aether booth was also sick, with a stunning collection of cold weather outerwear that was simple and sharp. The Oliver Spencer Boutique was definitely my favorite though, as all of the pieces on display were at least 40% off of the regular prices. I scored a beautiful navy wool pea coat for $250 (sorry for the shitty picture below).

The detailing (red wool interior lapels, pinstriped lining, and adjustable waste and cuffs), the fit, and the price made it a no brainer. I would recommend checking this brand out online. Their prices are super reasonable and their design is stellar.

Next we walked down to Acne to see about their new Theo Leather Jacket that I've fallen in love with.

Of course they, along with Oak, had sold out before they even got the jackets to the store. I would say its not meant to be, but they are still available online... Early Christmas present maybe!

Speaking of early Christmas presents, my second (and last) purchase was a pair of the Franklin boots ($198) from J.D. Fisk at 159 and 1/2 Ludlow Street.

The brother brand of Dolce Vita, J.D. Fisk makes great looking shoes at comparably low prices. They also had a fine selection of Shades of Greige and Gant in store and a BILLYKIRK waxed cotton gym bag ($210) I was contemplating procuring for my dad. Alas, I did not have access to the proper funds.

Next we went two doors down to In God We Trust, where my friend purchased a silver "Cheers Mother Fucker" flask for $40. If you're looking for an inexpensive Christmas gift for a friend or family member, this is the place to go. They also have another location (with almost the exact same merchandise) on Lafayette between Prince and Spring right when you get off of the 6 train.

Somewhere in between we stopped by Opening Ceremony because is it really a day of shopping in Soho without it? We were both obsessed with the Racer jackets from the Tron x Opening Ceremony collection ($530), though we never for a second considered actually spending close to $600 on it...

Overall, a beautiful day to go shopping and some great new Fall/Winter merchandise in stores. The only thing that spoiled my day was the 11% sales tax I had to pay on my shoes (the jacket was all cash and tax free!). I later had a discussion with the sales woman at In God We Trust who told me that it was changing again come January (probably going up). I understand that the state needs money, but aren't we supposed to be encouraging shopping in such a economically challenging time?

Fall Buy - Barneys, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman

Earlier this week I hit my three favorite B's (Barney's, Bergdorf, Bloomingdales) for you guys in search of the best buys for Fall 2010. This fall will be all about the play on workwear and military inspired garments mixed with lush knits. I've tried to find garments that are not too trendy and will give you the most wear for their price.

Barneys:

My trip to Barneys began and ended with my search for the perfect toggle coat. While the classic Barbour or Peter Elliot option is certainly viable, I'm looking for something a little bit more modern, and a little less bulky.

This Gloverall coat was interesting, but still restrained with the exception of the leather panels on the upper chest. At almost $600, I was hesitant.

The search was over, though, when I came across this Oliver Spencer version. Priced at $100 less than the Gloverall (probably the best price in the whole store), this option is much more intriguing (plaid with contrasting brown leather detailing), light, and fitted. Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner! Sorry the picture is quite blurry, but I had to be secretive. Barneys is strict about the whole taking photos thing in case you didn't know.

Bloomingdales:

Bloomingdales has really stepped it up this season. Usually their men's selection is one of three things: extremely basic (they specialize in mountains of Theory, always for sale), incredibly outlandish ($2000 Marc Jacobs vests anyone?), or cheap. I guess I didn't give them enough credit because their fall men's wears are, for the most part, reasonably priced, on trend, and chic. Here are some examples:

John Varvatos Toggle Cardigan (Around $700)

Michael Kors Khaki Jacket with Grey Hoodie Insert (Around $325)

Comme des Garçons Parka ($1,100)

Paul Smith Fair Isle Sweater (Around $275)

Moncler Hidden Hood Parka (Around $780)

I think the John Varvatos sweater is a great statement piece, the Michael Kor's jacket is warm and the perfect take on workwear, the Comme des Garçons parka is full of design details (EX: a plaid patch on the upper back and rich brown leather elbow patches), the Paul Smith sweater is chic and phenomenally priced, and the Moncler coat is comfortable and simple.

Bergdorf Goodman:

BG was pretty dry with the occasional breath-taking piece that I could never afford, though I did manage to find a nice Lanvin scarf (still ridiculous at around $300), and some really cool bracelets.

At the end of the day, I'm going back for the Oliver Spencer Coat, the Paul Smith Sweater, and possibly a Moncler OR the Comme des Garçons jacket. Where the money is coming from for all of these is still a mystery...

UPDATE: A better look at the Comme des Garçons parka courtesy of Trés Bien Shop.