34th Street Friday News

Double trouble on 34th Street for you shoe lovers. Work is coming right along with one new store, Geox, and one relocation, Aldo (they are currently right down the street). Looks like both should be open in the fall.


I've finally updated the sales section, so be sure to check it out before you visit 34th Street this weekend. Sorry about the crazy font sizes, but it seems the more I update it the nuttier Blogger gets on me. Anyone else have this issue?

Things to look for this weekend:

Bare Escentuals is phasing out some great kits in July, so look for major discounts on some of your favorites and stock up. For example, you can get The Bare and the Beautiful (above) for just $19.50, down from $71.

Macy's One-Day Sale on Saturday. There will be an extra 25% off clearance. I'm looking today to see if there's any Francis* left on sale, could be a major bargain in the works for one of you.

Gap Design Editions' khaki collection on sale. Get a Swanepoel hat, or the Vena Cava zipper dress. Also, Gap's Perfect Ts are now just $10.

Skinny jeans and leggings right at the front door at Bebe, and these knee-high leather boots (above). Not on sale, but I really, really, really want them.

Banana Republic has new reductions, with some items up to 60% off. They've got some adorable dresses and skirts on sale. That flowing white skirt above is now just $34.99. And now I want to wear the boots with the skirt.

*Francis update: Get thee to Macy's Herald Square tonight or tomorrow and pick up some ridiculous cute Francis on sale, most is 65% off original price. I saw the famous WendyB kilt pin skirt, the incredible graffiti tagged dress, a Nerd Bird vest, the same patchwork blazer seen on Ruby Dee , the Pocket-Square blazer, and the gorgeous color-block dresses.


Bare Escentuals, 44 W. 34th between 5th & 6th Aves
Macy's Herald Square, 151 W. 34th btwn Broadway & 7th
Gap Herald Square, 60 W. 34th @ 6th Ave
Bebe, 1 W. 34th @ 5th Ave
Banana Republic, 17 W. 34th between 5th & 6th Aves

On Sale: Khaki Design Editions at Gap

Dropped by Gap 34th Street today to find the khaki collection Design Editions on sale, including the Swanepoel hats.

Huge with 3 months to go. Just how big can pregnant women get?
I've now fallen for the feather cap. I forgot to note the price, but online it's on sale for $34.99 and I don't think it was much less in store. There is only one left on 34th Street in a S/M. The wide-brimmed hat that I adore is now on sale for $23.99 in store ($34.99 online), no S/M, just M/L.

I was also kind of surprised to see plenty of Wang moto jackets, now marked down to....ugh, forgot to get price of this too but there are none left online. I'll update the sale price tomorrow. The Wang double-breasted jacket is marked down to $44.99 in store ($74.99 online). Moral of the story? Visit Gap 34th Street if you can. The Vena Cava is also on sale: zipper dress is $64.99; very pretty but hard-to-take-off dress is $44.99; the pants are $34.99; and the Wang shorts are now $34.99.

Update: Moto jacket is also $44.99. And looks like the discounted Design Editions have been sent to a couple Gaps: 34th Street, Seaport (thanks, Miss Yaya), and possibly another uptown. Call your Gap for more info.

Gap Herald Square, 60 W. 34th Street @ 6th Ave

Destination Strawberry

It made me laugh when my sister and best friend came to NYC for a visit, and the first store they wanted to shop was Strawberry! Obviously I've been properly promoting the Berry here on FH (thanks for reading, guys). However, unattended by moi, they first visited a non-34th Street Strawberry and were disappointed. It was not a big, fun 34th Street Berry, but a small one without fabulous walls of flip-flops and sandals, and racks of tattoo-sleeves.

We remedied this by going to a proper Strawberry where my friend picked up this adorable vest by True Blue ($12.99):

Her home is spotless! Next trip she's coming over and organizing my apartment mess :)

















Perfect for summer. As my friend said, the vest is "light, soft, and flowy." And I love how she's styled it with the tank, jeans, and espadrilles. I'd also like to give kudos to her talented, 7-year old photographer. Well done, little Demarchelier.

Strawberry Manhattan Mall, levels 1 & 2, 33rd & 6th Avenue
or
Strawberry, 14 W. 34th between 5th & 6th

Twitter Rumors

Thanks to Twitter, I heard rumors of a Payless fire on 34th Street a few weeks ago. Ack! Panic! No, no, it's OK, I think it was a 34th Street in Houston or something. But you know I love my Payless on 34th & Broadway, so here's a little update of what I found in store:

These alice+olivia's are on sale, and are so cute I visit them every time I'm on 34th Street.

Remember the leather Converse from Lady Foot Locker? My favorites, maybe ever.

These Abaete's are now on sale for $19.99. Love these nautical wedges.

More alice+olivia stalking: I've had my eye on that pink leopard wedge for a while. Don't you think they're perfect for stroller pushing down 34th Street?

Last, a new a+o obsession, the white basketweave wedge, now also on sale for $19.99. I see myself in a white hair scarf and black bikini *cough,* I mean black maternity swimwear, strolling the boardwalk in my white basketweaves...and this particular beach fantasy can take place on the Jersey shore and involve tiki bars and video arcades. I'm not picky this summer, just give me some beach.

Payless, 110 W. 34th Street between Broadway & 7th

Post-Holiday Giveaway: Free Perricone

I was contacted by the Perricone people to give away some skin care products to my very worthy readers. As Sephora on 34th Street carries Perricone MD, including the featured giveaway product shown below, I couldn't resist. One of you lucky commenters will receive Perricone's Advanced Face Firming Activator that retails for $120. Here's the official Perricone word:

"Advanced Face Firming Activator transforms skin to appear firm, toned and absolutely glowing, while preventing further damage. Formulated with Alpha Lipoic Acid and DMAE that work synergistically to visibly resurface the skin's texture, reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and enlarged pores, and reveal a radiant and healthy complexion."

Is not beauty copy writing some of the most persuasive writing in the advertising world? I used to browse Sephora on 34th Street for ages reading skin care descriptions and wallowing in the ensuing agony of how, for years, I had been grossly denying my skin such essential TLC. Well, leave a comment below and stop letting your skin lay the big guilt trip on you. Here's the rules:

• Let's make it fun: Tell me what skin care product you spent oodles of $$ on that did nothing for your skin. Or...
• Perhaps you carry no skin care product baggage, bitterness, or anger? Tell me what you love, share the wealth!
•  Contest ends next Monday, July 13th, at noon. Winners will be chosen by a drawing. You'll be entered in the drawing if you give up a little skin care dirt, as listed above. US readers only.

Bon chance!

Sephora, 130 W. 34th St. between Broadway & 7th

A Little More Express

A very happy holiday weekend to you all. And here's a little more 34th Street Express, tried on for possible non-maternity maternity. Here's the purple blouse (from yesterday's post, $34.50) that was a great fit for me in a large. A lot of maternity tops have similar gathering on the sides, so I thought I'd try it for a lark.

I love the color, although this was a week ago and I don't think it'd fit me now.
















Then I tried the Express yoga pants, as a salesclerk in American Apparel told me months ago that a lot of women wear the AA yoga pants for maternity. I highly recommend the Express option, as they are very comfortable and, at $24.50 more than $10 less than the AAs.

They stretch, so room to grow.

I also found the one-shoulder tops ($24.50) cute, also stretchy, and very thin, so good for summer. The white jeans ($69.50) are for my moms, who, after recently moving, discovered an obscene amount of white jeans in her closet. The woman can't pass up a pair of white jeans. Express jeans are now BOGO 1/2 off.

Don't worry about the fit, these aren't fully zipped!


















Express Manhattan Mall level 1, 33rd & 6th Avenue
Express, 7 W. 34th between 5th & 6th

Multi-tasking Belts

I once did an awful trunk show for a very popular knitwear company in a big hotel conference room. I was the only model and had to stand on a dais while a rep handed me jackets to show. It gets worse: The buzz item was a chain belt that, according to the very enthusiastic knitwear rep, wasn't just a belt. It was a necklace, a bracelet, a dog collar, a teething ring...I had to model that damn thing so many different ways that by the end I was ready to show how it could be used to slowly drain life from super-perky saleswomen. I'm sure her last words would have been "And it's an ankle bracelet! Or a big toe ring!"


I was reminded of this hard-working accessory when I saw a stretchy, multi-colored shiny belt at Express that would not fit my huge belly, so I relived a bad model moment to show it as:

a headband;


















or a bandolier.


The belt is $34.50 and comes in many different colors. And will, I'm sure, look very pretty sitting properly on your waist where it belongs.


Express is having a big five-day sale through the 5th with 40% off and more.






Express, Manhattan Mall level 1, 33rd & 6th Ave.
Express, 7 W. 34th btwn 5th & 6th