34th Street Weekend Sale Picks: The Very Final Esprit Edition

#1.  Esprit
Because this is their last weekend on 34th Street. I'm not sure if there will be much left, as the store felt ransacked and empty on Thursday, but there were still sweaters for $6, T-shirts and tanks for $3 (buy two and get one free), and racks of pants for 80% off. The 34th Street flagship was the final destination of product for all the area stores, so perhaps some lingering product will be sent our way for the last days. The store closes for good on Sunday.
21 West 34th Street

Adieu, Esprit (pre-opening days above). We hope to see you back on 34th Street someday.

#2.  Levi's
Because they've got a clearance section that is further reduced. Also, select straight jeans are 30% off.

45 West 34th Street

#3.  Express
Because the entire weekend the entire store is Buy One Get One 50% Off. WHOA.  

Manhattan Mall, level one, 33rd Street and Sixth Avenue;  7 West 34th Street

I'll take both.

34th Street Weekend Sale Picks: The Final Esprit Edition

#1.  Esprit
The 34th Street store is closing this month and everything is 70% off. Exceptions: T's are buy two for $5 each and get one free, tanks are $3, and rainboots are $15. The boots are sturdy and tall. All mentioned are great quality, so go soon to get your size.  21 W. 34th Street

#2.  Uniqlo
Buy two items from their UT collection and get a free ticket to MOMA (see store for details). That's a deal. And it looks like the Orla Kiely scarves are UT?!  31 West 34th Street

#3.  Steve Madden
Scratch tickets are back! Mine today was for 20% off, who knows what yours could be?! Walk into the 34th Street store, get a ticket, and use for cute oxfords or towering platform sandals.  41 West 34th Street

Esprit Sale: Go Now

The 34th Street Esprit store is open till the end of April (sales staff noted this very skeptically as stock is flying out of this location), but I'd visit soon to stock up on basic T's and tanks for spring and summer. Last week I picked up two T's (they are $5 each) and three tanks (buy two for $5 each and get one free). After wearing them this past weekend I'm going back for more. The quality is superb for the price and the colors are adorable. Also, the tanks have a solid, double stitched hem on the shoulder straps and neckline, which I love.

I tried on a few dresses, sweaters, and a great lightweight denim jacket. There aren't many left of any, so get there soon. Everything outside of tanks and T's is 60% off.

Esprit 21 West 34th Street

34th Street Weekend Sale Picks: #NYFW Weekend

#1.  Macy's Herald Square
Because I just got a kimono-style wrap from bar III for $12. And a bar III sweater for $25. Go rummage through the sale racks, there's still lots of great stuff.  34th Street between Broadway & Seventh Ave

Dress underneath is also bar III on sale. Sometimes I wonder where the hell I'm going in these pieces, so if you see someone running down a street in Queens chasing a toddler in a flowing kimono wrap, please say Hi.

#2.  Steve Madden, Geox, and Aldo

Because they're all having sales!  North side of 34th Street between Broadway & Fifth Ave

#3.  Joe Fresh
Because the entire store is 60%-80% off, and there are racks and tables full of $9 items.  215 West 34th Street

#4.  Esprit
Because the company is closing all its North American stores, and the sale is now 60% off almost everything. Yes, next week it will most likely be up to 70% or 75%, but your selection will be limited after the weekend.  21 W. 34th Street

34th Street Weekend Sales Picks: The Last Call Sweater Edition

#1.  Gap
Because their sweaters are 40% off, and they have adorable, oversized sweaters for your leggings.   60 W. 34th Street

#2.  WHO.A.U
Because they have the cutest, preppy sweaters on 34th Street, and they are all on sale. Winter coats, too, are 30% off.   22 W. 34th Street

#3.  Esprit
Because the whole store is 50% off, which includes this perfect little navy sweater and their new spring sweaters.  21 W. 34th Street

Esprit Closing: It's Not "Goodbye," It's "Hope to See You Later"

Word hit the streets yesterday that Esprit is planning to close all of its North American stores. I read the news this afternoon while shopping Esprit on 34th Street. Seriously, I'm not joking. I was in the store checking my iPhone and got an email from Intern Craig. Really, he should be on the payroll, he's always keeping me in touch.

Esprit flagship on 34th Street

Oddly I had just been thinking that the current sale (50% off the entire store) felt a little sad (see signage above). But I like to look on the good side: Esprit is regrouping, hiring new designers in Europe, and is rediscovering its "soul." I'm kind of freelancing on the latter, as that's what I want Esprit to do. Perhaps it'll be back in the future with its awesome, old-school-Esprit image intact. Good luck, Esprit, you'll always have a special place in my heart thanks to years spent pouring over your catalogs.


Esprit 21 W. 34th Street 

34th Street Weekend Sale Picks: Pretty Much Everything

It's an impossible week to pick just three, because almost every 34th Street store is having a big sale on winter merchandise this weekend. Get out there and use those holiday gift cards, because you'll be getting a deal. Here are just a few of my favorites.

#1.  Mango
Because everything in store is 50% off, there's a small 70% off section, and those leopard wedges are 50% off. Huge.  7 West 34th Street

#2.  Desigual
Because they're having a 50% off sale, with select items available for 70% off. And the Desigual by Lacroix is also discounted.  358 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street

#3.  Uniqlo
Because there are lots of items for under $20, and the +J is discounted!  31 W. 34th Street

#4.  Victoria's Secret
Because it's the semi-annual sale, duh!  34th Street and Broadway

#5.  Esprit
Because it's 50% off the entire store, and 60% off outerwear and cold-weather accessories.  21 W. 34th Street

34th Street Weekend Sale Picks: The Last-Minute Super Saturday Edition

#1.  Esprit
Because there's 50-70% off reduced styles, and many other sales, including 50% off select cold-weather accessories and 50% off select outerwear. Esprit is a perfect stocking stuffer/gift resource. In addition to deals on their clothing, I love and recommend Esprit's accessories, scarves, and bags (note: photos below are my website pictures as my iPhone photos were awful. These may not be reduced, they are just a representation of all the good Esprit has to offer).

#2. Desigual
Because select items are up to 70% off. Unfortunately, this does not include the Desigual by Lacroix, but I'm holding out to the end for this Lacroix dress:

#3.  Levi's
Because you can get 40% off select sweaters, jackets and jeans, including a high-waisted, wide-leg style.

In addition, as you can imagine, there will be sales all over 34th Street. Banana Republic has up to 50% off select items, Bebe is having a similar sale, and Gap will be following suit. So don't panic, just get out there before 10am if you can! Check here for store holiday hours, and Happy Holidays!

34th Street Weekend Sale Picks: The Friends & Family Holiday Edition

#1. Esprit
Because their Friends & Family sale is 50% off, Esprit wins the F&F race. Esprit is good to their friends and family, especially the ones who print the coupon below and shop in store (you only get 40% off online).  21 W. 34th Street

#2. Bare Escentuals
Because a sale on cosmetics is pretty awesome, especially when it's Bare Escentuals. Their mascara and Buxom lip gloss is on the top of my recommendation list.  44 West 34th Street

#3. Dr. Jay's
Because you can take 20% off the lowest ticketed price on everything in store (with some exclusions, see store for details) and they have a great selection of winter coats. This isn't technically a friends and family, but I still like it!  17 West 34th Street

Updated to add: if you are a member of the Love, Daffy's club, check your email for a Friends & Family pass for an extra 20% off your entire purchase. Not a member? Go to www.daffys.com and sign up today, as the offer is only good through Tuesday. Daffy's Herald Square is in Herald Center at 34th & Broadway.

European Style Hunt: Day Two

This month, in the dog days of summer, I'm posting a weekly diary entry from a designer friend who travels the world for inspiration, fabric samples, and all the other myriad things a fashion company needs from abroad. For five days on her European spring trip, while sourcing material for Spring 2012, she took some notes and photos while working from city to city, and reported for us some current must-have looks and trends...and I'm looking for these  now on 34th Street.

 

Day Two…Secret Garden 

*This Season’s florals take on every scale, from exploding brush strokes of petals to ombre wash effects inspired from remote tropical botanicals. This mix of everything colorful is staged in a retrospective of gardens from around the world.  Marc Jacobs & Missoni have both been influenced this season by the perfect ‘blush reds & berry tones’ which have a sun drenched, rich hue. Accents with yellows are the perfect compliment to bold floral accessories. 

*Dream Must Haves: *Mulberry’s floral bag, floral T-Shirts,Perfect in Pink Sandals (Dior)

Editor's follow-up:

Note the floral Esprit window in our designer's inspiration board. I dropped by the Esprit flagship on 34th Street this morning to check out their current floral situation, and while the store was not yet open (*ahem* it was after 10am, retail foul), their windows were bursting with fall floral. Love the mix of floral prints with fall jackets and sweaters.

Esprit 21 W. 34th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues

And Esprit, Of Course!

My poor Esprit post got lost in the cracks of the holiday gift posts last week, but we're all probably still out shopping this week, returning gifts, checking out sales, and finally buying for ourselves again and keeping the economy going. So be sure to drop by Esprit on 34th Street because it's full of great winter items and the sales there lately have been fantastic.

Esprit, 21 W. 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Esprit Still Talks to Me

I think this really says Esprit:

This, too, really says Esprit to me:

And I'm not joking. Back in my elementary school days, the Esprit logo sweatshirt was the coolest thing ever and every girl wanted it. That was before logos were pasted all over everything. I'm not counting Steve Fletcher and his obsession with wearing Oakland Raider stuff every day in the fifth grade. It was a little scary. No, really, the Raiders were a very scary team back then.

More classic Esprit (shirt $49.50, jeans $45.50), & great summer Esprit dress ($69.50) that will really look cute on someone who's been to the gym in the past year.





















I had problems with this romper. Adorable but do I bunch it up and look pregnant or pull it down and look like I have funhouse mirror torso? Rompers need a different body type than mine.



















This is a perfect vest, go buy it (I think it's $59.50, T-shirt is $29.50).




I admit that I still want that logo sweatshirt. It evokes some of my earliest label lust, even before Gloria Vanderbilt and Calvin Klein jeans. But logo jeans and How Brooke Shields Ruined Levi's For Me is a story for another day.






Esprit Flagship on 34th Street
21 W. 34th between 5th & 6th Avenues