Charlotte Russe Revisited

First in our weekly Wednesday staff guest posts! Please welcome Kati today as she explores Charlotte Russe in Manhattan Mall.

I haven’t been to Charlotte Russe since I used to shop there for hot tops as a fifteen year old. Good for a wear-it-once-and-get-tired-of-it blouse here and there, I didn’t think very highly of the store back then. So it was with some strong prejudices that I stopped by the Manhattan Mall location last night, on special assignment from Fashion Herald.

First impression: I almost fell over in shock when 3 store associates welcomed me with genuine smiles and greetings. The store was cleaner than I expected, and even more well organized (an area where other discount stores often fall short). Still nervous about trying on teenage hot tops, I set out to find some more respectable pieces.

They had several different printed ruffled shirts, paired with detailed sweaters. The halter tops I tried hung strangely at the bottom; a problem that might have been resolved with a smaller size. However, I really liked the lacey inset detail on the black sweater.

Ruffled print shirt $19.99, and both ruffled shirts










Black sweater detail, $22.99










I tried a couple of dresses, but could hardly focus on the clothes when I realized this was the dreaded annual event –the Spring Reveal of my long lost bare legs after months tucked under layers. After adjusting to the blinding white light coming from my legs, I saw the way cute Oxford-style Shirt dress I had on. Thinking I’d love to wear this on the Fourth of July, I almost bought this for only $26.99! Then I remembered that is 6 MONTHS away. I also liked the more structured dress, and could see it adapting to different seasons with the right accessories.

Oxford dress $26.99, oxford dress detail










Structured dress, $29.99














They have an entire wall devoted to denim, so I tried a pair of denim leggings. And was shocked… I loved them! They were only $29.99 and could not have been more comfortable. The soft acid-washed tees are 50% off of $8.99 right now. Which is about 80% less than I pay for similarly distressed V-Neck Tee shirts at another retailer (American Apparel).

Denim wall, acid-washed tees, $8.99










All in all, I was surprised with the amount of stuff I actually liked. Charlotte, my dear, you defied my misconceptions! And not a hot top in sight…


Charlotte Russe Manhattan Mall, level 1, 33rd & 6th Avenue

Hit Gap Herald Square and Take an Extra 40

This ends tomorrow, so visit Gap Herald Square ASAP to get an extra 40% off already reduced merchandise. Remember the gorgeous suede jacket I posted before the holidays?

This was reduced to $219.99 beofre the holiday. 40% off would make it $132.

This may still be lurking on a sales rack with other leftover gems that slipped through the cracks. Gap Herald Square usually gets the extras from Gaps round town before they leave us forever. A Trashgate joke would fit in nicely here. And since I brought it up, click here for a follow-up story from The New York Times, with an interesting mention of who? Gap! Ahem.

As I said before, good to see the New York Clothing Bank getting lots of press from Trashgate.

Gap Herald Square, 1282 Broadway @ 34th Street

You Save $283

Go visit Macy's Herald Square's second floor this week, buy this for $15, and save yourself $283:

A.B.S Luxury Collection charcoal cropped tuxedo jacket with striped lining, reduced to $15 from $298. There are several left in smaller sizes hanging on the sale rack by the See by Chloe. This is also where you'll find some Francis on sale, and a fun, cropped, leopard-print Moschino coat. A shopping girl can't really go wrong with classic tuxedo jackets for $15 and leopard print on sale.

Macy's Herald Square, 34th between Broadway & 7th Avenue

Herald Square's Trashgate

Where am I yesterday while H&M Herald Square's "Trashgate" (links to the story below) is gaining steam online? Ogling H&M Herald Square's new spring trends, of course. My timing is impeccable.

Lots of strong shoulders, adorable skirts, and cute pants.
















Get these before the scissors do! (insert bad joke drum roll here)
Ha, no, I'm pretty sure spring trend will be selling out fast at H&M this season. Check out the back of these high-waisted pants in the mirror.


















Did the fabulous visual people know, as they kindly helped me dig through piles to get my size, that the retail garbage was hitting the fan? I don't have any other facts about this specific case beyond what has been reported in The New York Times, but here's what I know and have just learned about this practice of disposing remainder, or left-over, clothing:

• Ages ago, while working at a Chanel boutique and begging staff to give up sample sale information, I learned that Chanel, at that time and in order to protect their image, did not have sample sales and did not distribute their clothes to any discount outlets. Instead, remainders were trucked to a very private New Jersey location and burned. I liked to fantasize that somewhere in Jersey a truck driver's wife was working some serious couture.
• A friend/ex-retail worker told me his company sent all their leftovers to corporate where they were destroyed. Why? The Times story today sheds some light on this practice when describing the New York Clothing Bank as a charitable organization that accepts retail leftovers and protects companies from "...people who might use the donations to get store credit or undercut sales."
• A fashion insider explained that some retailers damage and dump excess goods so they cannot be illegally resold by competitors or discounters without the manufacturer getting a cut. However, she said it seemed strange for H&M to practice this, as why not mark it down and get a profit, or donate the items and get a tax break?
• The same source said samples made overseas are slashed and damaged before being sent to the US, per our custom and trade laws. Samples are not made for sale, so in order for them to be taxed correctly they must have no resale value. In addition to slashing, some countries also have to write on the clothing in permanent ink. Local companies often give these samples to employees and most donate them to charity. Legally, companies cannot sell these samples, but if the damage can be repaired, some do. And sometimes the samples get tossed out with the garbage.
  

Certainly it's a company's prerogative to protect their image and sales. But I hope Trashgate inspires all retailers to rethink and revise their disposal policies in this time of great need and higher social and environmental consciousness. And hopefully, this little scandal, like all good scandals, will benefit non-profit groups like the New York Clothing Bank.

Finally, because it's what I do (and because in the Herald Square store I kept going back to the dressing room with armfuls of new spring items because it all looked so damn good on the floor), I'll be back next week to show you more spring trends from H&M Herald Square and H&M on 34th & 7th Avenue.



*Original story, follow-up coverage, Racked coverage (and I believe Racked must be credited with dubbing this story "Trashgate")

Truth in Names

A little January retail-exhaustion relief:

Click for small print.



















Hairy Bolero! All that hair for just $29.95. Not only are they cute, but I'd buy one just for the name. And it's a good conversation starter: "Oh, thanks, you like my Hairy Bolero? I like to wear it with my Sticky Pleather." Now I want to work for H&M and write sign text all day. Please help me get started. Hat-Head Fedora? Junk-in-the-Trunk Jeans?

H&M Herald Square, 34th & 6th Avenue
H&M, 34th Street & 7th Avenue

Wherefore Out Thou, Abs?

Awaiting me this morning in my inbox:


Is Daffy's trying to tell me something? I can take a little retail incentive for the New Year as I just started going back to the gym post-delivery. New Year's resolutions rarely do me any good, so I am focusing instead on a body mantra: Come Back, Abdominal Muscles...I Miss You, Gluteus Maximus...yeah, not really a mantra, more like a plea.

And Daffy's being Daffy's, you'll find European gear even for working out. I favor Deha, an Italian dancewear line available at the Herald Square store. These, left, I wore pre and during pregnancy. That's one durable, multi-tasking workout pant. Deha also uses such soft, comfortable cotton that the result is almost counter-productive: they make me want to ditch the workout and curl up on the couch with a good book instead.



Daffy's Herald Square, 34th & Broadway

Shop Jets!

The New York Jets miraculously made the playoffs, so it's time for my annual Jets/football jersey post. Sports and fashion are the new rage, so you best add some sports wear to your wardrobe. I was never much of a football fan until we moved to NYC, where I fell in love with the Jets.


One must glam/vamp it up a little when wearing athletic gear. H&M Mama leggings (now it's an illness, must...stop...wearing), boots, Pierre Hardy for Gap from Gap 34th Street. Look for infant NFL gear at Kids Foot Locker on 34th Street.

Where to find football jerseys in the 34th Street district? Easy: Foot Locker, Modell's, and Cosby's. I especially recommend a trip to Cosby Sporting Goods as it's family-owned and has excellent customer service. For example, when I called this morning to check on Jets jerseys, I was put on hold for under 20 seconds, then told specific sizes of authentic player jerseys in stock. There's a Sanchez in size 48 (comparable to a guy's medium) and 50, Revis in a 50, and Jenkins in a 56; all are real, green jerseys. "Real" means they are kind of like the couture of sporting goods as they are the same jerseys that the players wear on the field. This of course means they don't come cheap at $215.

I'd snatch up the Revis, but as Sanchez seems destined to be a Namath-like sex symbol, the ladies can't go wrong with number 6. For the less-expensive, replica jerseys, hit up the big Foot Locker at 120 W. 34th (the Manhattan Mall store and the one at 43 W. 34th don't carry football jerseys), or the Modell's in Herald Center that carries Sanchez and Jones jerseys for $80.



Foot Locker, 120 W. 34th @ Broadway
Modell's Herald Center, 34th & Broadway
Cosby Sporting Goods, on 31st St. just east of 7th Avenue