4th of July weekend shopping
I'll be gone until Wednesday, so here are some sales to tide you over.

Virtually every store (especially the department stores) is into its second round of markdowns; Jeffrey has a ton of fabulous shoes on sale; Girlshop (the store) has markdowns of 30%-60%; and for those of you with wheels, Find Outlet is hosting a warehouse sale for Bluefly at 3135 Kennedy Blvd. in North Bergen, NJ from 12-7, through Sunday.

Online, Revolve Clothing, Ravinstyle, and Sway and Cake all have excellent sale sections. Same with Active Endeavors, but use code "thanks" for 25% off non-sale items through 7/9. Intuition has a similar deal: 50%-70% off sale items and 20% off non-sale items when you use code "blowout."

Happy 4th of July shopping!
In other blogs...
Here's what's been happening recently in some of my favorite fashion blogs.

Ever wonder why Zara rarely has sales? I am Fashion investigates.

Closet Therapy, an L.A.-based blogger, has been in NYC (her first trip ever to our fine city) for the past week, and I'm finding her impressions on New York fashion very interesting and thought-provoking, especially her observation that the stuff that sells out first in L.A. is on the clearance racks here.

The Go Fug Yourself girls pay a heartfelt tribute to the late Aaron Spelling with a hilarious 90210 dialogue and wardrobe tips from Alexis Carrington.
Website of the week
Living in NYC, it being the fashion capitol of America and all, you sometimes get a skewed perception of things. Like, I go to Boston and think everyone is ultra-preppy; I go home to Chicago and think everything is conservative (both of those statements are partially, but not entirely, true). I also like to joke at work that Chicago hasn't discovered round-toe shoes yet. But whenever I go back to Chicago, I find a new store or two that give a glimpse that there's more out in the Midwest than boot-cut jeans and pointy-toe shoes. One such store is Lili, which is a cute little boutique in Old Town, one of my favorite neighborhoods. Lili now has a website, and it features clothes so interesting and chic, you'd think you were in a boutique in Nolita or Williamsburg. You can shop by designer or by category, then by designer within the category. There's everything from trendy denim by Siwy and J Brand, to pretty jewelry from Citrine by the Stones and Double Happiness, one of my favorite jewelers, but there are also a lot of labels that are new to me--which gives the site added cachet.

This Andrea S. tank dress looks so comfortable, like you could wear it all summer. And I could picture, say, Nicole Richie wearing it.


I like this silk tee dress--very Kirsten Dunst--by Geren Ford, another under-the-radar designer.


It's almost too hot to think about it, but the site has some great jackets, like this ruffled leather jacket by Mackage, another label I've never heard of, but one that apparently has amazing jackets and coats.


I also like this short-sleeved cropped jacket from Sunner.


I'm a sucker for both Park Vogel tees and ballerina sweaters, and this pretty print wrap top fits both.


This floor-length skirt is a bit of a splurge (especially for cotton), but I love the details in front, and Tree always makes gorgeous, unique pieces.


There are many awesome tops, but this lovely eyelet blouse from Bellekat is one of my favorites.


And there are a ton of necklaces and earrings, but I think this quirky deer necklace by Twinkle is my favorite.


Shipping is reasonable, but returns must be made within 14 days (or otherwise be subject to a harsh 50% restocking fee). Not that you'd want to return anything--with such unique stuff, Lili ensures you won't look like any other fashionista strolling the streets of Nolita.
The week in shopping
Carolina Herrera's gowns and separates are on mega-sale (still mid-three figures to low four figures, fyi). Through 6/28; 9-6:30, 9-5 Wed.; 317 W. 33rd St. (8th & 9th Aves.).

Hit Tracy Reese, Plenty by Tracy Reese, Rebecca Taylor, and Leigh Bantivoglio--everything is at least 60% off--at this multidesigner sample sale. 6/27-6/28; 10-7; 336 W. 37th St. (8th & 9th Aves.), 11th fl.

Girly Eberjey undies, loungewear, and swimwear are up to 75% off. 6/29-6/30; 9-7; 40 E. 34th St. (Park & Madison Aves.), ste. 610.

I love L'Occitane; select bath products are 20%-75% off at this annual sale. Through 7/18; check website for hours and locations.

Spring/summer items are now up to 75% off at Kirna Zabete. Hours: 11-7, noon-6 Sun; 96 Greene St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).

Save 25%-35% on almost everything at Seven New York's summer sale.

Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincet, Rebecca Taylor, and other hip labels are on sale at ShopLAStyle.com.
Cheryl shops...the Daryl K sample sale
Yesterday I had the worst migraine I've had in years, so not only did I have to go home from work, but I was so completely out of it, I didn't even make it to the Daryl K sample sale. Never fear, I hit it today after work, and my advice to you is to run, run, run to it. Now, it's in a totally random building on the Bowery, and I was a bit worried that my kitten heels were going to crack open the floor in places, but the salesgirls working there are totally helpful and very nice, and oh my god is there a lot of merchandise. Not a lot of it is from this season (I saw one, maybe two racks of familiar stuff; I also saw a lot of tags from K-189, her secondary line that's been out of business for at least four years), but Daryl K's pants are so fabulous, they know no season. The more current stuff was anywhere from $50 to $100 (prices still way below wholesale), but the incredibly good news is that there are a ton of pants that are $25. Yes, $25. I saw many size 4's, but there were 6's, 8's, and even some 10's (but not a lot). There are some jackets, skirts, and tops too, but, really, do you care about those? No. I think I tried on about 8 pairs of pants and managed to narrow it down to 3 pairs--the really cool part being that I was trying on the same pants as two ultrathin girls, and while, okay, they probably looked a little better on them, they were flattering on us all, hence the magic of Daryl K. But that's not even the best part. They still have so much stuff and they're so desparate to get rid of it, that even though my three pants totaled $75 and I only had $65 in my wallet, they let me buy all three pairs anyway. I felt like I was at the flea market! Fan-tastic! So, for the love of Pete, haul your buns to 189 Bowery and take some of this merch off poor Daryl's hands. They're open from 10 until 4 on Friday, the last day of the sale. You can't even buy a pair of pants at the Gap for $25 nowadays, so seize the day and score some of the best pants ever. Please.
A post not at all about shopping
I will readily admit that I watch a lot of TV, much of it bad. For every Sopranos or Lost, there's a So You Think You Can Dance or The Dog Whisperer, all of which I love. And I seem to have a special place in my heart for reality TV (sorry, Hollywood TV writers). While one of my favorite shows ever, America's Next Top Model, is on hiatus until the fall, I've been filling the void with The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, which is on Tuesday nights on Oxygen. Janice, as we all know, is a former judge from ANTM, and this reality show is following her as she tries to launch her own modeling agency. So far, all she's done is have open calls, narrow down the field, criticize the appearances of her girl models, ogle the abs of her male models, and argue with her business partner over whom they should represent. In other words, it's probably still a bit unrealistic (since she's only booked one job thus far, where is she getting her startup money?), but it's a little more feasible than ANTM, and her models will (god willing) end up doing some real modeling work. And while Janice is prone to grandiose exaggerations ("You're the next Kate Moss!"), I trust her judgment way more than Tyra Banks'. Also, sometimes I think Janice looks hot, and sometimes I think she looks like Amanda Lepore, so it's always fun to see how she comes across in the next scene!


I've also been watching The Hills, which, I'm going to venture, I'm enjoying even more than its predecessor, Laguna Beach. LC was always my favorite character, and, again, while this show is still not "real world" in the grand scheme of things, it's a bit more mature than the whole high school aspect of Laguna (I know, this coming from someone who religiously watches The OC). LC has moved to L.A. and has an internship at Teen Vogue. I find this highly entertaining, because 1) you get an inside look at the magazine and many of the, um, "personalities" who work there (including a former coworker of mine who is a royal bitch and who has appeared in several episodes thus far; I'm not naming names); 2) like at many real-world internships, LC sits around looking bored for much of the time; and 3) her fellow intern is a nice blonde girl named Whitney, and in a former internship of mine, I swear to god, I worked with Whitney's long-lost twin (also, coincidentally, named Whitney). So, okay, some things are a bit Condé Nast (like sending LC to NYC just to deliver a dress), but there are definitely some glimpses into the behind-the-scenes action at a magazine. And, I like making fun of LC's roommate Heidi and how utterly stupid she is, because I may not be as cute, thin or rich as she is, but I'm a hell of a lot smarter (which, seeing as how I have at least 10 years on her, I'd hope so).

Which brings me to Project Runway. I can tell you that the new season debuts on July 12, but I can neither confirm nor deny that Macy's is the new sponsor. And, yes, I am busting out the publicist-speak on purpose. You can read into it what you will.
Website of the week
While I enjoy the occasional cup of coffee, I am primarily a tea drinker. I drink green and herbal teas at work with a tea bag, but on the weekends I go nuts with my French press teapot and loose tea. Loose teas are the tea connoisseur's favorite, because they're fresher and you have more control over how strong you can make the tea. I will buy loose tea everywhere, from the cheap $3 fruity tins at Pearl River Mart to my favorite, Mariage Frères, but I'm always willing to try something new. Tribute Tea takes an Eastern approach to the art of tea-drinking, which appeals to my hippie-dippy spiritual side. They sell everything from the typical green, white, black, and oolong teas, to the more rare puerh variety, plus scented teas, herbal blends, and chai. For the novice drinker. each tea features detailed information on how to brew it; and, in case you're interested, there's information on which region each particular blend comes from. There are also all manner of teacups and teapots, plus incense and books, for the complete tea experience.

I'm particularly intrigued by the jasmine pearl tea, which is sure to provide for a nice presentation. It's a little on the pricey side, but jasmine tea is worth it.


The green apple oolong sounds like a nice blend of green tea and dried apple:


And this rosebud tea looks so elegant (unfortunately, it's not available at the moment):


For the full effect, you can serve your tee in an yixing teapot:


Tea might not pack the punch that coffee does, but I think it definitely comes with better accessories. Which is not a reason to drink tea, really, but for those who love the ritual, it makes it all the more special.
The week in shopping
A sale so good, I almost didn't include it in this post, lest you beat me there and buy all the 8's: Daryl K's awesome clothes are $10 and up; pants are a mere $50. It's cash only, however, which will prevent me from buying one of everything. 6/21-6/23; 11-8 Wed. & Thurs., 10-4 Fri.; 189 Bowery (at Delancey), buzzer 3.

Cheryl Shops fave Girlshop is having a sample sale, with 30%-76% off Charlotte, Ingwa;Melero, LaRok, and other cool labels. 6/21-6/24; noon-8, noon-6 Sat.; 119 W. 23rd St. (6th & 7th Aves.), rm. 805.

My preferred shoe brand, Sigerson Morrison, has impeccable shoes and bags for 30%-50% off. 6/23-7/21; 11-7, noon-6 Sun.; 28 Prince St. (Mott & Elizabeth Sts.).

A great source for home and fashion accessories, Metropolitan Design Group has designs from Philip Crangi, Lola, Judy Ross, and others for 40%-65% off. Cash only. 6/21-6/22; 9-6:30; 504 W. 22nd St. (10th & 11th Aves.), 3rd fl.

Clothingline has Cheryl Shops fave True Religion denim for men and women; all styles are $99. 6/20-6/23; 10-7 Tues. & Thurs.; 10-6 Wed. & Fri.; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.

Frenchy Catherine Malandrino dresses and separates are 60% off. 6/20-6/23; 8-8, 8-5 Fri.; Metropolitan Pavilion, 110 W. 19th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).

Lovely, celeb-favorite Miguelina clothes are $35-$250. 6/20-6/23; 11-6; 20 W. 36th St. (5th & 6th Aves.).

Vivienne Westwood's works-of-art dresses, sportswear, knits, and accessories are up to 70% off. Through 6/22; 9-8; 33 Little West 12th St. (Washington & 9th Aves.), ste. 213.

Lingerie on Lex has La Perla, Lise Charmel, and other swank lingerie brands for up to 75% off. 6/21-7/21; 10-7 weekdays, 11-6 Sat., noon-5 Sun.; 831 Lexington Ave. (at 63rd St.).

Colette Malouf's sophisticated jewelry and hair accessories are 10%-20% below wholesale. 6/20-6/21; 9-7:30; 594 Broadway (Houston & Prince Sts.).

The very colorful Oilily has clothes for women and children for up to 70% off. 6/22-6/24; 10-8 Thurs. & Fri., 10-6 Sat.; the Altman Building, 135 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).

Jill Stuart 's unapologetically feminine dresses, tops, skirts and more are now on sale. 6/22-6/30; 11-7, noon-6 Sun.; 100 Greene St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).

Rafe's chic, city-friendly accessories are 50%-75% off. 6/21-6/23; 10-7; 85 5th Ave. (at 16th St.), 12th fl.

Getting hitched? Get a One of a Kind Bride wedding gown for 10%-75% off at this cash-only sale. 6/21-7/10; call 212-645-7123 for an appointment; 327 Lafayette St. (at Bleecker).

Great for gifts (or for your own kids), Estella's kids clothes are $25 and up. 6/23-7/23; 11-7 weekdays, 11-6 Sat., closed Sun.; 493 6th Ave. (12th & 13th Sts.).

Michelle Roth and Henry Roth bridal gowns are $495 and under at this one-day sale. 6/21; 9-6:15; 24 W. 57th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), ste. 203.

Fancy Italian knitwear by Malo knitwear is up to 75% off. Through 6/21; 9-6:30 Tue., 9-5 Wed.; 317 W. 33rd St. (8th & 9th Aves.).

Pimp your look in the now-defunct Sean by Sean Combs and still-kickin' Sean John womenswear for $10 and up at this true sample sale. Through 6/29; 9-6 weekdays; 256 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 8th fl.

All Faryl Robin shoes are 20% off this week at Ravinstyle; enter code Faryl at checkout to get the discount.

Save 30%-75% at Sway & Cake's sale, featuring Sass & Bide, Theory, Splendid, and other covetable labels.

Spend $65 and get a free Kitten powder puff and lip gloss when you enter code FREEKITN at checkout at Benefit (plus, spend $85 and they'll throw in free shipping).
MasstigeWatch!
Only last week I was so excited about the Paul & Joe sample sale at Find Outlet, then as I was perusing the fashion blogs today, I came across news so excellent, it brought a tear to my eye: Paul & Joe is the next Go International designer for Target! Thanks to the excellent No Good For Me for the news; a preview of the collection can be found here. Um, I'll take one of each. Here are some of my favorites:

Mon regime
No, not a dictatorship. This is a post about my skin. For as long as I can remember, it's been so incredibly dry that if I used water to wash it, I'd need to put moisturizer on it within a minute; otherwise, it would start to crack from dryness. I also, from time to time, have suffered from eczema. I wash my face with Shu Uemura Enriched Cleansing Oil and moisturize with, depending on the time of year, either Kiehl's Creme d'Elegance Repariteur or Anti-Oxidant Skin Preserver, or, in extreme cases, Aquaphor. However, I recently made a medication change, and I began to experience something I never had before: oily skin. Granted, my skin didn't really break out, but all of a sudden, I didn't need the heavy moisturizer (or much moisturizer at all) and my skin was shiny all day long, not to mention five minutes after I washed my face. Clearly, it was time for a change.

I had no idea where to start, but from a recent beauty order, I had samples of Philosophy's Purity Made Simple cleanser, Hope in a Jar moisturizer, and Microdelivery Peel pads and decided to give them a whirl. After all, Oprah loves the stuff. I don't know if it's the moisturizer, the peel (and, by the way, I never would've put anything with "peel" in its name on my face before this), or a combination of everything, but my skin looks so good, I don't even need foundation anymore. My nose is still a bit oily (I keep it in check with these blotting sheets), but I can't believe the difference. So, call me a Philosophy convert.
Website of the week
We're not quite there yet, but right around the beginning of July, when the weather starts to creep up toward the 90s, all I want to wear is a lightweight, loose-fitting sundress. I usually pick up at least two new ones every year, the cheaper, the better. So I've found a great site with many contenders for this summer's dresses: Blue Plate. As the site's name would suggest, everything is quite affordable. They have tops, skirts, shoes, accessories and home accessories, but I'm going to focus on dresses, because they have so many cute ones (and because some of their other merchandise veers toward the hippie-dippy).

This white and purple dress appeared in Lucky and, probably as a result, is back-ordered for three weeks, but it's definitely a contender.


I think this white and red tube dress would look great with lots of silver jewelry and some flat sandals, plus with its smocked top, you can be sure it's totally comfortable.


This fun halter dress appeared in Teen Vogue, and while I love the print, this is not a dress for busty gals.


But my favorite is this smocked cotton babydoll dress, which looks like it came straight from some Mexican hippie destination. I'd wear it with a belt, so as not to look like a shapeless blob.


So, I'll be placing my order soon. It might be 80 degrees tomorrow, but it'll be 90 soon, and I definitely want my dresses in time to beat the heat.
The week in shopping
Lucky fave MarieMarie has feminine camis, chiffon tops, wrap tops, dresses, and more for at least 50% off. 6/14-6/15; noon-6 Wed., noon-8 Thurs.; 257 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 10th fl.

Versace clothes, shoes, and accessories for men and women are 75%-85% off. Through 6/18; 10-7, 11-7 Sun.; 260 5th Avenue (28th & 29th Sts.).

Shirts, sweaters, and of course, pants are up to 75% off at the Alice + Olivia sale. 6/15-6/17; 9-6 Thurs. & Fri., 11-3 Sat.; 80 W. 40th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 2nd fl.

I'm not supposed to be spending money, but I think I'm going to have to hit A.P.C., one of my favorite stores, for effortlessy chic French clothes and accessories at 30%-50% off. 6/13-7/31; 11-7, noon-6 Sun.; 131 Mercer St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).

This week, Clothingline has Tory Burch clothes and accessories for 60% off retail. 6/13-6/16; 10-7 Tues. & Thurs., 10-6 Wed. & Fri.; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.

Melanie Dizon's leather bags and shoes are on mega-sale. 6/16-6/17; 11-7; 13 Gansevoort St. (8th Avenue and Hudson St.).

Girly lingerie by Only Hearts is roughly 50% off. 6/15-6/18; 11-8 weekdays, 11-7 weekends; 230 Mott St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).

Rub elbows with sneaker freaks at Classic Kicks' sale, where Vans, Nike, and Adidas are 50% off. 6/14-6/17; 11-7; 298 Elizabeth St. (Houston & Prince Sts.).

Salvatore Ferragamo men's and women's clothing and accessories are 30%-50% off. 6/15-7/9; 10-7, 10-8 Thurs., noon-6 Sun.; 655 5th Ave. (at 52nd St.).

Feminine silks from Vena Cava can be had for under $200. 6/14-6/16; 10-6 Wed. & Fri.; 10-7 Thurs.; 495 Broadway (at Broome St.), 5th fl.

Find Oprah-endorsed tchotchkes for $50-$1,000 at the Jay Strongwater sale. 6/15-6/16; 9-6 Thurs., 9-4 Fri.; Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 W. 18th st. (6th & 7th Aves.).

Some of the finest stationery money can buy, Mrs. John L. Strong is 50% off at this sale. 6/14-6/17; noon-6, 9-noon Sat.; 225 W. 35th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 14th fl.

Jackpot for brides: Vera Wang gowns and bridesmaid dresses are 50%-75% off. May the force be with you. 6/17; 8-5; Penn Plaza Pavilion, 401 7th Ave. (33rd & 34th Sts.).

Awesome Goth-inspired menswear from Cloak is on sale. 6/12-7/31; noon-8, noon-7 Sun.; 10 Greene St. (Canal & Grand Sts.).

Exotic-skin handbags by socialite Cece Cord are half off (now $250-$2,000). Through 6/15; call 212-403-0860 for an appointment; 512 7th Ave. (at 38th St.), 33rd fl.

For the pregnant ladies, Liz Lange Maternity has summer and pre-fall merchandise for $40 or less--i.e. what you pay for her diffusion line at Target. 6/14-6/15; 11-6; 960 Madison Ave., 2nd fl.

PHBnyc has Victorian-inspired blouses, skirts, and jackets for up to 75% off. 6/15-6/21 (closed 6/18); 11-7; 17 Little West 12th St. (9th Ave. & Washington St.), ste. 208.

Save up to 75% at Kirna Zabete's spring/summer sale. 97 Greene St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).

Save 25%-50% on more than 200 shoe styles at Victoria's Secret semi-annual sale. Plus, use code SHP for free shipping on $100 orders through 7/13.


Bloomingdale's
is having a private sale in stores only, 6/13-6/15 from 10-10. Visit website for locations.

Everything is at least 50% off at IShopBlush.com, which is "closing for the season," whatever that means.
Two reasons to stay in town this weekend
1. The excellent Jonathan Adler is having his first-ever sample sale, featuring pottery, lighting, textiles, furniture, and more. 6/9-6/10; 10-5; 67 Gansevoort St. (Grenwich & Washington Sts.).

2. Find Outlet has a sample sale featuring one of my absolute favorite designers, Paul & Joe, and their awesome new lower-priced line, Paul & Joe Sister. Prices are 50%-70% off retail! Through 6/11; noon-7; 361 W. 17th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).
MasstigeWatch! (sort of
After weeks of rumors that Madonna would be designing a line for H&M, it was finally announced today that while Madge is wearing Gaultier onstage, she'll be wearing H&M offstage. Uh, okay. A Madonna-designed tracksuit will hit in stores in August, but in the meantime, she and her dancers will appear in an H&M ad campaign. Right. I don't know, I love Madonna and I always have (in fact, if I could meet one person in the world, I'd probably want to meet her), but lately she's kind of been annoying me. It's like she's extra-desperate to prove she's still relevant and "with it," so here she is collaborating with H&M. And while her body is definitely impressive regardless of one's age, it's starting to scare me. Madonna, I hate to break it to you, but you're pushing 50. Maybe it's time to act like it.
The CFDA awards
Who won? Who cares! Here's what you need to know.

The devil wore Rochas:


Lindsay Lohan came with Kaiser Karl:


Jessica Simpson came as a Madonna-whore complex:


Jamie Lynn Sigler would come to the opening of an envelope:


Janet Jackson has completed her ritual "Oh, crap, my new album's coming out and I need to get in shape" process. And, to her credit, she looks amazing:


Dita von Teese is more stylish than five starlets put together:


Women over the age of 35 should not wear babydoll dresses:


And, as always, the models look way hotter than everyone else:

Website of the week
It comes a few months after taxes and the experience can be akin to death: shopping for a new swimsuit. Yes, ladies, summer is already upon us, and if you haven't bought a new suit yet, well, it's about that time. And while many women have a go-to brand they swear by (anything from Land's End to Malia Mills; mine is Shoshanna), I've recently discovered Keiko, a Japanese-born swimwear designer who's been around since the early '80s. If the name rings a bell, it's because Keiko's suits have appeared in countless Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, as well as in Maxim, Self and Cosmopolitan. But lest you think her suits are fit only for the glamazons who wear them in magazines, take a visit to her store on Greene Street, or to her website: Keiko's suits come in all shapes, sizes and colors to fit all body types.

Take, for instance, this solid maillot, which has a classic shape that looks good on a number of figures.

If you're 10 pounds overboard, this pieced style has strategically placed bands of color for an ultra-slimming effect.

Likewise, this banded style covers a multitude of sins, but the sheer panels keep it from looking too matronly.

For those in more supermodel-like shape, I love this striped bikini, which still manages to be demure while showing a lot of skin.

My absolute favorite, however, is this tie bikini, which I bet has a more forgiving fit than one would imagine.

I'm feeling not so bad about my body this year, so I might head down to Soho and try it on. Speaking of which, you can't buy anything directly from the site, but you can always call or email and see if you can order that way. After all, trying on swimsuits in your own home is always a more pleasant experience than doing it at the store, three-way mirrors, fluorescent lighting and all.
Cheryl shops...upstate
Last weekend MW and I traveled upstate to the Catskills, where our friends GK and CE were getting married. (CE wore a lovely, vintage-looking Catherine Malandrino dress that suited her perfectly and fit in with the wedding's whole outdoorsy-bohemian vibe.) Because it was raining Saturday, and because I'm not really an outdoorsy girl, we hit the town of Woodstock for a little hippie-shopping. The majority of stores sold a mixture of Tibetan, tie-dyed, and incense-related merchandise, but there were a few cool places that stood out. We found a bunch of great used vegetarian cookbooks (including one just on miso!) at The Reader's Quarry, an adorable little bookstore. I was also a big fan of Candlestock, which sold, as you might imagine, candles. My favorite purchase of the day, however, was from a kooky store called Modern Mythology, where I bought a big green buddha for our front hallway. I rub his belly for luck every morning before I leave the house.

And because no trip upstate is complete without a stop at Woodbury Commons, we hit the outlet mall on the way home on Sunday. MW got a Ben Sherman tee for $6 at the Saks outlet and a cool velour track jacket at American Apparel, we both got shorts at Adidas (mine were Stella McCartney for Adidas, amazingly), and at Barneys, MW got another T-shirt, and I got two Splendid tunics and a pair of True Religion jeans (Joey) in a cool gray wash (at half price--not bad). In other words, for us, a pretty uneventful Woodbury trip. In fact, we were in and out in a record three and a half hours. Bo-ring. But never fear, we'll be sure to hit the Desert Hills outlets when we're in Palm Springs next month.
The week in shopping
Botkier's luxe-hip bags are 50%-80% off. 6/7-6/9; 11-6:30; 13 Crosby St. (at Grand St.), ste. 500.

I enthusiastically recommend Deborah Marquit's couture lingerie--she makes the best-fitting boy shorts ever--now $15 and up. 6/8-6/10; noon-7; 158 W. 15th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).

Score wrap dresses ($150), gowns ($350), bikinis ($70) and more at the famed Diane von Furstenberg sample sale. Through 6/9; 9-8, 9-3 Fri.; 260 5th Ave. (28th & 29th Sts.).

Balenciaga for men and women is 40% off (sorry, that doesn't apply to bags). 6/8-6/24; 11-7, noon-5 Sun.; 542 W. 22nd St. (10th & 11th Aves.).

Fashion-editor fave 3.1 Phillip Lim clothes are a very nice 60% off. 6/8-6/9; 9-6:30; 260 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 17th fl.

Bags of all shapes and sizes--and belts too--are up to 75% off at Felix Rey's sale. 6/8-6/9; 11-7 Thurs., 11-5 Fri.; 611 Broadway (Houston & Bleecker Sts.), ste. 828.

Ghost/'s ethereal clothes and accessories are on sale. Through 6/8; 11-7; 28 Bond St. (at Lafayette St.).

Opening Ceremony has Alexandre Herchcovitch, Hussein Chalayan, and other British designers for 30%-50% off. Through 8/7; 11-8, noon-7 Sun.; 35 Howard St. (at Broadway).

Score Phi's lovely clothes for $25 and up at this stock and sample sale. 6/10-6/11; 11-6; 71 Greene St. (at Spring St.).

Autumn Cashmere's lovely cotton and cashmere sweaters are $25 and up. Through 6/9; 9-6:30; 231 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 9th fl.

Gerard Yosca's trendy jewelry is 50%-90% off (that's $50 and up) at this cash-only sale. 6/7-6/9; 10-6, 10-1 Fri.; 39 W. 39th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 7th fl.

Best-kept-secret The Bridal Garden has wedding gowns by Vera Wang, Ulla-Maija, and Anne Barge for up to 75% off ($295-$2,995), and all proceeds benefit charities. 6/7-6/28; call 212-252-0661 for an appointment; 54 W. 21st St. (5th & 6th Aves.), ste. 907.

The excellent Butter has Dries Van Noten, Rick Owens, and Marni for 30%-50% off. 6/10-6/23; noon-7, noon-6 Sun.; 389 Atlantic Avenue (at Bond St.), Boerum Hill, Brooklyn.

J. Lindeberg, Barking Irons, and other groovy designers are taking up to 80% off their spring/summer collections. 6/8-6/11; 11-7 Thurs. & Fri., 11-6 Sat., noon-5 Sun.; 588 Broadway (at Prince St.), ste. 908.

Take your mom shopping at St. John for Angelina Jolie-endorsed knits at 40% off. Through 6/13; 10-6, 10-7 Thurs., noon-6 Sun.; 665 5th Ave. (at 52nd St.).

For the knitters in the house, cotton and cotton-blend yarns are 10% off at School Products. Likewise, save 10%-30% on select merchandise at the Yarn Co.

Eames chairs and other Herman Miller-made furniture is 10% off through 6/17 at Design Within Reach, Room & Board, Highbrowfurniture.com, and wherever HM is sold.

Nordstrom's Half Yearly Sale for women & kids starts 6/7.

Spend $200 in beauty and get an ultra-deluxe sample-filled makeup bag at Bergdorf Goodman through 6/19 (through 6/17 in stores).

Designer sales now in effect: Gucci, Prada, Chanel, YSL, Bottega Veneta, Stella McCartney, Michael Kors, and Ralph Lauren.

Get free shipping on your $30 Kiehl's order when you enter code DAD at checkout through 6/12.

Save 30%-70% at Cheryl Shops fave Active Endeavors.
Bodysuits: discuss

I popped into H&M recently to pick up more of my favorite ribbed tanks (they look just like La Cosa, but they're $7.50 as opposed to $45), and I saw something that made me so excited, I almost wet my pants: bodysuits! Circa 1992, i.e. the glory days of bodysuits, I owned many different colors and styles, but my favorite were the neutral, spaghetti-strap styles that I could wear under things for a sleek, non-bunchy look. Over the years, my bodysuits got kind of gross and lost elasticity, so I had to put them in my "Save for my future daughter, in case she digs the retro stuff" box. Being a former dancer, I always had an ample supply of leotards thereafter, but, let's face it, having to completely disrobe every time you have to pee is not an appealing option. So let me tell you how excited I am about my $20 nude and black spaghetti-strap bodysuits from H&M. Now, I plan on wearing these primarily as under-layers, but upon closer examination, it seems bodysuits are making a comeback across the board (or at least trying to)--and I think we can blame (or thank) Madonna and her disco revival. The excellent Fashionologie has a great discussion on the trend, which also includes rompers (which I also think are cute if you have the body for them) and overalls (another one of my early-'90s faves). So, clearly, I'm a big fan of all this stuff. Can we be done with this whole '80s trend so we can do a full-on grunge revival? Bodysuits, thermals, flannels, babydoll dresses, Doc Martens...I'm so there!
MasstigeWatch!

Todays New York Times brings news of yet another designer-mass retailer collaboration: Nine West is teaming up with Vivienne Westwood, Thakoon Panichgul and Sophia Kokosalaki. Okay, they had me at hello. How Nine West--a company that, frankly, I think makes really crappy shoes--scored these mega-talented designers is beyond me. The designs, which cost $180-$500, bow at Nine West stores and Macy's September 1st, effectively making them the most expensive shoes carried at Macy's period. And based on this Sophia Kokosalaki shoe (pictured at right), I'm so there, with my 20% Federated employee discount. Word.