TheClick

Set SALE!!!! Go SALE-ing!!!

Okay, Christmas '07 is OVER, people!!! Time to move on to the NEXT important holiday: Sale Season!!!
Yes, there are bargains galore to be had – trawling through sales at this time of year can be likened to being an oil prospector as in the new Daniel Day-Lewis movie, “There Will Be Blood” - you’ve got to get through a lot of crude stuff to find the shiny jewels. Whether it’s end of the season boots you’ll wear through winter, or last summer’s designer sandals now marked down to one tenth their cost – sure to look just as flash and new this coming summer – you just can’t sit these sales out.

OR – maybe you can! The idea of traffic, parking, then wading through a sea of bargain-hunters in the mall – no matter how luxe the store, they all turn into Grand Central Station at rush hour the week after Christmas – can be prohibitive. But don’t let that stop you. You can do ALL your sale shopping from the comfort of your living room, your office – or even your bed. TheFind.com can lead you to all the delicious markdowns you’re in the mood for. Or you can window shop the sale through your computer windows.

Blahnik on sale!

Louboutin on sale!

More Louboutin on sale!

I always go crazy with designer shoes and boots at this time of year, because I happen to have a craving for Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin shoes, which are gorgeously shaped, surprisingly comfortable, and make any woman’s legs look like Gisele’s, they’re so sexy. Unfortunately, they’re priced mostly at six hundred dollars a pair and up, and often go to $700.

However, I just typed in “Manolo Blahnik sale” on TheFind.com, and found dozens of pairs: gold sequined pumps down to $385; zebra flats called “Lee” for $320 (cute for spring), and the bargain of all bargains, a leopard print silk pair that have gone from $735 to $184! These might be a few seasons old, but the styles rarely change. Barneys has the “Genia,” the perfect little red pump, for $380, the “Liccia” black bow pump for $375, and the Miadari red patent pump for $420. Red, of course, is a hot color for shoes this spring.

Type in “Christian Louboutin sale” and you get similar results: Barneys has the perfect black Loub pump with screaming lipstick red sole for $250 – that is a STEAL! It should be illegal! Neimans has a black ballerina flat called “mousse clou” for $468 that you can wear for years to come and be oh-so-Audrey in. I watched “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” on Christmas Day this year, a Ginsberg family tradition. Trust me - those shoes never get old.

Want to stock up on boots for this winter or next? Type in “boots on sale” and a wonderland of leather is yours to get lost in. Net a Porter has a nice knee high flat brown pair for $276.50. J. Crew features a Richmond leather knee high for $199.99. But if you want to check the sales on NY’s Fifth or Madison Avenues, click on those options on TheFind, and you’ll find the Brooks Brothers lace up watch boot for $358 in NY – and if you click “Rodeo Drive,” you’ll find Costume National booties at Barneys for $550, and a tall leather boot by BCBG for $350. Refining your search can mean refining your closet.

Of course, there are handbags galore for sale. Just for the heck of it, I typed in “Lanvin handbags on sale” and found a lovely Lanvin purple satin tote for sale at YOOX.com for $435. For that price, we should be paying them. Barneys has the Lanvin Kentucky coffee-colored Lanvin tote bag for $929. Just try typing in “handbags on sale” and everything in the world will come up, from Prada to Puma to Burberry. I happened on a small floral lunchbox by Le Regale on FredaLA.com that is black with pink and purple flowers on it that looks just like the spring bags Prada is selling now for a thousand dollars. It’s $44.50, down from $65 – and hey, I’m wearing it to the Golden Globes.

Then I refined my search for “handbags on sale” to Fifth and Madison – HELLO! The YSL downtown tote in black came up, marked down to $1005 from $1795. That just DOESN’T happen – uptown OR downtown. Grab it, I say.

Of course, you can do the same with “bedding on sale,” “lamps on sale,” even “sweaters on sale.” So why suffer for slash-priced fashion? You can spend the rest of the day reading, lunching, working out – instead of battling the battalions in Barneys. I call it “SALE-ING AWAY” – although my fingers need a little rest now. I think I’ll go get a manicure - hey – I’ve got the time.
         

What's warm and soft and just a little bit fuzzy all over? (Clue: You can buy it!)

at Barney's + friend's husband = a perfect gift?

The other day, I was buying Louboutin patent platforms on sale at Barneys and ran into the husband of a friend of mine. It being close to Christmas, I figured out real fast what he was doing there – but I guessed wrong. “Where are the cashmere socks in this store?” he asked me, wisely assuming I would know every inch of Barneys like I know my own duplex. “I’m taking my wife skiing and I think that’s a great present for her.” I’d expected to lead him to the jewelry, the perfume, the Lanvin bags – but cashmere socks?

Turns out, they aren’t less luxe than these other items. Cashmere is the warmest, softest and most comfortable fabric in existence. It’s actually eight times warmer than sheep’s wool.

It first become popular in Victorian England – which makes sense, considering the damp dank U.K. before good central heating was invented. Cashmere comes from the underbelly of certain specific goats – originally produced in the Himalayas in the first part of the 19th century. Cashmere came to Europe from India, China, Iran, Mongolia, Tibet and Afghanistan (the name comes from the “Kashmir” part of India, where the goats hailed from.) These days, there are goats in Australia and New Zealand that produce it, too – there are 68 breeds of goat in existence that are capable of cashmere. It takes a certain kind of climate and feeding for a goat to bear the real deal – there’ve been lots of imitators, blends like mohair, angora – but they just aren’t as delicious as the original.

And it takes a genuine cashmere goat four years to grow enough hair for one sweater. Each year one goat produces a meager 4.5 oz of under fleece, which is painstakingly combed out every spring by nomadic herdsmen. It takes the hair of one goat to make a scarf, two or three for a sweater depending on the weight; 60% of each fleece is discarded. The diameter of the yarn must be under 19 microns to be classified as cashmere. In contrast, human hair has a diameter of 75 microns.

What’s the difference between cashmere and pashmina? Pashmina is actually the finest grade of cashmere that is a short, thin inner layer hair from Himalayan goats.

Got it? Really for a pop quiz? No, let’s skip that, and go directly to the great collection of cashmere items you can hunt down on TheFind.com – gloves, coats, slippers, sweaters for men and women. Aside from being brilliant Christmas gifts – don’t forget those socks – any cashmere item is good for chasing the winter blues away. Add a little thimble full of Scotch or cognac, a fireplace, and you’ve got practically the whole goat yourself!

cashmere + fireplace + cognac = perfect gift?

Prices vary wildly for cashmere anything, so the knee length camel cashmere coat for $379 from Pashminaboutique is a real steal, and a look you can wear for a lifetime. The Ralph Lauren famous cable cashmere pullover is $199 at Bloomingdale’s, but a Land’s End similar version, in a bright blue, is only $99.50 at LandsEnd.com. And there’s a full length dark pink overcoat in pure cashmere for $399 which I just put on MY Christmas list (NOTE TO FRIENDS) that is highly covetable.

When it comes to sweaters, I always love the really long ones that cover the thighs – that way, you can pair them with leggings, jeans or skirts and it all looks flattering. The Vince pewter long sleeve cashmere sweater is very thin and long, like a t shirt – but softer. $175 at FashionChateau. The Victoria’s Secret cashmere boyfriend tunic is super long, too, and only $48. The hooded capsleeve cardigan by Eileen Fisher ($198) is fantastically useful, because it’s long, open and can go over a turtleneck, a shirt or a t shirt. And I love the Minnie Rose cashmere hoodie in grape – because it’s long and it’s lavender, two of my favorite things -  $196 at Shop Rapunzels. For men, Neiman’s has a pale cashmere v neck for the total metrosexual, for  $476. Saks has a tweedier number in pale grey for $295. But the bargains are in the blends: Old Navy’s got one for $17.25 – an ideal gift for baby brother.

As for those socks: Garnet Hill has lovely colors for $26; Banana Republic has a dark pink pair specifically for trousers for $24.50, and if you like old school argyle, Saks has ‘em for $25. Calvin Klein does them for men in a thinner cashmere for $18 at Bare Necessities. And if you want that triple ply warmth, Neiman Marcus does a knee high version for $85 – good for skiing, for sure. And worthy of an Aspen ski jump.

And why have those tootsies hit a hard cold floor in the morning in Park City? Bluefly’s cloud blue rosette slippers ($72) are like slipping your feet into warm toasty clouds. For day, there’s a cashmere ballet flat sold in a travel bag that is a fabulous gift for frequent flyers ($84.99 from Intuition). And for the ultimate luxe – and apologies to the goats – the cashmere and croc slippers at Neiman’s ($495) are fit for a king or queen – or that perfect someone who has absolutely everything else. Except goats.

Making up is easy to do!

Oh, yes, we women DO love to comb the makeup counters. Barneys, Saks, Neimans, Bergdorf's, Sephora, Macy's or Walgreens, we can while away many an hour trying on this or that lipstick shade, redefining our eyebrows, checking out all that shiny new packaging, and being seduced by the very products that are designed to seduce US – so we can seduce the opposite sex. It's an exercise in seduction.

Yes, makeup shopping – browsing – accumulating – call it what you will – is a lovely pastime for a summer's day, fantasizing about all the myriad looks you'll get, the femme fatales you can play out in your imagination, and how your skin will glow so fair that you might be mistaken for J. Lo.

BUT – this being Christmas season, with work piling up like so many snowdrifts before a looming magical ten days off - that likely means ten times the workload until you get there (and then need to sleep half the time to make up for it) – it's much easier and more efficient to restock  your favorite cosmetics brands on TheFind.com.

The options are all there when it comes to color, brand and texture - plus more: things that the major department stores might have a huge run on – like OPI's Russian Navy nailpolish  - and are waiting to restock– are easily locate-able in seconds. You can save yourself a trip to the store to re-up your one Chanel lipgloss or Cle de Peau concealer. When you only need one or two things – and you know those gorgeous cosmetic counters will suck you right into dropping a few hundred bucks before you get out with your dignity – and credit card – intact – TheFind can help you save face – and bucks. Cosmetics salespeople are trained to seduce. TheFind just directs you to the product you want and doesn't insist you try its new fragrance that just arrived.

Okay, so I'm a Francois Nars junkie. If they had Nars Anonymous meetings, I would go. I do LOVE their Orgasm Blush, a shimmer of champagne color – you can get it for $25 from Beauty.com through TheFind. The blush/lipstick travel set for $80 is available through Sephora.com – all you need for your Christmas trip. If you're going somewhere warm, I recommend the Nars body glow ($59 from Nars.com) for your whole bod, and your bikini bared legs. My fave Nars lipgloss is Rage, a sheer dark burgundy stain, which is $23 from Sephora.com. And the Nars Scarlett Express crimson lipstick ($25 at Simplestshop) is the best red of the season – it doesn't curdle, crinkle, wrinkle or come off.

The best makeup base in the world – in my both humble and VERY experienced opinion – is Chantecaille's Future Skin Foundation, and it's a steal for $65 at Neiman Marcus.com. No need for parking valets – just click and your skin is as velvety and dewy as Giselle's. I also live for Chantecaille's lip liners, which are smooth and last a long time and soft enough to use on the entire lip - $20 at MakeMeHeal. The Tanzanite eye shadow, a purply grey, is also a dream ($26 at Beautive.com), and the texture of Chantecaille's shadows is soft, deep – but subtle.

There is no woman on the planet who either doesn't know about, or couldn't benefit from, Cle de Peau's concealer. Sure, it's steep at $68.50 (get the ivory shade), but you will never ever see a shadow under your eyes in the mirror ever again while it's on. And it does not come off, even when humidity goes Texas-sticky. One thin blue tube lasts half a year – and also hides every blemish. There is no makeup artist today who doesn't carry it in their kit. And another killer Cle de Peau product is the Anti-Age Spot Serum – after you use it, you'll want to send them a check for more money, it so does its job.

We all need our Chanel makeup fix from time to time. I live for the T-Mat lotion ($36 at Strawberry.net), which fixes your makeup and never allows any oil or shine to get through, without drying out your skin. I highly recommend it for a warm climate, or for oily skin. I also can't live without the Chanel Le Crayon Kohl Intense eye pencil ($28 at Beautifulperfumes.com), because this pencil has the deepest concentration of color of any pencil liner out there – put it inside your eyes for that Cleopatra-goes-Tom-Ford look. It won't smudge or go Tammy Faye on you.  Of course, all the various Chanel mascaras are available through TheFind, including Extreme Cils (27 from ScentedMonkey.com), when you suddenly run out – not a good thing to run out of. And last month, I went searching for Chanel's Voluptuous lipstick – a violet/pinkish shade that is just one step darker than your lips. Of course, Saks and Neimans were out of it – but I had it within two days, courtesy of TheFind.com which, found it quicker than any cosmetics counter girl ever could. The lovely ladies at the counter told me I'd have in three months. Who has THAT kind of patience??? And who NEEDS to???

Give 'em the boot!

When the weather gets a little crispy, my mind – and my eyes – immediately go to boots. The same dress and tights immediately looks more “wintery” and complete when you add boots to the mix. More – solid. Boots can make an outfit chic and sleek: high on the leg, tight, with a skinny heel -  or funky, with a slouchy boot or flat boot that adds a touch of the “horseback riding” feeling to clothes  - that “I’m trouncing through the leaves of my Connecticut home” look. The tucked-into-the-pant look this season only looks right with a flat boot and skinny jeans or thick leggings. Trousers look cleaner and more sophisticated with short boots underneath with a medium or low heel. Tucking your pants into high heeled boots, as James Carville once said of George Bush, “just reeks of yesterday.” And of Vegas. Save the high heeled boots for dresses and skirts and chic coats.

Teens are big on UGGS and slouchy flat suede boots mixed with cute knee hi Juicy print socks. But adults – I wouldn’t try that at home. Maybe at a ski resort. Maybe – not.

Of course, it’s the year of the “bootie” – the very short ankle boot that’s just a little bit more than a shoe, but adds a very “tough” chic attitude to clothes – and a very trendy one. Yes, they look great, but booties are so sculpted and the toes are so sharp and angled that you have to buy them a size too big for them to be comfortable. The really comfortable booties are by Sigerson Morrison – I’ve been wearing them everywhere and with everything – or Robert Clergerie. Buying one pair of boots this season can update everything you already own and make it look brand spanking new. I’d go with booties or tall flat riding boots.

Of course, adding two pairs of boots would be even better! Lots are on sale right now, so it’s the perfect time to indulge. And never ever wear your beautiful new boots in the actual snow – God forbid! No! There are very specific boots for that, which I’ll tell you about, too. One pair of those lasts you a lifetime – and that way, you’ll never have salt stains on your good boots.

Flat Boots
They’re comfortable and they’re cool – riding boots. Very Hermes, but you don’t have to spend Hermes prices. Brink has a pair of tall flat boots for $395.00 at Bergdorf’s. Guess has a flat boot called “Tayla” that is brown and tight to the leg for $119.99 at Guessfactory.com. The Minnetonka black fringed boot is kind of like a tall moccasin, and a steal at $68 at UrbanOutfitters.com. Timberland has a great pair for $131.95 at Bagsbury. And Camper has a tall flat brown boot for $270 at Pimperlime.com. Tall flat boots are best in brown or black – if you want to wear them for years ahead. Although Balenciaga has a red pair at Barneys that would look killer with an all black outfit.

Higher Heeled Boots
These look best when the leather is tight to the leg, and outlines the shape of the leg – but if they’re too tight, your circulation will get cut off, and you don’t want that. Here’s a secret: your shoemaker can actually take in a boot you want tighter at the shin or knee – but they can’t let them out.

I LOVE the red Moschino Cheap and Chic high boot at RevolveCut.com for $721. But if you don’t want to spend that – a red boot seems a little Vegas to you – the Anne Klein metallic boot is only $74.99 at Spiegel, and Skechers has a good tall stretch boot for $79.99 at Fingerhut. Stretch is ideal because it will glom right onto the curves of your leg.

Booties
Barneys.com, Saks.com and Neimans.com all have ‘em – but my fave is the Chloe ankle boot at Frankies.com for $411.00 – and that’s a very good price for Chloe boots. But Ann Taylor has a black bootie for $89.99. These look great with a short black sock OR – my fashion trick of the season – a short black stocking sock, the kind that is meant to wear under pants. But NEVER pair that socky look with a short skirt – it’s too teenage. Only do that with a skirt well over the knee. Or put your socks on TOP of your tights for contrast.

UGG Boots
UGG has a tall boot (149.95 at Nordstrom) as well as the short shearling style (119.95 at Cabela’s), and a violet color crochet style at REI.com for $90 that’s really cute. There’s also a pink pair at Paragon, and an Adirondack style that’s much sportier for $249.95 at Nordstrom. These are all great gifts for the teen in your life. And UGGS do make great slippers in those chilly climates. They are like wearing a hot cup of frothy latte – delicious.

Sporty Spice
The only boots that are actually meant for snow are the ones from the sporting goods store. Wolverine boots ($39.97) are indestructible at BargainOutfitter.com, and Paragon has a huge variety of true snow boots that will always leave you dry – but never high and dry. Your chances of slipping on ice decrease by a huge percentage. It’s worth the investment.

Tights and Socks
I’m liking the look of violet or purple tights this season – but fuchsia is great for you brave souls out there – with great legs!