…in NYC….part 2!

A few blocks north of Century 21 on 60 Reade Street, between Church Street and Broadway; 1 block north of Chambers Street leads you to Anbar shoes. The most fabulous shoes organised by colour! If you’re lucky, you’ll find your size in Mui Mui and Rupert Sanderson for up to half the retail price.


You’ll be swamped with bags from Anbar and Century 21. Taxi’s are not easy to hail down around here so don’t be afraid to take a tuk-tuk (a cyclist on a 3 wheeler with a seat for 2 behind!). It’s hilarious fun and we met a fascinating older man who gave us so many invaluable tips and was a wealth of knowledge on “Cultural New York” so it was a real shame that we were just there to shop!

 

Kenneth Cole is one of my favourite stores in the US. There are several stores in Manhattan but head straight for 610 5^th Ave near the Rockefeller Centre as it’s got the widest selection. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, go to 107 East 42^nd at Grand Central Station where Teresa is so helpful, you’ll want some of her happy pills! Bags are a great buy here. You’ll pay a little extra (although certainly nothing like the Irish prices for Kenneth Cole) but you’ll get something different and very well made. The shoe designs are always very flattering to the leg and even the really high ones are comfortable. I’ve not bought too much clothing here other than a great winter coat and some really well fitted tops. In general, I’ve never been disappointed by their goods or how they wash.

 

Banana Republic is from the same family as GAP but a level higher in quality, style, etc. It’s fantastic for long t-shirts/vests that don’t rise up over pre or post-baby bellies! Their wrap dresses, when they have them, are brilliant and wash so well. I purchased a black one in October for 80 dollars in the sale. A friend tried on a Diane Von Furstenberg one in Saks and was so disappointed with the fabric quality and the fit. The quality at Banana Republic is not as great as Kenneth Cole but still really good. You’ll find great on-trend bags and accessories here at great prices. There’s also a great selection of shoes but not all as equally comfy so try before you buy. Go to the store next to the Kenneth Cole shop at the Rockefeller Centre for the best selection and pop out the back door for a little apple martini while you watch the world and the ice-skaters go by!

 

 

 

Designer Shoes

Manolo Blahnik, 31 West 54th Street. Should I win the lotto, this is to be my 1^st stop. Go early in the morning to avoid disappointment as they don’t stock many sizes in each shoe. The staff are lovely and really patient (other than 1 blonde girl who served a friend but who may not last very long there as she was being watched by a more senior staff member). The shoes are not yet available in Ireland which makes them all the more desirable! They are approximately 375 – 450 sterling in the UK depending on the pair you fall in love with (you can pay thousands for rare materials like reptile) but in the US, they’ll set you back approximately 500 dollars! Plus the service and the entire shopping experience in the US will guarantee absolute smugness and an ear to ear smile every time you wear them! The packaging is a little disappointing but the shoes boast the most beautiful craftsmanship I’ve ever seen in footwear. Perfect stitching, glorious smell of good leather and flawless finish.

 

Christian Louboutin are available in a few locations in Manhattan. Be aware that they are roughly the same price as BT’s so you’re not getting a bargain. Funny that….. “Louboutin” and “bargain” in the same sentence!!! But boy will your shopping experience be different if you make your purchase in the US! I treated myself to a pair on my last visit to Manhattan……(I’ll be paying them off on my Visa card long after the red sole has worn off……and yes it does wear off!). I spent a while contemplating if I should just wait and purchase them back home. A quick flashback to my last purchase in BT and decision made. I headed straight for Bergdorf Goodman a magnificent department store on 5^th Avenue with my card burning a whole in my pocket. A true gentleman named CJ was my assistant and despite the word TOURIST screaming from my forehead, he couldn’t have been more polite, patient, friendly and non-patronising. It was obvious that they were my first pair and that I wasn’t exactly going to be wearing them on the school run but I was treated as if I was Victoria Beckham buying 5 pairs in 5 minutes! If only he knew I’d be smelling them, smiling at them and touching them gently every day for the rest of my life! I actually shed a little tear when I saw the sole after the 1^st wear………ssshhhh!

 

Disappointments…………

I was really disappointed with Agent Provocateur, 133 Mercer Street, Soho. In my head I had planned to buy half of what was on their website (although funnily enough there were no prices listed!)….really wanted a short lace kimono type thing…..it was stunning…it was also $3,000!!! The nipple tassels were bad enough at $85 plus extra for the stickers!!! The staff were really aggressively selling and very condescending despite the fact that we were dressed to the 9′s on way to dinner at Balthazar. Wouldn’t return if I won the Euro Millions!

Diane Von Furstenberg was also a disappointment although we didn’t get to the actual store. The staff were quite aloof over the phone so we decided to go to Saks 5th Ave where the solid black wrap was also available. Despite trying her regular size (which should have been slightly bigger as European manufacturers allow a little extra for the US market), the dress was almost indecent on my friend. The fabric was very sheer under the artificial light of the dressing room and the stitching was really poor, particularly at the shoulders which appeared puckered in the wrong places. The dresses look great if you’re fairly small on top, not very voluptuous, wear a slip underneath and use some safety pins!

Food coming next……

Mimi

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in NYC…great shopping tips…tried and tested! Part 1!

As with any shopping trip, you need to plan your wish list before you go, otherwise you’ll waste time and energy buying stuff you don’t need. I adore shopping and love accessories in particular but I’m not great with planning outfits or combining. That’s where my buddy comes in…..it’s what she does best!

On this trip, she suggested the planning involve a stock take of my existing wardrobe, a list of basic but essential new additions (white shirts/decent jeans/cropped leather jacket/wrap dress/knee-high boots, etc) and a wish list for some of this seasons trends (Oct 07: Black patent, purple, midnight blue, Mary-Janes, A-line skirts, opagues).

There are two shops you need to visit every time you’re in New York! I’ve been there many times (used to work as cabin crew) and each time I return, I swear I won’t go to Macy’s again…..but alas, I can’t resist a bargain!
Things to remember with Macy’s

• Visit the loo before you get to the store. The queue’s are notorious and you could waste over 30 mins in there!
• Go straight to the Mezzanine level on the ground floor to the visitor centre and get a visitor card. You’ll need ID so bring a passport. This entitles you to an additional 11% off any item even in the sales.
• Macy’s have a “Wednesday” sale where almost everything in the store is reduced in price by up to 75%. (Other than cosmetics and perfumes!). However when you get there on Wednesday’s…..the good stuff’s gone…..here’s the thing, they reduce the stock, the day before the sale or sometimes after 6pm on the Monday before the sale!!! On the Monday of our stay I had spotted a pair of knee high (part fabric/part leather) boots in Kenneth Cole for 425 dollars and promised them I’d return to purchase them if my Visa card didn’t bounce it’s way out of Macy’s. That evening in Macy’s I bought 2 pairs for 450 dollars!!! I loved the brown but simply had to take the black….such a BARGAIN! They were half price with my visitors card and the Wednesday sale discount.
  
• The MAC products are almost the same figure as Ireland, just in dollars, so it’s worth while to stock up. Eye-shadows were over 14 euros the last time I bought one in BT’s and are 14 dollars in Macy’s – just remember to take a list of what you already have at home. Prep and Prime was 22 dollars and 25 euros in Ireland. We also met Mac’s top make-up artist/trainer while at the counter, who happens to be a fabulous Irish guy living in New York. He gave us plenty of tips and a little extra discount. The Macy’s visitor card doesn’t give discounts on make-up or perfume but you’re still saving.
• Go for a size down from your “Irish” size…..a 14 here is a size 10 in the US but is still bigger than a 14 so enjoy the thrill of saying you’re a size 8……6…..00!!! I don’t know why I thought I was actually thinner when asking for a size 8 or 10 over there…….I’m just another overweight 30 something year old to the staff in Macy’s. Great giggle though!
  
• Try not to get bogged down by the Tommy Hilfiger section. It’s full of Irish tourists and Customs are known to stop the Tommy Jackets……particularly the puffa jackets with fur-trimmed hoods. The jeans though are comfortably high-waisted (for post-baby tummies) and perfect for day wear.
• Have something to eat while you’re there. It’s such a huge space to navigate you could spend a full day there so leaving to go elsewhere for lunch is nuts….unless it’s back to your hotel to drop off some major purchases! There’s a Starbucks on the mezzanine level of the ground floor (opposite side to the visitor centre) and there’s a nice pizza outlet on the 2nd shoe floor (near to all the juicy tracksuits!).
• When trying/buying in the shoe section, be careful to stick to the same assistant. They get very bitchy about commission even if you’ve innocently asked someone passing to get your size in a totally different shoe.
• The escalators are faster than the lifts when the store is busy!

I never understood the fascination with Century 21 until my most recent trip. Each time I’d go there, I’d think I was back home in Michael Guiney’s and leave with just a few wallets to bring home to the grannies! This time, I got it! After receiving some advice from a true New Yorker, it was obvious that there are some serious bargains to be had here….you just need to….yes…plan ahead! The best bargains are definitely the leather goods, accessories, most shoes, some handbags and hosiery.

Let “Survival of the Fittest” be your motto and get there just in time for the doors to open! Start in the basement for the shoes. You’ll find great quality in Anne Klein or Martinez Valero. I wore Martinez Valero for my wedding day….they cost 240 Irish pounds in 2002. The Valero black velvet, peep-toe Mary Janes (with gold trim) I bought in Century 21 cost 39 dollars and are to die for! I also bought a pair of Anne Klein purple pumps for 39 dollars. At that price. it doesn’t matter if purple isn’t back in fashion for 5 years! The great thing about any of the 4 pairs I bought here (for 160 dollars) is the comfort. No blisters! Do bear in mind though that your feet will be slightly swollen from traveling so stick to your size and allow a little forgiveness!

Move from there to the handbags at ground level. The jewelery isn’t great and you can get bogged down in all the tacky bags but keep searching particularly in the cabinets around the till points for what you need! I found the wallets in Macy’s were better quality but the selection of clutches/evening bags in Century 21 is incredible! Every colour you could imagine. From there we went to the accessories floor. Just think….4 year old in sweet shop with 50 quid……..I went nuts. Every colour pashmina you’ve ever seen on one stand. Hundreds of hats in trendy styles and colours (18 dollars for a Kangol). Designer belts from 12 dollars. I even picked up a deep purple Versace silk scarf for 29 dollars. These are authentic designer items too as Century 21 doesn’t sell fakes. I also got my hands on some incredible opaques for 5 dollars a pair. They’re pitched at the same level as Wolford but are American made so they sell much cheaper. We found the Wolford brand was the same price as home.

When you get to ladies wear, make sure you know what you want as there’s so much rubbish here you really have to have your wits about you. I wanted a leather jacket and went straight for that section. I ended up buying 2 amazing jackets. Calvin Klein (short black bomber style) & Kenneth Cole (short, fitted, high-neck, tan colour) for 380 dollars for the 2!

Century 21, 22 Cortlandt St., between Church St. and Broadway; 212-227-9092, c21stores.com

Brooks brothers is next to Century 21 (right across from ground zero) and is worth a look. The clothes here are beautifully made but for the most part a little “settled” or too traditional. I did buy a beautiful black leather satchel here and my buddy purchased a fabulous camel coloured leather skirt. Neither was cheap but the quality is hard to beat.

Part 2 on the way so keep an eye out!

Happy Shopping!

Mimi

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