The Cheryl Shops Holiday Shopping Guide: Your Dad
He's quite possibly the hardest person in the world to shop for.

For the golf-loving dad: Golf tees, check. Ball markers, check. Golf ball, check. Flask, check! This golf flask gift set has all that Dad needs for a morning on the course. Will a nip of Scotch help his swing? It's worth a try...

For the indoor dad: This six-in-one game features chess, checkers, backgammon, dominoes, cribbage, dice, and cards--enough to keep him busy on a rainy day.

For the dad who's master of his domain: If you're a Seinfeld fan, that probably conjured up some really nasty images. Anyway, Seinfeld has finally come out on DVD, and the limited-edition gift set features episodes from the first three seasons, plus other goodies like playing cards and salt-and-pepper shakers. Serenity now!

For pretty much any dad: I've had a pair of Gap pajamas since middle school (we're talking at least 14 years, here) and hopefully these Gap pajamas will last him half as long.

For the Dostoevsky-loving dad: Crate & Barrel's vodka set keeps his beverage of choice ice-cold and ready to sip.

For the film snob dad: More and more when I travel, I see guys with a portable DVD player. Get your dad one and he'll never have to watch a bad J.Lo movie again.

For the dad who can appreciate luxury: J.Crew is undergoing a bit of a makeover, and their cashmere sweaters are top notch: an ultrafine 12-gauge knit, made in Italy, and available in an array of colors.

For the dad who doesn't watch Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: Kyan would freak if he saw the Safeguard soap and Old Spice in Dad's medicine cabinet, so give him Kiehl's Ultimate Man Collection for a QE-style "make better."

For the dad who loves irony: When A Christmas Story is on TV, my dad, who has a rather dry sense of humor, cackles uncontrollably. So I have a feeling he would love this leg lamp, an exact replica of the one featured in the movie. I have a feeling, however, that, much like the mom in the movie, my mom wouldn't appreciate it so much.

For the dad who keeps meaning to take that European vacation: If he still hasn't gone on his wine-tasting trip through Tuscany, Wine.com's Viva Italia gift set will save him $5,000. And we all know that saving money is what Dad likes best.
The Cheryl Shops Holiday Shopping Guide: Your Mom
Come on, she carried you in her womb for nine months!

For the eternally dieting mom: Now, if your mom is a very sensitive person, this is not the gift to get her. But I think the Sharper Image's carb scale is the coolest thing I've seen in awhile, especially for the low-carb dieter. Plunk down your whole-wheat pasta and it'll tell you how many carbs you'll be consuming, perfect for holiday negotiating ("Well, if I have one pumpkin spice cookie, I'll eat steak and lettuce for the rest of the day!").

For the mom who's picky about her surroundings: Jo Malone's travel set features three of her best-selling candles that can help Mom recreate that comforting environment anywhere from Alaska to Antigua.

For the geneology-obsessed mom: Red Envelope's family tree will help her visually organize everything, and it's monogrammable for that family-heirloom touch.

For the practical yet indulgent mom: My mom likes the Isotoner gloves that you buy at Sears, but if yours is a bit classier, try these cashmere-lined leather gloves from Nordstrom.

For the lounging-loving mom: Don't tell her I said this, but sometimes on the weekends, my mom never gets dressed. (Hey, she's retired.) So for days like that, a pretty robe, like this one from Anthropologie, is in order.

For the mom who hates to cook: In the morning she chops some vegetables, then tosses them and some meat and maybe some broth into the All-Clad Slow-Cooker. When she gets home from work, voila! Stew!

For the mom who loves to cook: My mom's recipe book is a binder filled with recipes my grandma copied by hand, then stuffed in the side pockets are hundreds of recipes my mom cut out of magazines and newspapers. For organizational purposes, you can't beat Soleberry's recipe notebook from French artist 100drine.

For the mom who likes to think she's still hip: Vince's cashmere poncho is stylish, but the forgiving cut of the poncho is something Mom can handle.

For the proud mom: Get Mom a Alex Woo number necklace for the number of kids, grandchildren, or, if she's Angelina Jolie, lovers she has. Or get her favorite number (lucky seven?). Or get her the five and pretend it's Chanel! (In case anyone was wondering, five is my favorite number.)

For the mom who has everything: Cowgirl Creamery has several cheese-of-the-month clubs to choose from. Yeah, it's a little wacky, but I doubt she already belongs to one.
Daily digest
WWD: After raves for his spring collection, Patrick Robinson is leaving Perry Ellis; clearly in financial trouble, Prada might sell Helmut Lang and Jil Sander; Neiman Marcus to open a new L.A. store; online shopping is the way to go; and the timeless appeal of the bohemian.

NYT: The marriage between fashion and jewelry; and Black Friday on the black market.

IHT: Suzy Menkes sings the praises of fur.

WaPo: The life of the personal shopper; teens are label-crazy (blame it on The OC!); and how to look good at your high school reunion.

The Daily: Michael Kors to appear with Jane Pauley; my mouth is watering over the upcoming Elle Accessories magazine; an interview with fashion icon Marisa Berenson; and sexy Italian legwear.

Lookonline.com: In the "I feel old" department, Lookonline is 10 years old.

Daily Candy: Because you can afford it, $1k jeans.
Gift guide: coming tomorrow
Remember last week when I said I'd be posting a five-part gift guide this week, one for every day of the week? Well, since I just spent three hours working on sales for this week (yes, really, three hours), I'm going to have to postpone part one. But that means you get two parts tomorrow! Yay!
The (very busy) week in shopping
Sale of the week: One of my favorite stores in the city, Foley + Corinna is taking up to 70% off their new and vintage clothes for men and women. 12/3-12/4; 10-7; 143 Ludlow Street (Stanton & Rivington Sts.).

Frette linens are up to 70% off at this sale, but be forewarned that a sheet set is usually four figures. Through 12/3; 9-6:30, 9-5 Fri.; 560 7th Ave. (at 40th St.), 2nd floor.

Kill multiple birds with one stone at the Patch NYC, Leigh Bantivoglio, and Malia Mills sale: Patch NYC bags are $25, scarves $20; Leigh Bantivoglio camis are $35; and Malia Mills swimwear separates are $10-$40. 12/1-12/4; noon-7, noon-5 Sat.; 263 W. 38th Street, (7th & 8th Aves.), 10th floor.

Alice + Olivia's excellent-fitting pants, jackets, and sweaters are 60% off. 12/3-12/4; 10-7; 80 W. 40th Street (at 6th Ave.), 2nd floor.

Cashmere sale #1: I always hit TSE for cashmere sweaters; here, they're up to 60% off. 12/1-12/5; 10-7, 11-7 Sat., 11-5 Sun.; 106 Spring St. (Mercer & Greene Sts.).

Cashmere sale #2: Autumn Cashmere ponchos, sweaters, scarves, wraps, hats, dog attire, and other items are up to 75% off. Through 12/3; 9-6; 231 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), suite 1006.

Cashmere sale #3: I buy a sweater every year at the Lutz & Patmos sale and intend to buy another one this year; their ultra-luxurious cashmere sweaters for men and women are up to 75% off. 12/2-12/4; 11-8, 11-6 Sat.; 425 W. 13th St. (9th Ave. & Washington St.), suite 406.

Cashmere sale #4: Meg Cohen Design's cashmere scarves are $50-$85; blankets are $165. 12/1-12/4; 11-7; 920 Broadway, (20th & 21st Sts.), suite 905.

Cashmere sale #5: Whim and Cullen knitwear is now $20-$70 (was $70-$350). Through 12/3; 8-6; 231 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), suite 1016.

Cashmere sale #6: Armand Diradourian's cheeky cashmeres are 60% off at this cash-only sale. 12/3-12/21; noon-6; 160 5th Ave. (at 20th St.), No. 901.

Usually a good but pricey sale, Staff International has men’s and women’s Martin Margiela, Diesel, 55DSL, and more for $100-$500. 12/2-12/3; 10-7; 495 Broadway (at Broome St.), 8th fl.

Stella McCartney's ready-to-wear and accessories are 40% off. 12/2-1/15; 11-7, 12:30-6 Sun.; 429 W. 14th St. (9th Ave. & Washington St.).

While you're in the neighborhood, support indie designers Cloak, Le Full, and Tani Keller, whose men's and women's clothes are 50%-70% off. 12/2-12/5; noon-8; 416 W. 13th St. (9th Ave. & Washington St.).

Get it before they go out of business: Plein Sud is 70% off. 12/1-12/17; 10-6; 70 Greene St. (at Spring St.), 2nd fl.

Miss Sixty plus Energie and Killah clothes and shoes for men and women are 60%-70% off. 12/2-12/5; 10-7, noon-5 Sun.; 435 Hudson St. (Morton & Leroy Sts.), suite 400.

Girlshop.com fave Yochi Design has fashion jewelry for 50%-80% off. Through 12/21; 10-5 (closed weekends); 50 W. 36th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 2nd fl.

Lila sportswear is $75 and up (normally $160-$205). Through 12/3; 9-6, 6-2 Sat.; 231 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 5th fl.

Brothers & Sisters Showroom has clothes and accessories from Only Hearts, Sanctuary, and Lemon for $10-$50. Through 12/2; 9-4; 499 7th Ave. (at 36th St.), Ste. 3 South.

Satya's yoga-inspired jewelry (not as dorky as it sounds) is up to 80% off; necklaces and earrings are $10-$60 at this cash-only sale. 12/3-12/5; 10-7; 330 Bleecker St. (at Christopher St.).

Lower East Side girls love Johnson's girly-tomboy clothes; get 'em for 15% off at this cash-only sale. 12/3-12/5; 6-9 Fri., 1-6 Sat. & Sun.; Chrystie St. (at Stanton St.), 5th fl.

Carolina Herrera and Rena Lange's skirts, pants, dresses, and more are on sale. 12/2-12/4; noon-7 Thurs., 9-6 Fri., 9-5 Sat.; the Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.), 4th fl.

R.J. Graziano's glittery jewelry is $38 and up. 12/1-12/7; 11-5:30 (closed Sat. & Sun.); 389 5th Ave. (at 36th St.), Ste. 310.

Stuart Weitzman's comfy yet stylish shoes are 30%-50% off. 12/3-1/31; 625 Madison Ave. (at 58th St.), the Shops at Columbus Circle.

Daniella Simon's sexy satin robes, nightgowns, and boyshorts are 30%-75% off. 12/2-12/5; 10-7, 11-6 Sat. & Sun.; 150 W. 72nd St. (at Amsterdam Ave.), Ste. 2A.

Working woman fave Lafayette 148 womenswear is up to 80% off. 12/3-12/4; 9-7 Fri., 10-6 Sat.; 148 Lafayette St. (at Howard St.), 6th fl.

Ply Design handbags, David Barthold ceramics, ME & Blue clothing, and other stuff is 30%-75% off. 12/4-12/5; 11-6; 74-76 Reade St. (at Church St.), ste. 1E.

Meryl Waitz jewelry and home accessories are $6 and up at this cash-only sale. 12/1-12/4; 10-7; 264 Canal St. (at Broadway).

Loom Company's showroom has home and fashion accessories from Alexis Bittar, Hable Construction, John Derian, and more for 60%-75% off. Cash only. 12/2-12/4; 10-7, 10-4 Sat.; 1140 Broadway (at 26th St.).

New Upper West Side store Böc is offering 20%-40% off Rebecca Taylor, Seven, Vince, and others for one night only. 12/2; 5-9; 491 Columbus Ave. (at 84th St.).

Donna Karan Intimates and DKNY Underwear bras, tanks, and panties are $3-$20. 11/30-12/2; 10-6; 136 Madison Ave. (at 32nd St.).

For the super-fancy dressers who have a ton of cash on hand, Georgia Hughes’ beautiful, handmade velour, velvet, and fur hats are 70% off (now $125-$325) at this cash-only sale. Through 12/4; noon-6; 45 E. 89th St. (at Madison Ave.), Ste. 21D.

Rachel Reinhardt's semi-precious-and crystal jewelry is up to 75% off. 11/30-12/2; 10-6, 10-7:30 Thurs.; 37 W. 39th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), Ste. 901. 212-921-5675.

LAI's gorgeous alligator, crocodile, and leather accessories are now $20-$2,000 (were $500-$5,000). 11/30-12/2; 12 W. 57th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), Ste. 403.

Judy Ross' bedding, pillows, and other home accessories are wholesale and below; 12/2-12/4; noon-8 Thurs., 9-7 Fri., 11-6 Sat.; 41 Union Square West (at 17th Street), suite 907.

Random bridal sale #1 (why anyone is having bridal sales during prime holiday shopping season is beyond me): RM Designs by Reva Mivasagar has sheaths, bias cut, and A-line bridal gowns are for up 80% off. By appointment only; call 212-372-2804. Through 12/6; noon-6 (closed Sun.); 10 W. 18th St. (at 5th Ave.), 4th fl.

Random bridal sale #2: Saks' Bridal Gown Sale features Monique Lhuillier, Ulla-Maija, Reem Acra, Amsale, and others for 50%-70% off. Through 12/5; call 212-753-4000 for an appointment; 611 5th Ave. (49th & 50th Sts.), 9th floor.

Random bridal sale #3: Get your whistles, ladies: Vera Wang bridal and bridesmaid dresses are 50%-75% off; no refunds and all sales are final. 12/4; 8-5; Penn Plaza Pavilion, 401 7th Ave. (32nd & 33rd Sts.), at Hotel Pennsylvania.

Cantaloup's warehouse sale features jeans by Blue Cult, Hudson, Joe's and more for three for $100; plus pieces by Sass & Bide, Frostfrench, Alice Roi, and more for up to 80% off. Through 12/6; 11-7, noon-6 Sun.; 1359 2nd Ave.

Lounge's Red Dot Sale features Rock & Republic, Dolce & Gabbana, and more for 50% off. Through the end of the season; 10-9, 10-10 Fri. & Sat., noon-8 Sun.; 593 Broadway.

Get up to 70% off Nicholas K. and Mimi Turner dresses, tops, coats, pants, and more. 12/3-12/4; 11-7 Fri., 11-6 Sat.; 27 W. 27th St., 6th Fl.

If you like amber (and, really, who doesn't?) Valerio888's selection of earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, cufflinks, and pendants is 66% off. Through 12/28; 11-7 (closed weekends); 35 W. 36th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 3rd fl.

Carmen Marc Valvo's very glamorous dresses, separates, suits, and accessories in all sizes are up to 75% off at this one-day-only event. 11/30; 10-5; 530 7th Ave. (38th & 39th St.), 23rd Fl.

If you missed Aeffe USA's sale a few weeks ago, here'a another chance; Moschino, Gaulter, Alberta Ferretti, and Pollini are 40% below wholesale. Men's and women's items are available, but sizes are on the sample (read: small) side. 12/1-12/2; 10-5:45; 30 W. 56th St. (5th & 6th Aves.).

Alexia Crawford excellent holiday sale is in effect; get her semiprecious jewelry (plus scarves, bags, and more) for super-cheap. Through 12/24; 11-7, noon-6 Sat. (closed Sun.) 35 W. 36th St. (5th & 6th Aves.) 6th Fl.

Patricia Underwood's hats are the creme de la creme; get 'em for $40-$500 at this sale. 11/30-12/01; 9-6; 498 7th Ave. (36th & 37th Sts.) 24th Fl.

Going on a vacation soon? Check out By The Sea Showroom, where you'll find swimsuits by Inca, Zimmerman, and Red Carter for 50% off wholesale (that's cheap, dude). Through 12/9; 9-7 (closed weekends); 112 W. 34th St.(Broadway & 7th Ave.), Suite 1606.

Find handbags and travel gear by Adrienne Vittadini and Hype for $25 and up at this sale. 12/2-12/3; 8:30-7 Thurs., 8:30-5 Fri.; 320 5th Ave. (32nd & 33rd Sts.), 9th Fl.

Get all manner of jewelry at gabi d. for less than $20. Through 12/24; noon-6:30, 1-5 Sat. (closed Sun., except for 12/19); 40 W. 37th St. (5th & 6th Ave.), Suite 905.

Finally, a sale that sounds too good to be true: Design Italia has jeans by Seven, Joe's, and Blue Cult, plus C&C, Vince, and more in all sizes and for up to 90% off retail. One catch: It's cash only. 415 W. Broadway (Spring & Prince Sts.).

Daniel Levy's porcelain tableware and lamps are 50%-75% off at this cash-only sale. 12/2-12/5; 11-7, noon-6 Sun.; 155 W. 29th St. (at 7th Ave.), Ste. 3N.

Built by Wendy is having an online sale, with 25% off all regular-priced merchandise through 12/3.

Searle is having a sale; click here for a coupon for 15% off a $200 order.

The fall/winter collection is 50% off at BCBG.

Lord & Taylor coupon, vaild for one day only through 12/24. You're welcome.

Bloomingdale's private sale starts 12/2; Saks sale starts 12/1; and if you're lucky enough to know anyone who works for Gap, it's family and friends weekend at Gap and Banana Republic.
Daily digest
WWD: It's holiday shopping season, and so far so good; if you want to buy Prada stock, you'll be waiting a loooong time for its IPO; Fragments' uptown store; and and new Loyd Maish bags.

NYP: In a groundbreaking article, the Post exposes the shocking fact that well-dressed customers get the best service at swank stores; plus, stores that don't care what you look like and how to pretend you're rich; how to look thin in photographs (I feel like we see this article every holiday season); travel accessories; and moccasin boots trump Uggs.

LAT: A profile of American Rag's jeans expert Norm Adams.

The Daily: Fashion gossip; and more on the spring 2005 LeSportsac bags.

Vogue UK: H&M execs and size-14 women demand an apology from Karl Lagerfeld.

Daily Candy: An actually stylish warm winter coat from LaRok.
Random shopping notes
*Instead of going to the gym last night, I went to Loehmann's (yes, I know, shopping does not burn calories). They have a ton of Juicy Couture (at least 10 racks)--jeans, sweats, cashmere, T-shirts, even the clothes for little kids. They also have a lot of Joie, Chip & Pepper, Theory (now on the fourth floor), and La Perla. And I got some cute undies from Woo; they're so cute, I might go back and get another pair or two.

*I'm leaving tomorrow morning for Boston, but will return on Monday. In the meantime, I likely won't be posting. Don't forget, Friday is Shopping Day (or, if you're more of a pessimist, Black Friday), the official start of the holiday shopping season.

*Speaking of which, I'll be posting my holiday shopping guides, one for each day next week. As my postings might be a bit spotty in December (I start my new job on the 6th), think of it as my holiday gift to you.

*Happy Thanksgiving!
Daily digest
WWD: Holiday windows in NYC; and new makeup counters at Bloomie's and Macy's.

VV: Lynn Yaeger weighs in on Karl Lagerfeld for H&M.

NYO: Simon Doonan on Barneys' windows and Lanvin.

Style.com: Candy Pratts Price on gifts from around the world; a book for crafty types; and five great organic skincare lines.

Elle.com: Gifts for the home; cutting-edge fur collars; baby gifts; and Kabbalah candles (before you groan, I will vouch that they smell pretty good).
Website of the week
I was intrigued by one "Manolo," who left a comment here last week. I found that he writes Manolo's Shoe Blog, a blog that, as one would assume, is all about shoes--which is worthy in and of itself. The kicker is that "Manolo" writes in the Spanish-inflicted broken English of everyone's favorite shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, and the result is utterly hilarious. Manolo recommends and pans shoes with verve, but saves his zingers for insulting rival Karl Lagerfeld at every chance he can get. Nor are Hollywood starlets, political figures, or avant-garde designers safe from Manolo's acerbic wit. For shoe fanatics, this is a must-read.
Daily digest
WWD: L.A. Fashion Week moves up its date to be more "relevant" (uh-huh...); Zara-style Spanish chain Mango wants to come to the U.S.; French line Plein Sud is in huge financial trouble; asshole designer Marc Bouwer to peddle on QVC (gosh, to women with 39-inch hips?!); and, thank god, the Strand has expanded their fashion books section.

NYT: Yet another article on American Apparel founder Dov Charney (for the record, I thought New York's profile was better); and what we all need, Juicy Couture Barbies.

LAT: Booth Moore on the Juicy Couture phenomenon.

The Daily: Sacco's gilded sale; and hair masks.
The week in shopping
Since this is a holiday week, there aren't as many sales as there were last week, but rest assured, there will be a ton starting next week and going until Christmas. So think of this week as a brief respite for your wallet, or the calm before the storm. And remember, Friday is Shopping Day, the official start of the holiday shopping season. Also, from now on, I'll be posting sales on Mondays only, because by the time Friday rolls around, I'm too lazy to post more for the weekend.

Sale of the week: Pretty much everything--stuff from Paul & Joe, Rebecca Taylor, and more--is on sale for 20%-50% off at Lower East Side pioneer TG-170. Noon-8; 170 Ludlow St.

Féraud's very French ready-to-wear is up to 90% off. Through 11/23; 9-6:30, 9-5 Tue.; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Ave. (at 40th St.), 2nd fl.

MoMo Falana's unique hand-dyed clothes are 25%-75% off. 11/23-12/24; noon-8, noon-9 Thurs.-Sat., closed Mon.; 43 Ave. A (at 3rd St.).

Upper East Side fave Pookie & Sebastian is having its annual sale with everything in the store reduced by 30%-70%, and through 11/25, Seven and James jeans are just $99. Through 11/29; 11-9, 11-6 Sun.; 1488 2nd Ave., 541 3rd Ave.

Groovy vintage store Psyche's Tears is taking 20% off all coats. 11/26-11/28; noon-7; 240 W. 15th St. (7th & 8th Aves.).

Rafe's excellent shoes and bags are 30%-50% off at this post-Thanksgiving sale starting 11/26. noon-8, noon-7 Fri. and Sat., noon-6 Sun.; 1 Bleecker St. (at Bowery).

Oliver Peoples' very stylish eyewear is 60% off. 11/26-11/28; 755 Madison Ave. (at 65th St.), 366 W. Broadway (at Broome St.).

Mike + Ally's bath and home accessories are at least 50% off. 11/22-11/24, 11/29-12/3; 11-6; 350 7th Ave. (at 39th St.), 8th fl.

Purchase an Apothia, Creed, Bond #9, Kai, Comptoir Sud Pacifique, Clean, or Child fragrance at Apothia and get free samples of the others when you enter code FALL at checkout through 12/5.

Macys.com, my new employer, is having a sale with savings of 25%-65%.

Enter code FF2004 at checkout at Sephora.com for 20% off, through 12/5.

Get free shipping on a $100 purchase at Saks when you enter code SNWFLKE4A through 12/15.

Get free shipping on a $100 order at eLuxury.com when you enter code STAR at checkout.

Spend $100 at Bluefly.com and get 15% off when you enter code NYTIMES15 though 12/3.

At cute website Blu Pyxie, get $10 off a $70 order when you enter code "Save", get $25 off a $125 order when you enter code "SaveBig", and $50 off a $200 order when you enter code "SaveHuge", all through 11/25.

All regular-priced outerwear is 30% off at Banana Republic; get free shipping on a $125 order when you enter code BRSTYLE1 at checkout.

Get $20 off your $100 order at recent Cheryl Shops website of the week Figleaves.com.

Get 20% off your order at another recent Cheryl Shops website of the week, Le Train Bleu, when you enter code "sugarplum" through 12/1.

Get $20 off your $100 purchase at Pinkmascara.com when you enter code Fall20 through 12/2.

Save up to 40% at psychedelic Swedish store Oilily.

Clearly a popular promotion, get $20 off your $100 order at Bop when you enter code JUMP2004 through 11/28.

Lord & Taylor Thanksgiving sale coupons!

Get a free deluxe 4 oz. sample of Philosophy's Double Rich Hot Cocoa 3-in-1 body shampoo at Sephora.com when you enter code HOTCOCOA, while supplies last.

Agnes B.'s pre-winter sale means 25% off select items, starting 11/26.

Get this bag free with your $160 Juicy Couture purchase at Neiman Marcus through 12/14.

This week at the Shop at Style.com, Shanghai Tang clothing, Barbara Cary jewelry, World According to Jess handbags, and Marciano clothing.
Daily digest
WWD: Designers sound off on whether they'd work with H&M (check out this priceless bit: “I would do it,” Marc Jacobs said Friday. “To be completely blunt about it, I understand Karl was paid a great deal of money to do it and that would be a great incentive.”); Jimmy Choo sold; this spring, we'll be wearing exotic (read: tacky) bags; unisex People in Motion bags; and, because we all need another off-the-rack bridal store, Men's Wearhouse to venture into bridal.

NYT: We have entered the age of the ridiculously expensive haircut (for the record, I pay a reasonable $65); fashionistas bitch about now-popular colors purple and green; high-end cleaning products for high-end clothes; and J.Crew's denim personalization kit.

NYP: Duh journalism at its finest, don't wear five-inch heels when you're wasted this holiday season; how to not look fat at Thanksgiving; the Ugg influence; and if you haven't heard, leopard is in.

IHT: Suzy Menkes on handbags throughout history.

The Daily: More on the new lingerie department at Bendel's; and the most luxurious lap blanket ever.

Hintmag.com: Dior and more in Beauty Duty; and fashionable links.

Daily Candy: A new hip Nolita salon; and Pippin the store, not the musical.
Random shopping notes, part II
1) On my lunch hour, I walked by the Lucky Shops thing. While there were a lot of people milling around, there appeared to be no line to get in. I talked to two girls who had just come out, and they said that the deals inside weren't so great (they didn't buy anything), but that the gift bag kicked ass. They also said they got free tickets from that IN: NYC AmEx card and probably wouldn't have paid the full admission price. Yikes. But they told me, "Try to go for free and get a gift bag!" Yay for gift bags, I guess.

2) Lured back by an e-mail announcing a new shipment of Ben Sherman shirts, I went to Clothingline again, and was much more pleased with the selection this time. They have two racks of men's woven shirts, in a variety of sizes--I even saw some smalls! The shirts are kind of eh, but some are pretty cool.

3) And because I am totally nuts, I went back to the Fresh sale. This time, I breezed right in. All of the body washes and lotions are gone, as are the "index" perfumes they had, but there are still a ton of little soaps, and I got five bars of "baby milk" soap for $1 each (I figure if it's okay for a baby, it's okay for me). There's still a lot of makeup; I got a lip gloss, a lipstick, and a four-eyeshadow palette. The makeup may be discontinued, but the colors are surprisingly normal, and Fresh makes really high-quality stuff.

4) A special shout-out to my new employer, Macys.com. Yes, that's right, I finally got a new job. Yay!
Guest shopper
While I was waiting in line for 90 minutes yesterday at Fresh, MK was waiting in line for 90 minutes at Steven Alan. Here's her report:


I just got back from the Steven Alan sale. I wish I had gotten up a
half hour earlier and not had so much work to do...last time I
remember getting there at exactly 8:30 and making it in right away.
This time I was there at 9:00 and got in at 10:30! They decided to
have no more than about 25 people in the showroom at any given time;
guess last time was deemed too insane. I spent a good 45 minutes
inside checking out the goods...the best stuff on the racks was
already taken, but there were still some treasures buried at the
bottom of the boxes. Brands I can remember are Mint, Indigo People,
Steven Alan, APC, (a lot of) Diana Lee, and cool Wrangler jeans in
human sizes. I bought ONE Diana Lee sweater for all my time and
effort...but I end up wearing stuff I buy from Steven Alan all the
time, so I guess it was worth it...
Random shopping notes
1) I decided to check out the sales at Barneys and Bloomie's last night. Barneys had some shoes, some Marc by Marc Jacobs, and some jeans on sale, but otherwise, not very much. Bloomie's sales racks were horrible-looking, so I didn't buy anything there either. I'd say wait till after Thanksgiving to hit both--Barneys has (in my opinion) some of the best markdowns come December.

2) On a whim, I tried on a pair of James jeans last night. Holy shit. Believe the hype! My legs are on the long side to begin with, but in these, I looked like a freaking model. The fit is totally different from Sevens and Citizens of Humanity, and they're a bit lower-waisted, but oh my god. As soon as I round up $140, I'm totally buying a pair.

3) The 59th Street H&M still has a lot of Karl Lagerfeld stuff (and from what I hear, so do most of the H&Ms in the city). It's on the 2nd floor.
Daily digest
WWD: I'm itching to go to Henri Bendel's new lingerie department; Sean John postpones its women's collection; Original Penguin is expanding; some denim news; I thought their store sucked big time last year, but Bluefly is opening another holiday store in Soho; speaking of Elle MacPherson, her lingerie line is coming to America in 2005; what teens want; and up-and-coming juniors designers.

NYDN: A preview of tomorrow's Lucky sale (plus, print out the article and get $15 off your admission price!); and tidbits.

WaPo: Holiday makeup.

LAT: Compared to my debacle today, L.A. sample sales sound totally civilized!

The Daily: Oscar de la Renta's son dabbles in high-end denim; the Daily "discovers" James jeans (a little slow on the uptake, guys!); pictures of rich ladies with Hermes bags; and polar-bear-esque Seven jeans.

Vogue UK: Karl Lagerfeld is pissed at H&M because they didn't manufacture enough clothes and he was not havin' the size 12s: "What I designed was fashion for slender and slim people," said the designer who famously lost 42 kilograms two years ago. Mmm-hmm. Yeah, I'm back to loving Marc Jacobs again.

Lookonline.com: Marilyn Kirschner reports on yesterday's Doyle vintage clothing auction.
America's Next Top Model recap
So, I thought last night's episode of America's Next Top Model sucked. It was the "acting episode," which I always think is stupid to begin with, because as Cindy Crawford, Rebecca Romijn, Elle MacPherson, and countless others have shown us, models can't act. So, anyway, the models learned how to "act" from some crazy old-school "acting" coach and Taye Diggs (UPN cross-promotion, obviously), then flew to Tokyo, where they had to film a commerical in Japanese with an non-English-speaking director and a bad translator (how Lost in Translation!). Ann managed to pull her shit together, but everyone else pretty much sucked. Their only other challenge was during the elimination, when they had to do another impromptu "commercial" for some stuff that obviously tasted like shit (thankfully the commercial was in English this time). There were no photo shoots, sadly. In the end, Nicole got the boot for not being memorable enough (both the "acting" coach and Tyra herself almost forgot to give Nicole her critiques--not a good sign). I wish they had kicked off Yaya, who has become soooo obnoxiously bitchy and superior (she spit out the food during her commercial), I can barely stand to watch her (people have hilariously taken to calling her "Yack Yack" on the Television Without Pity message boards). If Yaya's not the next to go, I'm going to be pissed. Still, I think Eva's going to win. Next week: More bitchiness!
Cheryl shops...the Fresh sale
I love Fresh. I wrote a story on the company when they were but a fledgling storefront in Boston, and I've been using their products ever since. Milk Milk is the only lotion in the world that doesn't irritate my eczema, everything smells amazing, and even the packaging is aesthetically pleasing. So I was totally psyched that they were having a sample sale...and so were hundreds of other women, apparently. I waited close to 90 minutes to actually get into the sale, in spite of warnings from the super that the wait was going to be over an hour and three pissed-off, empty-handed women who started telling everyone that it wasn't worth the wait. People seemed to be coming out of the sale with bags full of stuff, and I had been waiting so long already...When I finally got into the sale, I almost started crying. It was so crowded, I could barely move, but this was due mostly to the line of people waiting to pay, which snaked around the room (which was very small to begin with)--and the people were blocking most of the tables full of merchandise. As for the merchandise, they had a lot of everything and prices were very reasonable (most items were $2-$5, nothing was more than $10), but they only carried discontinued merchandise. No Milk line, no Sugar line, no Soy line. They did, however, have a lot of makeup, soap, shower gel and coordinating lotion, and accessories like soapdishes. Thinking a lot of the products would make good Christmas presents, I started to load up, then realized that if I were to actually pay for everything, I'd be there for at least another hour, making my now two-hour lunch a three-hour one. So in a fit of frustration, I left. My advice is to go either tomorrow or Saturday, avoid prime lunch hour, be prepared to wait, and don't expect to find your Milk & Rose Shampoo or your Sugar Body Scrub, 'cause it ain't there. Still...call me crazy, but I might actually go back tomorrow.
Cheryl shops...DSW and Filene's Basement
After a rather unfortunate incident involving Dean & Deluca and a boiling-hot chai, MW and I decided to check out the new Union Square DSW and Filene's Basement (well, except MW went to Virgin Megastore while I shopped) on Saturday afternoon. I had been rather excited about DSW, which came to Chicago when I was still in high school. And everyone else in the Tristate area was excited too, judging by the number of people there. I wonder if everyone else was as disappointed as I was. While they certainly have a lot of shoes in a lot of sizes, many were toe-up fugly, the prices were not so great ($5 off a pair of $100 shoes doesn't do it for me)...and then there was the "designer section," which, from what I can remember, the Chicago stores don't have. I'm guessing DSW felt that since this is New York, they need to appeal to those of us who like very expensive footwear, which is not a bad idea in itself. But what they failed to realize is that 1) we know a five-year-old Prada shoe when we see one and 2) we know that Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes don't cost $500 at retail, nor do Kate Spade shoes cost $350--the prices are regular retail prices with jacked-up "original prices." Shady, DSW. Shady.

I found Filene's far more enjoyable. Compared to their dungeon-like 6th Avenue store, the Union Square location, with its north-facing skyline views, is like a freakin' palace. The layout is much easier to navigate, with men's and accessories on the first floor of the store, women's clothing on the second, and housewares and shoes on the top floor. There are more clear divisions between departments and you can walk amongst the racks without knocking everything over with your purse. There's a section called "the vault", which I guess is Filene's version of Loehmann's "back room," and it had a lot of Missoni, See by Chloe, Moschino, Alberta Ferretti, and other Italian designers. I also spotted quite a few Diesel jeans in the contemporary section, and prices seemed quite reasonable. Everything is well-lighted, and while there were a lot of people there, it never seemed crowded. I didn't buy anything, but that was mainly due to my lack of funds at the time. I will defintiely incorporate this Filene's into my discount-store rounds.

In the same complex (formerly Bradlee's, where I once bought a cheap blanket because the air conditioning in my NYU dorm was sub-Arctic one summer), there's a Forever 21, which I didn't subject MW to, and there's a Whole Foods coming soon. Of course, this only adds to the already ridiculous amount of foot traffic on 14th Street, but as I looked around at the mix of people, listened to the kids beat-boxing, and smelled the nut vendors' roasted nuts (which never, by the way, taste as good as they smell), I realized it's still the downtown New York I fell in love with six years ago. It's just supersized now.
Daily digest
WWD: Totally out of nowhere, Sears and KMart are merging; more on the Jil Sander defection #2; pregnant celebrities lend more attention to cute maternity clothes; apparently you're not a celebrity if you don't have a clothing line, because now Kelly Osbourne has launched Stiletto Killers; and an interview with my hero, Marc Jacobs.

NYO: Fashionistas lament the sale of Barneys; and one woman and her altered Chanel suit.

VV: Lynn Yaeger on Forever 21--hates the name, loves the store.

WaPo: How to give yourself an at-home facial.

The Daily: Isaac Mizrahi goes to the dogs; and a charitable bear.

Lookonline.com: Marilyn Kirschner jumps on the round-toe bandwagon. (Honestly, I bought a pair of round-toe boots and I am quite pleased with how comfortable they are.)

Style.com: Got money? Style.com has a holiday gift guide.

Elle.com: For those sick of Nars' Orgasm, lovely new Kevyn Aucoin blush.

Vogue UK: Move over Karl Lagerfeld and H&M, Jean-Paul Gaultier designed 20 pieces for La Redoute for their Spring/Summer 2005 catalogue.
The Lucky Shops event
You all know how I feel about paying to go shopping. (Okay, if you don't, I think paying to go shopping is a big ol' load of bull.) Friday is the Lucky Shops event, which I'm sure you've heard about, and tickets are $35 if you bought them in advance before today, $45 at the door. Normally I would totally balk at that price, but here are several reasons why this looks promising:

1) Ticket proceeds benefit the Robin Hood Foundation, for fighting poverty and helping disadvantaged women.

2) You get a free goody bag, contents of which are listed in today's The Daily.

3) There are deals to be had, Like Botiker bags for $100 (were $535) and Foley and Corrinna tops for $50 (were $210). Other designers include Marc by Marc Jacobs, See by Chloe, Rebecca Taylor, Sigerson Morrison, Me&Ro, Jonathan Adler, and more. (A full list can be found here.) And everything is 20%-60% off.

I'm still on the fence as to whether I want to go, but if anyone does go, e-mail me and I'll post it here.
Website of the week
While the weather this week is going to be a bit more tolerable, last week's dip into the 40s reminded me that I need to stock up on tights. As much as I love department stores, their hosiery departments often suck (this is especially true at Barneys), and so I often end up shopping at places like Century 21, where the selection can be inconsistent. So I was happy to come across My Tights, a website devoted entirely to hosiery. You can shop by style, brand, or special feature (such as petite or bridal), or you can use the super-specialized Hosiery Finder for specific searching. They carry high-end brands like Gerbe and Spanx, but since this is a British site, they have a lot of European brands I've never heard of, like the super-expensive (but so sexy and luxurious-looking) Gio and the slightly loopy Le Bourget. Levante appears to be the site's top-selling brand, and they also feature Gwyneth's favorite Spanx Power Panties. I'll be ordering the Aristoc pointelle lace tights, Hudson's rustic rib tights, and I can't believe I've actually found them, Levante's wool rib tights, which will keep my legs soooo warm on winter days. (Seriously, you guys have no idea how long I've been looking for wool ribbed tights--they are nearly impossible to find in this country.) Shipping is $5.95, or free if you spend $50--amazing for an overseas website. My Tights is also very customer-friendly and offers a whole page of hosiery advice, including tips for men buying hosiery for themselves. Oh, those cheeky Brits...
Daily digest
WWD: Alvin Valley and Alice Roi sign fur licensing deals, which, if I could afford a fur coat, would be excellent news; and new label Cass Guy, which is actually for girls.

NYT: A Brooklyn artist apparently obsessed with fashion and food (um, join the club); and last week, fashionistas suffered from fashion whiplash what with all the events.

IHT: Words of wisdom from Tom Ford at Oxford University.

LAT: Lucky bitch Booth Moore takes a look inside the Hermes archive in Paris.

The Daily: Jil Sander has resigned again; kickass accessories; and totally insane gloves.

Lookonline.com: Marilyn Kirschner is sick of glitz and praises beads instead.

Elle.com: An extremely useful guide to shopping in Boston; and preppy sweaters on crack.

And, a special shout-out to Michelle at SheFinds, who is now posting sample sale reviews by yours truly. Check out the website and be jealous of Michelle because she shops for a living.
Cheryl shops...the Ben Sherman/Evisu sample sale
In order to do some early Christmas shopping for MW, I hit Clothingline's Ben Sherman/Evisu sale on my lunch hour. There were about 15 people in line to check coats, and the sample sale was crowded, but it was tolerable. The first thing I noticed, however, was how many men were at the sale--I've never seen that many, except maybe at the Barneys Warehouse Sale. The second thing I noticed was that the men's section had been completely ransacked; apparently men waste no time. MW loves Ben Sherman shirts, so that's primarily what I was looking for, but they had...not very many. There were some short-sleeved shirts, but most of them were ugly (especially the pre-wrinkled ones--how '80s) and they only appeared to come in size large and x-large, which wouldn't fit MW, who's a size medium. (I find the abundance of larger sizes ironic, by the way, because 1) Ben Sherman shirts are cut very slim to begin with and men tend to like their clothing baggy, and 2) at women's sample sales, they always seem to have a ton of x-smalls, but never enough larges.) There were two long-sleeved styles left; one, white with black graffiti-type writing, looked like something Carson would wear on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and the other, a blue paisley/floral, looked very Simon Doonan--neither of which would work for the heterosexual MW. Otherwise, there were some random T-shirts and pants (again, mostly in large) and a lot of Ben Sherman shoes. I was a bit perturbed; last year, I got MW four kickass shirts, but I also arrived when the sale opened. Note to self: Go early.

As for the rest of the sale, there was a ton of Ben Sherman for women--some cute jackets, a lot of separates, coats, leather, everything you can think of, basically. The nice thing is that most of the B.S. separates are $29 or for for $100 (T-shirts are $10, heavy coats are $60), which is quite a deal. The Evisu section was a mess--jeans here, a T-shirt there--but they appeared to have a range of sizes and some really cool jeans (jeans and coats are $100, T-shirts are $45). There was also a lot of merchandise left over from previous sales, including a lot of Three Dots T-shirts for $15-$30; cords and jeans from Miss Sixty, Juicy, Blue Cult, and others for $30 (a lot of different sizes in these); and Free People separates for $15-$20. So, shopping for yourself: good. Shopping for your man: not so much.
The week in shopping
Girls, we are now in prime sample sale season, and there are so many good ones this week, I don't think I can even pick a favorite. But I will be hitting as many sales as possible and posting reviews here, for your shopping benefit. May the shopping force be with you.

My favorite bath and body products line, Fresh is taking 50%-90% off all bath and body products (now $2-$20). I'm so there. 11/18-11/20; noon-6 Thurs., 9-6 Fri., 10-4 Sat.; 215 W. 40th St., (at 7th Ave.), 7th fl.

Always a good sale, Steven Alan is taking 30%-75% off Christopher Deane, Inhabit, United Bamboo, and other below-the-radar labels. 11/18-11/20; 8:30-8, noon-7 Sat.; 87 Franklin St. (at Church St.).

Araks hs incredibly delicate, feminine lingerie for $5-$125. 11/17-11/19; 9-7, 9-4 Fri.; 121 E. 12th St. (at 3rd Ave.), Ste. 6I.

Frenchie Philippe Adec's womenswear is 50% off at this cash-only sale. 11/18-11/20; 9-7, 11-5 Sat.; 209 W. 38th St., (at 7th Ave.), 2nd fl.

Pure Accessories has cashmere scarves, baby bags, and jewelry from Bindya New York, Dante Beatrix, and Oscar & Nancy for 50% off (now $20-$100). Cash only. 11/17-11/19; 10-7; 389 5th Ave., (at 36th St.), Ste. 508.

Tote le Monde's practical but cute handbags and small leather goods are $20-$130 (were $50-$250) at this cash-only sale. 11/18-11/19; 11-7; 251 W. 30th St., (at 8th Ave.), Ste. 11FW.

Vivienne Tam's Asian-inspired designs are $30 and up. 11/17-11/20; 9-7, 9-6 Fri., 10-5 Sat.; 550 7th Ave., (at 39th St.), 20th fl.

My favorite lingerie ever, La Perla, is 60% off at this sale. Through 11/21; 10-7, 11-7 Sun.; 260 5th Ave. (at 29th St.).

Accessory maven Elizabeth Gillett has cashmere wraps, silk scarves, and crocheted ponchos for $75 or less. 11/18-11/20; 9-6:30, noon-5 Sat.; 237 W. 35th St.(at 7th Ave.), Ste. 304.

Girly stuff from Tracy Reese is up to 65% off. 11/17-11/19; 10-6; 275 W. 39th St. (at 7th Ave.), 11th fl.

This week, Clothingline has Ben Sherman and Evisu clothes for men and women for 55% off and up. 11/16-11/19; check website for hours; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.

Twinkle's girly silk dresses, hand-knit sweaters, and more are up to 60% off. 11/19-11/20; 11-8 Fri., noon-5 Sat.; 401 Washington St. (at Laight St.), 4th fl.

Italian-made Kulson skirts ($130 and up), pants ($120 and up), coats ($330 and up), and more are on sale. 11/17-11/19; 9-6; 80 W. 40th St., (at 6th Ave.), Penthouse West.

While you're in the same building, Metropolitan Design Group has home and fashion accessories from Mark Snider, Colette Malouf, and others for 40%-65% off at this cash-only sale. 11/16-11/18; 8-7; 80 W. 40th St. (at 6th Ave.), 8th fl.

Elie Tahari's is $149 and up at this sale. 11/16-11/22; noon-6; 520 5th Ave. (at 43rd St.).

Henri Bendel's famous cashmere sweaters are up to 30% off (now $109-$149). Through 11/28; 10-8, noon-7 Sun. 712 5th Ave. (at 56th St.).

Yigal Azrouel has a fun-to-say name and fun-to-say clothes for up to 70% off (cashmere sweaters are now $100). 11/16-11/18; 9-7, 9-6 Thurs.; 225 W. 39th St. (at 7th Ave.), 7th fl.

Drinking and shopping is a good combination; save as much as 80% Double Happiness jewelry, Julie Brown tops and accessories, Lilo NY lingerie, Lorelie handbags, plus drink specials. Spend over $275 and receive a VIP gift bag. 11/16; 5-9 p.m.; Star Bar, 4 W. 22nd St. (5th & 6th Aves.).

Or, if you prefer to drink and shop for furniture, the Conran Shop's Customer Appreciation Shopping Evening features discounts, cocktails, and food from upstairs restaurant Guastavino's. 11/16; 6-8 p.m.; 407 East 59 St. (at 1st Ave.).

Qui New York has fine Italian home furnishings, from $80 for pasta plates to $11,500 for a sofa. 11/18-11/20; 3-8:30 Thurs., noon-6 Fri., noon-5 Sat.; 601 W. 26th St. (at 11th Ave.), Ste. 1507.

Our Name Is Mud's kitschy ceramics are up to 80% off (now $1-$40). 11/18-11/19; 10-6, 10-8 Fri.; 227 W. 29th St. (at 7th Ave.), 7th fl.

Barneys' private sale features 30%-50% off regular prices throughout the store. 11/18-11/24; all locations.

It's only November and yet Anbar Shoes is having a fall/winter clearance sale. Shoes are $20-$73 and boots are $27-$196; designers include Blay, BCBG, Coup d'Etat, Donald J. Pliner, and more, and all sizes are available. Through 11/27; 9-6:20 weekdays, 11-5:45 Sat., closed Sun.; 60 Reade St. (B'way & Church).

Bitta Design Group has all manner of precious and semiprecious bling for up to 80% off (items are $50 and up). 11/17-11/18; 10-7; New York Hilton hotel; 1335 6th Ave. (53rd & 54th Sts.), Suite 4249.

Upper East Side fave The Shoe Box has shoes from top designers (Marc Jacobs, Pucci, Kate Spade, Sigerson Morrison, and more) for 25% off. 11/18-11/20; 9:30-8; 1349 3rd Ave. (at 77th St.).

I have no idea who Shelly & Renee are, but they're hosting "The Big Sale," featuring Roberto Cavalli, Armani, Carolina Herrera, and more for up to 70% off. Through 11/18; 9:30-7; 5 E. 57th St. (Madison & 5th Aves.), 4th Fl.

Indie designer wonderland 30Vandam is taking 40-70% off their selection of clothes and accessories. Through 11/21; 11-8, noon-6 Sun.; 30 Vandam St. (Varick St. & Ave. of the Americas).

If you're going to put your pet in a carrier for that long plane trip, make sure it's something comfortable, like a Sherpa Pet Carrier, which are up to 70% off at this cash-only sale. Through 11/19; 9:30-5:30; 135 E. 55th St, (Lex & 3rd Aves), 8th Fl.

For the anti-fashion look, Buddhist Punk, Religion, Rolling Stones, and Ringspun are $10 and up at this cash-only sale. Through 11/20; 10-7, 10-3 Sat.; 230 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 12th Fl.

For your winter-accessories needs, Portolano has cashmere, wool, angora, silk, and leather hats, gloves, and more at wholesale and below. Through 11/19; 10-6; 15 W. 37th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 2nd Fl.

Easy math: Everything is $50 at MZ Wallace's annual handbag sample sale. Alas, it's cash only. 11/18-11/19; 10-8; 93 Crosby St. (Prince and Spring Sts.).

Click here for a $100 coupon off a $300 purchase at BCBG, good through 11/24.

Get 20% off hats at NYC General Store through 11/17 when you enter code hatsoff at checkout.

Take 15% off all cashmere and ponchos (including the coveted Vince cabled poncho) at ShopLAStyle.com through 11/21 when you enter code NOV CASHMERE at checkout.

Get 20% off at Bloomingdales.com through 11/18 when you enter code FF4PCB at checkout.

Get 20% off your entire order at eFashionhouse.com when you purchase at least one item from DesignersLA (it will make sense when you visit the website) and enter code DLA20 through 11/20.

Anthropologie is having a sale; items are up to 35% off.

Oh, joy: The next Billion Dollar Babes sale is 11/20 from 8-6 at the Altman Building, 135 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.). Click here to RSVP.

Lord & Taylor coupons, yadda yadda yadda.

Spend $100 and get free shipping at American Eagle Outfitters when you enter code 78933044 through 11/23.

Going on a cruise? Preview the Chanel cruise collection 11/16-11/17 at Bergdorf's, dahling.

This week at The Shop at Style.com, Me&Ro jewelry, Alexander McQueen via Yoox, NV Perricone skincare, and Rapp and Posavek bags.

Spend $75 and get free shipping at Gap.com through the end of the year. Yay!
Daily digest
WWD: Karl Lagerfeld for H&M is totally sold out around the world (the collection was supposed to be in stores for two weeks); a spring bag preview; LeSportsac's promising-looking Remix collection; designed by rock'n'roll spawn Jade Jagger, crown jeweler Garrard to debut a skull-and-crossbones line aimed at a younger customer; a new, huge Tourneau store in Vegas; Oscar de la Renta to open a store in Bal Harbour in Miami; and Quiksilver to open a Soho flagship store next summer (2nd item).

NYT: Mannequins get booty.

NYP: A story on party camisoles helpfully featuring bra-size ratings, but, not so helpfully, without photos; how to not look fat at the gym; yay for shrunken blazers; yay for Brooklyn home accessories stores (again, pictures here would help); and Maria Menounos takes the $100 challenge.

IHT: In typical fashion, Parisians go apeshit at H&M while Brits are reserved.

LAT: The British take credit for the eccentric look that's so popular nowadays; and a random junk store in L.A.

The Daily: The way-to-dilute-your-brand award goes to Versace, who is partnering with Timex for a line of watches; fashion gossip; and major faux pas at the AMAs.

Daily Candy: At long last, Jacques Torres in Manhattan.

Weekend shopping
Um, nothing terribly exciting. Also, I had a full glass of my coworker James' rum punch, so I'm not in the best condition to post anything else. Hey, it's happy hour! Have a good weekend!

Daily digest
WWD: I always say that when I have kids, I'm going to shop for them at Old Navy and Target, but knowing me, I'll probably buy them expensive stuff (god knows I was fond of Oililly when I was a wee one); the Japanese love Coach; denim news; and Italian footwear company Fornarina is introducing swimwear.

WaPo: Robin Givhan has an outsider's view of New York fashion parties; and how to stay warm and look good.

The Daily: Lancome's first U.S. store at the Mall at Short Hills; Vera Wang ready-to-wear at Bergdorf's; Marc Jacobs designed Bloomingdale's holiday bags and they're cheaper than his Stella tote; The Daily makes fun of country music singers with a very cheap shots; and yet another line of high-end denim.

Elle.com: A totally not-at-all-useful fur bag.
Cheryl shops...Karl Lagerfeld for H&M
Two words: Go now. I went to the 34th & 7th location before work this morning and it wasn't too bad, although I overheard a woman saying that fights broke out at the 5th Avenue store. Anyway, the clothes. Are. To die for. (Go here for a preview.) Most of the separates are $50: There are some ski-inspired sweaters, several chiffon tops, a tuxedo blouse, straight-leg jeans-style black trousers, straight-leg denim pants in black and indigo washes, camisole-and-tap-pants sets (they come in plain black and a peach-and-black photo-type print), 3 or 4 dresses ($99), a gorgeous pleated chiffon skirt, several jackets (I think they were $130-ish), and a coat or two (didn't price). Most items are black; some come in dusty pink or purple. Accessory-wise, there's a weird hat (the skull is knit and the brim is felted), a geometric cuff bracelet and matching ring, a nice unisex small messenger bag, leather gloves (very cool), sunglasses, a belt (for men), and, of course, eau de Karl, a unisex cologne that smelled slightly more masculine to me. The prices for all are a bit higher than what you'd normally pay at H&M, but the quality is at least ten times better--Lagerfeld definitely knows what he's doing. I bought the tuxedo shirt, which is seriously the best-made button-down shirt I've ever tried on (even better than my circa-1999 Gucci silk shirt), and there is not even a hint of gaping-boob, a problem I often suffer with button-downs. I also bought the black slipdress, which doesn't look like much on the hanger but is incredibly sexy and flattering; and I got the matching cuff-and-ring set. I tried on a short-sleeved black chiffon blouse that was gorgeously made but unfortunately made me look a bit top-heavy (not a good bet for the busty gals); I also tried on the chiffon skirt (in a way-too-small 6--yikes!), however they were already sold out of my size by the time I got there, and so I convinced myself that I didn't need it, because I already own three black pleated skirts anyway. (Although this one is different...hmm, maybe I'll go back later today to see if there are any more...) To add to the whole experience, H&M wraps your purchases in tissue paper and puts them in a big boutique-style shopping bag with "Karl Lagerfeld for H&M" on it. Sigh. Move over, Marc Jacobs--I'm in love.
A moment of silence, please...
...for my favorite store in the world, Barneys New York, which was sold yesterday for $400 million to Jones Apparel Group, maker of such esteemed brands as, um, Jones New York, Anne Klein, and Gloria Vanderbilt. Read (and weep) about it here.
Object of desire
For shoe lovers such as myself, there exists a Holy Grail, and that is the Manolo Blahnik Alligator Pump. I look at these and I get a bit teary, really. Made in Italy of American alligator (I met some up close and personal while in Louisiana in September, and all I could think was, "That one would make a damn nice pair of shoes"), and with a three-inch heel, these scream luxury (and for $2,800, they should). Excuse me for a moment, I have to dab my eyes...

There, that's better. Neiman Marcus also has a lovely Alligator halter that, at $1,950, is a bit more palatable. Well, not really. The good news is, however, that if you spend $600 on Manolo Blahnik shoes at Neiman Marcus, you get this cosmetics bag for free through 11/16. I guess even women who can afford $2,800 shoes like gift-with-purchase. Some things never change.
Buy it
Ever since I saw this sweater (inset) on Marc Jacobs' fall runway back in February, I've wanted it. Badly. In spite of its $2,000 price tag. Fast forward nine months or so. Flipping through the most recent Victoria's Secret catalogue--I usually pay little attention to the lingerie and clothes, but I love the shoes--I came across this sweater, a damn good knockoff if I do say so myself. I am not entirely fond of the orange bow (come on, why not black?), but for $48, I think I can work with it. From now on, I think I'll be paying more attention to the clothes.
America's Next Top Model recap
Due to sweatshop like conditions at my office, I wasn't able to post a recap for last week's America's Next Top Model. Basically, all you need to know is that Cassie got the (well-deserved) boot and a piece of Toccara obviously died inside, having to put up with bitchy NYC designers (um, hello Nanette Lepore!) and super-bitchy wardrobe stylists. By this week's episode, Toccara was phoning it in (she couldn't find an outfit at Century 21, her eyes were dead at her photo shoot, all of her bubbly, conquering-the-world personality was g-o-n-e). It was down to Ann and Toccara in the end, and Toccara inevitably got the boot. Let me tell you, people on the message boards are pissed. I liked Toccara--I think she had a lot of personality and she has a beautiful face, but it was unfair for the producers to have put her in the competition in the first place. There's no way she can compete with the other "standard" size 2 and 4 girls; it was simply not a level playing field, because, sadly, high fashion rarely comes in a size bigger than 12. That said, I hope some plus-size division signs her up quick, because Toccara could have a very successful career as a plus-size model.

As for the other girls, Eva finally showed that she's human by freaking out over posing with a tarantula (which, I feel like, in the real world, you'd have to know about before you take the friggin' job, but, hey, this is TV), but then she turned out what I thought was the best photo. I now have a feeling that Eva is going to win, although she does have her height working against her. Yaya is proving to be a bigger and bigger bitch; I hope to god she doesn't win, but I'd be surprised if she does anyway because of her skin (unless Cover Girl wants her to shill their concealer). Unless Ann learns how to pose consistently well, she's going to be out soon, and they've got to axe Amanda soon because she's just too damn old--25 is like 50 in model years. Norelle, my early favorite, needs to pull her shit together; she obviously doesn't have as much confidence as the other girls, and it shows. But they're going to Japan next week, and Norelle has the kind of kewpie-doll look that the Japanese will wet their pants over. And as for Nicole, I can't figure her out. She photographs incredibly, but in person, she's kind of blah. She could be the dark horse in the running...

Again, next week the girls head to Japan, but first they get some "acting" lessons and practice with Taye Diggs (UPN cross-promotion!).
The mid-week in shopping, although by the time you read this, it will be more like the-two-days-left-in-the-week in shopping. But that's okay.
Sale of the week: Denise Williamson Showroom has superhip labels Ulla Johnson, FrostFrench, Sass & Bide, and others for up to 75% off. If I ever get out of work alive, I'm there. 11/11-11/13; 9-8, noon-6 Sat.; 119 Mercer St. (at Prince St.), Loft 2S.

I'm pissed I missed the first day of the La Cosa sale, because all the good stuff (i.e. tank tops) goes early on the first day. But it's still worth checking out, especially if you're a size small, because prices start at $15. Through 11/12; 8:30-6 Thurs., 8:30-5 Fri.; 105 E. 37th St. (Park & Lex), suite 2B.

I think the twice-yearly Aeffe sale--featuring Moschino, Alberta Ferretti, and Jean Paul Gaultier--is overrated, but it's always worth checking out, as prices are for clothes and accessories are 60% off. Through 11/12; 10-5:30 Thurs., 10-5 Fri.; 30 W. 56th St. (5th & 6th Aves.).

Lauren Moffatt's vintage-inspired designs are $80 and up, but the sale is cash only. Through 11/12; 10-7; 214 W. 29th St.(at 7th Ave.), Ste. 1503.

For the footwear fiends, Nancy Geist, nancynancy, and Cynthia Rowley shoes are a bargain at $60-$120. Cash only. Through 11/12; noon-7; 307 7th Ave. (at 28th St.), Ste. 2307.

Equally enticing, Delman and Nina shoes are $30-$195 at this sale. Through 11/16; 10-7 (closed Sat. and Sun.); 730 5th Ave. (at 56th St.), 8th fl.

Echo of the Dreamer has a hippie-dippy name but totally cool semiprecious jewelry for 40%-75% off. Through 11/13; 10-7, 10-3 Sat.; 242 W. 30th St., 14th fl.

I think Jay Strongwater's stuff is kind of tacky, but it's sold at Neiman Marcus and the like; at this sale, his ornate picture frames, compacts, tableware, and more are 65% off. 11/11-11/12; 8:30-4; 11 E. 36th St. (5th & Madison), 8th fl.

For the stylish pregnant ladies, Cadeau Maternity's line is now $45-$75 (normally $150-$350). Through 11/11; 10-7; 254 Elizabeth St. (at Prince St.).

If you mom is anything like mine, she'd probably like Cath Kidston's signature cosmetic bags, kitchen items, and fashion accessories, which are on sale for up to 75% off. 11/11-11/12; 10-5; 230 W. 39th St. (at 7th Ave.), 11th fl.

Central Park West Cashmere sweaters are $40 and up at this sale. Through 11/12; 9-6 Thurs., 9-3 Fri.; 234 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 9th fl.

For the pampered pooch, Kwigy-bo and Ella Dish are on sale. Through 11/11; noon-7; 501 7th Ave. (at 37th St.), ste. 508.

If you're a size 4-8, have some cash to blow, and love California style (I feel the list dwindling as I speak...), Da-Nang & Follies are having a true sample sale (hence the sizes); prices are $20 for Follies items and go up to $100 for Da-Nang jackets. And, oh yeah, cash only. Through 11/12; 9-6, 9-5 Fri.; 231 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), suite 200.

Design Within Reach has a sale section on their website, with savings of up to 30%.

Deals at Victoria's Secret through 11/16: Save $5 on a Very Sexy bra when you enter code VSEXY4 at checkout; for a free .25 oz. Very Sexy for Her perfume, enter code VSEDP4 at checkout; and for $15 off a $100 order, $30 off a $150 order, $75 off a $250 order, or $150 off a $500 order, enter code HOLIDAY4 at checkout.

Get free shipping at recent Cheryl Shops website of the week Figleaves.com on every order through 11/14.

This week at the Shop at Style.com, Cole Haan bags (nice knockoffs!), Barbara Cary jewelry, and Sundari skincare.

Save 15% at Wine.com when you enter code newsite15 at checkout through 11/15.

The First Call sale at Neiman Marcus has begun. 40% off, baby! Plus, get free shipping on a $150 order when you enter code FIRST04 at checkout.

Buy a jacket, sweater, or scarf at Scoop and get free shipping through 11/12. (The best part? You avoid the annoying store!)

I am drooling over the Gucci cruise collection handbags; preview them online or on the first floor at Saks from 10-4, 11/11-11/13.

The most excellent Find Outlet has a Zip-n-Find sale featuring James jeans for $69 (unheard of!), Alice + Olivia, Ernsdorff, Twinkle by Wenlan, and other fashionista faves for 50%-80% off. 11/11-11/14; noon-7; 361 W.17th (8th & 9th Aves.), 229 Mott St. (Prince & Spring).

Lord & Taylor coupon. You know the drill.

City Moda now has Marc Jacobs handbags for about 25% off which, considering the ridiculous cost of them to begin with, helps.
Catch-up digest, take two
I was almost done with this the first time when my computer crashed. If we had OSX like normal people, perhaps that wouldn't happen so much. Anyway, here goes (again)...

WWD: The promising-sounding One Girl Who... line of sweaters; they may hate our "president", but Europeans still love American fashion; the new Calvin Klein store in Rome; people are buying down coats (shocking!); women are buying evening gowns off the rack at Oscar de la Renta's new store; and Gap is opening Love, an accessories store next to their flagship at 5th and 54th.

NYT: You're not going to find a Pauline Trigere dress on the rack at Housing Works because thrift stores are getting crafty; after a promising start, bridge lines from Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger tank; and what fashion owes to equestrians.

NYP: How to not look fat with the help of makeup; and screw the system and wear white now.

NYO: For the fantastically wealthy, super-upscale diamond store Lockes Diamantaires comes to the Time Warner Center (a.k.a. "the mall").

VV: Feeling depressed, Lynn Yaeger checks out the new Union Square Filene's Basement and DSW and finds little consolation.

WaPo: One of the best-written articles I've seen in awhile, this is a perfect example of why Robin Givhan rocks: Fashionistas declare the brooch dead. Delicious.

The Daily: A wearable-looking collection by Michael and Hushi for Patricia Field; Oprah's auctioning stuff off on eBay; a look inside Amanda Demme's closet; and loveable fashion faux pas.

Lookonline.com: Fashion goings-on.

Style.com: Editors' spring picks from lesser-known designers; Sarah Brown picks the best spring beauty trends from the runway; new beauty products; a semi-cute, semi-ugly bag; and Candy Pratts Price on essential fashion books.

Elle.com: To match your cute but slightly overpriced shoes, Hollywould dresses; awesome semiprecious bling; and if you're already sick of winter, you can look forward to resort wear!

Daily Candy: Handbags fit for a queen; groovy-sounding facials at the LES's Pharma; and the Yellow Door comes to Manhattan.
Not so much
God willing, I will have more than 5 minutes tomorrow to eat my lunch and post some stuff. Please keep checking back, and I promise I will go crazy with the posts next week and the week thereafter. In the meantime, working 14-hour days and making waaaay less than our retoucher (who reportedly makes $200 an hour), my job: Not so much.
Posts coming soon
Work is eating me alive; the Week in shopping and more coming Tuesday!
Daily digest
WWD: For Brooklyn-fearing brides, Kleinfeld to open a Manhattan location; denim news and T-shirt news; and in what I think is not the smartest move, Norma Kamali is selling her archive.

NYDN: A Bed-Stuy salon for the curly-haired; and a fancy blow-dryer.

WaPo: Robin Givhan on politicians' fashions; and baby shower gift ideas.

The Daily: More on the Karl Lagerfeld for H&M line; Nomad jeans; Chloe's Phoebe Philo is the British designer of the year; FIT's Valerie Steele on the origin of "fashionista"; new flagship stores in L.A.; and waterproofing for your hair.

Lookonline.com: American style vs. global style.

Elle.com: L.A. Fashion week highlights; Tocca's super-rich body cream; purple makeup; and you need to buy these wide-leg pants.
The (mid-) week in shopping
My apologies for being a bit behind this week. Between this wedding last weekend, the election, and it being my busy week at work, I haven't been quite on top of things. But there's nothing like a devastating blow to the Democratic party to get me thinking about shopping! Um, not really, but I'm trying to focus on positive things. Like America's Next Top Model is on tonight...and I have a kickass new coat from Vintage Cool Things...and my total lack of appetite means that at least I'll lose a few pounds! Sorry to be Debbie Downer, kids (wah wah wah). On that note, on to the sales...

Sale of the week: Chaiken's womenswear is basic but very stylish, and at this sale, everything is 60% off. Through 10/4; 10-8 Wed., 10-1 Thurs.; the Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.), 4th fl.

French designer Catherine Malandrino's clothes are now 30% off (normally $195 to $1,400). 11/5-12/1; 11-7, noon-6 Sun.; 468 Broome St.

MaxMara's classic, sophisticated clothes are on sale; pants are $200-ish, coats are $700 ish. Through 11/4; 9-6:30 Wed., 9-5 Thurs.; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Ave. (at 40th St.), 2nd fl.

Stylebug has gowns, cocktail dresses, and accessories by Vera Wang, Escada, Gucci, and other designers for 60%-85% off. Through 11/5; 10-6; 256 W. 38th St., 8th fl.

Is your Bush tax refund burning a hole in your pocket, millionaire? ABC Carpet & Home has antique rugs for 30%-75% off (now $500-$100,000). 11/4-11/21; 10-8, 10-7 Sat., 11-6:30 Sun.; 888 Broadway (at 19th St.), 6th fl.

Norma Kamali's stylish collection is on sale at below-wholesale prices; most items are under $100. Through 11/5; 10-6; 11 W. 56th St., 3rd fl.

Lâle's replica Iznik ceramics (Ottoman-era Islamic pieces) are $100-$4,000 (were $250-$10,000). Through 11/7; noon-8; 200 Mott St. (at Spring St.).

Glasses maestro Robert Marc is taking 50%-90% off his private label collection, Lunor, and FreudenHaus. Through 11/5; 11-8; 782 Madison Ave.(at 66th St.), 190 Columbus Ave. (at 68th St.).

For the spoiled little ones in your life, Cakewalk's high-end European childrenswear (3 months to 14 years) is 60% off. Through 11/5; 10-7 Thurs., 10-6 Fri.; 261 W. 36th St., 2nd fl.

In celebration of the arrival of their holiday catalogue, Victoria's Secret will take $15 off a $100 order, $30 off a $150 order, $75 off a $250 order, or $150 off a $500 order when you enter code HOLIDAY4 at checkout through 11/16.

Recent Cheryl Shops website of the week Le Train Bleu has new, unique fall arrivals.

For those who like to plan ahead, check out the Jimmy Choo trunk show as Saks (I'm quite fond of the terry cloth thong).

Sweaters are on sale at Delia*s for $24 and up; enter code DSFW225 for free shipping on orders of $25 or more. And all roomwares are 15% off (online only) through 11/11.

At Stila, get a free Illuminating Liquid Foundation sample with every order and free shipping on any two items from the holiday collection when you enter code 2starlets through 11/21.

Today is the start of Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale for women and children; select items are 25%-50% off. Also, spend $75 on Bobbi Brown makeup at and get a free full-size cranberry lip stain while supplies last.

When you buy a Lolishine Rouge sheer lipstick at Shu Uemura, get a free 50ml cleansing oil sample when you enter code SHEER at checkout though 10/5.

Former Cheryl Shops website of the week Vintage Cool Things is having an anniversary sale, and everything is 25% off through 11/13. I ordered a fabulous faux cheetah jacket and some great jewelry, and I highly recommend browsing through the site--proprietor Ellen recently posted some lovely winter coats.

Spend $100 at Bliss and get a free Herban Jungle soap when you enter code 114900 in the red box at checkout.

Fall jackets are 15% off at Pink Mascara through 11/13.

If you missed Zac Posen today (sorry!), meet jeweler Stephen Dweck tomorrow, 11/4, from 1-5 at Bergdorf's.

This week at the Shop at Style.com, Trina Turk womenswear, TseSay sweaters, Elaine Turner bags, Lancome cosmetics, Freeze 24/7 skincare, and Elizabeth Showers jewelry.

Get free shipping on a $45 purchase at MAC (the makeup, not the computers) when you enter code AD104E through 11/6.

Spend $75 at Gloss.com and get this kickass sample-filled clutch through 11/9. Plus get free shipping on a $35 order when you enter code BBWGLS.

Click here to get 40% off at LeSportsac's VIP sale.

Select styles are 50% off at BCBG stores through 11/20.

Get free shipping at Estee Lauder when you enter code earlybird04 at checkout through 11/16.

Apparently it's a holiday weekend; click here for coupons for Lord & Taylor's holiday weekend sale.

Click here for BeautyHabit's November specials (BeautyHabit is a former Cheryl Shops website of the week).