It's That Time of Year Again...Barneys Bonanza!

Credit: Nymag.com

Winter blues got you down? Maybe this will cheer you up: Thursday, Februrary 11th the Barneys Warehouse Sale begins and runs until February 28th.

For those of you who have never participated in this New York tradition, the Barneys Warehouse Sale is celebrated by fashion-conscious New Yorkers biannually in August and February. Barneys rents out a huge warehouse (at 255th west 17th st) and fills it with a jaw-dropping selection of beautiful clothes - all marked down! Each day the prices fall lower, but at the same time the selection becomes more paltry. The warehouse becomes a mad house as frenzied shoppers throw Manolo shoes and Marc Jacobs' clothes into their giant plastic garbage bags by the dozen, trying to beat the competition (and don't forget: it IS a competition). To get the true experience wait in line in the morning before it opens to be one of the lucky first people inside.

Note: There are no dressing rooms, only a few mirrors scattered about, so think about wearing leggings and maybe a camisole underneath your clothes to avoid voyeurs!

UNIQLO: The New Gap + American Apparel?

When shopping for basics, we invariably have our own go-to stores that always provide the bits and pieces we're looking for, and now in the dead of winter many of you might be looking for some simple and affordable basics to layer up with in the freezing weather. A good store for basics needs to have a wide selection of easy-to-layer, lightweight clothes, in a variety of colors. Basics, like a typical white tank top or a black cardigan, are important because they can make or break an outfit: What if you have a really crazy patterned skirt but nothing simple to tone it down with? Or a dress that plunges uncomfortably low, but nothing to layer under it? At the same time, basics aren't meant to stand out, but to integrate with your wardrobe, so they shouldn't be too expensive - you want to save your money for the exciting stuff, and basics are used a lot so they wear out quickly!

Over the past years, my stand-bys have been along the lines of Gap, Banana Republic, BDG of Urban Outfitters,and American Apparel - but recently I discovered the versatility of Japanese-based UNIQLO. It took me a bit to catch on to the utility of UNIQLO. When I first visited the intimidating two-level store in SoHo last year, I wasn't impressed by the prices or the cuts of the clothes - it just seemed like a boring version of American Apparel with all its colorful stacks. But this year its seems that they've added a lot more variety and the prices have gone down considerably, not to mention they have frequent sales. Pants, jackets, lamb-wool and cashmere blend cardigans, scarves, pajamas - you name it! All in an unending spectrum of brilliant colors and warm-weather materials. A wonderful way to brighten up a winter closet! They have great choices for inner wear meant as padding under your coat, such as fleece jackets in every color for $20 or cashmere blend sweaters for $40. I've found that UNIQLO is relatively easy on your wallet without skimping on materials or wearability.

Credit: UNIQLO.com

My favorite innovation of UNIQLO is their new HeatTech line. This includes lightweight shirts and leggings that are made of a special fiber designed to use natural body moisture to insulate against the cold, just the way wool would. Now that the weather is bad, I throw one on every day no matter what I'm wearing. Unlike typical long underwear designs, HeatTech is wearable, including simple but flattering scoop-neck shirts and turtlenecks. Definitely sure to cure those winter blues this season!

Below are examples of HeatTech pieces incorporated into outfits:

Credit: UNIQLO.com

Have you ever shopped there?

Black Friday Bonanza

At Hoot, we love getting good deals -- and luckily, Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer us these opportunities after we've fattened up on turkey and stuffing. Here are a few recaps of our shopping excursions after Thanksgiving:

Michele Levbarg-Klein (CC'12)

Credit: pursevillage.com

Online offers are nothing new, but I've never been much of an online shopper because I love going into the stores and (best if it's a good day) walking out toting a fabulous shopping bag with a cherished new present (even if its a present to myself)! But Shopbop.com's offer was just too good to resist. I'd been lusting over Alexander Wang's Coco Studded Duffle since it debuted back in Spring but I worried that as an uber girly-girl, I wouldn't be able to pull off the tough image. Then this season when it came down the runway with silver studs instead of gold (much subtler I think), I just couldn't take it anymore: I had to have it!

Allison Malecha (CC'13)

Credit: saksfifthavenue.com

Seeing as I was in Canada for (American) Thanksgiving and therefore eclipsed from Black Friday sales, I turned to the newer form of Thanksgiving steals – Cyber Monday. I admit that I am not an experienced cyber shopper. So, to avoid being easily overwhelmed, I set a goal: find boots. Specifically, black, leather boots. The first website I pulled up, Saks online, had just the thing: black Candela ‘Robin’ boots with gold stud accent. And 30% off only through Cyber Monday. Perfect. Great. As I was about to click add to shopping cart though, it occurred to me that a whole cyber world of black, leather boots was still out there to be discovered. I had to further investigate: Shopbop, Diesel online, Bloomingdale’s. No luck. Then I checked Bluefly, and what do you know? There was the same pair of Candela boots. Only these ones were $186 compared to Saks’ $210 – and that’s Bluefly’s regular price. This time, I do press add to shopping cart. Lessons learned? 1) Trust first instincts. 2) Online shop more. 3) Cyber Monday deals aren’t necessarily the best ones out there.

Martin Hamery (CC'13)

Credit: urbanoutfitters.com

It was my first Black Friday and I wanted to do it properly. So I got up to meet my habitual shopping partner at the ungodly hour of 6:30 AM at the Apple store on Fifth Avenue. There, I got a $101 discount off the 13-inch MacBook Pro and bought it for $1098. However, as a Columbia student, the regular educational discount is of $100 anyway, so by buying it then, I only saved $1. With it, I was able to get Office 2008 for Mac the special Black Friday price of $98.After, we hit our first and one of my favorite clothing stores: H&M. Although there were decent sales (of course, more in the women’s section than the men’s), as usual, I ended up browsing the new collection. I found myself on original, dinner party style maroon bow tie for $7.95, so not too expensive. Also, a black and white cloud patterned gossamer scarf. My best find was a black sequined vest, the exact same one I had seen back in June in an H&M in Paris. I was dismayed at not finding one my size in Paris, but finally finding it Friday gave me the satisfaction of an archeologist—having personally dug through the racks of many H&Ms in different cities since then. At the register, it turned out that until 10 AM, you could have 25% off one of any article you bought. Therefore, I somewhat did get to partake in the H&M Black Friday sales. At Urban Outfitters in West Village, there was a rack of jeans right outside the front door with pants all for $19.99. I bought a pair of Silence & Noise Black Ripped Twig Jean. I'm thinking they were originally for women, as you can see in the picture, but after all, who are they kidding? Skinny jeans are mostly unisex.

Jina Lim (CC'13)
Credit: strawberrynet.com

I have never gone Black Friday shopping before. (Surprising, I know). Despite my love of sales, shopping and good deals, every year, I would wake up at two o'clock in the afternoon to discover the stack of clothing and silverware my mom brought back from competitive shopping. However, this year I decided to break the tradition of being knocked out by turducken until late afternoon; after all, I was staying in New York City for the break and I didn't have any turkey on Thanksgiving. Woken up at 8 in the morning by a zealous friend who has already decided exactly what she was buying and where she was going, I told myself that I could only buy a nice christmas present for my dad. (I was broke, am broke and will always be broke from unplanned shopping). After getting squished by old ladies at the biggest Macy's looking for gift items, I gave up on Black Friday shopping. While my friend was buying boots at JCPenny for $35 a pair, I decided to take a break at the rather moderately-crowded stores. At Zara, I accidentally ran into, and purchased a super-oversized blouse that comes down to my mid-thigh. It is so comfortable, layer-able, covers my newly-gained "freshmen fifteen" pounds and can be used for dressing up AND down. Back at Columbia, I gave in to StrawberryNet's specials and bought Hermes' 24 Faubourg Coffret, a 4-piece set of my favorite perfume that I left at home in California with a 40% discount. It's classified as a chypre, a family of perfumes with a warm and woody feeling coming from the oak moss and amber. Unlike most perfumes, the warm aura of 24 Faubourg always stays with me for a long, long time. With just one spray of this life-completing eau de parfum, my day is warm and relaxed, no matter where I go and what I wear- hopefully even in NYC's cold weather. Although I didn't find anything for my dad, I'm glad my first Black Friday shopping was an interesting one with New York City's sale-thirsty shoppers--something that you never experience in a tiny beach town of Southern California.

Noel Duan (CC'13)

Credit: aliceritter.com

I totally didn't plan on going Black Friday shopping this year -- I was finally home in California and I wanted to stay in my bed as long as possible. However, that wasn't going to stop me from online shopping. I found the Alice Ritter June Velvet Trim Wool Coat in black on Gilt Groupe for $178 (originally $450) -- which totaled to only $57.69 for me, since I had some many account credits. I have a dashing white winter coat, but it easily gets dirty and needs to be dry cleaned frequently. Black is more mess-proof. After I showered and ate breakfast, my dear mother convinced me to go shopping with her -- at 10:00 a.m., when I was convinced that all the good deals would be gone from the stores. However, in a quick (and successful) one-hour jaunt around Nordstrom Rack (where I exercise my rummaging skills), I purchased a Nanette Lepore 'Good Time' Jacket, two pairs of lacy Betsey Johnson tights, an off-white cashmere-blend Juicy Couture sweater, and a pink Nike yoga mat (since my mother decided to keep my blue one!).

What did you buy for Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Any good deals?

It's Christmas Time in the City...

Credit: Allison Malecha, CC '13

The twinkling little lights, the old guys in faux-fur trimmed red hats, the Christmas ditties sounding from every store front...I admit, I'm a sucker for all things holiday. 'Tis the season and what better place to be than NYC? There are, of course, the classic New York holiday tour stops: the towering tree at Rockefeller Center, moonlit ice skating at Central Park, and a night with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. Lesser known attractions, though, are the city's grand menagerie of holiday markets. These pop-up shopping meccas can fulfill all your holiday shopping needs.

Take a ride on the 1 and hop off at the Columbus Circle Holiday Market.Winter accessory boutiques and holiday ornament vendors abound, as do mini jewelry boutiques. At Kanari Designs, you'll find statement rings with artsy gold and stone details for $50-55. Or explore the one-of-a-kind metal-dipped leaf pendants ($25-40) at Friction Jewelry.

Credit: Allison Malecha, CC '13

For the friend with a sense of humor, go for a handmade animal hat - ear flaps and all. The $30 may seem a bit over-the-top, but at least the money goes to a good cause - supporting the poor in Nepal.

Credit: Allison Malecha, CC '13

With all this holiday gift hunting, your stomach will be surely be rumbling. Stop off at Josephine's Feast for a piece of Absinthe Cake ($12/cake) or the big brown house of "Homemade Gingerbread Boys and Girls" for a gingersnap glittering with sugar ($3). You'll return to campus with a full belly and an arm full of shopping bags. An afternoon well spent.

Columbus Circle Holiday Market, 59th St & Columbus, open Mon-Sat 10a.m.-8p.m., Sun 10a.m.-7p.m. until December 24th.

For a slightly more breathable atmosphere, head down to Bryant Park. Here the vendors are the dizzying candy-striped vending stands are swapped for cool green ones and the shoppers' frenzy is broken up by a great white stretch of ice. It's also the city's largest holiday market, with over 100 vendors. While many of the 100 have similar wares to the ones at Columbus Circle, there are also a few new stand outs to add to the list. Treat yourself to a silky-smooth hand scrub at Sabon, where you can find Israeli lotions and candles for all your favorite ladies. For gifts on the cheap, find the tent filled with prints - covers from Vogue & The New Yorker, celebrity shots, New York City in every light and season. Your giftee will never guess it only cost you $5. The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park, btwn 5/6th Aves & 40/42nd Sts, open Mon-Fri 11a.m.-8p.m., Sat 10a.m.-9p.m., and Sun 10a.m.-6p.m. until January 3rd.

Other Holiday Markets worth checking out:

-Gifted, 20 E 4th St & Lafayette St, open December 16-24th, the go-to market for vintage items

-Grand Central Holiday Fair, Lexington Ave & 42nd St, open Mon-Sat 10.m.-8p.m., Sun 11a.m.-7p.m. until December 24th, an indoor and perhaps more elegant experience

-Union Square Holiday Market, W 14th St, open Mon-Fri 11a.m.-8p.m., Sat 10a.m.-8p.m., Sun 11a.m.-7p.m. until December 24th, a market abounding in eco-friendly wares

Upscale Shopping on a Budget with Housing Works

We all like the "high" that comes with shopping - that giddy powerful feeling that we experience while impatiently pulling clothes off the rack, followed by the after-glow of coming home with a rich booty of new things to wear.

But I've noticed that not all of us starving students have the budgets that Hoot's posts suggest. Never fear! If you're a savvy shopper, and a bit adventurous, you can still get that head-in-the-clouds rush as you fall in love with a pair of Manolo's, but without the pain of sneaking your suite-mates' leftovers and scrounging around Columbia free-food events for a few weeks to pay for them. I have Versace and Furla purses. A pair of Bruno Magli shoes. Skirts from Henri Bendel, Emanuel Ungaro, and Kenzo as well as countless other unique designer pieces. And I bought each item for less that $20! I'll let you in on my secret, although it might mean more competition for the good stuff...]My favorite places to shop in the city are Housing Works Thrift Shops. These shops, scattered throughout the city, recycle second-hand clothing - and since the main donors are fashionable New Yorkers like yourselves, you can usually find a great mix of choices.

credit: housingworks.org

You might have to rummage a bit to find what you want or tailor inexact sizes after you buy, but the layout of the store is simple and uncluttered, and the selection is generally much higher in quality than your average Salvation Army or thrift store. The styles aren't specifically vintage, but contemporary things people just got tired of. Check around different shops because each neighborhood has different selections and is constantly changing the stocks.

At Housing Works you can also feed your shopping addiction guilt-free. The money from your purchase goes toward providing housing for people affected by HIV/AIDS in the New York Area and the shops provide employment for people affected by AIDS as part of a job-training program. Instead of worrying that the product you are buying is sold off of the exploitation of people in sweatshops in a poorer country, you can justify a shopping extravaganza by telling yourself, "I had to buy this extra pair of shoes, its for a good cause!"

And if second-hand shopping isn't your thing - now you know what to do! New time you're cleaning out all the fabulous last-season clothes from your closet to make room for the new season, you know where to send them so the rest of us can enjoy your chic castoffs!

Psst...They also have online shopping and auctions of some of the special pieces, so you can "do good" (aka shop) from the seat of your own dorm!

A few examples of things on auction right now:

Marni Boots- currently on auction for $52

credit: shopshousingworks.com

Milly Cocktail Dress - currently on auction for $51 Marc Jacobs Dress - $75

credit: shopshousingworks.com