Dress #1: New Years Eve Sparkles.
i had been saving my pennies to buy some cute dresses for NYE and my birthday at the end of january, and NYE i needed a dress that would POP but not break the bank. during their after-christmas sale, i found this (ignore my face, focus on the clothes, people.):
(in case you can't tell, i'm the tall one with the boa and happy new year crown)
needless to say, that dress turned some heads....
and some other things.....
ANYWAY.
Dress #2: Birthday Glam.
as i mentioned, my birthday is less than a month after NYE, and i turned......24 (*screams and runs out the building*) but i needed the FANCIEST birthday dress for my birthday party at Geisha House my parents so graciously helped me out on as well as my first after-party (or rather....one of the many birthday season nights out that occurred, but enough about that) of my birthday week but also a dress i could wear for other fancy occasions, and since i was also getting a capelet for the dress above, it needed to go with the fancy party dress. here is my other find of this trip:
(we were reenacting a real housewives episode...obviously.)
TOTAL FOR ALL THREE ITEMS: LESS THAN $300. each dress RETAILS FOR $300. so essentially i got three items for ALMOST the price of one. BARGAINISTA TIP: as much of as a pain in the ass as it is, after-holiday sales provide BETTER prices than pre-holiday sales (this goes for all holidays) and that proves perfect for me because if there is one unofficial holiday i avoid like the plague, it's black friday. ew.
Dress #3: The Stumble-Upon Sale:
four months later, i realized hadn't gotten my mailing list/phone call about betsey johnson sales in a while because i was too lazy to tell them i was moving (BARGAINISTA TIP: mailing lists/sales reps will ALWAYS give you the heads up before the public on major sales, so don't be shy and sign up!) and i had to go to the mall because i needed some spanx (hey, you laugh, but they make my abs look like jillian michaels.) i decided to traipse through the mall and i see my girl betsey's store with a sign SELECTED DRESSES TAKE 40% OFF. WELL. you don't just put cute dresses in the window with that sign and expect me to just walk by. hell no, i walked in and as usual, most of the sale things were the crap no one wants in a size zero....incredibly charming....until i find THIS BITCH:
ISN'T THIS THE CUTEST DRESS EVER?! timeless, utilitarian....
AND A SALE ON TOP OF A SALE?!
yes dear readers. i discovered that the original price tag (retailing at 398 before tax) had a tag on top of it (160) and THAT had been marked out and was on the 40% off rack....so i asked the sales girl, who was a complete sweetheart, if this super adorable dress was included in the 40% off sale even though it had been marked down....and she immediately squealed saying "OMG YES, IT'S THE CUTEST AND I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU FOUND THIS IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THE OTHER NOT SO CUTE THINGS! IT LOOKS SO GREAT ON YOU AND YOU FOUND THE STEAL OF THE CENTURY!" (seriously, she was adorable). so the grand total for this dress was $89 + tax = $98. seriously.
so to recap:
Bargainista Sales Tips:
-post-holiday sales >>>>> pre-holiday sales
-make your sales rep your BFF and ask questions. you never know if that $500-but-gotta-have-it dress is ACTUALLY $500 unless you ask!
-sign up for the mailing list/sales rep call. while it does occur, stumbling upon a sale is an art that i'm still perfecting and even the best bargainistas have to keep their sales radar from going south, so that extra leg up from your friendly store rep only helps you in the long run. this also goes for "liking" a line/store on facebook as well as following them on twitter.
Betsey Johnson
www.betseyjohnson.com
Twitter: @xoBetseyJohnson
boutique locations throughout the US, Canada, and the UK
(LA flagship boutique-8050 Melrose Ave, as well as locations in Sherman Oaks Fashion Square, Westfield Topanga, Santa Monica Place, Westfield Century City, etc.)
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