What to Wear:  Spring 2011

When the clocks change this weekend, the ladies at Shop Gotham know how we’ll spend our extra hour of daylight:  shopping!  As temperatures rise and the sun peeps out, the urge to dress in pastels and soft cotton overwhelms even the most hardened New Yorkers.  This spring we’re trading in our signature black for soft whites, neutral tones and… citrus orange?   Read on for tips on what to wear in New York this season..

1.  Platform Shoes

Inspired by Lady Gaga’s over-the-top footwear, heels this season are drag-queen high platforms.  We’re in love with these nude pumps by Steve Madden with a cute slingback:  another hot trend this season.  And these peep-toe slingbacks by Madewell  put a twist on the classic Oxford.  You can’t go wrong with either of these picks!

2.  White Jeans

Pair your cute platform heels with a stylish pair of white jeans.  This trend has re-emerged hotter than ever after the popularity of white jeans last summer.  This season they’re as blindingly white as possible and come in a variety of cuts and sizes, from these white cotton cropped trousers from the +J line at Uniqlo to this funky take on classic cargo pants by Alice and Olivia:

3.  Tailored Blazer

But for those with the guts to wear it, orange is the hot new shade this season, as evidenced by the orange blazers on socialite Olivia Palermo and stylist Rachel Bilson.  If you dare, pick up this gorgeous orange blazer by Max Mara.

For the young hipster traveler, this bookish, smart blazer by Brooklyn Industries dresses up or down and is the ideal travel accessory.  It doesn’t wrinkle, and be thrown on when the temperature fluctuates, which in New York City is every five minutes.  Purchase it at 15% off on your next Shop Gotham Soho tour!

4.  Long Bohemian Dresses

This sienna-colored sleeveless dress from T by Alexander Wang is comfortable, stylish, and short enough to allow you to show off your heels.  Shop Gotham is uber-excited about the opening of Wang’s new boutique, which figures conveniently into our Soho/Nolita Chic Boutiques tour route.

Note the predominance of neutral tones this season.  And it would look great styled with a fitted blazer! Too been there, done that for you?.. visit: www.shopgotham.com for mens and women’s New York City shopping tours to find these and even more suitable and fabulous spring apparel!

Dont have tickets to the Bryant Park shows but going to be in NYC  Wed. Sept 16th? Being a bystander can be almost as much fun. Milly, Tory Burch & Anna Sui are among the hot designers showing tomorrow. Stand outside to see not just the designers arrive, but the oh so cool guest lists. Bryant Park, NYC. Fifth and Sixth Avenues between 40th & 42nd streets

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Subscribe to Shop Gotham New York Shopping News:(1 issue per month) and we will send you our semi-annual NYC Resource List of the best fashion odds & ends (such as the VERY best stores for bras, special size shoes, plus size fashion) –www.shopgotham.com)

WHAT EXACTLY IS A SAMPLE SALE? Once upon a time, Sample Sales were the place to buy one-of-a kind items created by a designer for the purpose of selling his/her line each season to retailers. Some items never even went to production, making them oh-so-coveted. Typically these sample items were size 4-8, depending on what the designer determined as his/her “model” size.

Today (circa 2009) Sample Sales are synomous with OVERSTOCK – the goods left over after all the stores have made their purchases.  Which means that real people can shop these sales too, as ALL the sizes a designer produces can typically be found. Often, but not always, there are also those coveted sample pieces which were never produced (and sometimes past seasons’ items as well). Expect savings of 50-70% below retail.

WHY CAN WE BUY ITEMS “In Season” WHEN THEY ARE STILL IN THE STORES? The fashion industry sells their items 2 seasons ahead to the retailers.  When spring arrives (for instance) and you are ready to buy your wardrobe,  designers are busy selling their goods to the stores for the Fall.  Hence, if they have overstock, there is nowhere for it to go except to off-price stores, outlets and into the consumer’s hands directly via Sample Sales.  Although Sample Sales have become more and more abundant in recent years,(they are especially good in a failing economy) they are still frequented primarily by those who live and work in their respective areas, not the masses of shoppers. This is why the stores selling the same items at full price do not publicly object to their existence.

WHAT TO EXPECT? Some sample sales are truly amazing: abundant stock, well organized, ample dressing rooms and huge discounts. Some have none of these good qualities. Some will be designers with great name recognition and cache (in NYC this week one can find Tory Burch, Diane Von Furstenberg and Lauren Moffet). Some for lesser known names, but for those” in-the-know”, these can offer the most unique and valuable finds.  These days, one can patch together a list online of  many sample sales (but certainly not all) .  But how does one vet out which sales are worthwhile? How to know if the sale restocks every day or if everything “good” will be gone after the 1st day.  What if you don’t know your way around NYC and its plethora of neighborhoods? This folks is one of the many reasons to take one of Shop Gotham’s shopping tours (forgive the blatant self-promotion). You are paying for our knowledge as well as an awfully good time.

check out: www. shopgotham.com to see what’s doing in the New York City shopping scene