The two floor clothing palace hosts the best part of the sale within the main entrance. And with no further ado, let the listing of fabulous finds and great deals from top designers commence! A lavishly long Missoni Blue Silver Cardigan ($379), Joseph Grey Cashmere Sweater Vest ($104), T by Alexander Wang Military Wang Thin Sweater ($48), Helmut Land Asymmetrical Charcoal Tee ($94), Madison Martin Margiela for Opening Ceremony Beige Zip Vest Cardigan ($284), Zac Posen Brown Silk Blouse ($164), and a Marc Jacobs Sleeveless Ruffle Blouse in Ivory ($179). If you’re a fan o’ fur, as you walk in there’s a great What Goes Around Comes Around Rabbit Fur Vest ($179), as well as a Scoop Rabbit Fur Vest ($384).

Aside from the sweaters and blouses, jeans line the walls from designers such as 7 By All Mankind ($79), Acne ($74), and Sold Designer Lab ($34).

Unfortunately, as enforced by Scoop’s Marketing Director Judy O’Keefe, I am not allowed to share photos from the sale. In addition, given the indistinguishable year of production, I am also unable to locate an exact photo match to my selections, so you’ll have to take my word for it. While basking in recommendations, be sure to check out the Helmut Lang Beige Cropped Motorcycle Jacket ($350) and the BARK Off While Sweater Jacket w/ Toggles ($259). I hadn’t paid attention to Scoop’s brand much before, but their line Beyond Vintage for Scoop is noteworthy.

Downstairs contains a mediocre selection of resort wear and designer shoes. The clothing selection seems to be thrown together, perhaps some here and there leftovers from surrounding sister stores. There were, however, some great hippie blouses by Aiko.  Shoe highlights include Belle NYC Oil Rich Suede Booties ($69) and Mall Benson Cognac Wrinkly Wax Flats in Grey and Brown.

If any of the brands mentioned tickle your fancy then this Scoop sale will be worth your time. No need to rush, the sale lasts until February 20^th and will be receiving a mix of new pieces and new sizes daily so mosey on in whenever you feel the need for some new designer duds!

WHEN: 2/2 - 2/20

WHERE: 430 West 14th Street
(at Washington Street)
212-929-1244

By Caitlin Colford

The abundance of actual samples is something to be noted. The top quality samples are marked by interesting, bold cuts and will look fabulous on some but won’t be for everybody, hence why they didn’t make the cut for mass production.

From 70% off and gowns as low as $100, where can you go wrong? Located on 26^th Street, between 11^th and 12^th Avenues, the Morgane Le Fay Design Studio Sample Sale is going on now until February 7^th. While sorting through a sea of white, I stumbled upon some elegant finds including a Cotton Viole Dress in Ivory ($200, orig. $640) that is extremely light yet durable, as well as a beautiful Ivory Hummingbird Dress ($345, orig. $1,150) and a perfect Ivory 4-Ply Silk Doze Jacket ($100) to go over any dress. Other materials include linen, as flawlessly exhibited in the Epsaur Linen Dress ($200, orig. $1,340).  Although simple, these naturally fitting, lush dresses and gowns are a great choice for a bride’s low-key summer wedding ceremony. For a vintage feel at the ceremony, the Gala Lace Cream Ankle Length Dress ($500) is a perfect choice.

The bolder color sections had some great, unique pieces with nontraditional cuts. The Nightingale Wool Jersey Dress in Burgundy ($100) and Merich Blue Polka Dot Dress had thick material, unlike its surrounding neighbors.  For a lighter feel check out the sheer Blue Chelsea Dress ($100, pictured), Merducha Jersey Dress in Teal ($50) and the Cotton Voile Kingfisher Skirt ($75, orig. $620) in an interesting milky green color.

Although labeled men’s, the Sidartha Wool Waist Coat ($500) is worth a try on, apparently it’s in the women’s section for a reason. A note for those wanting to try on dresses, the open dressing room was fairly packed to capacity, but there are mirrors propped throughout, which feature heaps of sunlight.

The unbelievably fair prices featured at the Morgane Le Fay Design Studio Sample Sale are worth a trip down toward the windy 12^th Avenue. Sales like these are few and far between, and even if you don’t find anything to your liking, it’s an excuse to unwind and stroll through a fairy like setting for a half hour or so. Not many places in this bustling city offer that experience.

WHEN: 2/3 - 2/7; F-Sat (10:30-6), Sun (11-4), M (10:30-6), Tue (11-4)

WHERE: 601 W. 26th St., Suite 1507
(between 11th and 12th Ave.)
www.morganelefay.com

By Caitlin Colford

Want to know why investors are so excited — and why you should be equally thrilled? Check out the dramatic changes in store for Penney’s below.

New Promo Plans

Instead of the 590 annual promotions J.C. Penney currently does, they’ll narrow their focus down to 12, or one per month. For example, February will focus on Valentine’s Day, August will highlight back-to-school goods and beachwear will be May’s focus.

“Every month, every store will go through a radical transformation,” said Michael Francis, Penney’s president. He explained that people tend to organize their lives by month and that Penney’s wants to get in sync with their shoppers’ lives.

No More Antiquated Merchandise Jargon

Terms like “missy,” and “pant” are no more with Penney’s new vision. Instead, they’ll focus on shoppers’ lifestyles and how they shop today.

New Accessories/Cosmetics “Town Square”

Instead of the random accessories and cosmetics islands currently scattered throughout the center of Penney’s, shoppers will enjoy a new “town square” shopping design. The new look will be revealed in 2013.

100 Concept Stores

Instead of the open racks shoved against the exterior walls of J.C. Penney stores, they’ll implement “100 individual shop concepts for private and national brands, including Izod, Arizona and Liz Claiborne.” To visualize it yourself, consider IKEA’s individual compartments that customers walk to along the shopping floors. J.C. Penney’s new look will be akin to that.

For example, the Martha Stewart “stores” within the J.C. Penney Walls will have their own look and feel. Johnson said they’ll have an Apple-meets-Martha Stewart vibe. The Arizona store will have a completely different look. It’ll basically be like a door-free mall.

The 100 new concept shops will be phased in at a rate of two or three per month over the course of four years. At the moment, 30 shops are under development. The 100-shop concept also means that Penney’s will phase out roughly 300 of its current brands.

Read more at WWD.

By Wendy Rose Gould 

WHY: Philosophy skincare up to 60% off!

WHEN: 2/1 11am - 2/3 11am

WHERE: www.Ruelala.com

*To sign up & access the sales, please click here.
http://www.ruelala.com/invite/mgluck431

WHY: Keep up with the latest trends and engage in meet-and-greets with top stylists at the Simply Stylist Seminar. The event ends with a stylist curated shopping event! There will be 10 to 20 top designers (hand-picked by the Simply Stylist staff) on-site selling their products with discounts up to 80% off.

General admission: $100, The prices will increase by $25/ticket on February 15th.

To purchase tickets and for more details, visit www.simplystylist.com/seminar

WHEN: 3/3, Sat (12pm)

WHERE: W Hotel Hollywood
6250 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028

	1. Make a List Just like you jot down a brief list of food before sauntering down the aisles of your local grocery store, you’ll want to create a “to buy” list before clothes and accessory shopping, too. You don’t have to be extremely specific, but do write down the items you don’t want to forget. Lists are especially handy if you’re on a budget and want to stay focused on the necessities. They’re also great if you have many things to buy.
	2. Bring a Tape Measurer For some, trying on clothes in the dressing room is a major mood killer. Pulling clothes off and on messes up your hair, makes you sweaty and some tight spaces may induce claustrophobia tendencies. (And while we’re dissing dressing rooms, let’s just admit that some dressing room mirrors are downright unflattering.) If a case of the dressing room blues deters you from clothes shopping, don’t sweat it. Simply bring a tape measurer and measure the garments you fancy before buying. If you’re unhappy with the purchases after trying them on, return the clothing. Do acquaint yourself with the store’s return policy.
	3. Dress for the Occasion Fair or not, women who dress well receive better customer service when shopping, says a study by Ohio State University. While you don’t have to wear a $5,000 gown and get a blowout before heading to the fashion mall, a slouchy pair of sweats and an unkempt mane isn’t ideal, either. Wear minimal layers (to shed time in the dressing room) and make sure you feel confident, poised and beautiful before stepping out.
	4. Bring a Friend Cappuccinos, clothes shopping and best friends go together like vanilla ice cream, drizzled chocolate and strawberries. Make an eventful day out of your shopping trip by bringing an honest friend along with you. The more fashion-forward she is, the better. If you can’t bring a friend, take photographs with your phone and send them to someone who’s willing to offer their opinion.

Stay tuned for the final installation of our “Improve Your Style” series.

By Wendy Rose Gould

WHY: Fine jewelry designer Ippolita will host a trunk show and personal appearance at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills.

WHEN: 2/8, Trunk Show 11am-9pm
Personal Appearance 11am-3pm

WHERE: Neiman Marcus
9700 Wilshire Blvd

GOING UP

Orange Juice
The FDA discovered “low levels” of a fungicide in the 2011 orange crop imported from Brazil, the world’s largest produce of oranges.

Airfare
More people want to fly, but the airlines have trimmed their sales and are putting fewer planes in the air. Expect an increase between 3 percent and 10 percent worldwide.

Parking Rates and Tickets
Cash-strapped cities will try to boost their budgets by increasing city-imposed fees.

Gas
Did you enjoy that recent small reprieve from high gas prices? Well don’t get used to it; the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts regular gas will average $3.45 this year.

Groceries
Rising energy costs, poor weather conditions, commodity prices and the lousy value of the U.S. dollar mean food is expected to increase 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent from 2011, according to the Consumer Price Index.

Mobile Data Plans
Kiss that unlimited data plan goodbye. Carriers are building up LTE and 4G services, which means your rates will rise.

Desktop Computers
You want a touchscreen? Then you’re going to have to pay a lot more for that luxury. The shortage of hard-drive materials, thanks to flooding in Thailand, is also a factor. Expect a boost of about 30 percent.

First-class Postage
Hopefully you stocked up on Forever Stamps before Jan. 22. The U.S. Post Service upped it’s first-class postage prices last weekend to the tune of a one-penny increase for regular mail; a three-cent increase on postcards and a five- to seven-cent increase for international letters.

GOING DOWN

Natural Gas
According to CNN Money, homeowners can heat their homes this winter without breaking the bank. Natural gas prices are the lowest they’ve been in years and, thanks to increased production and less demand, should fall even further.

Apple iPad 2
The release of the iPad3 will bring down the price of this much-lusted-after tablet.

Retail Shipping
The $1.07 billion in retail business occasioned by Free Shipping Day 2011 and the continued success of sister site FreeShipping.org indicate this trend should stick around for some time to come.

Corn, Wheat and Soybeans
Food prices in general are expected to rise, but prices on these commodities have plunged of late, thanks to massive stockpiles.

Car Rentals
Agencies are experiencing an excess of stock and more competition, which means lower car-rental rates throughout the year.

E-book Readers
Succeeding generations and competitors for Amazon’s Kindle have steadily reduced prices, sometimes by up to 60 percent.

Real Estate
Despite rock-bottom mortgage interest rates, the economy and unemployment will keep home prices at rock bottom, as well.

3D HDTVs
We’ll see a influx of new 3D TVs in 2012, which means big discounts on last year’s models.

GPS Units
Today’s smart phones can do nearly everything these days except cook your breakfast. As a result, they’re sending many competitors down the tubes, including stand-alone GPS units.

Wine
Wine Advocate publisher Robert Parker told Reuters the world is entering the “Age of the Buyer,” during which we’ll see stable or declining wine prices.

WHY: Browse clothing and textiles from 90 vendors at the Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show & Sale. Participating vendors include Amarcord Vintage Fashion, Cherry Vintage and Right to the Moon Alice. Although the current selection is inspired by Christian Lacroix and features many of his creations, you’ll also find dozens of other major designers.

• Christian Lacroix ’90s silk cami-and-skirt set: $325 (orig. $425)
• Christian Lacroix ’80s Mad Hatter–inspired straw hat: $250 (orig $300)
• ’90s Armani glass necklace: $590 (orig. $675)
• ’90s Chanel knit suit: $800 (orig. $900).

Admission $20. click here to get $5 off admission price.

WHEN: 2/3 - 2/4, F (11-8), Sat (11-6)

WHERE: Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street
(between 6th & 7th Ave.)

If you subscribe to the populist mentality and prefer to spend your weekends chillin’ with the OWS crowd, you’ll probably want to skip Dennis Basso’s sample sale. Why? It was “the 1%” written all over it. His show-stopping, luxurious fur coats have made him an acclaimed furrier to high society ladies. From cashmere coats to chic handbags to gorgeous gowns, this sale features mega discounts worth swooning over.

Kara Ackerman Sample Sale

Marilyn Monroe once sang that diamonds were a girl’s best friend. If you’re of the same mind when it comes to sparkly jewels and gemstones, you won’t want to miss Kara Ackerman’s sample sale. Her jewelry — all high quality without screaming “I have more money than you!” — has graced the pages of myriad glossies, including Style and Lucky magazines. Even celebs like Cameron Diaz, Olivia Wilde, Lea Michele and Claire Danes have donned pieces from her amazing line.

Morgane Le Fay Sample Sale

Our third Valentine’s Day-approved sample sale is for the ethereal and always feminine clothing of Morgane Le Fay. The socially conscious brand, rooted in New York’s Soho, is synonymous with exquisite craftsmanship and innovative design. In the past, The Vogue City has thoroughly enjoyed this sale. We’ve even scored some write-home-to-mom-about deals!

We’ve given you the dress, the diamonds and the fur. Who needs a date when you have all that?

By Wendy Rose Gould