Retail Is in Bad Shape--I've Got to Do My Part

Below is the retail news from NPR. It isn't pretty fellow shoppers. I fear for the under-construction Nordstrom at The Mall that's this close to being finished.

October Retail Sales Plummet Amid Financial Crisis

U.S. retail chains posted the worst monthly sales data in more than 30 years, as the financial crisis forced consumers to cut spending sharply in October.

The International Council of Shopping Centers called the retail sales environment "simply awful" and said the October results were the worst it had seen in 35 years.

The ICSC said it pared its forecast for what were already expected to be dismal holiday season sales. It now expect sales in November and December to rise 1 percent, down from its prior view for a gain of 1.7 percent.

The picture was particularly bleak for high-end retail stores. Saks and Nordstrom both had double digit declines in same store sales last month. In stores open more than a year, Saks' sales dropped more than 16 percent, while sales at Nordstrom were down 15.7 percent.

Kohl's, J.C. Penney and Macy's fared a little better, but they still saw sales slump in October. Kohl's same-store sales fell 9 percent in October, below expectations of a 6.4 percent decline. Department store operator Macy's, parent of Macy's and Bloomingdale's chains, reported a 6.3 percent drop.

J.C. Penney's October sales fell 13 percent, beating analyst expectations of a 13.2 percent slide.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. provided a bright spot in the report. Its sales increased 2.4 percent. The company now says it will introduce new price cuts every week until Christmas -- trying to win an even bigger market share.

Lest you think I've been a bad blogger lately, I've actually just been a bad shopper. I don't have much to report--not much, but a little. There's a boot, some accessories, and maybe an eBay find or two. Watch for some weekend posts.

(In addition to my uncharacteristic lack of retailing, I've also been awash in everything election. Material Girl is happy with the results--yesterday I dressed in blue to match Ohio.)

Now let's all do our duty and get out there and shop--I assure you there are sales and lot of 'em. The bad economy can be good for bargain hunters. (And if Sarah Palin can spend $150,000 on an election wardrobe, we all deserve an on-sale new outfit or two at the very least.)

Marc by Marc Tee: Off the Deep End

Every so often, as I read through the many emails I get from online retailers, something speaks to me and for whatever reason it must become part of my wardrobe. A few weeks ago it was a t-shirt. Literary. Speaking to me. With words.



This was a t-shirt I needed under my favorite Nanette Lepore jacket at the office, a silent comment on my average work day. I decided I would buy it even though $68 was more than I normally plunk down for a t-shirt. Then I decided I really shouldn't pay $68 for a t-shirt. Then I decided I should. This went on for a few days before I was ready to take the plunge.

So I popped into shopbop to order the tee. They'd had already sold out in black in my size. I choose shopbop as the best place to buy the shirt because their shipping is free. The tee was for sale other places online like Saks and Nordstrom. Saks shipping was way too much (into two digits). Nordstrom has a set fee (five or six bucks). I knew I could do better. With a few minutes of googling, I found a free shipping code for Nordstrom. Hurray! I got my tee in the color I wanted with no shipping charge. And I love it.

Your lessons for the day fellow shoppers: Number one--and I can't tell you this enough--always google for free shipping. Why spend money on UPS when you could spend it on stuff? Number two--when you want something, jump on it. If you wait you could miss out.

In other news, the Frye boots I blogged about below: Hated. Returned. Done with Frye.

My Shopping Weekend: Vintage Florals for Spring, Cheap Accessories, More Shoes

Despite the fact that weather here insists on dropping below 60, it is indeed spring. And I indeed continue to work on my spring wardrobe. Here a bring you a few recent acquisitions.

First, I won an auction for a vintage Saks dress from a favorite eBay seller--because it's really adorable and because a like the ideas or florals for spring as recently seen on the runways. (Check out, for example, the odd shapes and crazy colors and patterns of Balenciaga.) The dress and jacket got (which fit me like a glove) are bold, but in a cute '60s shape. Both items have amazing rhinestone studded buttons, and the dress is finished with a blue velvet belt. The cropped jacket I'll wear on it's own over a t-shirt and jeans (once they get back from the dry cleaner. I'm sure these have been packed away in some old lady's basement in California for a couple decades.) The blond model below showcases all the item sold by the Timeless Vixen eBay store. They post new fantastic vintage dresses and suits every Friday and all auctions start at $24. And they often make a mint, many items going for upwards of $200. (This outfit set me back $118.)


I'm also thinking bold jewelry for spring. (But, then again, I'm always thinking bold jewelry.) Check out this necklace below--an eBay steal for $2.25. I can't wait to wear this.



My problem collecting clutches just won't go away. I got this red woven clutch (leather doesn't seem very springy to me) with a lucite handle for $9.99.



My loyal readers know I've been really loving all the yellow in the stores this season, but I often lament that I look like crap in yellow. I think it would be fine on my feet, however. I'd recently purchased a pair of uncomfortable yellow camper pumps from Zappos that I had to send back. I still had some Zappos gift certificate left over from my birthday, and in a total impulse purchase on Friday night I bought these super yellow pumps by Volatile. They arrived yesterday and I really love them. (They don't look quite as yellow in person as they do online.) Cheapy Jr. is not a fan of this shoe. When I test drove them yesterday he kept insisting I take them off--until I pointed out that they are the color of a DHL truck. Then they were good. (The boy loves delivery trucks. Me too.)

Croc and Gator at Saks 90210

I haven't blogged in a while because I just got back from six days in L.A. (for work not play) and I've been trying to catch up on everything (work, picking up the house, ironing, Sex and the City reruns...)

Unfortunately most of my shopping opportunities came in the form of walking past Macy's and the Gap on the way to the food court at the mall across from my hotel. However the day I got there I did get a chance to spend a couple hours in the Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. And wow. On my shopping budget I could barely afford to pay for parking.

After eating a delish omelet at SnAKs (the moderately clever name for Saks' restaurant) my friend and I browsed the designer duds. She knew a lot about many of the designers and their lines. I have read about many of them in magazines, but had not actually seem their offerings in person. I saw some beautiful expensive things and some ugly expensive things. (What's with all the equestrian-themed lines?)

My favorite part of this browse-a-thon was our time spent in Designer Handbags. We stood at one display caressing the most gorgeous clutch I've ever held in my hands. The color was beautiful, the design was exquisite. It opened and closed with the quiet precision of luxury car door. And it had a $1400 price tag to match. (Sorry I can't remember the designer's name. I should have taken notes).

As we stood petting the bag, Chuck, a Sales Consultant in Designer Handbags, approached us. Chuck was new-ish. Chuck was young, cute and well-dressed. Chuck was enthusiastic about handbags. Chuck said the clutch was made of crocodile, the second most durable skin from which a bag can be created. "What's the most durable?" I asked. "Alligator," Chuck replied. "Would you like to see one?" Then Chuck gave us an enthusiastic tour of the exotic leather bags.

So what's the difference between alligator and croc? Alligator has a sheen--it makes for a more shiny handbag. I prefer the crocodile bags. Without the shine you can see more of the reptilian qualities--although I certainly wouldn't want a leather bag that reminded me of the qualities of a cow. The ostrich bags were a little icky in that you could see where the features used to live.

Our tour of exotics at Saks ended in the Chanel room. Chuck unlocked a well-lit museum-like glass display case housing two smallish boxy bags, one red, one black. $24,000 each for these Chanel alligator handbags. I asked permission to touch them. They were beautiful. They were the price of a car.

A crocodile clutch (top) and an alligator clutch (bottom).



My friend Kate trying out the croc clutch. It looked great with her brown shirt dress and red hair. (The photo's a tad dark, unlike the perfectly lit Saks Designer Handbags department.)


A vintage Chanel alligator bag currently offered on eBay for the Buy It Now price of $1,100.


And this little Chanel alligator diamond encrusted number at left (which (is treated to have a matte finish and thus to look more like crocodile)--upwards of $260,000! For those who wipe their butts with thousand dollar bills, I suppose. This bag costs more than my house. This bag cost more than my house and my car put together. It's fairly obscene. But I'd really like to give it a little caress and see how it looks on my shoulder.