Preciousss Thingsss

Posted by Rachael Wright at 04:33 on 13 Oct 2009

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Just when I think I couldn't possibly love this city any more, three magical things happen:

1. I get 10% off in Bloomingdales JUST FOR BEING FOREIGN!!!
2. Marc Jacobs releases A RECESSION LINE!!!
3. A.P.C. has a 50% off outlet store DOWN THE ROAD FROM ME!!!

I think you'll agree the caps lock and exclamation mark overkill are completely justified.

I heard about the A.P.C. outlet store a few weeks ago and promptly told the devil on my shoulder that I Must Resist.  Three days later, I was swiping my credit card for a t-shirt I didn't need and making a note of the Fall/Winter stock delivery date in my iCal.

Delivery day turned out to be a grave disappointment, as all the new stuff is too big for me.  Boo hiss.  I almost had a little cry while trying on a beautiful navy blue, brushed cotton trench coat - only $225 and so A.P.C. elegantly simple, it made my heart burst a bit.  


(this, in navy)

Alas, it was a size too big.  So, I did the sensible thing - I put it back on the rail and wept myself to sleep in the foetal position that night.

The next day, I'm at my friend Betsy's apartment, forlornly telling the girls about my desperately upsetting trench episode.  What does Betsy go and do?  She pulls the very coat that broke my heart out of her closet and, to rub boiling sulphuric acid into the wound, informs me she got it FOR FREE.  I'm not entirely sure our friendship will recover from this.

I can't even wear the t-shirt I bought because it's the A.P.C. equivalent of the ‘I Heart NY' design, which isn't really acceptable attire when you live here.  Not unless you want judgmental ‘Srsly?' sneers coming at you, anyway.


As if all this wasn't bad enough, I got stuck in an out-of-my-price-range-this-month shirt in the changing room.  Peter Kay once said, ‘There's no panic like the panic you momentarily feel when you've got your hand or head stuck in something.'  I couldn't agree more, but you can times that by a million when you find yourself stuck in designer clothing you have absolutely no intention of closing the deal on.  I was once trapped in a £600 Marc Jacobs cocktail dress in Selfridges (I was bored one Saturday afternoon) for 25 sweat-laden minutes, and only seconds away from having to be cut out of it with actual scissors - which would have meant paying for it.  ‘Panic' doesn't even begin to describe.

Perhaps A.P.C. and I weren't meant to be.  But as the saying almost goes, there are plenty more amazing labels at affordable prices in the sea.  And so to Marc By Marc Jacobs - my diffusion line of choice.  I read about his new recession line, Don't Miss The Marc in Teen Vogue and instantly drooled, Pavlov's dog-style.  I then heard dangerous rumours that Bloomingdale's offer 10% discount on production of an international ID, so Missing The Marc was not a viable option.  Sorry, Egg card.


(Apologies for the nails.  I can be counted on for two things in life - chipped nail polish and too much blusher)


My spoils for the day?  A purple leopard print t-shirt and a black and neon striped-jersey scarf for less than 100 bucks.  Does life get any better?  The answer to that is, ‘No, sir-ee'.

Here I am in the changing rooms, bravely but tearfully resisting the black jersey-knit blazer.


And here's the full transcript of the conversation between the devil and the angel on each lightly padded and oh-so-chic shoulder:
Devil: $168.  That's a bargain.
Angel:  You don't need it.  You know you don't need it.
Devil: Only $151.20 with the discount...
Angel: The t-shirt and scarf are enough of a fix.
Devil: But she likey.
Angel: Put it down and step away.
Devil: But she wanty.

Oh Angel, you put up a good fight, but Devil's right.  Me likey.  Me wanty.  Me going back for it this weeky.

SHOP
A.P.C.
Full-priced gorgeousness
131 Mercer Street (btwn Prince & Spring Sts), SoHo :: apc.fr

A.P.C Surplus
Half-priced gorgeousness
33 Grand St (at Kent Ave), Williamsburg :: info

Bloomingdale's
Head to the Visitors' Centre with your passport or drivers' licence to pick up the 10% discount voucher.
1000 3rd Avenue (at 59th St) :: bloomingdales.com

Bloomingdale's - SoHo
Mini-version of my own personal Mecca.
504 Broadway (at Broome St), SoHo :: bloomingdales.com

Marc By Marc Jacobs
Pretty much my second home.
403 -405 Bleecker St (at W 11th), West Village :: marcjacobs.com

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