It takes a lot to get me out of bed at 6:30 in the morning on a Saturday, but when I was offered the opportunity to head up to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets one recent Saturday, suffice to say I SET MY ALARM.
Located a quick and easy hour outside of New York, Woodbury Common is easily among the BEST outlet centers in the country. There, you'll find a range of outlets high to low, including a few of my favorites (Barney's New York, J.Crew, DVF and Last Call Neiman Marcus) and a few "onlys" (including an all new Tom Ford outlet opening this weekend - July 7, in fact!)
I easily had the most successful outlet shopping experience of my LIFE at Woodbury this go-around, with my final spend coming in at about $350. Included in my haul was an amazing Pamela Love cuff from the Barney's New York Lady Gaga Holiday Workshop, originally tagged at $390 - now just $18.81. Can you even? I can't!
Here's what you need to know if you're planning a trip up to Woodbury Common:
- Shop early or late to avoid crowds - we arrived at 10am on a Saturday, and shopping was a breeze.
- Know what to expect from your favorite brands in terms of quality, and avoid making exceptions for a great deal. MANY mass retailers manufacture product exclusively for outlets, including J.Crew and all of the Gap brands - Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy - and in some cases, the quality and fit can be widely disparate.
- Buy what you love, but MAKE SURE YOU LOVE IT before leaving - after all, will it be worth another hour drive just to return? 'Nuff said.
- Shop STRATEGICALLY! Whenever I hit Woodbury (at LEAST once yearly), I start in Grapevine Court as that's where most designer brand outlets are clustered.
- Sign up for the Premium Outlets VIP Shopper Club here for access to a VIP coupon book with pages and pages of exclusive discounts - even if you just use one or two, it's well worth the time invested.
Learn more about Woodbury Common Premium Outlets and find directions and transportation online!
