"...once or twice a year, I throw all my regular beauty products away (from the body wash to my toothpaste, except for my fragrance) and I replace everything with cool American products I get at Whole Foods or some other place from the U.S. (or super-strong skin care from SkinCeuticals, or something with a super-chic Fifth Avenue vibe like La Mer, or a super-cool cream like, "Oh, that? I've just found it in a tiny confidential shop on the LES."
http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/10/how-the-french-perceive-american-beauty.html
Cleaning Out Your Closet? 3 Places I Sell Clothing + Accessories
Like so many of you, I've spent much of the past year on an endless #KonMari-induced purge. And like many of you, while I was happy to throw away and donate plenty of clothing, shoes, and accessories, I've also tried to maximize the purging experience and make a little dough from my fashion mistakes. I've had a lot of friends in real life ask me where to sell, so I thought I'd recap for readers as well.
- eBay is where I go to sell electronics, and also designer merchandise including handbags and shoes (I've been selling a LOT of shoes since I started working at Christian Louboutin). While the experience on eBay can be tedious (ughhghghgh eBay buyers!) and the final selling fees a bit high, I find that almost everything I expect to sell on eBay does, and sometimes for more than I was expecting. For example, I always list my iPhone when I upgrade to a newer model and they'll generally sell within an hour (yes, an hour) at a Buy-it-Now price that negates the price I paid for the upgrade. Boom! Just ensure that you include high quality images and a detailed description of your item, including any flaws. This rule applies to selling on any online forum.
- Poshmark is a fashion-specific app, with an active and engaged community of "Poshers." On Poshmark, I list primarily accessories including shoes, handbags and jewelry from more contemporary brands. I've listed a few items of clothing as well, but stylized, on body images tend to work best for clothing and I'm a little lazy for that. I've had a great experience on Poshmark overall - the selling experience is easy peasy from listing to shipping (you'll use the prepaid Priority Mail label Poshmark delivers to your inbox immediately following a sale). They take a 20% fee on all final sales, and Poshers DO like to bargain. Expect to negotiate and pad your asking prices accordingly. The online consigment space overall is hot - there are a LOT of sites that specialize in everything from designer (Vaunte or Tradesy) to more mass brands (think Thred Up) but I've found that Poshmark has the most active community. Follow my closet here, if you're so inclined!
- Buffalo Exchange is where I take items that I deem too complicated to sell on the internet (again, I'm lazy). I sell at the East Village store (it's on East 11th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues) regularly and have come to know the buyers and vice versa. This helps! My attitude walking into Buffalo Exchange is essentially "something is better than nothing." This is where I take items I'd otherwise donate, for the most part, and anything that they don't buy, I leave with them to donate or walk to East Village Thrift around the corner on 2nd Avenue. Buffalo Exchange pays out 50% of THEIR selling price in store credit or 30% in cash. So, for example, if I sell them a pair of used designer denim in a still-current silhouette, they're likely to tag them for about $20 - meaning, I'll take away only $6 from the sale. Keep in mind that items must be in season and on trend - I'll be taking in some boots and winter coats soon.
ICYMI, Abbi and Ilana from Broad City did a killer skit on selling at Beacon's Exchange (a competitor to Buffalo Exchange, for those of you non-New Yorkers) last season - it's not to be missed:
I May Actually Have PTSD from Tracy Anderson AtTAin Definition
I had high hopes for Tracy Anderson. Long a (very expensive) member's only studio, there are now a few select classes open to plebes like you and me. So, when I spotted a sale on Gilt City recently, I snapped up a 5-class package and was easily the most excited I've been about a fitness class in recent memory. Things went awry quickly, however, the moment I stepped into the studio, to be exact.
First, let's discuss the temperature. You'll want to prepare yourself mentally because for all Tracy Anderson Method classes, the studios are heated to 86 degrees and, HOLD UP NOW, 65% humidity. So, it's hot. HOT. You'll need water, and copious amounts of it.
Now, for those of you who haven't read prior fitness class reviews here, I'm not an athlete by any measure, but I am a relative pro at boutique fitness classes. Even so, it's helpful when an instructor greets new clients, asks about injuries and advises on necessary equipment - perhaps I've been coddled by studios like Physique 57, ChaiseFitness and SLT, but I do now expect that level of attention, particularly when I'm paying $35+ a class. This is not the case at Tracy Anderson across the board apparently, and it was certainly not the case for my packed AtTAin Definition class.
The instructor was located in the front of the room, while I (perhaps sensing shame ahead) was located in the back. A regular student helped me get set up in terms of mat, ankle weights and hand weights, but the entire class, fast-moving and heavy with rather specific choreograpy, was taught with nearly no verbal instruction. Instead, you're expected to follow the physical cues of the instructor, or in my case, the clearly insane but more conveniently located Tracy Anderson devotees in front of me.
AtTAin Definition was an intense workout, make no mistake about it, I was sweating like an animal even during the warmup. In fact, people were sweating so intensely, they were dripping onto their mats and even the floor - consider this a reminder to grab an extra towel, you'll need it. The movements were unexpected (and in some cases awkward) with a high number of reps to ensure impact. But leaving the studio after class, I felt shell-shocked as opposed to accomplished. And while I still have four unused classes, I find myself DREADING a return to Tracy Anderson Studio.
If you're mildly masochistic or simply still curious, you can get a taste of the Method and also book classes online at Tracy Anderson.
Shop This: Gilt City Warehouse Sale Event
Who: Gilt City
What: Warehouse Sale, where you'll find luxe clothing, accessories and home décor from designer brands, at up to 80% off retail. Think Prada, Lanvin, Chloé, Valentino, Miu Miu, Balenciaga and Dior to Brian Atwood, Jimmy Choo and more. Enjoy complimentary cocktails, snacks and music by a live DJ while you shop.
When: October 2-4
Where: 135 W 18th St, b/t 6th and 7th Avenue
Purchase tickets to shop Saturday at gilt.com/NYWarehouseSale. A
They're Here, The Leather Joggers You've/I've Always Wanted.
On Sunday, I cleaned out my closet in advance of fall. Out came the boots, the cashmere sweaters and, yes, the leather pants. Pants, plural, in my case, as I had at that particular moment, no fewer than seven pairs. One day later, these glorious leather joggers arrived from Athleta, and that number had risen to eight.
Part of the really exceptional Derek Lam collaboration that released just last week, these ultra-soft leather joggers are slightly cropped and thereby perfect for shorties like me. They're also, and yes I am self-aware enough to understand how ridiculous this sounds, a total steal at just $398. Now, $398 may be a lot for a pair of pants, but it's NOT a lot for a pair of leather pants - in fact, I had long been eyeing this pair from Vince at a cool $1,150, but when I tried them on, I looked like I had a serious case of FUPA. Not the case with the much less expensive Atheta pair - hallelejuh!
You can fully expect to see me wearing these at least once a week all fall and winter, and with everything from oversize cashmere sweaters to boxy silk tops like this girl from IRO. If you're so inclined, shop here - size XS is already sold out, so I'd suggest moving fast.
Now's the Time to Shop Space NK
Now that I've reentered the world as a beauty consumer as opposed to a "beauty blogger," I've been strategically timing my pricier product replenishment to best captitalize on the best gifts with purchase. Barney's and Bergdorf Goodman both have great ones, but my favorite of the bunch is found at Space NK.
Part of their seasonal "Beauty Edit" event, Space NK's GWP comes just twice a year and and is not to be missed. Available with any purchase of $250 or more, the gift includes an assortment of mini, travel-sized and full-sized must-haves from 33 of their featured brands. And, hot tip: their featured brands are nothing short of awesome. The gift with purchase itself includes products from Hourglass Cosmetics, Tata Harper, Juara, Ren, Hampton Sun, Lipstick Queen and so many more. You can explore all the products included in granular detail here.
The GWP sells out every season, so you'll definitely want to move fast. Reserve your space at a store near you, or shop online tomorrow morning at SpaceNk.com.
Finally, a Subscription Box That Makes Perfect Sense
Image via Into the Gloss
While you wouldn't necessarily guess it, I went through a bit of a subscription box phase a year or two ago. Unlike many, my gateway box wasn't Birchbox, but instead the Fancy Food Box (now discontinued)...which let to Quarterly's Nina Garcia subscription, PopSugar and perhaps others...my memory is fuzzy and I'd like to keep it that way, considering how much I spent.
I learned (not as quickly as I might have liked) that while it's fun to open a box of surprises - it feels like a gift you've given yourself - you wind up with an awful lot of crap and clutter you don't need, and wouldn't have purchased, regardless of the "great value" a subscription box provides. Start-up Lola, on the other hand, is all about utility, and for that reason, I find it pretty darn brilliant.
Tampons. We all need them (well, 50%+ of us need them), and when you run out, it's near disastrous. Lola lets you build-your-own box of 18 tampons choosing from Light, Regular or Super. The box is then delivered when you like. No more frantic drugstore runs required, hallelujah! Best of all, their tamps are 100 percent cotton that's natural and biodegradable. God knows what giant behomoths Kotex and Tampax are putting in their product; rest assured it's not natural.
Learn more about Lola and subscribe here!
