Feeding the Shopping Addiction

A True Shopping Dilemma...

7/24/2012 10:10:00 PM | Labels: Alexander McQueen, London, Online

Tonight, I had to make a very, very tough decision. Alexander McQueen's online end of season sale (prices currently at 60% off) is still going strong. It just so happens they still have a dress and a belt in my size that I have lusted after.

However, if I bought one or the other (or both) now, I would not be able to buy anything substantial when I go to London in September and visit the Alexander McQueen flagship on Old Bond Street (or Selfridges, or Liberty, or Harrods, etc...), thus, the dilemma.

Ultimately, my strong feelings for some of the new season selections won out (and the possibility to take advantage of some arbitrage opportunities), so I am holding off until my trip to London. Here is hoping they have one of these items in the size I need!

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Foiled on eBay...Again!

7/20/2012 05:24:00 PM | Labels: eBay, Online

Less than a week ago I shared how eBay can be addicting with the thrill of the auction and the adrenaline you get from winning. I had started watching a navy Alexander McQueen skirt suit.

Photo of the navy Alexander McQueen suit from eBay.

Bidding was set to start at $88.00 and there were no bids on the item. The auction was scheduled to end on Tuesday around 4:20 pm or so. I checked back periodically to see if any bids had been placed. About 2-3 hours before the end of the auction, I noted that a bid had finally been placed. With about an hour left to go, I placed my bid. Alas, it was not meant to be. I was outbid at the very last second (after revising my max bid upward 3-4 times in that last hour) by $2.50. Alas, that is how eBay works. So now this suit belongs in my losses gallery.

Photo of the navy Alexander McQueen suit from eBay.

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More Than You Can Imagine...Luxury Consignment

7/19/2012 03:37:00 PM | Labels: Houston

Right down the street from Tootsies is More Than You Can Imagine or MTYCI for short.

More Than You Can Imagine on Westheimer

Inside is a selection of items that defies reason. As you enter the store, which is always locked with an off duty police officer providing security. Multiple racks of various second hand Chanel pieces, some still with tags, stand in the middle of the first room. To the right, along the wall, are all manner of dresses, arranged by size. As you progress along the wall, you see skirts and pants, blouses and sweaters, and then jackets. There are even formal dresses and ball gowns. The brands range from Tory Burch and Carmen Marc Valvo to Chanel, Alexander McQueen, and Hermes.

Did I mention the handbags and shoes yet? This is perhaps the most impressive part of MTYCI. The handbags sit on shelves that top the clothing racks. They have Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and even the occasional Hermes. The shoes are just as impressive and are on shelves in a room off to the left of the main entrance. The usual suspects include Prada, Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, and of course, the iconic red-soled Christian Louboutin.

MTYCI is also quite active on both Facebook and Twitter using both mediums to announce special deals, like their 75% off all items in the sale room (a tiny room in the back of the store where I once found a blush Alexander McQueen dress with tags that in the end only set me back about $200). As with Tootsies, when they start doing the big sales, go early because all the good stuff goes quick.

The only real downside to MTYCI is that while things are organized by size, they are NOT organized by designer, so you actually need to take the time to look through everything or you might miss something. I know...what a problem to have! However, and this is one of my favorite features about MTYCI, if you are looking for particular items (for example, a red dress, a pair of Manolo Mary Janes, or simply anything McQueen), you can give them your contact information, and they will call you if they get them in.

In addition to being a luxury consignment store, MTYCI also carries other items including small accessories, cosmetics and items for your home. My personal favorites are the Voluspa candles.

You can visit More Than You Can Imagine at 2817 Westheimer or on their website.

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Tootsies...The Grande Dame of Houston

7/17/2012 08:19:00 PM | Labels: Houston, Tootsies

When I first moved to Houston in 2009, I had of course heard of Tootsies. The store was located in Highland Village, on the south side of Westheimer between Suffolk and Drexel for three decades, and was where I had my first Tootsies experience. I had passed by the store many times on my way here or there, but never stopped.

Tootsies location in Highland Village, 2009 or 2010

In January 2010, Tootsies announced it was moving locations. At Kirby and Westheimer, a new mixed-use development space was underway and Tootsies was going to relocate to the prime retail space with large windows along Kirby and Westheimer. In September 2010, while driving down Westheimer, I glanced over at Tootsies and saw the windows. I immediately had to stop. There, in the windows of the store, was a beautiful, red, Alexander McQueen dress. Could it be? Could Tootsies be carrying my favorite designer?

Tootsies window, September 2010

I considered it a sign that I must stop since not only did they have a whole window dedicated to McQueen, but the dress was in my favorite shade: fire engine red. I went inside. The store had a fantastic selection of Alexander McQueen items, the largest selection of items and sizes I had seen in Texas.

Alexander McQueen section at Tootsies, September 2010

After getting my fill, I decided to look around and see what else they had. They had Elaine Turner handbags (a great, local Houston handbag and shoe designer whose flagship store I will cover later in the series), Tom Ford sunglasses (another weakness), and a really great selection of cocktail and formal dresses. It was love at first visit. Unfortunately, it would be many months until I could make it back to Tootsies and actually have my first shopping experience.

West Ave was completed and in early 2011 Tootsies began its moving sale. The sale got off to a rocky start, but by the time I made it to the sale, everything seemed to be fine and I learned a valuable lesson about Tootsies' sales...go early or the best stuff and a lot of sizes will be gone. While I was able to find fantastic Tory Burch and Elie Tahari dresses at 70% off retail, things were pretty picked over. The staff was extremely helpful and accommodating, even though they were busy. Right then and there I vowed I would be back after they made the move.

A very short time later, in February 2011, Tootsies had made the move and the new West Ave store was open. The photos of the new space were stunning. I finally made it down to see for myself in March 2011 where for my belated birthday present, I bought myself a stunning white, Alexander McQueen bustle shirt/shirtdress. As with my first shopping experience, the staff was amazing and really made the experience all the more enjoyable.

My first Alexander McQueen purchase from Tootsies
(Photo from the Alexander McQueen website)

Since that trip in March 2011, I make an effort to stop in every couple of weeks to see what all is new. I am continually impressed with the selection of Alexander McQueen they carry in the store. I am also impressed with the number of special events they host, including designer visits and trunk shows. The latest list is found on the website and they keep their Facebook and Twitter accounts up to date. In recent months, some of the more memorable open to the public events included the Sequin trunk show (my favorite enamel bangle bracelets), a launch of an exclusive line for Tootsies by Elaine Turner, and the Philip Treacy trunk show. In addition, Tootsies hosts a number of private events for various organizations and charities in the Houston community, both in their store and out in the community.

Ultimately, I have never had a bad shopping experience at Tootsies. I have always been able to find what I am looking for, am always pleased with the selection, and love the Tootsies team. Tootsies is located at 2601 Westheimer and also has stores in Dallas and Atlanta.

Main entrance to the store (Photo from Tootsies website)

Designer section of the store (Photo from Tootsies website)

Dress section of the store (Photo from Tootsies website)

Wall of Shoes (Photo from Tootsies website)

Jewelry Counter (Photo from Tootsies Website)

Handbags as you walk in (Photo from Tootsies website)

Alexander McQueen at Tootsies, 2011

Alexander McQueen at Tootsies, 2012

Alexander McQueen at Tootsies, 2011

Elaine Turner at Tootsies, 2012

Philip Treacy at Tootsies, 2012

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Slight delay on the Tootsies post!

7/17/2012 08:38:00 AM | Labels: Houston, Sale, Tootsies

All, my sincerest apologies. I slaved over a long, in depth Tootsies post last night, and it is lost somewhere in cyberspace. I am going to recreate and post today.

In the meantime, this past Saturday, I was fortunate enough to be able to make it to the Tootsies Takes Off sale, where you can find great items at up to 70% off. Fortunately, unlike times in the past, I happened to catch this sale on one of its first days, which is key as my heretofore lost Tootsies post explains. As usual, I did some damage, but came away with three pairs of shoes for what one pair would usually cost. Here are the new additions to my closet. Thank you, Tootsies!

Jimmy Choo. Normally $495, on sale for $149.

Stella McCartney. Normally $495, on sale for $149.

Bettye Muller. Normally $195, on sale for $79.

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And the award for best shopping in the U.S. goes to...

7/15/2012 07:16:00 PM | Labels: Houston

While I am a native Texan, I have lived on both costs. And while both Los Angeles and New York have reputations as having shopping mad residents, I can tell you they have absolutely nothing on Houston. In 2010, Forbes Magazine ranked the 25 best American cities for shopping using various criteria, and Houston topped the list over Dallas (#2), Chicago (#15), Los Angeles (#16), New York (#22), and San Francisco (#25).

Since moving to the Houston area in 2009, I made an effort to learn all the city's retail secrets. In a city as economically and culturally diverse as Houston, I knew the Galleria was not the ONLY place to shop in the city. This series will mirror my shopping journeys, starting in the Loop (for those non-Houstonians reading, that is the 610 Loop) with places like Tootsies, More Than You Can Imagine, My Flaming Heart, the Texas Junk Co., The Guild Shop, and High Fashion Home, and moving on out to take in areas like the Galleria, and then places farther flung like The Woodlands, Montgomery, Seabrook, and Galveston. If it is located in the metro area, it is fair game. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, there will be a new post regarding different shopping venues. First up tomorrow will be an in-depth look at Tootsies

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eBay can be addicting...

7/10/2012 04:38:00 AM | Labels: eBay, Online

Prior to the first post about Houston shopping due to drop on July 15th, I thought I would run down a number of online sites that have been my go-to over the years. So without further ado...

This may sound odd, but if I am looking for something particular, one of the first places I go is...eBay.

For instance, I have started collecting Alexander McQueen red dresses. I love red, I love Alexander McQueen, and dresses are my fashion weakness, so this is a no-brainer. In the last 12 months I have scored two red, prior season dresses and have been wildly happy with them. As usual with online auctions, there is a risk that you will not get the item due to someone outbidding you at the last minute (happened to me with an awesome orange McQueen dress) or simply going past your "what am I willing to pay for this" threshold (this happens frequently). However, an added bonus of the auction is the added pop of adrenaline and giddiness you feel when you win.

However, eBay is not without its risks. As with any online marketplace, there are going to be fraudsters, so buyer beware. Never be afraid to ask for more pictures of an item or to ask for more details. Most buyers are more than happy to oblige. Also, if they require payment via Western Union, stay far, far away. Lastly, try and stick with sellers who are top-rated and have higher feedback scores. I have been fortunate in dealing with some folks who are simply eBay newbies who have lower feedback scores, but the feedback they did have was glowing. Admittedly, I did pepper them with questions and they were all very patient and wonderful sellers. However, I know this is not the case with everyone, so just be cautious. Above all else, if a deal is too good to be true (New Hermes Kelly Handbag for $100), it probably is.

Here are a few of my wins...