We've checked out the world's major shopping destinations and listed some of the best places and times to head for that shopping fix. London, New York, Hong Kong … wherever you're headed, you could come back with the steal of the century. Happy shopping!
Who doesn't love a bargain? In today's fiscally responsible environment, excessive spending can seem more than a little out of fashion (no matter what certain heiresses will have you believe) and the in-thing is actually to boast about your great bargain find.
Some of the best shopping experiences are those done while travelling — the buzz of getting that great bargain and knowing it is a once-off buy is quite addictive (flashback: hot Hugo Boss brown leather jacket, NYC, last few days of shopping, major bargain, extra discount … bliss).
If time is limited, it pays to plan. Like all good missions, a little research can equal maximum return.
New York
It's a city of great culture, great music and brilliant art galleries (where else can you gaze at Picassos and Rothkos and get a decent hot dog?) but what New York represents to most is shopping mecca.
It's here that trends are made, translated and bagged ready to be worn by the regular consumer. Shopping is great all year round, but come sale time, it goes off!
- Post-Christmas and winter sales start in late December and go for most of January and February. All the major department stores such as Macys, Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdales slash prices across all departments. Crowds can get a little crazy. Boutiques tend to follow the sales calendar. Look well and you will score some great end of season finds.
Where: all across New York City
- Head to the Barney's Warehouse Sale. Held from mid-August to early September (annually), you can score 50-70 percent off. Go prepared. The crowds are big and those NY gals can get catty!
Where: 255 West 17th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues
- Looking for timeless vintage a la Carrie Bradshaw? Go where the stylists and designers seek inspiration. The Manhattan vintage clothing and antique textile show and sale is held three times a year. The next show is on February 8-9, 2008, at the Metropolitan Pavilion. This is one of the largest gatherings of vintage clothing retailers in the world. Admission is $20.
Where: Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street.
- Outlet shopping is big in NY and every day is a sale. Woodbury Common Premium Outlet is about a 45-minute bus ride out of NYC in Central Valley. It's worth the ride to shop at 220 designer and name brand stores offering 25-65 percent off every day. Coach, G-Star, Betsy Johnson, Burberry, Sony, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors are just some of the major brands on offer. Homeware, kids clothes and jewellery are also available at discounted prices.
How: buy a bus ticket from Gray Line Tours for Woodbury Common Premium Outlets at the Port Authority, New York City (42nd Street and Eighth Avenue)
US store Century 21 is generally heavily discounted, with major brands like GUESS, Calvin Klein and other well-known mid-range labels on sale. The annual sale held in July takes it to another level. Markdowns of up the 75 percent can be found.
Where: various locations; check out www.c21stores.com for details.
- Head to shoe nirvana: NoLita's Sigerson Morrison is generally pretty busy but crazy sale time, when things are all under $250, is downright insane.
Where: 28 Prince Street, NYC
London
Hop over to London town and work your way through the various shopping precincts. The biggest sales time for most stores is January. Discounts are at least 30-70 percent off.
- Major department stores start sales early. Harrods in Knightsbridge launches its January sales shopping season on Thursday December 27 with discounts across the store and people have been known to sleep on the pavement the night before to get in the door first! If Harrods is a bit too touristy and obvious for you, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols follow suit, with post Boxing Day sales attracting thousands.
- High street boutiques get in on the game around this time, too, with sales throughout January. Try Bond and Oxford streets, the Kings Road and Kensington High Street for some thriftier interpretations of the latest European fashions.
- For true shoe fetishists, Christian Louboutin starts its sale in early January. Expect up to 50 percent off on selected shoes (hopefully the ones you have lusted after on the feet of Hollywood starlets and socialites). True believers know that red soles are indeed good for the soul.
Where: 23 Motcomb Street, Knightsbridge.
- Gucci, Christian Dior, Chloe, Burburry and Georgio Armani (to name but a few) all start heavily discounting in January too — between 30-50 percent off in store. Serious fashionistas head out in droves to snap up even more designer duds.
Paris
In the land of original chic, sales are state-regulated! Paris goes on sale twice a year — once during the summer season and once during the post-Christmas winter season. Sales last for six weeks.
- In January, sales usually start on the first Wednesday. Head out early to key shopping hotspots such as the Boulevard Haussmann, where the big department stores like Galeries Lafayette or Le Bon Marché can be found. Note that discounts steadily get steeper as the sale period wears on.
Where: nearest metro station is Haussmann-Saint-Lazare
- Rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré is where the haute in couture came from. Home to the centrepiece stores of design houses such as Hermes and Yves Saint Laurent and up and coming stores such as Colette. Reductions start at 30-50 percent and can head into the heady 70-80 percent if you're lucky (and patient).
Where: nearest Metro stations are Ternes, Madeleine and Saint-Philippe-du-Roule.
- Hoping for a little off-the-beaten-track find? Head to the Saint-Ouen Flea Market. Legend has it someone did once walk away with a true Old Master, but nevertheless cute trinkets, books and odd finds are here. Perhaps even the next famous bargain! Markets are on weekdays and weekends.
Where: nearest Metro stations are Garibaldi and Mairie de Saint-Ouen.
Hong Kong
Post-Christmas seems to be the key for picking up bargains. In January, Hong Kong, perhaps one of the few cities built around shopping as a sport, goes on sale.
- Old world markets and new western design houses vie for your shopping dollar. The Landmark, the Galleria, Prince's Building and Alexandra House are just some of the major shopping centres with a focus on designer gear. Pacific Place has over 130 outlets to check out.
Where: nearest MTR station to Pacific Place is Admiralty.
The annual Hong Kong Shopping Festival happens in June and August. Almost all corners of Hong Kong's extensive shopping districts take part in the event and there are cool side events throughout the months of the festival. In 2007 a special multimedia show was shown nightly involving more than 40 buildings lining Victoria Harbour.
More info: www.discoverhongkong.com
Top shopping tips
Five tips to ensure a great shopping trip:
1. Dress comfortably:
- Wear decent, comfortable underwear, the less tricky the better so you can tell what clothes really look like.
- Wear things you can slip on and off easily. This isn't the time for the super tight jeans which require a shoehorn to get back into.
- Comfy shoes. Need we say more?
2. Take a good bag and make sure it is secure and can carry the essentials: wallet, bottle of water, decent book (if you have to wait in lines!), a few snacks for that mid-shop lag.
3. A shopping hit list helps. This keeps you on track, so if you really do need a new pair of jeans, you'll remember that and hopefully focus on those first. Even when faced with a rack of Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dresses on discount (psst grab your size and try on when you find those jeans too!)
4. Work out whether you shop best with a buddy or alone. If you need a buddy, choose one who is into shopping and will go the distance with you. If he/she has a decisive mind and decent taste, it'll help.
5. Remember the "never buy" adages: never buy anything that is way too big or too small. Never buy anything with more than make-up damage, it could prove costly, difficult or impossible to remove. Never buy something just because it is on sale; never buy anything too on-trend from a previous season. Fashion does go in cycles, but if you can't wear it within the next six months, you ain't ever wearing it.
Got any good sales shopping tips or holiday tales? Have you say using the comments form below.
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