Archive for the 'Deals and Steals' Category

You Know Where I’ll Be This Weekend

Lacoste Memorial Day Weekend 2008

Twenty percent off? Holla.

Click here for a list of all of the Lacoste outlets by state.

Burberry Outlets

Burberry plaidReader interest in my list of the Lacoste outlet store locations (as well as a great sale two weekends ago) inspired me to create a blog entry dedicated to the location of the U.S. Burberry factory outlet stores.

I found two shirts I really liked for 50% off. Happy hunting!

  • California:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Desert Hills Premium Outlets
    48400 Seminole Road
    Cabazon, CA 92230
    (951) 922-2222

    Burberry Factory Store
    Vacaville Premium Outlets
    321 Nut Tree Rd. Ste.
    Vacaville, CA 95687
    (707) 452-1400

  • Florida:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Orlando Premium Outlets
    8200 Vineland Avenue
    Orlando, FL 32821
    (407) 238-7777

  • Georgia:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    North Georgia Premium Outlets
    800 Highway 400
    South Dawsonville, GA 30534
    (706) 265-2100

  • Indiana:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets
    601 Wabash St.
    Michigan City, IN 46360
    (219) 874-7777

  • Massachusetts:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Wrentham Village Premium Outlets
    1 Premium Outlets Blvd #100
    Wrentham, MA 02093
    (508) 384-7550

  • Maine:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Freeport Outlets
    42 Main St.
    Freeport, ME 04032
    (207) 865-4400

  • Nevada:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas
    32100 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
    Primm, NV 89019
    (702) 874-2244

  • New York:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
    498 Red Apple Ct.
    Central Valley, NY 10917
    (845) 928-4500

    Burberry Factory Store
    Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls
    1900 Military Road
    Niagara Falls, NY 14304
    (716) 297-5400

  • Pennsylvania:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    The Crossings Premium Outlets
    1000 Route 611
    Tannersville, PA 18372
    (570) 629-8870

  • Texas:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Round Rock Premium Outlets
    4401 North IH-35
    Round Rock, TX 78664
    (512) 879-6100

    Burberry Factory Store
    Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets
    1000 North Texas
    Mercedes, TX 78570
    (956) 565-4888

  • Virginia:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets
    241 Fort Evans Road NE
    Leesburg, VA 20176
    (703) 737-2300

  • Washington:
  • Burberry Factory Store
    Seattle Premium Outlets
    10600 Quil Ceda Blvd.
    Tulalip, WA 98271
    (360) 654-2410

Lacoste Outlets

Lacoste logoLooking at the traffic pattern on my blog, I’ve noticed a few of my reclusive readers are very interested in my post, “How to Get Lacoste for Cheap(er).”

As such, I thought these readers might like a list of the locations of all of the Lacoste outlets in the U.S. The list can be found on the Lacoste store locator, but that list includes the regular full price retail stores as well.

Without further ado:

  • California
  • Lacoste Camarillo Outlet
    Camarillo Premium Outlets
    910 Camarillo Center Drive, Suite 830
    Camarillo, CA 93010
    Phone: 805-389-5365
    Fax: 805-389-5366
    camarillo@lacoste-usa.com

    Lacoste Carlsbad Outlet
    Carlsbad Premium Outlets
    5620 Paseo Del Norte Suite 106C
    Carlsbad, CA 92008
    Phone: 760-268-1100
    Fax: 760-268-1101
    carlsbad@lacoste-usa.com

    Lacoste Desert Hills Outlet
    Desert Hills Premium Outlets
    48650 Seminole Drive, Suite I-238
    Cabazon, CA 92230
    Phone: 951 922-2138
    Fax: 951 922-0709
    deserthills@lacoste-usa.com

  • Florida:
  • Lacoste Miromar Outlet
    Miromar Premium Outlets
    10801 Corkscrew Road, Suite 502
    Estero, FL 33928
    Phone: 239-495-0707
    Fax: 239-495-0708
    miromar@lacoste-usa.com

    Lacoste Orlando Outlet
    Orlando Premium Outlets
    8200 Vineland Avenue, Suite 1128
    Orlando, FL 32821
    Phone: 407-465-0500
    Fax: 407-465-0501
    outletorlando@lacoste-usa.com

    Lacoste Sawgrass Outlet
    Sawgrass Mills
    12801 West Sunrise Blvd. Suite 1041
    Sunrise, FL 33323
    Phone: 954 835-2311
    Fax: 954 835-2333
    sawgrass@lacoste-usa.com

  • Illinois:
  • Lacoste Chicago Outlet
    Chicago Premium Outlets
    1650 Premium Outlets Blvd. Suite 1055
    Aurora, IL 60504
    Phone: 630-851-9006
    Fax: 630-851-9007
    outletchicago@lacoste-usa.com

  • Massachusetts:
  • Lacoste Wrentham Outlet
    Wrentham Village Premium Outlets
    1 Premium Outlets Blvd. Suite 260
    Wrentham, MA 02093
    Phone: 508 384-8095
    Fax: 508 384-8096
    wrentham@lacoste-usa.com

  • Nevada:
  • Lacoste Las Vegas Outlet
    Las Vegas Premium Outlets
    855 S. Grand Central Pkwy, Ste. 1570
    Las Vegas, NV 89106
    Phone: 702 382-8369
    Fax: 702 382-8371
    outletlasvegas@lacoste-usa.com

  • New York:
  • Lacoste Riverhead Outlet
    Tanger Outlet Center- Riverhead
    817 Tanger Mall Drive
    Riverhead, NY 11901
    Phone: 631-208-8700
    Fax: 631-208-8701
    riverhead@lacoste-usa.com

    Lacoste Woodbury Outlet
    Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
    423 Evergreen Court
    Central Valley, NY 10917
    Phone: 845 928-7973
    Fax: 845 928-7823
    woodbury@lacoste-usa.com

  • Texas:
  • Lacoste San Marcos Outlet
    Prime Outlet San Marcos
    3939 IH-35 South, Suite 1240
    San Marcos, TX 78666
    Phone: 512-392-8107
    Fax: 512-392-8108
    sanmarcos@lacoste-usa.com

  • Virginia:
  • Lacoste Leesburg Outlet
    Leesburg Village Premium Outlets
    241 Fort Evans Rd. NE, Suite 685
    Leesburg, VA 20176
    Phone: 703-669-4740
    Fax: 703-669-4741
    leesburg@lacoste-usa.com

Hopefully there is a Lacoste outlet near you.

End of season Lacoste swimwear clearance

Slickdeals brings us severely discounted Lacoste swimwear, $12-$29.

I’ve never heard of Dr. Jay’s, so I can’t vouch for authenticity, but it looks legit enough.

Lacoste for Less

There are some Lacoste items on clearance at Saks.com. Only a couple of tops and sunglasses left.

At lunchtime there was a lot more selection, but I was at work and couldn’t post. Sorry! Any ideas for an automated system?

Via SlickDeals.

How I Got My Brand-New Grown Up Furniture for Under $1K

Making the transition from clueless twenty-something to responsible member of the workforce can be scary. At times, it can even be overwhelming. But it also means you get to buy new stuff, and that’s crazy-fun.

When I accepted my first post-college job, I had to move to a new town a few hours from home. I didn’t have any furniture, save for an Aero bed and a few plastic storage bins, and I definitely didn’t have much money saved up. While the Aero bed served its purpose, sleeping on the floor isn’t the classiest option, so I dedicated a weekend to furnishing my room.

Altogether, I think my entire bedroom cost under $1,000 for the bed frame, mattress, dresser, desk, bookshelf, nightstand, lighting, and assorted accessories like a trash can. The only things I took from home were an office chair, pillows, and a comforter. (I’m sure I could have found second-hand stuff for a lot cheaper on Craigslist if I really looked around, but I drive a compact car and I don’t know anyone in the area with a truck.)

Here’s how I did it:

  1. Ikea LogoI owe most of the cost-cutting credit to IKEA. If you’re a gay urban-professional, you’ve probably heard of IKEA, but if you haven’t I’d check out their website. They specialize in inexpensive, assemble-it-yourself furniture with a distinctively Euro design philosophy. I wasn’t crazy about the DIY aspect of IKEA, but I was able to decipher the instructions, and I wouldn’t claim to be savvy about tools.

    IKEA also sent me a $25 coupon included in my change-of-address materials from the post office. Score!

  2. Some people might question choosing furniture that is not made out of solid wood. (IKEA products often only have a wood veneer.) However, I’m young and on a budget. Furthermore, I don’t need furniture that’s going to last a lifetime. At this point in my life, I expect to be moving around fairly often. I don’t need to be tied down by my material possessions. I don’t want to get upset if my new furniture gets a little banged up.

    Plus, solid wood is heavy and a real pain to move.

  3. I chose all of my furniture in a very neutral dark brown color scheme. No, it isn’t the most avant-garde interior decorating the world has ever seen, but when I move, I can almost guarantee that my old furniture will look good in my new digs.

    Neutral colors are your friends. Remember this and you will go far.

  4. My desk only cost me $40. IKEA sells flat desktops and legs separately, so you can actually ‘customize’ your own desk very cheaply. It’s also much easier to move than a traditional desk with drawers, which probably would get cluttered with unimportant stuff anyway.

    The more ‘hiding spots’ you have in a room, the more likely you are to have clutter. I personally think of clutter as an arch-nemesis, but that’s a post for another day.

  5. I bought a coffee table to use as a nightstand. The nightstand designed to match my bed costs $50. The coffee table costs $15 and works just as well, and I don’t think anyone would think that it looks out of place. (The prices online don’t always match the brick & mortar prices, FYI.)
  6. My mattress is a memory foam from Overstock.com, and I cannot recommend it enough for the money. It’s a little on the firm side, but you can always soften up a firm mattress, whereas you can’t easily firm up a soft mattress. It doesn’t require a box spring, so I saved a chunk of change versus a traditional pillow-top mattress with box spring combination. And even better, it was delivered to my doorstop FedEx.

    As much as I love IKEA, I wouldn’t necessarily take any chances with their mattresses. Back support is too important.

  7. I bought compact fluorescent light bulbs for my room’s lighting. CF bulbs are a little more expensive upfront compared to incandescent bulbs, but they actually save you money over the long haul in reduced electricity costs, and on average they last a lot longer.

    CF bulbs also put off less heat, which is great in the summer.

And there you have it. That’s how I bought my first furniture. I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

How to Get Lacoste for Cheap

Lacoste crocodile logoWe all have our own personal inner demons. Some people struggle with chemical addiction. Others cultivate unhealthy co-dependent relationships. For some it’s an obsession with the gym. Me? I have a crocodile. Lacoste makes me feel irrationally exuberant.

That irrationality comes with a price, however. Full retail for the standard men’s short-sleeve polo is about $72, plus sales tax. The button down shirts are even more expensive, usually in the $100 range, and the sweaters are pricier yet.

I am telling you right here and now that you should not feel ‘cheap’ or otherwise unworthy for not feeling comfortable paying that much for a mass-produced shirt. On some level it’s a little bit ridiculous. You have to accept the fact that you’re paying extra for a shirt that doubles as status symbol, because face it, the Lacoste polo is a staple of the preppy/yuppie uniform.

That being said, you don’t have to pay full price. My wardrobe has way more Lacoste crocodiles than my entry-level paychecks suggest, because I’m always on the lookout for deals—you just have to remember that deals are relative rather than absolute when you’re talking about luxury brands. Just remember that brand management is extremely important to Lacoste and similar retailers. They don’t want to risk alienating their full-price customers by selling their wares too cheaply. After all, how exclusive is a shirt that you can get for $10 from Mega-Mart?

Strategy 1. Factory stores
Lacoste factory stores (outlet stores) seem to be a pretty well kept secret, probably because there aren’t too many of them around the country and they certainly aren’t advertised. The men’s polo shirts sell for around $54, or 25% off the $72 retail price. Just keep in mind that the Lacoste polos in “classic” colors (e.g. black) are rarely, if ever, available at this price point. The button-down shirts, sweaters, and pants are usually marked down more aggressively, sometimes even 40-50% off retail.

If you’re not sure if you live near a Lacoste factory store, just do a quick Google search for “Lacoste outlet” or “Lacoste factory store” and your zip code. Update: Here’s a list of all of the Lacoste outlets in the U.S.

It’s also worth mentioning that items sold at the Lacoste factory store are never defective or otherwise inferior in quality to what is sold elsewhere—Lacoste actually destroys defective merchandise rather than risk cheapening its brand image.

Strategy 2. Online department stores
A few times a year, some of the upscale department stores (i.e. Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom) will sell the previous season’s Lacoste merchandise at a decent discount online. I’ve nabbed a few of the classic polo shirts in the mid-$50 range, with free shipping. This is a great option for people who don’t live near a factory store.

The problem is that clearance Lacoste sells out fast. It helps to be an unusual size, but even then it’s not guaranteed that you’ll find the deal before the online merchant runs out of inventory.

Luckily, I have a secret weapon that ensures I know about the sale before the general public: I have keyword alerts set up on two of the internet’s most popular deal-hunting forums. Whenever someone on the forums posts a message containing the word “Lacoste” (or any other word I choose), I instantly receive email notification. It’s very nifty.

Personally, I use FatWallet.com and SlickDeals.net, but there are other good ones out there. I highly recommend keyword alerts to keep tabs on all of your favorite products and brands.

Strategy 3. Brick & Mortar
Once in a while you can find Lacoste on sale at regular brick & mortar department stores. I’ve had luck with Macy’s and Nordstrom, but it’s very hit-and-miss, and sometimes you’re not allowed to use coupons on Lacoste.

In my experience, the selection and discount pales in comparison to what is available through the factory store and online sales, but it never hurts to look. I have never seen the classic pique polo on the sale rack at a department store, but I have seen button-down shirts, long-sleeve polos, t-shirts, and khakis.

Strategy 4. Lacoste.com
The Lacoste online store just launched this summer. They don’t have many discounted items yet, but the fact that they have a sale section at all is encouraging.

For now, I’d consider this a last resort when trying to score Lacoste for below full retail, but I’ll be keeping my eye on Lacoste.com for future developments.

A note about eBay
You might be tempted by the seemingly amazing deals on Lacoste found on eBay. “Ten polo shirts for only $100? Amazing!”

But don’t be fooled. Anyone trying to unload Lacoste (or any other luxury brand) at a steep discount is very likely peddling counterfeit merchandise. Just think about it for a second. If you had a shipment of expensive and very in-demand clothing to sell, would you ask only a fraction of the full retail price? If you knew that the shirts retail for well over $50, why would you sell a dozen for $100? It doesn’t make business sense if the product is actually legitimate. (Additionally, Lacoste only distributes their merchandise through well-established retail chains, never through private wholesalers.)

The only time I would even consider buying Lacoste on eBay would be for vintage items.