Twenty percent off? Holla.

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

From the Guppie Life

You Know Where I’ll Be This Weekend

Reader 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

From the Guppie Life

Burberry Outlets

Looking 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.

From the Guppie Life

Lacoste Outlets

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.

From the Guppie Life

End of season Lacoste swimwear clearance

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.

From the Guppie Life

Lacoste for Less

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. I 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.

From the Guppie Life

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

We 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.

From the Guppie Life

How to Get Lacoste for Cheap