Catherine Malandrino

The Catherine Malandrino sale started on Monday and ends tomorrow (hosted by Savvy Co.). I wasn't familiar with the designer so I did a little online research before hitting up the sale. I fell in love with her love of ruffles, and the retail prices weren't too outrageous (around $450 for most dresses), so I figured with an 80% discount I would probably find a few things I would like for the right price. I was right.

Venue: The sale is being held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, which is a really nice space on W18th that frequently hosts these things.

Coat Check: Yup, you've got to check any bags larger than a clutch, and your jacket, too, of course. (For sample sale rookies: the coat check is pretty standard - but don't worry - it's always free you don't need to tip. When you have eight dresses and two pairs of shoes in your arms, you'll be glad you've ditched your trench.) The line was almost non existent.

Clothing prices: Short dresses were $145, long dresses $295, blouses $95, skirts $55, pants $45, fabric coats $245.

Clothing quality: the clothing was in good shape. Generally not ripped or looking like it had been tried on by everyone and their mother in the Bloomingdale's at the Mall of America (do they have a Bloomingdale's there? I assume they do...) before being shipped to Manhattan. Some sales certainly have this look. I'm thinking J Crew sale, where half the stuff already has a rip in the armpit.

Clothing Quantity: Lots and lots of pretty dresses. A good number of blouses and skirts. Fewer coats. A sparse allotment of shoes and three styles of boots.



Crowd Control: Not crowded, even at 6pm, which is when all of us working stiffs show up.

Dressing Room: Upside: not crowded at all. Downside: even without the crowds, the mirrors were few and far between. Those tiny mirrors you hang on the back of your closet door are inadequate for admiring yourself in a (formerly) $600 dress.

The goods: I have a weakness for dresses (of the work or cocktail variety), and apparently so does Malandrino. I immediately had a half-dozen dresses, a blouse and a skirt in my arms and was headed off to the dressing room. I loved four or five of the dresses, so my decision was a difficult one.



I mean, where do you wear a dress like this? Awesome it is, but practical it is not. I ended up with another ruffled number that will be perfect for New Years and a skirt that is work appropriate but has a little sass to it. Success!

Final Score: 7 - not crowded, great merchandise. Lower the dress price to $100 for the last day of the sale, and you've got a return customer!