Luxe Cashmere Staples + Black Friday and NYC Street Style

At the top of my shopping list, a leather skirt. Not just any leather skirt, but an investment piece. An at-knee or midi length; the fit had to be right. The silhouette; one I could wear, for years to come.

I had been stalking this leather skirt, from DVF, for months.

When it went on sale, I pulled the trigger.

(BLACK FRIDAY UPDATE< THIS SKIRT IS NOW AN ADDITIONAL 25%  OFF THE SALE PRICE OVER AT NORDSTROM!)

This skirt runs smaller, than my other pieces from DVF. Now, if you are an hourglass shape, you may be able to wear this in your regular size. I have a thicker waist, AND am high-waisted; so I could not zip the top half up. The hip area fit me fine, but there was no way I was squeezing into my usual size. Lucky for me, there was a larger size available for exchange – and I am now the proud owner, of a ‘Roxanne’ leather skirt HERE | Nordstrom.

With plans to take this skirt, on my upcoming trip to NYC, I began playing with tops to wear with it.

I had purchased a few fun tops to try – but, none of them seemed quite right.

Frustrated, I threw the tops in my car, with plans to show them to my dear friend Suzy – with whom I was meeting for lunch that day. Suzy and I have been close friends, dating back to our days in retail together. Suzy knows my style, and what is in my closet – perhaps better than I do myself. She always gives me her true, and honest opinion.

After a little post-lunch fashion show, from the trunk of my car – I could tell she wasn’t loving my choices.

“These tops are all great, but don’t you have something simple, like a cashmere tee?”

Cashmere tee? What? No. That’s so simple. Much too simple, I like exciting.

She went on to explain; that like cake, the yummiest part is the frosting – but you need a good cake first. The cake, is your quality basic. The frosting, your unique, and special items. The frosting may be the best part, but without a quality cake – the frosting, well, its just frosting.

Every workable wardrobe needs a few quality basics. These may not the most exciting pieces to buy, but these are the pieces you will wear, again and again.

Cut to, the CashmereSale. The cashmere pop-up shop,  just happened to be going on around the corner from where we were lunching. I had missed the pop-up last year, so was excited to check it out.

“But, cashmere is so expensive”, I threw out there, on our walk over to the store.  Suzy suggested taking all the “frosting”, from my trunk back (I do own plenty of “trend’ pieces), and pick up a black cashmere tee, and a wrap. Reality was, it would cost me less in the end.

Hmm, I was a bit out of my comfort zone, but I trust my dear friend.

Naturally,  when I first walked into the pop-up shop, I immediately was all over anything trimmed in fur, and all the fun, trend pieces.

Suzy allowed me to be the kid in a candy store for a bit. Once I came off my sugar high, of fabulous wholesale priced cashmere, I remembered:

Stick to the basics. Investment pieces. I don’t own a black knit tee.

An hour later, I left with (1) black cashmere tee, an oversized (black) wrap, and a taupe fur trim, wrap/scarf.

In the suitcase, the pieces went. Suzy was right, they were just what I needed.

My packing, totally simplified.

Black Cashmere Tee, HERE | in long sleeve HERE

BELOW

Right: Classic Cashmere Wrap, HERE, over the short sleeve tee.

Left: Fur trim wrap, not available online to link. I also saw and loved this Fur Trimmed Infinity Scarf HERE, which is online.

With the black version of the scarf, one could pop the scarf on with a black tee, or long sleeve crew –  for an entirely different look.

(a girl needs a little frosting, right?)

I now own 3 great pieces.

I can wear these pieces with everything from skirts to denim, and over any dress or jumpsuit outfit. The sales gal suggested, I try wearing the short sleeve sweater, with a white shirt, under the tee. I tried it, it works!

The possibilities are endless.

On the airplane, I wore the black wrap, which doubled as a blanket, to ward off the A/C chill.

The Cashmere Sale is on thru 12/10, in Burlingame.

It appears they still have basics, but many of the fashion pieces are sold out. To find out if this fantastic pop-up store will be coming to your neighborhood, check the TheCashmereSale.com website , as they are nation-wide. You can make purchases online as well. They are offering free shipping, with purchases over $100.00.

Anyone else struggle, with cake vs frosting dilemma?

Do you have go-to basics, that you are able to build upon, or are there holes in your inventory?

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If you don’t have a Pop-Up Shop in your area, and/or are nervous about ordering online, Last Call Neiman Marcus has some amazing deals on cashmere – on now, during their Black Friday WEEK sale:

A look at few of my favorites:

*click photo, for set details and links*

For all cashmere styles, available now at Last Call, click HERE

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So, what is up, with Black Friday this year?

Let’s call it what it is, Black Friday Week. Regardless, the day after Thanksgiving, I stay home in my lounge wear all day. My years in retail, traumatized me from heading out to the mall – with all the santa hats, long lines and clearance signs.

The bottom line, everyone has a sale.

What’s a girl to do?

My strategy? I place items, that I’ve had my eye on, in my cart – BEFORE the sales begin. Once the promos start, I check my shopping cart, to see if any of my items went on sale. If so, I do a jig – and think about purchasing said item. I find this tactic, prevents me from making purchases – just because they are a great deal.

If an item didn’t catch my eye at regular price, do I  need it at a sale price?

Just sayin’.

That said, here’s a few sales I’m watching:

Clockwise from top left: Ann Taylor/Loft | Boden | Last Call | Nordstrom Designer and Regular Sale.

Nordstrom is offering an additional 25% off select sale, in store and online thru 11/30. Ladies, this is one to check out! The prices are fantastic! Great opportunity to pick up pieces from DVF, Vince, Tory Burch, Theory. Fab prices on boots, sweaters and coats – for the whole family!

Also, Nordstrom Rack IS offering an extra 30% off Red Tag Clearance, November 27-29th.

Big sale at Intermix, with an extra 40% off markdowns. Designer Sale on now as well.

For all BF sale updates, check the AskSuzanneBell side-bar titled, “Latest Sales and Happenings”, on my home page, as I will update it, as I find out sale happenings, though-out this week.

NEW UPDATE: Now live, RACKED.com, has just released their list, of the best clothing deals for Black Friday.

You can link into their post,  HERE

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Many items, previously featured on AskSuzanneBell, have been marked down this week, over at Nordstrom:

UPDATE: most, if not all of these Nordstrom sale picks are now an extra 25% off prices posted here. The AGL boots (below) are a steal, now under $200! I did size up in mine. For reference I am usually an 8 1/2 and I purchased a 39, they fit great, and are so comfortable. If you have narrow feet, you may be OK with your normal size.

Here’s a look at how I styled my sleeveless turtleneck sweater (via TopShop):

I love the one from Bailey44 (above, top left) , now on sale -paired with leggings, skirt, trousers or denim.

What I liked about the ankle boots above, is the shaft is a bit taller, than your regular bootie.

I was seeing a lot of this style of short boot, on fashionable ladies, and in the display windows around the City, last week.

I think they look great with leggings, crop pants, denim, skirts and dresses.

I’ll leave you with a few more street shots, of great NYC Style.

These two gals looked so casual chic, at lunch – wearing leggings, short boots, poncho-style coats and wraps.

I saw more camel and black this trip, vs. the grey and black uniform, of last year.

Leather leggings (or faux) were replacing the basic legging, everywhere at at every age.

I love this look, that fellow fashion blogger, Andrea, over at AndreasWellnessNotes.com, put together. Perfect for Holiday get-togethers!

She found her vegan leather leggings, (which have a knit back-side!), over at LOFT, for a steal! These are a great option for those of you, who like me, found that the Ann Taylor vegan leggings were difficult to move and sit in.

For her full outfit post, reviews, and photos, click HERE.

These leggings over at LOFT, are a steal right now!

For the my reviews on leggings – vegan, ponte and knit,  check out this earlier ASB post, HERE

Whatever you plans may be, and wherever you are, I wish you all the happiest of Holidays.

Thank you for tuning in, for all your support, and kind words every week!

See you back on Saturday!

XOXO

Suzanne

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