Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Woodbury Wednesday

Two weeks ago, on a Wednesday, we brought our friends Gretchen and Oliver to Woodbury Common. In case you didn't know, O.M.G! Woodbury Common happens to be the biggest outlet complex in the US. We're talking over 200+ stores, well, 220 to be exact. No kidding. 

It's pretty much become a rite of passage for visiting family and friends to visit Woodbury, because it's a must if you're in the area! I'll take you on a virtual tour, but before we go there, here are some tips:

- Be there around 10 am, on a weekday. Preferably. It won't be crowded, and there will be plenty of parking available. Plus, merchandise will be ripe for the picking! Weekends are ok, but just be prepared to deal with a phalanx of same minded folks out to get some deals!

- Join the VIP club. It's free, by the way! Once you become a member, you can print out a voucher for a coupon booklet, plus more coupons from the website! We're talking 10% to 15% off outlet prices. That adds up to a lot in the long run! Maybe enough to get you another pair of shoes!

- Dress comfortably. Wear clothes that are easy to take off and put on, because hello, there are so many stores to go to, you wouldn't want to waste precious time in the fitting room! I like wearing shorts and sneakers in the summer. A dress that's easy to slip off will do too!


On a side note, heehee, here's my favorite necklace from J. Crew, it's all I've been wearing these days.

- Errrm, leave the kid/s at home? Joke! Hahaha! Just be prepared to keep them occupied, because you will probably spend the whole afternoon, if not the whole day going around doing your shopping. Don't forget to bring a stroller, or rent one by Customer Service at the Food Pavilion while you're there. Even if your kids are happy campers, they'll reach a saturation point, and no amount of bribing may work. Check out Berry throwing a mini-tantrum, hahaha!


- Split up. If you're a large group, it makes sense to just agree on a meeting point after X number of hours. I'd suggest not to stick together because there are so many stores to conquer and you don't want to use up your time in a store you don't really care much about. But then again, it depends. If you prefer to shop together, hey, whatever works!

Now! The best part! Let's shop! I wasn't really able to take a lot of photos inside, but I've diligently written down some of the prices when I could, for your benefit! Arranged in alphabetical order!

Balenciaga. Stocks mostly clothes and shoes. Shoes were decently priced, from $300 to $500, but you know what, they're not exactly comfy. Well, the ones I've tried anyway. If only the shoes were as smooshy as the bags you know?


Barneys. There are lean days, and there are days when the place is just chock-full of the good stuff! Has racks of Marc by Marc Jacobs, Generra and Rag & Bone. Lots and lots of the in-house store label items like shoes and clothes. I've seen C&C California tops for about $30 in the clearance rack. Best deal I've seen here and walked away from, Prada driving shoes for $200+. Oh, and there's a whole section for the men here! Suits and socks and all that.



Bottega Veneta. I'll be honest, I didn't go inside. I'm not in the market for bags, and hello, must avoid temptation. My SIL Leslie went in and reported that the classic woven bags in brown and black were about $1000 to $1500.


Dior. Shoes start at $200+ and go to about $300. Lots of bags to choose from! Plenty of clothing for both men and women. There's plenty of choices here. Wish I could say the same for Chanel a couple of doors down. It was sparse. No, it was practically empty! The lone bag of note there, a tote, was about $2900. The best deals to be found were at Prada. Nylon cosmetic cases were about $100, men's wallets were $200. Canvas tote bags were $350!



Frette. If you dream of sinking into luxury linens each night, then Frette is your heaven! With bed sets starting at $1,000+, that ought to bring you to deep slumber!



J. Crew. Men's shirts start at $30, women's button down shirts are about $45. Needless to say, I bought men's shirts instead. Accessories were pretty cheap, about $20 for necklaces, but not as nice as the ones in store and online. One time I was here, they had the army jacket I wanted, which I bought online during a J. Crew sale. I think the outlet price was cheaper by $10. Then again, how often does one go to an outlet store, right? Right? Come on, agree with me!




Kate Spade. Had a 40% off sale going on while we were there. Lots of nice leather wallets and bags, starting at just $100. Canvas items were much cheaper of course, starting at $45. Sunglasses were about $60. My friends bought all their diaper bags here, I think those were just $95, complete with the changing mat.



L'Occitane. Just in case you want to stock up on toiletries. Gift sets range from $10 to $50. Funny how they sell conditioner ($17) but not the shampoo!



Longchamp. Saw a wall full of Le Pliage totes! Price ranged from $79 to $120, depending on size and length of handle. Lots of leather bags, small accessories like key chains and umbrellas as well.




Loro Piana. Care for a $500 bath robe? Then this is your go to place! Scarves were $300. After seeing these prices, I walked out the door.



Marni. Ooohhh! Love the accessories here! But I didn't bother to ask about prices, it's not like I can afford. Hmph! Remember the sandals I tried on at Neiman Marcus Last Call? They were more expensive here! Like $200 more! So yeah, never mind. They had a solitary balloon bag on display here though!


Theory. Lots of workwear staples, all priced at around $100. There's a sale section in one corner. Prices start at $75. I love Theory, but theoretically speaking, they need to think of folks who want access to the same great cuts, for less.



Tory Burch. Lots of Reva flats, but none in black. They had it in green, orange, brown, and purple for $165 (that's about $30 off retail). Lots of sandals for about the same price. There are totes, tunic tops, all the Tory Burch staples basically, but for less. Personally, I'm not too hot about TB, I've actually eBayed my Revas because I hardly wear them. But if you are into TB, then this one's for you kid!


Tod's. Kiddie Tod's were just $99. I was sorely tempted to buy a pair for Berry, but she'd have to wait 6 more years before she can wear them! Hahaha! Ladies shoes started at $109 and men's shoes were about $200. There were great deals on bags too!  They were 30% to 60% off! Prices started at $459.




Honeys, I've only gotten to just about the tip of the iceberg here. Wish I could write about the remaining 200+ stores, but I have a life. Hihihi. Other stores of note include Le Creuset, Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, Corelle. Only because I'm into kitchen stuff as well! The boys would love Nike, Under Armour, Brooks Brothers, Cole Haan. Girls, I gotta mention there's American Apparel,  Jimmy Choo, Judith Leiber and Diane von Furstenberg here too! The kiddies will get a blast with Toys "r" Us and  the Disney Store. 

Whew! Now I'm tired. You know what, for the full list of stores, just check it out here!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

i honestly think theory is OVERPRICED. sure, great classic stuff but i wouldn't pay that amount for their stuff. i would rather shop at brooks brothers for work wear.

The Shady Chronicles of P and D said...

Wow.. this is jaw-dropping! You're so lucky to have easy shopping access to this wonderland!

Anonymous said...

this is like heaven on earth. hehe. i wanna be neighbors with tod, tory and marni. :D

Anonymous said...

some people i know, they call the store beforehand to ask if there are new shipments/items on stock.

rochelle said...

love the j.crew necklace tin! i haven't seen that online though ... or you got it from the store?

cd_mfo said...

True that Grace!

Sob, I'm so far away now Dani! :(

Heaven on earth indeed Happy Thought!

Great tip Anon!

Rochelle! I got it online, hehehe!

Related Posts with Thumbnails