Boxers, get your gloves up! Or rather, ladies, get your credit cards out! After the government issued mid-season sale, I was not only left with feelings of disappointment of the sales, but also with feelings of anxiousness, waiting for the July sale (which is similar to the January sale as seen in my previous posts).

While the sale begins at Galaries Lafayette this Wednesday, it’s apparent that they are just as into it as I am. Shopping for cooking equipment today (which if you know me is quite a funny idea, as I don’t cook often or well), I saw the famed red sale bins in Lafayette Maison containing items. Above the bin was a notice stating that they were in preparation of the sale – pricing and organizing stock. Walking around in Lafayette’s clothing departments, though, the sale is far more apparent and far more obvious that it is going to be a big one.

The Famed Sales Bins: Stocking and Checking Them Out

Barb :: Jun.22.2009 :: Culture, Trendy Finds :: No Comments »

In case you aren’t aware, France has two major sale periods – the summer sale in July and the winter sale in January – where the savings are crazy and people are crowding the grands boulevards. Well, the government issued another sale period this past week to ameliorate the financial crisis.

Knowing me, I hopped off my Olympic Airlines flight (I spent my two week vacation in Greece) and dashed to the sixteenth arrondisement. To be fair, I only had the intention of going to pick up my coffee at Brûlerie des Ternes along rue de l’Annonciation, and of course, heading to Galeries Lafayette. But I was exhausted and held off until the next day. I wasn’t really amazed by the sale at Galaries Lafayette; sure, there were some good savings to be had but there were no great steals.

The madness was all the same though. Even though I did manage to get a picture of the hordes, it’s only a small portion of it.

Galaries Lafayette Shoe Section: Scouting for Hot Deals

July sales here I come!

Barb :: Apr.30.2009 :: Culture, Life :: No Comments »

Whenever I was eating lunch at home, I would always have the television on; occasionally, I’d watch the news. One time, the news was covering Black Friday (think mega sales on the Friday after Thanksgiving), and I was surprised by the hordes of people crowding into malls and lining up for stores. That said, it made me think about how crowded the Canadian equivalent, Boxing Day, got.

Every year, my mother and I trek to the big malls by public transit (partially because I don’t fare so well in parking lots, and partially because I’d have to get up insanely early to even consider getting a spot) in hopes of finding good deals. There would be huge lineups to get into stores by the time we’d arrive at about 10 AM. Think about going later? The lines would just get longer.

This year was a complete disappointment though. There were no huge savings and no huge lines. All the stores that usually had lines only had the security guards standing outside. Really, only three stores had lineups: BCBG, Lululemon, and Coach.

Judging how busy a store by lineups during sale season doesn’t seem applicable to France though. When the tourist guides say that there are major sales in January-February, they really mean it. Many things are slashed up to 60% to 70% off their regular prices. Instead of lining up to get into these stores with big discounts, it’s just a mass crowds fitting themselves into a store. The only time you find yourself waiting outside is when you cannot stand the intense crowds inside the store and need a breather.

Need a picture? Take a look inside the H&M found next to Galeries Lafayette in the 9th arrondisement.

Barb :: Jan.16.2009 :: Fashion, Life :: No Comments »