Vintage Post / I love hate sample sales
12 years ago by
Today, I want to republish – and to have it translated in english for the first time ! – that text I wrote in …2007. Kisses and have a wonderful sunday!
Are you tired of talking about sample sales? Me too. So there’s no chance we’ll talk about the sample sales at the Prairies de Paris (it’s a french fashion I am sure you would like). So there you have it, in honor of my detox week, it’s time for my green tea, and yoga is calling my name, so have a good weekend.
Yoga? Seriously? Okay, I’ll talk bout the Prairies de Paris sales some, then I’ll stop. This whole week has a lot of then I’ll stop moments actually. Yep, then I’ll stop all the then I’ll stops and we’ll talk about crazy stuff.
And it’s definitely the week of then I’ll stop with the sample sales. That’s a given.
What I’m trying to say is that if I want to stay a respectable and distinguished person (of course I’m distinguished) I just have to stop with this stuff. It’s becoming pathetic.
I’ll get this out quick. I came out totally empty handed at Prairies de Paris. Nothing, nada. Still, I waited in line, and in line, I heard…
“These sample sales are more than they were. There should be private sample sales only for girls who’ve been coming to private sample sales for more than 10 years.”
Then I put my iPod on since I much prefer to listen to José. Actually, I was reciting some mantras (it was, after all, my detox week.) to prepare myself psychologically to be leaping over a few bodies.
Yep, the private sales at Les Prairies were totally boot camp. Picture this (and I’m not exaggerating. In my detox week, I’ve promised to tell everything exactly how it is. It’s good karma), 200 half-naked girls squeezed together into 75 square feet. You can’t picture it? Make some effort.
There, you see it now?
But where is our Garance, you might ask? Good question.
She’s on all fours trying to not to get trampled to get a pair of I LOVE NY ballet flats from a bin (Yep, I love NY and AND bins) using only her mouth, as her arms are being used to protect the four dresses she grabbed while leaping ON a clothes rack and ON a girl’s shoulders who was trying on I LOVE PARIS boots. From there, I was picturing a hardcore rivalry between the two world capitals and it was only, you might say, one foot away, ahah.
From there, she (Garance, schizo) sees a pair of striped patent ballet flats like all of us have always dreamed to have in our life and grabs them. She then hears a shout, “Hey! Hands off!” Shoot. Oh crap… Didn’t she just grab… THE FOOT OF THE SHOPGIRL ? She puts back the shoe foot in its place, with a stupid full of teeth smile.
It had to be right then that my dignity – that had left me for a while to go get a latte from the Starbucks near the Bastille – reintegrated my body. I pulled myself together and looked around me, like an owl, watching the action of the ant-hill below. I scoped it out tight-lipped which seemed to make all the girls around put all their aggression right on me, and I ran off before getting the I LOVE LONDON thrown at me.
(to tell the truth, IHMDW**, in all the craziness, I remember that samples, in sample sales, are ALWAYS size ones. And I’m no size one. So I left my four dresses where they were)
I put José back in my ears and said that private sales are as done as done, cause I have a little sense of self and dignity and that from now on I will buy clothes IN THE STORES, at their real price. That said, to do so, I’d have to find a real job, but that’s another story.
So, off I went like the wind in the meadows (?!!?), piping hot with total disgust for life, and off I went to Monop’ (Monop’ is like, kind of Target but smaller and much better)(always go to Monop’ when you’re this depressed)(and definitely when it’s IHMDW).
And I end up finding the most charming shirt ever. Wahoooo! I cry out (as if I’m saying no no no me? Frustrated by the sale at Prairies? No no no, not me. So excited about this shirt I found? Yes please)(and distinguished, may I remind you). The color is just so pretty, the cut, so perfect (and again, there I am, totally not frustrated at all) that I end up buying not only the shirt version, but the dress as well.
Voilà. IHMDW, I’m going to detoxify with the longest post ever, even for those who (Hey, see that boys? See how I’m thinking of you) who have made it all the way to the end, I should invite you all over for tea at my place (come on over, we’ll try on Monop’ shirts!).
Oh, how about some champagne too? You’re so courageous to come this far, we’ll put the IHMDW on hold for a sec, no?
Okay, time for yoga!
Yoga ? Nooooo, just kidding.
——————-
* In Honor Of My Detox Week (I had to shorten it or the post would be wayyy too long.)
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DORÉ x Display Copy
Haha! Well written and very funny! Lovely illustration as always! :-)
http://aurelieandangelo.com/
lovely post!!!!
Tes illustrations sont de plus en plus abouties, c’est magnifique!
Thanks for the translation Garance.
I love this illustration.
xoxo
http://www.natashafatah.blogspot.com
sample sales are pretty crazy because you always end up buying things you don’t want and don’t need because they are “good prices” i am personally over them. don’t really feel the need to partake. unless they are APC of course.
xx, http://wordbyjessie.com/
Life is hard, sometimes also unfair, but there’s always an unexpected surprise just around the corner!! So so funny and felt..read all at one breath.
http://www.forgetaboutfashions.blogspot.com
hahaha bien marrant ce vintage post. C’est vrai que ça fait peur tout ça. J’aurais fait exactement la même chose que toi, je déteste quand il y a trop de monde dans les magasins et une queue pas possible pour les cabines d’essayage. C’est d’ailleurs pour ça que j’évite le début des soldes et H&M le samedi!
Je déteste les, soldes, les ventes privés, enfin tout ce qui rassemble une horde déchéné de filles à un même endroit pour se battre! Si je vois un vêtement qui me saute aux yeux avec sa beauté, j’achète un peu de tissue et je le fais moi même, une solution 10 fois moins cher!
Material Fixations
Je rigolais tout seul devant mon écran ! Merci pour cette vision improbable de ce qui peut se passer dans 20m2.
D’ailleurs quand est-ce qu’on vient boire le champagne dans ton salon ? Eh oui je suis un aventurier des posts à rallonge, j’ai tout lu jusqu’au bout :D
Bonne journée
Garance!!!! i have done this in the 80’s and 90’s. I think the last one i went to was was donna karan and ralph lauren shoes and awore that week was the absolute last time ….and it was………too funny and yet very real
(you mean, José Gonzalez?)
C’est vrai que les détails de l’illustration sont très bien choisis! :)
Ce post m’a fait beaucoup sourire ! Personnellement, je côtoie seulement les ventes-privées sur internet. Et lorsque l’on a un œil averti cela vaut vraiment le coup parfois ! Bon par contre c’est pas les nouvelles collections qu’ils proposent (évidement !).
Bisous Garance et continue à nous faire sourire par tes posts tout aussi distingués que toi ;)
adorable drawing… i’d love a book of your illustrations…. idea !!!
dawn
http://www.dressmeperfect.com
So funny!…Love the ilustration!
http://www.fotoestudio.es
Trop drôle ton post!!! Merci de cette page d’ autodérision…..!
Que la première d’entre nous qui ne s’est JAMAIS trouvée dans ce genre de situation ridicule te jette la première pierre!!!!
This took me back to my childhood–trying to fend for myself when my mom was shopping sample sales and outlets! All those angry, half crazed, half naked women… It was so scary!!
Tellement vrai, presque sans exagération!
Mais les ventes privées et de presse nous piégent tout de même régulièrement… C’est le syndrome de la “chasse au trésor”!!
En sortir “indemne” (= sans achat raté) demande une force d’âme exceptionnelle!!!
C’est un plaisir de te (re) lire !
xxx
Anne
http://www.melledubndidu.fr/
Like always lovely ilustration !!!
xxx
stephaniehadrath.blogspot.com shbyhadrath.blogspot.com
Yes, quand est ce que je viens? ahah
Superbe illustration ! :)
I love this ilustration!!!
Ben moi j’ai tout lu jusqu’au bout! ;-) L’invitation à boire le thé chez toi est toujours valable? :-)
beautiful illustration Garance!!
http://etmoijejoue.blogspot.ca/
J’adore ce dessin de toi qui est mon fond d’écran depuis un certain temps …
Je me suis souvent demandé si les shoes avaient réellement existé ?
So hilarious! Hahahah It’s always the same with that kind of sales but women (And some men) love for fashion can do anything.
http://lhedonista.blogspot.com
Ah je me souviens de ce post! L’illustration est magnifique!
http://jolicassoulet.wordpress.com/
Love all the vintage posts!! Please don’t stop publishing them.
They always makes me laugh!!
Happy Monday (soon)!!
Lots of love/
Sofia and LYWM
Ne JAMAIS lâcher ses propres vêtements lorsqu’on est en train d’essayer. C’est comme ça que j’ai failli perdre mon jean (confondu par une innocente avec les articles en vente) avec ma carte visa qui était dans la poche arrière.
Mais ça ne m’a pas guérie des ventes de presse pour autant.
tu me fais trop rire garance, j’adore!! ^^
en plus je suis sure qu’elle déchire la blouse monop! t’as bien fait!!
hé et t’inquietes pas, y’a pleins de boutiques avec des bacs ;)
ps: tu me fais telement rire, qu’en general je lis tes articles a mon cheri, qui prend tout autant de plaisir :)
That sounds like a nightmare. However, I love the outfit in your illustration. Was that original to your 2007 post. The cut of the pants and the plaid bag look so current.
– Meredith
http://www.findingsoulbalance.blogspot.com
The illustration is awesome, and the text hilarious!
Greetings from Santiago, Chile.
http://carethewear.wordpress.com
@cristianpavezd on Twitter.
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/uywe6X
but garance! we saw you in yoga class this morning…complete with black-spandex-with-hot-pink-seamed leggings. it’s ok to admit you’ve been yoga-fied!
oh j’aime trop cette illustration! Quel talent, je rêve de pouvoir dessiner ainsi!!
I love your posts like this, they always make me laugh, because they always perfectly capture those little crazily unbelievable moments of life. You are so talented.
Garance you always manage to put a smile on my face…
So cute and funny:)
xx
http://www.MyStyleLoveDi.com
J’adore ton illustration !!!!! Et sinon tu te trouves encore des trucs au Monop quand tu viens à Paris ?
Hi from Denmark!
How do you make these beautiful illustrations?
Do you use a program?
/Louise BE
Visiblement on sera un peu plus que 2.
:)
A te lire, je revoyais la scène culte du film “L’Accro du Shopping” (oui, j’ai de sacrées références cinématographiques).
Have a nice SDD, et merci pour ce post si drôle et cette illustration si fraîche.
When should I come??
http://girlwithcamera1.blogspot.com/
Ah, mais que j’aime ces posts vintage… Je retrouve un peu de la Garance de l’Apple Store, qui trebuche en montant sur l’estrade et fait tomber l’I-Phone en ressortant. J’AIME!
Je suis sur la même longueur d’ondes pour les ventes privees, et je rassure, c’est la même chose pour les hommes. Vente privee Sandro = 3e guerre mondiale dans un espace reduit et cabines d’essayage en plein air. Ah, et tailles improbables aussi, de sorte qu’on achète rien, et qu’on repart avec des bleus.
Très belle journee!
Lionel,
http://thetrendytrooper.blogspot.fr/
j’ai lu jusqu’au bout…..je peux venir pour le thé ??….héhé……super drôle ce post…
I love Prairies de Paris, their collections are always fun.
I want these shorts for the summer :-)
http://les-prairies-de-paris.lexception.com/fr/femme/pret-a-porter/jupe-short/1188802463-06NY-Short-Beach-Bleu-Marine
what a beatiful illustration!
Having worked in NYC’s Garment District for many years, ALL my shopping was done at sample sales. My mother (imagine that!) and I had it down to a science. Every sale was an experience; I’ve been to wonderful sales and trashy sales. I also had a “private” stash of buyers with whom we dealt with regularly.
It’s an art form. It is not for the weak of heart, the vapid, or anyone over a size two.
Bonne chance!
Magnifique illustrations, bravo!
Je me démande si tu aimes encore les Prairies de Paris et puis si tu visites Monop’… Ça me fait bizarre de t’imaginer avec une vie de parisienne normale. Ton image est plus attachée à Barneys, Colette, Maria Luisa, JCrew, enfin, je te vois comme une superstar. Très jolie illustration, le geste est sublime !
My first stop in Paris is the Monoprix! There is nothing better than getting back to Australia with a lovely (cheap) shirt having everyone comment, “Where did you get your shirt?!” and replying, “I got it in Paris!”. Instantly it is insanely expensive and makes up for the fact I can only afford to breathe the air in Chanel (and even that is fabulous!). J’adore!
Génial ton article ma belle !!
Des bisous
Caroline – http://dansmonsacdefille.wordpress.com/
I definitely need a Detox week.
http://www.stylosophism.com
Hilarious! I came to the same conclusion a few years ago at the L’Oreal sale. I got tired of buying stuff that I never used and having to fight off rampaging crazies in the process! It’s as if these places simply turn one into a raging shopaholic with rabies! Not fun! Wise decision, Garance! Stay dignified! ;)
-Wynn
http://wynn-notetoself.blogspot.com/
J’ai lu jusqu’au bout moi! En tout cas j’ai A-D-O-R-E ta manière de décrire les ventes privés, déjà parce que c’est drôle (j’étais pliée en deux, je n’imagine même pas si quelqu’un me voyait..) et parce que c’est tellement…vrai! Et ton dessin est très beau Garance!
C’est un de mes articles préférés, j’ai dû le lire une dizaine de fois depuis 2007 ! Ta vie a beaucoup changé depuis mais je suis sûre que tu as toujours autant le sens de l’auto-dérision (et c’est vrai que les dessins de cette période étaient oufissimes, tu avais vraiment trouvé ton style).
Love it! So funny, just what I needed this Monday morning. BTW when are we drinking champagne? I need some champagne, it’s been awhile. ha.
xo
Char
stellar illustration!
Genial je vais rencontrer Garance ! the ou champagne peut importe , ce fut très drôle de le lire jusqu’aux bout !!
You are great photographer, designer and blogger!!!
And especially beautiful woman!!!
http://theglashion.blogspot.it/2012/03/garance-and-scott.html
Xo S
Moi non plus : pas prête à tout pour une petite robe qu’on trouvera moche une fois chez soi…
Les soldes et ventes privée OK, mais un peu de dignité que diable…
Bon, pour une petite réduc sur de belles marques saison été 2012 (Heimstone, Véronique Leroy, April May, American Vintage, Virginie Castaway …), c’est par ici : http://www.shopnextdoor.fr/
code : HAPPYFIRST
bises
i love your stories & illustrations & maybe you a bit as well, greetings from finland :*
Bon, vas-y (oui, moi aussi je suis distinguée), c’est quand qu’on vire ton cat pour se détoxifier au thé vert dans ton salon ?
le sens de l’humour te sauvera ! au fait c’est qui José ?
NY n est pas la capitale des états-unis… :/