Barneys Playhouse

I was sent yesterday to find skinny ties at the Barneys Warehouse Sale in an airport hangar in Santa Monica. I've heard about these things and was told that it would be a mad house. It wasn't as mad as I thought it would be. There were no lines, people were mostly orderly, and no one was wrestling over Acne Jeans. It was the first day so there was still plenty of merchandise to go around. The insanity was isolated to people trying on clothes in sight of other shoppers. Those who were prepared wore skin tight clothing to make it easier to try things on. Some guys wore bike shorts underneath their pants, while some women wore long, flowy skirts as a makeshift changing room. Others were not so prepared but had no qualms stripping down to their underwear to try on jeans. The funniest sight were a couple of middle-aged Asian men walking around the suit area in boxers and a tank top. I had no real tactic as to how to approach the merchandise, and since it wasn't so crowded I didn't need one. The experts, though, hoarded all the clothes they were interested in and once they had a good haul they went off to a corner--preferably near a mirror--and tried them on.

For me, the prices were still much too high, but they were marked down about 50-60% off. If I had the money, I may have splurged on a Hugo Boss or Burberry suit. There was also a leather jacket that I loved, but I don't think I could pull it off. The price was quite reasonable, but still above my means at this time. Prices are supposed to come down as the sale progresses, but I doubt I'll venture down there again. Maybe next year. It was a fun experience. I like shopping when I have a goal, and finding bargains is definitely a good goal. Still, despite the discounts, I'm sure many of the shoppers there plunked down thousands of dollars. It must be nice to have so much disposable income.