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Veronica Chambers is the author of several books including Having It All? Black Women and Success and The Joy of Doing Things Badly: A Girl's Guide to Love, Life and Foolish Bravery.

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Posted Wednesday, April 09, 2008 2:11 PM

Indulge: Champagne and Shopping Night at the Trina Turk Boutiques

Veronica Chambers
The first time I visited the Trina Turk boutique in Palm Springs, I thought I'd died and gone to Mod Girl heaven. 
 
Girl in Fancy Dress on Settee
I've never had what I called the "gift of thrift."  I could never walk into a Salvation Army or another thrift store and walk out with a vintage Pucci slip dress or the kind of fabulous dresses that you'd find in your mother's closet if your mother had been a runway model in the 1960's and 1970's. And she just happened to pick up some one of a kind pieces during her trips to London, Paris, Morocco and Buenos Aires. 
 
My Mom had a kind of cool "Get Christie Love" thing working in the 70's, but she didn't save any of those clothes for me. Not even the kick ass boots.  
 
I dreamed about the day that I could have a fabulous vintage wardrobe, then I discovered Trina Turk. In her boutiques in New York, LA and Palm Springs, she sells the most adorable jackets, dresses, handbags and sunglasses that will give you that glam jet set look at decidedly unjet set prices.
 
On Thursday, April 10th, the stores are opening late for a shopping and champagne night:
 
In Los Angeles, the fabulosity will commence at 6 p.m. and end at  9 p.m.
Valet parking will be provided
323-651-1382
 
In Palm Springs, they'll be frolicking in lovely frocks from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
760-416-2856
 
In New York, the joint is jumping from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
212-206- 7383
 
Alas, I won't be able to join you in any of those cities.  But I'd love to know.  Do you have the gift of thrift?  Where are the best places to score vintage finds where you live?  And what is your best vintage find ever? 
 
On these brisk spring days, I'm sporting a tan suede coat with a fur collar that my friend Lise found for me for the price of one dollar.  We call it the Sex and the City coat, because it's so much like something off of that show and in my dream world, I'd have a closet to rival Sarah Jessica Parker's.  Which is all to say that Lise's a thrift store diva of the highest order.  You can read more about her shopping exploits here. 
 
And if you're missing Sex and the City as much as I do, and have doubts that the movie is going to scratch that particular itch, holla at your girl.

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Member Comments

Posted By: alwilwin (April 10, 2008 at 12:15 AM)

What are "decidely unjet set prices?" I am a woman that loves looking at fashion but never purchases it because it is ridiculously expensive. I just went to Trina Turk pahe and her prices were "high end." Let me know what you mean, I was looking for Target prices and instead got Bloomingdales' figures.

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Posted By: cancan (April 10, 2008 at 4:19 PM)

I live in the land of the fabulous original Filene's Basement - now on hiatus from it's original location due to renovation.  The finds are too many to list.  For many years it was a regular game to hide the find and watch it go through various mark-downs.

I have gone to Goodwill, Mar-shalls, TJ Maxx (wrote a piece called "thank you TJ Maxx" on my blog), and various Salvation Army outlets - scored a pair of navy wool real sailor pants there.  Loehman's (sp?), and even the local chain Building 19 have yielded designer fashions in sample sizes for friends (I'm not a sample-size girl).  If you have good taste you can find and create fabulousity any where.  But if you're only about designer labels, then Filene's and consignment shops are the place.

As for Sex and the City - I do miss the show.  I watched it from the very first episode.  It reminded me of the exploits I had in my girlish days in the 70s and 80s (there's nothing new under the sun).  I'll give the movie it's due but, of course, it won't be the same as the weekly dates Sex and the City and I used to share.  TV is downright vacant now - No Wire, No Sopranos, No Project Runway.  Luckily, I read.

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Posted By: nola_diva (April 10, 2008 at 4:33 PM)

i'm with you, alwilwin!  i checked out the site and couldn't believe the pricing either!  I guess the author is on a tottally different playing field than i am if she believes those prices are manageable for the majority of us working sisters.  I guess i'll stick to Loehmans, Burlington, marhsalls, tjmaxx, filene's and my local Houston wholesale district on harwin street.  nice read, tho....

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Posted By: Veronica Chambers (April 11, 2008 at 6:34 PM)

Hello there,  I wanted to comment and apologize if I was misleading about the Trina Turk prices.  It's definitely in the Bloomingdale's/Neiman Marcus range. By " jet set prices" I meant the cost of shopping at stores like Barney's and designers like Roberto Cavalli and Manolo Blahnik. (To bring back the Sex and the City references)

But the big thing for me about the champagne and shopping night is that the champagne was FREE. And while the prices on the website are high, the sales -- at 50% off sometimes -- are pretty phenomenal.  If you peruse the site, there's also a link to an outlet store, which I haven't visited, but should have great deals.

Also, in the LA and Palm Springs stores, Trina Turk sells some of her original vintage items that she collects and prices for these items start at $48.  I have a vintage scarf that I bought in the LA Trina Turk store for probably $20.  I wear it all summer with a white t-shirt, jeans and fun high heels.  So I look to Trina Turk for one great piece a season that I wear with everything.

One more thing on the price tip.  Please notice that my fabulous early spring suede coat costs $1.00 at a thrift shop. Believe me, I don't think spending money equals style and I think sharing  fashion tips helps us all feel as fabulous as we deserve to!

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Posted By: marley805 (April 19, 2008 at 3:31 AM)

Honestly, I'd like to say yes I have a gift to thrift. But really, my best friend Sarah's the one who possesses that gift I wish I had. However, I must say I certainly benefit from her talent.  We tuck into thrift stores in town, big and small. It's always a hit or miss. But I'll never forget one day, it was a major hit. It was so fun, after school we found ourselves in this huge thrift store. We went wild! I found myself picking up everything in sight. Vintage necklaces, broaches, tops so many things I new I didn't need but things I thought were calling my name because of their attract price. Suddenly over the thrift store loud speaker we heard the store was closing in 5 minutes, but Sarah had just found something. It was this vintage 50s style short plaid jumper. It sounds ugly, and initially I thought it was. But Sarah and her keen eye made me try it on. I felt as if I'd fallen in love. It was perfect. The fact that it was $5 alone was amazing to me, when I honestly spend way too much money on my clothes, oh and my shoes, especially the shoes. It was a great day and thrifting experience...And I still wear my jumper.

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