Shopping Spree

Fashion > Forward

by Monica Weymouth

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Published: Aug 5, 2008

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The good people at Etsy were kind enough to put handmade wares at our fingertips. Then the great people at Philly Etsy got together so we could easily browse locally made items in the online store. Figures that, after all their work, we prefer the hunt of real, live shopping. Hosted by Mew Gallery, Craftadelphia! will feature local Etsy members and their clothing, accessories, artwork and housewares both in store and out on the sidewalk. Highlights include bicycle screen-printed napkins by Girls Can Tell (pictured) and photos and paintings of wildlife and Philadelphia Zoo creatures by Allison Ostertag.

The SugarHabit warehouse sale is, well, what it is. Twice a year, the Old City pretty girls with the coolest, most expensive clothes (aka Sugarcube and Third Street Habit) get together and throw a mess of a house party. It's intimidating, it's disorganized; everyone will judge you by your shoes: It is junior year of high school and you will beg for more. This SugarHabit will feature pieces by more than 75 designers at 50 percent to 90 percent off the original price. That's a lot of percents. Look for us pulling hair over by the A.P.C. dresses, $50 Sass & Bide jeans and the new shoe station, which will include both summery pumps and chilly-weather boots. Additionally, any purchase will score you a coupon for 20 percent off one fall item in each boutique. Resisting the urge for a post-shopping OK! mag and shit talk session is, unfortunately, futile.

This is not an endorsement of clowns (who remain on a list with cheap conditioner and low-fat cream cheese), but we have learned to trust Delicious. True, their annual Clowntastrophe! party will be full of Paul Palcko's creepy paintings, and the circus-themed store won't help. But there will be some lovely discounts on stock corsets: Buy one and get 20 percent off, or buy one at the original price and get the second for 50 percent off. Plus, attendees will receive wooden tokens good for 20 percent off store merch on Saturday or 10 percent any other day.

There are a couple of reasons we do not fear the hazy sun and sticky thighs of August. First up is VIX Emporium (5009 Baltimore Ave., 215-471-7700, vixemporium.com), who just got their online store up and running. We'll still be sure to visit in West Philly (it's very close to Marigold Kitchen and their orange blossom cake), but a little preview from the air conditioning doesn't hurt. Then there are Heather Waity's adorable e-mail updates. The owner of Vintage Connection (701 S. Ninth St., 267-528-1625, shopvintageconnection.com) sends out charming near-weekly notes to subscribers on new merchandise, sales, in-store photo shoots and how she's spending summer in Philly. Sign up on the Web site right away — shopping tips from girls who aren't trying to beat you to the sale rack are infinitely more valuable.

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