Calypso And Jonathan Adler's Totally Excellent Sample Sale, Going On Now

It had been a very long time since I'd gone to a sample sale. Don't get me wrong: there are few things I love more than an incredible bargain, but I started to feel like these things were a lot of hassle for little reward (often times I'd get so desperate to justify waiting in line and getting elbowed by aggressive shoppers I'd buy something I'd never wear, just because it was cheap). I couldn't resist the promise of heavily discounted Calypso clothing and Jonathan Adler housewares though, and so last night I trekked out to Long Island City to see what I could turn up at the labels' joint sale.

Were I in the market for throw pillows, I would have done well there--they started at $15. Jonathan Adler also had a huge assortment of sleek bath accessories, glossy lacquered nesting tables in pop colors for less than $200, and cloth napkins for $2. My big score was in the Calypso section, where I snagged a one-of-a-kind sample of a chic lantern-sleeved heather grey sweater in super-soft, super-thick cashmere for just $15!

Just now I noticed that the deals extend to Calypso's website too, where all the sale merch is discounted by an additional 50 percent (which I'm pretty sure is the same savings you'd get in Long Island City, apart from the one sample rack). There's a lot of good stuff. Like this gauzy tank embellished with a bunch of mirrors and faceted stones ($49.50, was $149), this silk dupioni rosette-bedecked dress(also $49.50, was $199), this tissue-thin camisole done in a blend of organic cotton and cashmere ($24.50, was $55), and this embroidered, cropped sleeve tunic ($39.50, was $99). The extra discount is applied as you add each item to your shopping cart.

For locals who want to try their luck in person, the sale is being held at Jonathan Adler's warehouse at 38-16 Skillman Avenue in Long Island City. It's open from 10am - 8pm today and tomorrow, and from 10am - 4pm on Saturday.