Sample Sale Lowdown: Mara Hoffman

I'm heading off to Santorini at the end of this month and Heidi--my ultra-stylish friend--rented a small villa for us. Since I knew my usual beach ensemble of a trusty and reliable black tank suit plus a light linen cardigan would not be up to snuff for this jet-set vacay, I decided to check out the Mara Hoffman sample sale for some decidedly more eye-catching fare.

This retail excursion has definitely added some flair to my trip preparation. The multitude of captivating caftans, sexy cover-ups and vibrant swimsuits in a dizzying array of prints and colors are all perfect for glamorous Mediterranean beaches. Gorgeous tribal gowns are down to $200, psychedelic print dresses between $50 and $150 and boldly patterned bikinis and maillots a mere $40 to $100. Most of the pieces available are from the Spring 2011 collection with a small section that dates back to Resort '10. In the rear of the store are bargain bins housing bewitching bikinis and cutout one-pieces starting at just $5! Of course, at prices like that, I couldn't resist and scooped up three dazzling embellished string bikinis for myself.

Mara Hoffman sample sale

236 Elizabeth St.