No hurricane. No politics. Just shopping.

If you live in NY there is one shopping event that outdoes all other shopping events. There is one sale that puts the rest to shame. It's the Barney's Warehouse Sale, of course, the sale featured very realistically in an episode of Will&Grace. It happens twice a year (I've written about the amazing shoes I got the last time, here) and if you plan it right, you don't need to buy any more clothes in between.

If you're like me, you've been in Barney's on Madison and walked sadly through the racks looking at all the things you can't afford to buy. Barney's is not just overpriced and extravagantly expensive, it's overpriced, extravagantly expensive and very proud of it. Their clothes are unique, as opposed to its overpriced bretheren Bergdorf Goodman and the less extravagant Bloomingdale's. Barney's is clothing for people that don't want to look like everyone else or blend into a crowd. People deal with loving Barney's in different ways. Some people go for a cheap imitation like H&M. For $40, you could get a knock-off of that dress you saw on the 6th floor. I wait for the warehouse sale because for $40 you can get the exact dress that you saw on the 6th floor.

My purchases today include a Barney's brand wool and cashmere coat for 50 bucks, a Diane Von Furstenberg top for $6 (!!!) down from $135, two tops by Ulla Johnson (my new favorite designer) for 15 bucks each, a pair of wool Barney's brand pants down from $200 to $18 and a couple of other odds and ends. For under $200, I added some incredible pieces to my wardrobe, and unlike H&M these clothes will last for some time.

The sale is not for everyone. Dawn Summers went after hearing me rave about it for years and was out the door within minutes. You have to get there with a certain frame of mind. It is crowded and messy and there are no dressing rooms so if you don't plan well you'll be one of those women in a g-string trying on clothes in front of everyone. The professionals in the place wear a bathing suit under their clothes so they can strip and dress with complete ease. Don't make an amateur mistake like leaving your dress hanging somewhere while you try on clothes, it won't be there when you come back and you'll be sad and crying (I've seen this happen more than once). There are no returns so make sure every purchase is something you like and will wear.

The men's section is actually much better than the women's. It's better organized, cheaper and generally more laid back.

Tomorrow is the last day of the sale so if you're in NYC and need a wardrobe update, I highly recommend it.