photography courtesy of Cotton Island

Cotton Island, one of SMU students’ favorite affordable boutiques, has been in Dallas for 30 years now. To celebrate, they’ll be giving away goodies to lucky customers all month long. Winners are drawn daily, and prizes include Cotton Island t-shirts, Kendra Scott earrings, Dogeared necklaces, and Kai perfume. Throughout March, you’ll also receive an additional 30 percent off sale merchandise, and a free scarf with any purchase of $300 or more. Stop by the store to enter–and to sample some of the celebratory treats.

Jessica Mitzner is a ShopTalk intern.

Jessica Mitzner is a ShopTalk intern.

photography courtesy of F.I.G.

Empty your e-shopping carts. F.I.G. Finale is this weekend, remember? You have the whole weekend to shop discounted apparel, accessories, and shoes from some of the most beloved boutiques and local designers in town at up to 75 percent off. Find wares from Abi Ferrin, Forty Five Ten, L.bartlett, V.O.D., Elements, Hemline, Melanie Gayle, Merge, etc. (Full list here.) Make it extra special (and less inhibited) by purchasing tickets to Thursday’s VIP evening, full of cocktails and hosted by Cynthia Smoot of Oh So Cynthia. Tickets range from $10 (one day pass) to $50 (VIP) and can be purchased online or at the door for a couple extra dollars.

Joslyn's snapshot of her loot.

Forty Five Ten’s much anticipated sale is coming to an end, but you have until 3 pm today to score some seriously luxe designer goods, slashed in price by 75 percent. Joslyn made like a bandit and walked away with an armful of goodies, including Celine boots and a Victoria Beckham dress. Make going to the T Room for lunch your excuse and just happen to wander into the store to peruse the sale rack. You won’t be sorry.

photos from summer

Pencil in the three-day sale at Cicada this weekend. This store (read all about it here), full of ultra modern, hard-to-find European lines, is having a huge sale. Everything on the floor is 50 percent off (excluding a few accessories) from Thursday, January 17 through Sunday, January 19.

Piermarini Boutique: For the month of January, all clothing is 40-50 percent off.
Melanie Gayle: Through Jan. 19, buy one item, get 50 percent off the second one.
Tootsies: From Thursday, January 10, to Sunday, January 13, shop marked down merchandise all over the store, including shipped-in goods from the Houston flagship store.

Update:
Flirt Boutique: Everything in the store is 50 percent of Wednesday, 40 percent off on Thursday, 30 percent off on Friday, 20 percent off on Saturday, and 10 percent off on Sunday.

Bloom
8 am – 10 am 30% off full price items, 10 am – noon 20% off full price items, 10% off the rest of the weekend

Gypsy Wagon
50 % off select boots, 50% off select bags, 40% off party clothes, 20% off holiday decor, 20% off apparel

Jenna B’s Boutique
40 – 75 % off all merchandise

Julep
25 % off sweaters, 40% off cashmere, 40% off off Michael Stars

lou lou
children monogrammed boots on sale for $39

Piermarini
30% off the store excluding sale, opening early at 9

Spicy II
30% off everything

Bittano
20% off your purchase this Friday from 10 am – 7 pm (even on reduced price merchandise)

Adeline
20% off entire store

Flirt
sidewalk sale with $10 and $20 racks

La Marque
10 am – 12 am 50% off all clothing and accessories, noon – 2 40% off all clothing and accessories, 2 pm – 6 pm 25% off all clothing and accessories

Lilli London
20% off whole store

Love Tennis
30% off all Adidas merchandise

Milk + Honey
11 am – noon 50% off entire store, 12 pm – 1 pm 40% off entire store, 1 pm – 7 pm 25% off entire store, 60% off all sale clothing

Movida
10 am to noon 40% off, noon – 9 pm 20% off

Strut
40% off everything in the store

Gemma Collection
Opening at 8am – all necklaces will be 20% off from 8am – noon. Also, free Emi Jay hair tie 5 packs on all purchases over $100 to the first 40 shoppers

Timothy Oulton
15% off Friday, Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving on everything, including the Vintage Collections (never discounted), men’s wear and candles

Buy multiple things from the women’s sale (which is already discounted up to 40 percent off) and tack on an extra 10 percent off.

Multiples that count:
-3 or more pieces in apparel (if you insist)
-2 or more pairs of shoes (that’s easy)
-2 or more handbags (like I needed an excuse)

Happy shopping.

Person of Interest: Mary Padian
She turned her Design District furnishings store into a starring role on Storage Wars: Texas. –by Zac Crain

Q: We’ve been trying to do this for a week, but you’ve been busy shooting.

A: God, I mean, it’s taken up most of my time. I didn’t think it was going to be this time consuming. I mean, it’s a full-time job. [laughs] Yep. We go to at least two auctions a week. [They bid on the contents of abandoned storage units, essentially sight unseen.] And then we have to excavate the units and see what we have. So it’s an all-day thing. And then, if we’re not doing auctions and excavating, we’re doing appraisals, or I’m doing refurb stuff.

Q: Between the auctions and everything else, how much of your week is taken up by Storage Wars?

A: At least four days out of the week, if not five. Most of the time it’s Monday through Friday. And we’re doing that through January.

Q: How did you end up on the show?

A: One of the producers just came into my store in the Design District, Mary’s Finds. I was working in the back. She came in and said, “Do you fix all this stuff up yourself?” I was like, “Yeah.” She didn’t tell me who she was or anything. The next day, she came in with someone else. They were just going to do, like, a how-to on their website. And then the rest is history. [laughs]

Q: Your Storage Wars partner is Moe Prigoff. Did you know him before?

A: No. But literally the day we met—it was five minutes before taping—it was like we’d known each other for years. We instantly became like long, longtime friends. He’s like my other grandpa and the nicest, most genuinely good man. He’s become like family to me, and, at this point, if I were ever in trouble, he’d be the first person I’d call.

Q: You weren’t really looking to be on TV. Was it a difficult decision to join the show?

A: No, it wasn’t. When they first approached me, I just did two episodes with Moe. The great thing about Storage Wars: Texas is the people who work on the show are all my age. They’re good at what they do. They love what they do. They’re all friends. It’s fun. All the film guys are like my brothers now. They kind of found my talent of refurbing. It’s been good, because it just happened so naturally.

Q: Had you seen much Storage Wars before you were on it?

A: My brothers love it, and so they’d all tell me to watch it. So I’d watched a few now and then, but, no, not really.

Q: How long has Mary’s Finds been open?

A: Two years. I was in New York before, working for Architectural Digest.

Q: Since what you do on screen—sort of digging for buried treasures and fixing up what you find—is basically what you do at the store, I’d guess being on the show has helped business.

A: Yeah, but the bad thing is that I’m never there, and I run it all by myself. I’m always either filming or refurbing.

Q: I’m imagining there are weird people contacting you on Facebook now that you’re on TV.

A: I mean, yeah. The thing is, you know, it’s Storage Wars, so there is a broad range of people who watch it. You know? Not just a certain audience. It’s all realms. I’m a young girl, so, yeah, I’ve gotten a few marriage proposals. [laughs] It’s been interesting, that’s for sure.

Q: Do you get recognized much?

A: A little bit, yeah. I’m starting to more and more. It’s just weird.

Q: Bidders on Storage 
Wars have ended up with everything from fake shrunken heads to a gold certificate from the 1920s, among many other random items. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve found during the excavating process after the 
auctions?

A: Um, well, I can’t say anything that hasn’t been aired.

Q: Okay, what’s the strangest thing you can mention?

A: Let’s see. We’ve found a prosthetic leg. An antique metal head form. We’ve found an urn with someone’s ashes in it.

Racks of fall deliciousness, waiting to hit the floor.

And they’re pretty sweet. Although the cozy uptown cottage was cute, Snider Plaza is a perfect spot for the new location of Piermarini Boutique. Lots of foot traffic, more space for parties, and an airconditioned dressing room. Merchandise is as good as ever, and most of what’s currently on the floor is on sale for 40 percent off to make room for fall merchandise. (Like this gorgeous pleated cream skirt with a hint of mint; these perfect, Won Hundred not-too-short shorts; this last ombre silk top; and these cool green croc-print zipper leggings.) But I’m more excited about the autumn collections, which I sneak peeked. (See right.) Imagine sweaters with zippers and cutouts, tailored dresses with leather details, and soft blazers for guys you’ll want for yourself. Very New York. Very exciting. Even more exciting than the LnA bralette I bought to wear under all the sheer tops and backless dresses I own. Equally as exciting as the news he let slip that women’s shoes are in the lineup for spring 2013.

You can find your skin type and start with The Basics collection.

Every year esthetician Renée Rouleau offers her online shoppers a 15 percent discount on all Renée Rouleau goods purchased at www.reneerouleau.com. It’s a helpful little deal for products that are truly effective, but can add up at the register. You’ve got until August 26 to stock up on discounted skincare products. Just enter HP2012 in the promotion code box at checkout.

Bargains and Bellinis on Lovers: From August 3-4, Elements, Elle, Mine, Hemline, and Lou Lou have banded together for an event you can’t miss. Shop spring and summer styles for 50-75% off, or peruse the sidewalk racks at Elements for designer pieces under the $100 mark.

Piermarini’s Closing Sale: You may have already heard that Piermarini is moving off of Hibernia Street. No need to fret, the boutique will  re-open in Snider Plaza soon enough, but don’t forget to say your goodbyes this weekend with some great steals. Most items are already 40% off, but through this Saturday, shoppers will receive an additional 25% discount, so check out all the amazing pieces before it’s too late!

L. bartlett Beat the Clock Sale: Get ready to watch the clock because L. bartlett is hosting a margarita fueled shop fest this Saturday, August 4. There are major discounts to be had on sale items, and the earlier you get there the better. Come by and get 70% off from 9 am to 12 pm, 60% off until 3 pm, and 50% off until close.

Sunday Funday at y&i Clothing Boutique: Make sure to stop by West Village this Sunday for great deals and colorful cocktails. In addition to a fully stocked mimosa bar, the store is taking 10% off of all full priced merchandise, so there’s plenty to go around.

Don’t forget F.I.G. Finale runs through Saturday.

Kelly Belter is a shopping intern.

I spied all these things in the boutique. (photography courtesy of LF)

It’s was a Dallas hipster’s* paradise yesterday. The line was out the door at 2 pm. The wait for the dressing room was over an hour. But the deals were killer, and they’re not over yet. Although yesterday marked the exclusive preview of the big seasonal sale, everyone’s invited to LF today to take advantage of the storewide 60 percent off. That’s right. The merch on every rack, every shelf, every nook and cranny and jewelry stand is more than half-off. Find cutoff shorts in every color of the rainbow, an abundance of studded things (shoes, shorts, jackets, clutches, etc), pastel cutout dresses, floral print, and ombre everything. It was entertaining (if slightly annoying) listening to SMU 20-somethings babble on about rush and getting Mom on the phone to find out the spending limit, but a pair of black waxed jeans (from $200 to $80), a sheer, skull-print high-low top in mellow yellow (from $148 to $60), and a little lilac number with chain straps (from $124 to $50) was worth the earful. Sale runs through Sunday.

*Hipster vs. Dallas hipster: A Dallas hipster buys vintage-inspired clothing versus used garments (e.g. $200 cutoff shorts rather than homemade).