I'm not going to lie to you, folks. I am a frequenter of the Woodbury Commons, an outlet mall about an hour outside of New York City. For all you dreamers out there fantasizing of being a fashion writer, I'd like to every so gently let you in on a secret...if you're hoping to expertly craft thoughtful criticisms on the runway offerings from world's greatest fashion maisons and then receiving a paycheck that allows you to actually purchase said offerings, think again. Carrie Bradshaw lied to you. That being said, if you love fashion and love writing, go for it, but keep an arsenal of tricks up your Uniqlo-covered sleeves. One of my personal favorites is the retail Nirvana just up the road (No car? No problem: There is an express bus that makes trips multiple times a day from Port Authority to Woodbury's front door). The Woodbury Commons is an outdoor mall of epic proportions where everyone from Balenciaga to YSL to Dior to Prada all maintain discount boites that shill the high-end goodies for majorly discounted prices. Amongst these retail giants are others major chains like The Gap, American Eagle, J.Crew, and such, but if you're willing to search through some picked-over merchandise, you can sometimes find a luxury label diamond in the rough....for up to 70% off, no less.
Now a new name will be seen along the pleasant, store-lined walkways of the friendly Commons--Tom Ford has announced that he will open his first ever outlet boutique there, with an expected opening date of July 15th. Ford's womenswear, menswear, and accessories will all be availble at the depot. But take into account that Ford's suits easily cost multiple thousands of dollars--heck, he's even sold glasses that cost just under $3,000--so you'll still need some pretty deep pockets to make a purchase...even with the discount.
