This week’s hot sample sales

Rumor has it that many of you 9-5er type people will be having a three-day weekend this weekend in honor of the holiday. Add inauguration celebrations to the mix, and you just may have a little extra reason to do some shopping.

As luck would have it, ideeli.com, one of my own favorite stops for online sample sales, has a few doozies in the next few days. Not a member? Use the invite code “shopdaily” to join in!

Joe’s Handbag Sale
Starts Monday 1/19/2009
Save up to 64%
Prices start at $56

Crafted from grainy leathers and washed lambskin, each piece rests elegantly against the body and feels as good as it looks. Soft silhouettes keep the bags contemporary while sophisticated shades keep them timeless. Dahan’s overarching theme of relaxed Left Coast style, however, is what keeps these pieces totally luxe.

Sonia Rykiel Sale
Starts Monday 1/19/2009
Save up to 75%
Prices start at $30

French ready-to-wear designer Sonia Rykiel is a compelling presence whose intellect and individuality are apparent in her clothes. With her small bones and trademark mane of hair, she is probably her own best model, projecting assurance and energy. She began designing with no previous experience when, as the pregnant wife of the owner of Laura, a fashionable boutique, she was unable to find maternity clothes she liked. Continuing to design knitwear for Laura, she soon carved a niche for herself designing for well-to-do and sophisticated modern French women. Her handbags are as extraordinary as she is.

Gerard Yosca Sale
Starts Tuesday 1/20/2009
Save up to 63%
Prices start at $59

Over the last twenty years, Yosca has earned a reputation as a true style-maker and trendsetter, especially in the arena of costume jewelry. Today, his collections are handcrafted and designed to unite the bold, brazen look of traditional “costume” jewelry with the sophisticated, organic shapes of finer pieces. Through this delicate balance, Yosca pairs bright enamels with gold metals and crystals with cabochon to create jewelry that is part costume, part real and totally unique.

SHIH by Stephanie Lin Sale
Starts Tuesday 1/20/2009
Save up to 70%
Prices start at $119

Her line of handbags, SHIH by Stephanie Lin has all the fun-in-the-sun ease that defines California cool, yet still maintains the directional edge that New York style is famous for. Lin uses unique detailing – think studs, whipstiching and ornate hardware – to make her pieces stand out, yet one never gets the sense that SHIH bags wear their owners. As Lin says, “We design for the girl on the go, young and fashion conscious, but who still has a need for practicality.” In a world gone bag-mad, it’s thrilling to find a designer that can walk the tightrope line between functional and fabulous.