There is a plethora of sample sale sites out there. It seems that I can set my alarm to 9:45 am everyday to indicate when the sales start on specific sites. But, as these sites have grown, the quality of merchandise may be falling (just a tad, this is still luxury fashion after all!) Row | Nine’s top priority is to keep the luxury shopper’s attention.

Some sample sale sites sell Oscar de La Renta next to Tommy Hilfiger bedding and Bug-A-Boo strollers. It’s becoming harder to go to a site, find a great piece and buy it right away. Row | Nine is ”a new online private sale experience designed specifically for luxury consumers that are looking for great brands and great values,” says former Yahoo! executive and founder of Row | Nine, Lawrence Kosick.

So, get ready luxury shoppers, pull out your wallets, or your dreamy eyes, and get ready for Row| Nine.  Get your invite here.

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Row|Nine Officially Launches!

Image: Anthropologie

This beautiful teal green silk Plenty by Tracy Reese Snow Queen Dress ($288) is a beautiful colour to wear for the holiday party season. Forget about red or black, wear teal green! It’s definitely a stand out shade that will look beautiful on just about any skin tone.  The super luxe black lace edged hem is super feminine and sexy at the same time.  Oh and I love the tulle underneath, so flirty and fun!

Wear this dress with black tights and sky high stilettos or go without the tights and wear them with fun ankle boots.  If you love this glamorous dress you better hurry over to the Anthropologie web site because it’s a fast seller!

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Be a Glamorous Snow Queen!

Images: Neiman Marcus

Ralph Lauren Velvet Winston Dress ($1799) – A gorgeous ultra luxe and glamorous dress in plum coloured velvet. This would look amazing with a simple pair of strappy silver heels and diamond jewelry.

Badgley Mischka Platinum Beaded Dress ($477) – An intricately beaded dress perfect for cocktail parties and a night out on the town. Throw on a leather jacket to give it a little edge.

See by Chloe Tiered Ruffled Dress ($261) – This may look like a simple dress but the tiered and ruffled bodice keeps it from looking boring. Wear this with bright coloured accessories like red or cobalt blue and you’re good to go!

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Luxe Cocktail Dresses on Sale

Neiman Marcus

That’s why you need to pick up some great leggings like these Tye-Dye Leggings from David Lerner. You can get these black and white tye-died nylon spandex leggings from Neiman Marcus for $99. They look great with some casual flats or, as pictured grey heels. I would probably wear a longer tee to go with the leggings, but that’s just me, since I am really short. Whatever you plan on wearing with leggings, I do think everyone should have a pair of plain ones and a pair of funky ones like these ones. What do you think?

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David Lerner Tye-Dye Leggings

Image: Net-A-Porter

The Lanvin Wrinkled Lambskin Shoulder Bag ($2750) is a true lady-like bag. It’s made out of buttery soft lambskin leather and the wrinkled texture gives this shoulder bag just the right touch of edge without it looking trite. The colour is a gorgeous Taupe, a neutral shade that will go perfectly with just about any colour of the rainbow.  Another classic touch is the chain and ribbon strap, it gives this bag a vintage touch. The ribbon is a deep blue shade and it goes quite well with the taupe colour. Speaking of the ribbon, how sweet is that little bow on the right side? It adds a little fun to the bag without it looking too much like something you’d see on a little girl’s bag.

Image: Net-A-Porter

The Wrinkled Lambskin Bag measures a nice 14″W x 9″H x 6″D, perfect for holding just what you need for the day. Other refined details include gold toned hardware in a matte finish. Usually handbags have shiny hardware but the matte finish on this Lanvin bag is such a nice touch. It closes with a turn lock which adds to the lady-like look and feel.

This lovely bag would go very well with office attire while adding a bit of vintage glam to your more casual outfits. If you’d like to purchase this beauty, it’s available at Net-A-Porter right now.

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Lanvin Wrinkled Lambskin Bag

These two shoes stood out from the rest because of their sheer fabulous-ness.

Images: Be&D

Be&D Kan-Kan Sandal in Taupe ($655) – I love how the taupe colour down plays the all out feminine detail of the ruffles.

Be&D Kan Kan Sandal in Boa ($675) – Boa as in a Boa Constrictor snake skin, I’m assuming? Nevertheless, these are a hot shoes!

These platform heels definitely play into Fall’s fashion trends. There’s the animal print trend, a bit of the textured trend with the ruffles and of course the season’s “it” colour, grey is found in the taupey-grey of the Kan Kan sandal.

Okay, so these might be a wee bit on the impractical side but fashion isnt’ always practical. If it was, it would be insanely boring. These shoes were made to be shown off!  All you need is a little black dress and you’re good to go – just be careful when you’re walking!

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Killer Be & D Heels for Her

There is nothing like a forever bag, some people refer it as their holy grail, or HG, bag.  If you’re looking for a wow-factor gift idea for that woman in your life, an amazing handbag will definitely be appreciated. If you’re shopping for yourself, save those pennies because you might just fall in love with some of these fabulous investment worthy bags!

Image: Saks

Fendi Twins Satchel ($2050) – This bag will be your go-to bag for the office. Versatile, stylish and chic!

Image: Saks

Gucci Web Guccisima Leather Hobo ($875) – An all around bag to use for every day, work or play.

Image: Saks

Valentino Smooth Leather Nuage Bag ($1795) – A luxe bag with a fun feminine bow to add a little interest.

Image: Saks

Yves Saint Laurent Leather Hobo ($1395) – A take everything but the kitchen sink hobo for every day luxury.

Did you notice all of these are black? A black bag should be one of the first handbags to invest in. As you know, black goes with everything and is timeless. You can’t go wrong with a black bag, especially one that is a special as the ones above.

If you love these or want to see more, check out the other bags under the Forever Bag selection at Saks Fifth Avenue!

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Treat Her to a Forever Bag

Bluefly.com

If you are looking for a funky spunky one shoulder look this Fall look no further than this La Rok hot pink silk blend Rivera one shoulder top. The hot pink color will certainly get you noticed when you hit the counter at the bar (maybe you’ll get a drink or two from it!). It’s light weight made of a silk and jersey blend. The slight gathering at the top near where the black and the pink meet is very luxurious. The white little gathering at the top adds an extra kick of glam to the mix. It is $119 from Bluefly.com.

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La Rok Hot Pink One Shoulder Top

As most of you probably already know, selling fake or counterfeit handbags in the US is illegal. In other countries, the selling and buying fake goods is illegal and you will get fined and/or sent to jail. Also, transportation of fake or counterfeit goods into other countries is illegal.  Fake bags are illegal because they infringe on the brand’s copyright and trademarks.

Fake designer bags being sold on the street (Image: Zuma Press)

Sure, it sounds like a lot of hoopla for handbags, but there’s a good reason.  When you purchase or facilitate the sale of a fake handbag or other goods, you’re contributing to human trafficking, child abuse, child labor and prostitution and yes, even terrorism.  The laws are pretty clear, it’s best to not get caught in the middle.

Here are a few tips and tricks on how to avoid buying a fake bag.

Avoid flea markets, “purse parties” and be wary of online auction sites.
Most designer and luxury handbags are sold through the respective designer boutiques and select department stores and websites.  When in doubt, contact the manufacturer or design house personally. If you go to official brand website, they will have a list where their goods and products are sold.  In fact, the only trusted online auction site to buy and sell pre-owned designer luxury handbags and other goods is Portero.com. Be wary of the bags you see at random kiosks at the mall, Canal Street (in NY) or Santee Alley (in Los Angeles),  eBay, iOffer, eCrater and online sites or stores that claim to have “100% authentic” bags – it’s usually not the case at all.

Double check the price you’re paying.
Some designer handbags are discounted or listed on sale at fine department stores which is wonderful for the bargain shopper.  However keep in mind, you probably won’t be able to get a $1000 bag for $40. As tempting as those auction sites are, if those sellers are listing a $2000 bag for $350, chances are it’s a fake.  If you spot a $800 Louis Vuitton bag with a starting bid of $20, it’s fake. Also keep in mind, there are designer lines, like Louis Vuitton and Chanel, that never discount their bags.

Do your research.
Familiarize yourself with the bag you are thinking of purchasing. Check out the manufacturer’s website, note the specific details such as size, placement of logos, hardware, colours available and materials used to make the bag.  The more you know about the bag you want, the less likely you’ll be duped into buying a fake bag.

Fake designer bags being sold on the street (Image: Zuma Press)

If you’re shopping for your first or next luxury designer bag, make sure you’re well aware of what you’re spending your money on. The last thing you want to do is hand over a lot of money for something that’s not up to par with the designer’s or band house’s standards of quality.Now, let’s say there’s a bag you’re looking at and it looks a bit questionable, will you be able to tell the difference between a real bag and a fake one? Here are a few tips on how to spot a fake bag.

Does the style exist?
This may sound like a no brain-er but some people are not aware. Not all bags from a particular designer are made every year or every season. If they are made every season, often the colours are different and there might be different embellishments or details added. Make sure the style, shape of the bag you’re thinking of purchasing was actually made by the designer.

Pay attention to the details.
If it’s a leather bag, note the quality and thickness of the leather. Examine the colour or dye job, if the colour is uneven or splotchy, it’s probably not authentic.  Check the construction and stitching, most high-quality designer bags are stitched by hand. Make sure the stitching is evenly spaced all the way around. Often the same number of stitches are found in all bags of the same make and model.

Check the labels.
Most designer bag have labels with the brand name, dates and/or serial numbers stamped or stitched on interior labels. In particular, for Louis Vuitton bags, date stamps are usually found inside, sometime inside a pocket. If you find a label make sure the designer name is spelled correctly and correct the font selection and size is used. Sometimes you can spot a fake Louis Vuitton bag just by the shape of the “O”s (they’re round not oval).

Check the logos.
If the bag you have your eye on has logos all over the exterior, pay special attention to the placement. On fake bags, the logos are misaligned, not the right colour or even the same letters.  Usually logos are placed just so that they are not cut off or crooked. The easiest example is the highly replicated, Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas bags. If you own a real Louis Vuitton bag, you’ll know the LV logo and pattern is symmetrical and continuous throughout the bag.

Check the accessories and documentation.
When you buy an authentic bag, it usually comes with cards or certificates of authenticity. Keep in mind that these can also be faked but it will be easier to tell if the card or certificate is a copy. Most designer bags now come with dust bags, these can also be faked so apply the same caution as you would with the bag.

Be resourceful!
If you’d like more information on counterfeits, fakes and replica handbags check out the following websites Fakes Are Never In Fashion, My Poupette, My Authentics and here’s a fantastically detailed guide on how to spot fake Louis Vuitton bags. If you’re in Paris, you can visit the Musée de la Contrefaçon (Museum of Counterfeiting).

With our current economic state and the rising costs of designer handbags, you might be tempted to buy a fake or knock off bag. Do think twice about this and know you will not get the same quality, attention to detail and workmanship that is given to a authentic bag. Peace of mind is another perk to getting yourself a real designer bag.

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How To Spot a Fake Bag

While we can’t physically be there mingling with the designers, celebs, taking in all the fashions and taking home amazing swag bags, we have the wonderful world wide web and all the pretty clothes, shoes and accessories are merely a click away!

I browsed through a few of the designer collections that were shown the past three days and the clothes, shoes and accessories are just to die for.  One collection in particular caught my eye straight away and I was surprised to find out it was by Project Runway winner, Christian Siriano.  If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll know this “fierce” designer is truly a talented individual and his Spring/Summer RTW line shows it.

There are a few dresses that were just stunning in design, colour and style…

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz - Image.net

This dress is so perfect for a spring or summer dinner party or even as something one would wear to a wedding. The blue is fantastic and the hat adds a bit of a whimsical touch.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz - Image.net

This dress is where Christian incorporated the neutral tones in the beginning of his collection and meshed it with variations of red. It’s one of those dresses I picture a Hollywood starlet wearing to the Oscars or other awards shows. I’m loving the full skirt and tiers of light and airy tulle!

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz - Image.net

Here’s another statement dress, this time in deeper shades of reds, burgundy with hints of copper and gold.  The simplicity of the strapless top balances out the flounce and intricate folds and large ruffles of the skirt.

And lastly, my favourite gown from his collection…

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz - Image.net

Isn’t it breath-taking? It reminds me of ocean waves crashing along the shore. I love all the different shades of teal and blues mixed with the black and white – wow.  I love how the top of the dress with the asymmetrical design of the one-shoulder is sleek and sophisticated, while the bottom of the skirt is voluminous and fun.

Christian Siriano’s collection started off with a neutral tone of creams, ivory and beige but then came a cool splash of iridescent light and deeper blues. At the end he capped it off with rich reds, it was such a gorgeous colour palette and I adored all of it!

Check out behind the scenes action and of course the lovely models wearing Christian Siriano’s collection below!

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NY Fashion Week : Christian Siriano SS 2010