'Rising Temps, Falling Prices'

The first sign of spring can make you act in ways you might not normally: You go out for a double scoop of ice cream, spend all Saturday afternoon at a pub drinking and downing nacho chips, or exchange your morning espresso for an iced Starbuck’s coffee instead.

Yesterday, as temperatures climbed to 89 degrees and I could feel all of New York City sweltering from the sudden heat, my abnormal behavior included shopping.

And just as I began to scour online for some much-needed spring clothes (too hot to walk outside!), I began uncovering mid-season sales, 48-hour flash sales and all sorts of noteworthy promotions.

Don’t miss these two sales:

1. Outnet.com

Ever wondered what it might be like to head into a dollar store and find all of your favorite designer brands: Alexander McQueen, Brian Atwood, Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs and Givenchy?

Well, now you can!

Register at outnet.com before April 11 and get exclusive access to Outnet’s one-day designer sale where everything in the sale is $1! The designer sale marks the Outnet's first anniversary, which is a natural off-price 'sister store' to the in-season online retailer Net-a-porter.com. The site regularly holds flash sales, pop-up sales and the ‘Going, Going, Gone Sale’ where the price drops as time passes – typically with designer merchandise from past seasons.

Mark your calendars. It’s going to be a long day next week.

2. Decorinnovation.com

When it comes to home furnishings, Décor Innovation knows how to host a sale where every customer wins at checkout.

The site, best known for its eco-friendly blackout curtains and its faux fur throws (I have two), has a ‘Spend some, get some’ promotion where for every $100 you spend, you get $5 off your final purchase.

Browse through the site and you will find that the blackout curtains are already marked 40% off its retail price. Faux fur throw are discounted at 15% off its original price. But there’s more: an extra 10% off with promocode BLACK for curtains and SAFARI for throws – to be discounted from your order on the billing page. Sale ends May 1.

And don’t forget that certain key items like Sherpa faux fur throw is ‘Buy one, get one free’ and the basic solid grommet curtains comes with a set of free voile curtains with your purchase!

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of outnet.com; decorinnovation.com

'Baby, It's Cold Outside'

Temperature : 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds between 10 to 15 mph.

This was what the online weather channel reported back to me as I braced myself for the walk to my friend’s apartment after catching the subway from the office.

“Brrr, baby it’s cold outside,” I thought, as a gust of wind plowed into me like a tractor in a corn field. It could have easily been -10 degrees as I crossed 7th Avenue towards 34th Street.

It was much better once as I got to the apartment. But as I sit here now, on a couch with a panel of windows behind me, I’m starting to feel like that nagging cold has followed me inside.

Quick search on the Internet and I’ve already found more than 10 ways to insulate your windows – the key to keeping your heating bill low. (Did you know February is the coldest month out of the year?)

1. Can’t stress it enough, but blackout curtains are the no. 1 option to reduce heat by 25 percent and reduce noise pollution by 50 percent in your home. It is the most inexpensive way to insulate windows and with so many options in colors (from camel to mauve), fabrics (from linen to jacquard) and styles (grommet, back tab or tie-up shade) – the most visually pleasing.

2. A DIY project, draft snakes will insulate your windows at the seam. However, they will not insulate the glass or frame of the window. Buy draft snakes at a local hardware store or create your own by sewing some fabric around a tube of rubber (I prefer rubber over filling a tube with rice).

3. Weatherstripping. I have never tried this method, but low-end weatherstripping (see below) reportedly runs under 20 dollars with the cost of supplies. Could save up to 20 percent on your annual heating bill, but it’s recommended that you go for a professional weatherstripping if you want to really effect change. And that could be pricey.

4. Install energy panels. This requires some installation, weatherstripping to seal the panels, and a the more expensive option out of the four. The panel has two layers with space in between, creating a protective layer between the exterior window and the outside. I suggest taking the energy panel route as an option to replacing drafty windows.

Because baby, it’s cold outside. And honestly, I'd like to keep it that way.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of www.planetgreen.discovery.com; www.decorinnovation.com; www.apartmenttherapy.com

'To Cover or To Coverlet?'

The cold October spells, followed by pangs of warm weather, have me feeling a bit like Goldilocks. The fleece throw that I like to curl up in at night has me getting either ‘too hot’ or ‘to cold.’

I need something ‘just right.’

The dilemma brings me to the following three-part question: To cover? To cover less? Or to coverlet?

But before I go any further – what’s a coverlet, anyways?

The word originates from the French word 'couvrir,' which means 'to cover.' A coverlet is a lightweight bedspread that may be woven or quilted. Traditionally, the coverlet served as a decorative layer to cover thicker layers of bedding underneath.


I learned that people liked to use the coverlet as a throw blanket, as an under layer for baby changing stations, or even as a blanket for picnics. On slightly warmer days, the coverlet might be placed on top of a bed covered only in sheets for just a hint of warmth.

Its protective nature makes the coverlet a good choice for those with children and animals. A king size coverlet with juice stains or coated in animal hairs is easier to treat than a ruined, expensive feather down duvet.

But above all, the coverlet is designed to keep you cozy and comfortable.


This scallop-edged, three-piece quilted coverlet set comes with a coverlet and two-piece sham. In pastel colors like gold, turquoise, light green, pink and purple, the coverlet softens even the harshest of decors. Machine washable, the coverlet does not require a trip to the dry cleaner.

So let’s think about this. To cover? To cover less? Or to coverlet?

Too hot? The coverlet is easy to remove, fold and store. Too cold? Simply layer the coverlet on top of a heavier bedspread to keep the heat in. To coverlet? I think so.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of finelinenandbath.com and decorinnovation.com

'Unique Uniqlo'

The long-awaited +J Jil Sander for Uniqlo line landed in stores this month with the help from my friends at Décor Innovation, who outfitted the Japan and Soho stores with sheer, white display curtains.

An estimated 300 curtains were custom sized and made to order for the fast fashion retailer's first-ever collaboration with a designer best known for her minimalist, no-fuss aesthetic.

According to Décor Innovation, Jil Sander (whose own online store launched just two weeks ago) loved the curtains so much that the stores decided to keep them for further projects.

Sheer curtains in similar variations can be found now at Décor Innovation.

Sander is known for her exacting taste when it comes to producing high-quality fashion – even in the making of décor and architecture choices in the workplace. She applies the same rigor to the +J Jil Sander collection, which is Sander’s first stab at reaching the masses with pieces all priced under $150.

Always pressing forward, the entire 140-piece line continues in the style that has made Sander a favorite choice among her customers. The collection is stripped to its purest forms and modernized with thoughtful details.

A sleeveless cashmere turtleneck has narrow ribbing trace the circumference of the armhole. Narrow navy sating piping runs along the edge of a navy cotton shirt. And a men’s blazer can opt between a two-button blazer one day, or a three-button blazer on another.

Neutral and versatile, the color palette ranges from black, white and gray, to navy and eggplant.

Creating fashion that is affordable and democratic might not have been on Sander’s agenda years ago. After all, the blond-haired, blue-eyed German told The New York Times Style Magazine that ‘it was dangerous for the brand, to go on another level.’

But now, with the recession threatening foreclosure on fashion namesakes from Christian Lacroix to Yohji Yamamoto, a new approach might be just what the industry needs.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of Decor Innovation.