Bargain hunting is a mythic activity in New York City, which is filled with historical temples of fashion (Loehmann’s), teeming bazaar-like meccas (Century 21) and its late lamented centers of sale-priced merchandise (Syms, Daffy’s). Yes, NYC bargain hunting is unparalleled.
Oh, I know Europe is different. I have been to outlets in Switzerland and Italy where a dress can cost 3x my (NY) rent (and it looked awful on me, thank goodness!) The deep discounts there were really more like 10% off retail (whoop-de-doo!) So I wasn’t really expecting all that here in Turkey – and truth be told, with Istanbul’s lively pazar markets and thrift shops and great sales it wasn’t like I was really yearning for that big bargain score.
Flash forward to my cousin’s wedding (in Italy, no less). I needed a dress, a hot dress, a fashionable dress, pronto! I remembered B. SS, D – Designers on Sale from my days in Dikilitaş. A spacious haven for designer dresses, shoes, handbags and whatever your gorgeous bargain-hunting self needs – or wants. The prices are still, well, pricey for my budget, but overall not too, too bad. (The shoes are the score here.) The thing is I am sometimes underwhelmed by designer fashion once I try them on (obviously, I am not model thin and I’m on the short side), but B. SS, D – Designers on Sale had plenty of wearable high-end designer pieces and they weren’t outrageously fashion-y and looked good on. The only problem is that if you find a dress you love and it’s not in your size, you are out of luck (most of the time you won’t find things in a range of sizes, just a one-off.) Still, the element of luck is what bargain hunting is all about – and you might want to take note that even if you don’t get what you came to buy, you might just find the perfect pair of black pants upstairs in their Gap/Banana Republic department.
If you have a special soiree or hot date or what have you (gentlemen, this means you, too) and want to dress to impress, but don’t want to spend 3x your rent, then head over to B. SS, D – Designers on Sale on the Beşiktaş/Şişli border and get your style groove on.
B. SS, D – Designers on Sale
Dikilitaş Mah., Yeşilçimen Sok.
No. 5 A Blok Beşiktaş
Insider Trading is our new column sharing expats’ secret finds in Istanbul. These recommendations are unsolicited and uncompensated. Have a place you want to share? Send us an email at emma@yabangee.com.
Alba Brunetti is a contributor to Yabangee, she blogs about life in Istanbul at The Bluest I –http://thebluesti.blogspot.
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