New to me, but maybe not to others, is a little store in downtown Manhattan, birthed by the French (of course, because that’s where high fashion starts) called Comptoir des Cotonniers (literal translation: Counter of the Cotton Ones).  This store was introduced to me by my friend Anita a few months ago. I’ve only been once, but I will return.

It is a French-made ready-to-wear line for women with bright and rich colors, simple patterns,  a girly, whimsical (yet timeless in style) aesthetic, and all the best blends of silks, cottons, and the like. They sell shoes, bags, dresses, pants, tops…the French works.

Here’s the frenchie-411 on my faves:

Wear in the summer with ballet flats or in the winter with tights, boots, a turtleneck layer and high-waist belt!

Oh how dreamy and Mediterranean are these blues?

Stunning color, simple yet girly ruffles and a drapy, comfy style that is to die.

Trench for the Fall. Bag for all Seasons (and everything but your kitchen sink).

I own this top! Oh, the beautiful silk is loose and sexy, the color is universal for all skin tones and the wide neckline flatters most women's silhouettes.

Continuing on through my Loves in wardrobing and accessories, I bring you these juicy nuggets of fashionable, useful perfection.

Non-leather bags with popping patterns:

(Splurge) – Orla Kiely: I’m seeing this bag, in every style, on the shoulders of some fabulous women all over the city.  Young, older, funky and more conservative, it doesn’t matter the woman. This bag has a style and a pattern to fit your mood, functional needs and overall aesthetic preferences.  The fabric is canvas (100% cotton) and they’re coated for extra strength and durability (and you can take a sponge to them to clean them up!). Below is one of my favorite styles.

(Steal) – Jane Marvel:  Marvel’s bags are the same concept (coated cotton canvas in sumptuous patterns and striking colors) but with a lower price tag. This make the bag more palatable to my taste buds and in this economy, yours too. Below is the style I personally own (in the Stars/Night pattern).

Sweatshirts that act as everyday, work and play clothes

Don’t know about you, but the older I get, the more I value comfort as much as style.  Long gone are the days when I’d sit all the live-long day in a stiff button down blouse.  Now it’s all about fluid materials that move with me and allow for maximum comfort but are still pleasing to my body shape and appropriate for my everyday activities (a la work!).  I own both of the items below.

Brooklyn Industries Iris Zip Fleece: The off-set zipper and oversized, bias collar, and 3/4 length sleeves give this sweatshirt (really, a faux-hoodie) chic and urban details. And, if you choose the alternate colors (i.e. not heather gray) and pair it with trousers (denim or classic), you’re bound to be cozy, comfy, and polished.

Smitten One Button Belted Sweatshirt: I own this one as shown in the classic heather gray. But the big button at the collar and the tie waist along with the trapeze style make this the new, comfy swing jacket.  This is perfect for the in-between seasons. Heck, I’d wear this to and from the gym. It goes anywhere!  I like to put it with a short neck scarf to add color near my face and either a rich-colored pair of pants or pencil skirt and heels.

I must blog about how much I dearly love sample sales. There is nothing so exhilarating as getting a 90% discount on coat, a pair of $500 boots for $45, or a t-shirt that should have originally been $10 anyway but had a retail mark up of 1500% for no good reason.

There are of course the traditional brick and mortar sample sales as well. In New York, we’re blessed because they happen daily, sometimes top secret and sometimes highly publicized.  But they’re there if you want to find them. These warehouses are packed tightly with racks upon racks of the season’s over-stock from some of the world’s most sought after designers.  I will go. And if I can’t go, I will send a friend, who I trust, with impeccable taste (i.e. my friend Teresa), to shop for me.

You can check out sites like Racked.com or TopButton.com to find out when and where sales happen (again, mostly in NY and LA but sometimes other big cities). You can also scour NYMag.com for sale information as well. I tend to walk a lot in Manhattan and sometimes I walk right into one identified only by an 8 1/2 x 11″ sheet of paper that says, “Marc Jacobs sample sale, 2nd floor” in blue sharpie.

If you don’t have access to the real-life versions, there are a few signature sites that offer truly amazing online sample sales (and I literally have an order a week coming into my office). My favorites: GiltGroup.com, HauteLook.com and RueLaLa.com.  Everyday at 11 am and 12 pm ET, the sales start showcasing a new designer, and a countdown clock that details just how few precious minutes I have to throw things into my virtual cart before some other obsessed-maniacal-fashionista-turned-monster gets my cashmere wrap sweater in royal purple with sequins at the collar ticks back the seconds. It’s insanity I tell you. The only glitch, you have to either be invited by a current member or sign up for a wait list. But if you can access them, you’re golden! Brands like Ella Moss, Beyond Yoga, Marc Jacobs, Free People, Alice + Olivia, Citizens, True Religion, and Walter. Then the heavy hitters: Vera Wang, Zac Posen, Judith Ripka, Botkier, Prada, and Hermes…oh, the list continues and my head spins.

Is the economy bad? Hell yes. This is why sample sales are so crucial. You’re getting a realistic price for the clothes you love. I say take advantage of this. Get online. Get to the sales. Shop the samples and look good even when the state of our country’s economy sucks.  It can’t all be doom and gloom.