What to expect at the Rachel Comey sample sale

Price list, floor plan and a threatening puddle

When I arrived at the youth center on Mulberry Street about an hour before the sale started, there were about 10 women in line. I took my place at the end and wondered why they were all pressed up against the building and, to my horror, standing on a sidewalk grate.

Then a car sped up Mulberry, hitting a puddle on the street directly in front of the line and splashing dirty street water several feet across the sidewalk. Every time a car drove by, my fellow shoppers tensed up and braced for impact. But no one moved, myself included. This is the shopping event of the year and no one was giving up their spot in line.

After like 30 minutes of Waiting For The Big Wave, a brave woman dragged over a parking cone from somewhere else on the sidewalk and plopped it into the center of the puddle to try to get cars to avoid it. The line, which was more of a crowd at that point, cheered and clapped. It worked!

Once the doors open, we got down to business. I always head for the shoes first. Great news for my fellow big-footed ladies: the size 11 rack was well-stocked. Lots of boots, clogs and sandals. There are a ton of pants and a nice selection of jumpsuits. I didn’t even venture into the dress section but saw other people pull some great stuff. If you need something to wear to an upcoming wedding (even your own wedding) you’ll likely find great options at this sale. There’s a rack of “special items” (leather jackets, leather pants, shearling coats) behind the jewelry table that you should definitely check out.

After several rounds of culling I ended up leaving with a green leather jacket from the “special items” rack and a perforated leather bucket bag in a beige/green snakeskin pattern.

I’ll say this, though: While the items are still significantly discounted, the prices overall seemed much higher than previous sales, especially dresses and jumpsuits. Price list and rough floor plan are below. Happy shopping and please let me know what you buy!

READ MORE: What it’s like to lose your pants at the Rachel Comey sample sale