The Vivienne Tam Sale Is Packed With Party Dresses

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• Check out the puffy jacket lining on this wool coat.

It's so fortuitous that sample sale season always hits right before holiday bash season. The Vivienne Tam sale could be your spot to pick up some designer party dresses on discount. The sale offers 60% to 70% off all fall apparel, and the dresses, as well as outerwear, were the real standouts here.

First off, a heads up: To enter the sale, shoppers must take the freight elevators located two doors past the regular building entrance (and past some stinky garbage receptacles). After what seems like a lifetime of waiting, a manned elevator—complete with elevator tunes—will take you up to the 11th floor.

Now that's done with, let's talk dresses. The sale is mostly day and party dresses which start around $150. Highlights from the racks included a fuchsia leafy paillette mini-dress ($195 from $1835), a contrasting leopard frock with tulle overlay and a gold sequined skirt ($270 from $675), a calligraphy-inspired silk tunic sheath ($295 from $295), and a beautiful 50's-inspired gold brocade swing dress with tulle overlay and sequin embellishment ($295). For more formal occasions, there were beautiful, floor-length halter gowns with intricate laser-cut detail bodices in black and violet discounted to $395 from $1800.

There were also some standout—and oddly basic for the colorful Vivienne Tam—coat and jacket pieces that caught our eye. Highlights include an dark grey wool moto jacket ($250 from $550), a grey belted and zip-front vest ($180 from $395), and an adorable black short-sleeve capelet ($295 from $495). We also found quite possibly the most genius coat ever: A short high-collared grey wool jacket with hidden down puffy lining ($250 from $595). The silk origami-pleated fitted blazers were pretty as well ($180 from $550).

There are also tops (starting around $40 for delicate mesh ones), skirts (around $70 for lace overlay, brocade, draped and more) and knitwear (we liked the gold-flecked bat wing pointelle sweater for $90).

Sizes run from 0 to 10. There are no set fitting rooms, so strip down to your skivvies wherever (and ladies of all ages were doing just that). Credit is accepted and there is also a raffle to win Monster Butterfly headphones by Vivienne Tam and a China Chic book signed by Vivienne Tam. Also, there is a coat check at the door, but no bag check. On our way out, we took the regular elevator down to the lobby, so we don't see why you can't do the same on the way up...
· Dealfeed: Vivienne Tam [Racked]
· Vivienne Tam [Official Site]