At the Tory Burch Sale: Tons of Seasonal Shoes and Handbags

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• The line manager and shoe ticket provider outside of Clothingline
• The hordes waiting for their ticket number to be called

When Clothingline announced a surprise advance public opening for its semi-annual Tory Burch sample sale at 2pm yesterday, every Reva-shod girl in Manhattan rushed over to stand in line with hopes of scoring gold-medallion embellished goods. By mid-afternoon, the line stretched down the block and it only grew longer as the work day came to a close. We're sure that today's crowds will be epic. And who would be surprised? Boasting 50% to 75% off retail prices, this sale beats the Tory Burch outlets. Plus, there's inexplicably always a line to get into the Woodbury Commons outlet anyhow, so we'd rather take our chances at the sample sale.

Let's start with the logistics: Per usual Clothingline procedure, you will need to check jackets and large bags at the entryway. While the Clothingline folks are accommodating (we spotted a full-blown stroller parking lot near the coat check), to save time and effort, we recommend leaving these kinds of items at home.

With a CFDA Accessories Designer of the Year award under her belt, it's obvious that Tory is best known for her handbags and shoes. If this is what you're after, you'll need to adhere to Clothingline's strict procedures.

At some point during your entry, you'll be offered a numbered ticket to gain access to the shoe section. (It might be at the ground-level door, at the coat check, or near the shoe section itself—it all depends on the crowds). During our visit, we were handed a number at the main door. Once you have a ticket, go to the back of the sales floor (near the size L and XL ready-to-wear clothing) and wait until your number is called. Only a few people will be permitted in the shoe section at a time. Once in, staffers will assist you with whatever styles and sizes you desire, but you'll only have a limited amount of time available.

Before engaging in any of this, take a peek at the shoe options in a glass display case outside the shoe section entrance. That way, you can assess the offerings before committing to the queue. For Tory Reva devotees, the selection is a lackluster. There were no basic colors, classic Revas, or year-round pumps. In fact, all of the footwear offerings were too seasonally specific and probably wouldn't get much play in a New York girl's closet. This alone was enough to keep us away from the shoe bottleneck, but feel free to take your chances.

We spotted Eddie flats and raffia Revas in cobalt and parrot green for $99. Flat sandals were also available for $99. Rubber soled raffia flats were billed as sneakers and were available for $65. Driving shoes and espadrilles were $125. Finally, the Daria, Laurie, and Daniela Sandals were $150 and the Amina High Heels were $175.

Meanwhile, for handbag lovers, all color ways and styles are on display on the front wall near the cash registers. Each handbag style is labeled with a letter, which serves as the code for requesting the handbag of your choice at the registers. Each handbag is also accompanied by a price sign right on the wall. Prices started at $75 for a canvas anchor embellished tote bag and topped out at $395 for the Bond Shoulder Bag in the tan or orange color ways. A full snapshot of the selection is available in our gallery.

The sale continues at Clothingline (261 W. 36 Street) through Saturday June 16th. Hours are 11am through 7pm weekdays and 11am through 4pm Saturday.—Kiran

UPDATE: Here's the full report on women's ready-to-wear at the sale.
· RackedWire: The Tory Burch Sale [Racked NY]
· Dealfeed: Tory Burch [Racked NY]
· The Tory Burch Sale Will Take Over Clothingline on June 12th [Racked NY]