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Update: The Club Monaco Sample Sale Is Disorganized, But Cheap

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Update: Clothingline tells us there have been further markdowns on merchandise. Tees, shirts, blouses, and sweaters are now $8 to $20; casual pants, shorts, and skirts are $10 to $25; dresses are $30; blazers and outerwear are $55 to $89; and all shoes are $20 to $75. See the original prices below.

Once you actually make it inside the Club Monaco sample sale (which could take a while), you'll find that it has great prices and is totally stacked, as was expected. And aside from a couple bumps in the road (egregiously stained/ripped/wrinkled items, rule-breaking and subsequent punishment from staff), dare we say the sale might even be worth the wait?

A few things to know before you secure your spot in line: First, not only are there no dressing rooms, but trying on clothing or shoes is completely forbidden—not that shoppers didn't attempt to do so, only to find that the Clothingline staff does not eff around. Rule-breaking here is punishable, both abruptly and publicly.

Second, the women's section is practically a war zone—it's clear that at 11am, everything had been organized into discreet sections by style and season, but an hour later, there was no telling where you'd go to find a specific skirt or top. The silver lining, however, was that if you saw something you liked and it wasn't in your size or you couldn't get to it right away, chances were that you'd spot it again later, albeit in a totally nonsensical section.

As we expected, prices are quite low, but feel fair for the quality of the clothes, which aren't exactly up to what one would expect from the brand. Cashmere sweaters (there aren't a ton) are $60, skirts (there are more than you've ever seen in your life) are just $30, dresses are $40, and pants and blouses are $30. There's a decent selection of winter coats ($149), most of them wool as opposed to leather or fur—the latter go for $229.

Shoes, on the other hand, seem to be in tip-top shape—and the prices reflect that. Sandals are $69, flats are $89, pumps range from $109 to $129, and boots are $149, and all had a good range of sizes. They're located in a separate room alongside the accessories (though they'd been heavily picked-through by the time we arrived, and are hardly worth mentioning).

Over in the men's section, there are shirts, sweaters, pants, jeans, and sweatpants for $30; dress pants for $40; blazers and jackets for $129; wool coats for $149; and leather jackets for $229.

Overall, the size distribution is what one would expect of an average sample sale: Smaller sizes (0 through 4) are abundant, with a large amount of 6s, 10s and 12s as well (and weirdly, hardly any 8s).

If it's anything like previous Club Monaco sample sales, expect markdowns towards the end of the week, which means you might be better off taking a long lunch on Thursday or Friday. Though if you work a 9-to-5 and your office isn't in the neighborhood, don't expect to find the time to head in—but to make yourself feel better, feast your eyes on that horrifying, mysteriously yellow stained-vest in the gallery above. See the Dealfeed below for full sale dates and times.

· Dealfeed: Club Monaco [Racked NY]
· The Club Monaco Sample Sale Line Will Test Your Patience [Racked NY]
· Sample Sales [Racked NY]