ShopDiary

Special Items at Marc by Marc Jacobs

I finally got a chance to drop by Marc by Marc Jacobs on Melrose this weekend. Ever since I posted about the Marc Jacobs Pan Am Explorer Bags back in May, I had been calling the store every week to check if they had them in stock. The store finally got them in June but I never had the chance to drop by. Then I saw Nitrolicious and Missylovely’s posts and I realized I had to check out their Special Items section which are super cheap. If there was speculation about a Marc Jacobs third tier diffusion brand before, then this must be it. It could even be fourth tier!

Look what I found at the parking lot behind the store:

Quilted coin purses in a bin, just lying out in the sun with no one around. I thought they were throwing them away! I was very tempted to dip into the bin but took a picture instead. (OK, I wasn’t about to get busted for swiping a $15 coin purse that must have cost them $1 to make.) It turns out the staff were unpacking a huge shipment and were slowly (very, very slowly judging from how long this bin was outside without anyone around) bringing them in.

Inside there was cheapness galore: metallic quilted bags for $48 (small) and $58 (large), rubber flip flops for $11, canvas bags for $12, lucite rings for $3.50, vintage looking graphic tees (blondie, etc.) for $20, metallic quilted coin purses for $15, unquilted $9, metallic quilted wallets $25 and more tchotchkes than you can shake a stick at. Check out the whole range at marcjacobs.com and click on “Special Items”.

I don’t know what motivated me to buy these silver quilted pieces. They remind me of the LV Miroir which are so last season (hahaha). But I thought the bag would be a fun schlepping bag for summer. And with those prices you don’t think twice. I was also looking for this Jacobs by Marc Jacobs for Marc Jacobs navy blue canvas bag but the store didn’t have them so I got the canvas bag pictured above instead. This will be an alternative to my Anya tote.

Of course, they also had the Pan Am Explorer ($64) and Innovator messenger ($48) bags that were just overflowing under tables and in the dressing rooms. The Explorer (on the right) is HUGE. It will make a great weekender, travel or gym bag. I got both styles in white although the blue ones are just as nice.

I would have taken pictures inside the store but I brought my DSLR with me and after spotting Demi Moore’s eldest daughter amongst the worker bees there, I decided that I didn’t want to look like papparazzi. She was hiding under a hat and kept her head down most of the time while playing with a handheld device (it must have been a slow day) and I wouldn’t have recognized her were it not for the one instant that she looked up at me after quickly answering a question the SA who was helping me had.

Tip for those visiting the Melrose store: You can park behind the store. There is enough space for 3 cars and I was suprised that I was the only one who parked there. Most of those who came into the store came from the front where there’s very limited metered parking.