The Lord & Taylor is still the same, except for a room on the second floor opposite the children’s section that is home to Last Take, where clearance dresses, tops, pants, and skirts from other Lord & Taylor stores around the region go to be sold at severely marked down prices.
Last Take includes apparel for men, women, and children. Discounts range from 40 to 90 percent, with most items knocked down 60 percent. The discount is indicated by a sticker on the tag.
No designer or item is spared. I found dresses from Nicole Miller, Theory, and BCBG in Last Take, and most of the clothes are in fashion now, too. Here’s what I ended up buying:
• French Connection knit sweater. Originally $148, marked down to $73.98. Last Take price: $29.59
• DKNY summer blouse. Originally $69, marked down to $49.99. Last Take Price: $20
• Context cashmere cardigan. Originally $68, marked down to $40.78. Last Take price: $8.16
My tip: Bring your iPod, a friend, and/or a lot of patience. The racks are tightly packed, some to the point that I couldn’t move the hangers, and there’s a lot of ground to cover. I shopped for about a half hour and only sorted through a quarter of the room.
And don’t get lured into buying something you don’t really want. I nearly bought a Nicole Miller dress marked down to $150. I put it back on the rack, though, because I was more attracted to the discount than the actual dress. Under $60 for three great items makes my frugal heart sing. But $200 for four? Not quite the right fit.