Sample Sale Steal

It's been happening every Saturday.

At about 7:58, my heartbeat quickens. I feel hot, flushed. Sweat beads on my forehead. It's almost time....for HauteLook's Saturday sprint.

I check a bunch of sample sale sites on a daily basis, but HauteLook's Saturday close-out sale is the one I look forward to most. I've scored major, major deals here — Haute Hippie cashmere-silk-cotton hoodie for $29 (regular price $229) and most recently this nifty Free People linen-silk cardi. (See previous posting about the joys of online sample sales - Feb. 8, '10.)

Note the regular price on the tag. I got it for $30. I am a loon and have been known to keep marked-down tags (somewhere in my jewelry box is a tag from a Cynthia Steffe jacket with the $258 price crossed out and $25 written over it. Brand new, too. Came from a boutique's going-out-of-business sale.)

I'm addicted to cardis and the more offbeat, the better. You can only have so many grandpa sweaters before you start to look like an old fogey, I fear. The stripes and flowy bottom on this Free People number are cool touches.

Outfit: Ann Taylor Loft v-neck; Free People "Out to Sea" cardigan, Current/Elliott stretch denim skirt; J Crew cherry blossom necklace; Anthro beaded bracelet; Jessica Bennett tortoise peep-toes.