Housing Works bridal sale
If you want a fairy-tale wedding dress without the humongous price tag, your dream gown might be waiting for you at Housing Works’ Bride on a Buck sale. The Gramercy shop is stocked with brand-new couture dresses ($300,000 worth of deeply discounted designer goods) by Vera Wang, Gucci, Marchesa, Monique Lhuillier and more. Among the many covetable gowns up for grabs (most of which retail for $5,000 to $7,000) is this Monique Lhuillier strapless design for only $1,500. 157 E 23rd St between Lexington and Third Aves (212-529-5955). Subway: 6 to 23rd St. Wed 21 10am–7pm.

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Adam + Custo Barcelona
Opposites attract when these two very different designers join together for a huge markdownfest. Stock up on streamlined basics from Adam Lippes at below-wholesale prices. His ribbed long-sleeved henleys are lowered from $72 to $35, slouchy crew tees are $15 (were $125), and tissue-thin jersey hooded wrap cardigans are cut from $245 to $20. Stand out in a crowd with Custo Barcelona’s wild prints and vivid colors, which are now up to 80 percent off. Graphic tees are whittled from $86 to $29 and embellished tunics are $49 (instead of $190). 261 W 36th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves, second floor (212-947-8748). Subway: A, C, E, 1, 2, 3 to 34th St–Penn Station. Thu 8 11am–7pm; Fri 9 11am–6pm.

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7 for All Mankind
This denim behemoth is hosting its first official warehouse sale by offering up 30,000 pieces of discounted women’s and men’s jeans, as well as a full range of its best-selling tops, handbags and dresses inside a 10,000-square-foot space in the Metropolitan Pavilion. This is not a sample sale–so all sizes will be available, not just tiny size 2s. Shoppers are encouraged to register in advance at 7forallmankind.thewarehousesale.com to receive an invitation to the event for expedited entry, or you can register at the door. Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves (7forallmankind.thewarehousesale.com). Subway: F, V to 14th St; L to Sixth Ave; 1 to 18th St. Fri 2–Sun 4 10am–8pm.

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Around the World Vintage Archive sale
Husband-and-wife team David and Suzanne Fitschen are celebrating the ten-year anniversary of their boutique with a huge blowout. Renting and selling vintage apparel exclusively to private clients, costume designers, fashion designers and stylists, this mainly trade resource was available by appointment only—until now. The duo is opening its doors to the general public for the very first time, and will be selling a majority of their 30,000-piece archive at 50 percent to 75 percent off regular prices. Items that are normally $20–$200 are marked down to $10–$50, and everything that is $200 or more will be 50 percent off. Among the many deals are an Yves Saint Laurent silk scarf, sliced from $85 to $40; a leather saddlebag for $50 (normally $85); contrast driving gloves for $35 (instead of $75); and a Dior monogrammed leather belt, marked down from $150 to $50. 209 W 38th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves, suite 1201 (212-354-6536). Subway: A, C, E, 1, 2, 3 to 34th St–Penn Station. Mon–Fri 3–6pm. Thu 1–Oct 13.

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Steven Dann
A pair of shoes from designer brands like Valentino, Givenchy or Giuseppe Zanotti could cost as much as a month’s rent—for a New York apartment! Keep reading these listings and you’ll never pay ridiculous retail prices again. Score up to 75 percent off spring and fall designer shoes at this footwear store’s markdownfest. Givenchy gold gladiators are slashed from $995 to $149, Giuseppe Zanotti tuxedo heels are cut from $795 to $99, and black-and-white Casadei wedges are lowered from $995 to $99. 220 Lafayette St at Spring St (516-415-5901). Subway: 6 to Spring St. Daily 11am–9pm. Thu 24–Oct 4.

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Housing Works Fall Preview
Throughout the spring and summer, Housing Works squirrels away top-quality fall merchandise and then unveils the loot at individual preview sales at each of its ten locations. Head to the Upper East Side store to catch the last of the preview sales and scoop up deals on high-end brands such as Theory, Prada, Diane von Furstenberg and much more. Some of the featured finds include a Gucci monogrammed tote ($150), a Derek Lam tiered dress ($250) and a Kate Spade leather handbag ($60). There’s only one of each item, so get there early to get the good deals! 202 E 77th St between Second and Third Aves (212-772-8461). Subway: 6 to 77th St. Thu 24 5–8pm. $10.

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We’d all but declared Fashion Week over, and then Isaac Mizrahi busted out the following surprises, ensuring that his collection was seared onto our brains. The first model out paraded up and down the stairs of what looked like a huge metal easel and onto the runway, which was dressed with speed bumps and direction markings. As more models walked out in shiny, liquidlike sequined dresses and wove through the chaotic pathway, the thin silver apparatus hanging above the runway began to pour water, mimicking rain. The girls were escorted underneath the water source by an anonymous man holding an umbrella. Lastly, when you thought it couldn’t get any kookier, a golf car burst out of the curtain dropping the final model at the foot of the runway for a lengthy pose.—Anna Brand

The punky designer turned the Plaza into a Mardi Gras party with models decked in glitter galore (smeared over their lips and eyes) and colorful tool-accessorized teased hair. It was as wild as you’d expect, as the girls danced (to the beat of live performer Ida Maria), smoked cigarettes and drank out of mini wine bottles. Sadly, though I stayed for about an hour, not a single girl showed me her boobs—and I didn’t earn any beads. But Betsey joined the party in a wacky yellow dress and did her signature end-of-show cartwheel.—Anna Brand

Even with a flowery mix of dresses topped with fitted blazers and khaki short shorts under chiffon tops, the unique footwear had my eyes glued to the lower half of the models. Instead of the typical black sky-high heels or lace-up booties, the girls floated in what appeared to be an ankle-high mold of their foot. Though I know my mother will say they look orthopedic, I made a mental note of which ones to add to my wish list—the coral pair, the turquoise pair, the flower pair and the paint-splatter pair.—Anna Brand

Some titles attract buzz—manufactured, earned or what have you—and when the buzz comes, you go. A Single Man picked up an acting award for Colin Firth last week at Venice; it also landed a distributor in the Weinsteins mere hours ago, who added a second Toronto press screening and stoked the fire. For the record, I was already planning on seeing it, not just because I’m exquisitely attuned to microchanges in hotness, but because the movie is the first by fashion designer Tom Ford and I like to see those kinds of professional leaps. Since the film is superstylish and set largely in 1962, people are crying Mad Men (many critics are swooning). But a better comparison might be something like Far from Heaven, which swaddled a tragic, pre-lib gay story in affecting melodrama. The clash isn’t wholly successful. Read more »

Hayden-Harnett
The covetable pieces from Hayden-Harnett’s Spring–Summer ’09 collection are all up for grabs for 60 to 80 percent off during its warehouse blowout. Walk away with some new arm candy by snagging one of their widely popular leather handbags, snap up some hip clothing and accessories, or choose from a hodgepodge of hand-selected extras that need a new home. 253 Elizabeth St between Houston and Prince Sts (212-334-2247). Subway: F, V to Lower East Side–Second Ave. • 211 Franklin St at Freeman St, Greenpoint, Brooklyn (718-349-2247). Subway: G to Greenpoint Ave. Fri 18–Sun 20 noon–8pm.

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Shipley & Halmos managed to stage a Fashion Week presentation without any physical models in attendance. On the eighth floor of Milk Studios, an enormously large projection screen played videos of models who appeared to be walking, sliding and swimming toward a sea of confused onlookers. On hand were a handful of racks of the actual clothing that people could sift through, touch and see up close. It felt a little like a crazed sample sale, though, with people clamoring for the racks. Of what I could get my hands on, noteworthy pieces included silky tops, structured blazers and lightweight button-downs. “Should I just keep staring at this huge screen?” someone asked me. “I’m really not sure, my neck kinda hurts,” I replied. And with that, I left in search of some Advil and a cab.—Anna Brand