Hits and Misses at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets

New York . 2011 . Oct 01-05

Continuing from our previous post on Woodbury Premium Outlets, we would like to share our shopping experience and highlight the "hits" and "misses" of the outlet.

Want to stay near Woodbury Premium Outlet? Check out Hampton Inn Harriman Woodbury 


The Hits

COACH
Handbags, some of which are still in season in Singapore are going for about SGD$220.  The same item costs $600 plus in Singapore.   Wristlets and wallets are the perennial favorites here.  The store tends to be packed all day with fanatic females grabbing whatever item they can lay their hands on.  If you see something you like, hold on to it first and decide as you walk around the store-- for you may never get your chance to lay your hands on it again.  A favorite with the Chinese and Japanese tourists, this place feels at times more like a fish market than a high class boutique.   If you are a Coach fan, you might want to make this one of your first stop before the craziness gets worse in the day.   There are already a crowd of Chinese tourists outside the store waiting for it to open before 10am.  The cashier’s queue is always long, and this is not surprising as most customers have their arms loped full of bags and therefore each of them takes a long time at the cashiers.  Service staff are always flustered and overwhelmed with the number of customers in there, so prepared for some independent shopping. 

Total haul:  2 large sized wristlets, 1 medium sized wristlet, 2 leather ladies medium sized handbag, 1 large nylon handbag – (USD$620 or SGD$840) 

COACH MENS
Great collection of men’s bags, ipad cases, wallets, shoes and belts here.   When we visited Woodbury Premium Outlets in September 2011, there was not much of a Coach Men’s collection in Singapore yet.  So this is one of those places where you can get more affordable and fashionable men’s leather ware.  It is a more refreshing option than the typical Goldlion, Braun Buffel and Pierre Cardin that we get in Singapore.

KATE SPADE
This boutique tends to be smaller than its Coach counterpart and much quieter too.   Perhaps because of that, shopping here tend to be a lot more dignified and pleasurable.  You get to browse at your leisure without some Chinese tourist peeking behind your back.  No loud voices here too.   The collection here tends to be smaller than that at Coach, but that’s to be expected with the smaller store size.   You could easily land a catch or two here.   We bought a ladies handbag launched for its autumn season at only USD$128 (SGD$170).

TOMMY HILFIGER
This has become a new favorite of ours after visiting its store at Woodbury Premium Outlets.  This huge store has something for everyone – men, women and kids.  Plenty of sporty looking bags at USD$20 - $25.  Workshirts and pants for the men at about USD$20 to $50.   Fashionable tops and dresses for the ladies here with great pastels shades.  But sizes could be a tad too big for petite Asian ladies.

CALVIN KLEIN

Another great place to shop for suits and work wear.  Sizes tend to be more classically cut for the slimmer men, and not so flattering for the bigger-sized ones.   Lots of choices here, and sales staff are friendly and helpful.   Plenty of wallets, bags and shoes – a much larger collection than you could ever find in Singapore.  Again, the amount of sales and discounts varies.  We found a T-Shirt which we bought in the Las Vegas Outlet at USD$20 going for USD$40 plus here.

CALVIN KLEIN Underwear
Ok, besides Victoria’s Secret, there’s also Calvin Klein Underwear that you must grab when you are at the U.S.A outlets.  Made of some of the most comfortable silks and cottons, this is luxury at an affordable price.  Bras going for US$20-25.   Panties are also on sale.  Grab the sleepwear as well.  And don’t forget the men’s underwear.  You will never regret the purchase.

HUGO BOSS
Boyfriends and husbands should be rewarded with a suit at Hugo Boss, for their day’s efforts to accompany girlfriends and wives who have gone berserk at the outlet.   Handsomely cut and stylish, a suit from Hugo Boss will never fail to impress.  We got a suit here at USD$450 (SGD$600), a steal considering the thousands you need to pay for the same thing in Singapore.

IZOD
This was an unlikely brand that we happened to venture in to check it out and oh boy, it’s such a great place to shop.  Lots of pastel color steals here (which we expect should be Spring’s clearout), sweaters going for USD19.90, bermudas and pants for the guys as well.

JUICY COUTURE
A great brand for teenagers, this cheeky and funky brand sometimes has great discounts for selected items.  Charms and trinkets are not that heavily discounted, which is a pity, but some selected bags are up for 50-60% discounts! Some daydreamer bags are going for USD$99!!!  The same thing usually costs USD $199.  And don’t forget the track suits that they are famous for.  They are notoriously expensive in Singapore, so grab some at the outlet first.

LEVI’S
Never leave the outlet without a quick trip to Levi’s.  The store is huge and you get a fantastic selection here, so much so that you don’t know where to start with.  Our tip – just grab something that fits and go.  There are lots of other stuff out there.  We bought a pair of jeans at USD$19.90 for a relative.

PERRY ELLIS
This store is located at Marigold Court, a relatively more secluded section of the outlet.  There is affordable men’s office wear here.  The only place in Singapore which carries the Perris Ellis brand is at Robinsons, and long-sleeve work shirts are priced at least SGD$100 each there.  We got them for only about USD$20 - 25 each at Woodbury Premium Outlet.   The store is small, but is well-stocked with lots of choices.  If you want a suit but do not mind a lesser known brand name, you can easily get one here for about USD $150 – $200 – comes with jacket, shirt, and matching trousers.  It fits quite snugly too – a good choice if not for the fact that we already bought one suit at Hugo Boss.

POLO RALPH LAUREN
Need I say more.  Grab some polo shirts here.  Packed with Chinese and Indian tourists all times of the day, this store could get quite messy.

NINE WEST

Found a beautiful pair of heels that I had been hankering for since I saw them advertised in a woman’s magazine some time back.  And as luck has it, I found the exact same pair here.  Cost USD$60 (SGD$80), with color options.  Yippy.

SKETCHERS

A must-go if you need some sports shoes or comfortable walking shoes.  I found the exact same pair of Sketchers shape-ups sports shoes I bought in USA just some 6 months ago at about USD$120, but prices are now slashed exorbitantly, which made me sob with rage.   Each pair is now going for about USD $30 – $35.  Despite the great discounts here, the place is strangely deserted.   There was no service staff to help us either, so just look for your own sizes, try it on and pay.  Have a look at the more formal men’s shoes for work too.   Total damage is USD$145 for 2 pairs of ladies shoes and 2 pairs of men’s leather shoes after tax.

THE NORTH FACE

Great collection of winter wear and winter gear here.  Bought a well-made backpack going for about USD$60 (SGD$80).

The Misses

GAP OUTLET
The discounts are not fantastic and the prices are not appealing enough to spend time and money here.   Some GAP stores at the city are offering the same discounts, so don’t waste your time here.

BANANA REPUBLIC
We were very disappointed with the collection and the prices here.  Petite collection is miserable, and prices are not appealing.

BURBERRY
If you are thinking of getting some discounted Burberry bags here, you can give this an absolute miss.  There are only lots of clothes and funny looking purses and wallets selling at still exorbitant prices.  I wonder who will spend money to buy such weird looking stuffs.

DKNY
Known for their chic and smart cuts, we found absolutely nothing here worth buying.  Maybe it’s the time of the day or the season.  A disappointment.

GUESS FACTORY STORE
Was hoping for some discounted guess bags, jeans and shoes, but it looks more like a worn warehouse than a fashion powerhouse.

J. CREW
We had high hopes for this one, the American First Lady wears this, but unfortunately, discounts are only at 20-30%, and we did not fancy paying USD$120 for a common looking blouse. 

CROCS
There are stuff on good discounts here, but one look at them and you’ll know why they are on discount.  You get what I mean?

HUSH PUPPIES MERRELL SEBAGO
This store looked so miserable, we actually felt sorry for them.  Walked in and walked out within 1 minute.

Last Call by Neiman Marcus, BARNEYS New York Outlet, Jones New York, Saks Fifth Avenue
You can give all the departmental stores a miss.  It’s no surprise that there are no customers in their stores.  There are loads of other more appealing shops elsewhere.

That's in a nutshell our review of the various stores in the Woodbury Premium Outlets.

Want to stay near Woodbury Premium Outlet? Check out Hampton Inn Harriman Woodbury
 
 


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