las vegas north premium outlets - mini haul

(Las Vegas, Nevada).  One of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas is to outlet shop, and my favorite place to do it is the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets.  They recently opened up a new section with higher-end outlet stores (e.g., last call neiman marcus, saks fifth avenue off 5th, rag & bone, etc.) and the choices can be a bit overwhelming!  (See here for center map and store listings.)

What did I end up getting this time?

 My goal was to pick up some office clothes and some comfortable work heels.  And it was a success!

For work clothes, I usually like St. John, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Kate Spade.  Kate Spade was so crowded that they were enforcing a bouncer line into the store (argh) so I decided to bypass it this time.  But I scored a red blouse at St. John for only about $112 (orig $390) and a dress and top from DVF for more about 60% off retail.  (yay!)

For shoes, I headed to Salvatore Ferragamo and tried on a few pairs of basic black heels.  Although they weren't as cute as Jimmy Choo's or Mahnolos, they did seem more comfortable.  I ended up with these relatively cute shoes for $345 (orig $675?).

Then I picked up some Paige denim shorts ($49 / orig $98) and a BCBG white lace top ($45 / orig 98) at off 5th. Oddly enough, off 5th had cuter clothing and was way better organized than last call neiman marcus.  But both stores had a nice variety of handbags and fine jewelry for a steep discount.

Some other standout stores for me:
- Bose (for the best noise cancelling headsets ever)
- Swarovski - for beautiful crystal gifts and accessories.  Once you shop here, you'll never want to pay retail for Swarovski again.
- Alexis Bittar - lovely jewelry, especially earrings and long necklaces for 50% off retail
- rag & bone - gorgeously soft booties and edgy clothes ... but even with the steep discounts, it's still pretty expensive.

My husband actually came with me because of the Burton store there and he picked up some early birthday gifts for himself.  If you are a snowboarder, this is a must stop for you.

Some quick tips.

• If you have a car, there is a huge parking lot which is free, but it can get very very crowded.  I usually prefer just taking a cab - it's only about 6 minutes from the strip and there's a taxi line there so getting a taxi back is very easy.  
• Arrive earlier (before the crowds arrive) and allot at least half a day because there are lots of stores!
• If you are a AAA member,  go to the visitor center and pick up your booklet of coupons.   It's free with your AAA card and you may end up saving more money.  (Without the AAA, I believe the booklet is $10.)
• Stay hydrated - some of the stores (e.g., St. John) will offer mini bottles of water while you shop.
• Wear comfortable shoes, and if you want to buy clothes, wear something that is easy to slip on and off.
• The after Thanksgiving sale here is AWESOME - check it out if you are in town.
• Have fun!