Lucky Magazine’s latest rank reveals Philadelphia as the 14^th best shopping city in the country.  From analyzing super – scientific metrics like vacancy rates and Yelp reviews to meditating on the best place to find the perfect shoe, the Lucky editors deem the City of Brotherly Love the 14^th most gratifying place to drop some cash on clothes.  Plus no sales tax!

uwishunu urges Philadelphians itching to shop to forgo the traditional Rittenhouse locale and instead try Old City’s 3^rd Street, Northern Liberties, Chestnut Hill, and even our little University City haven.  So the next time you feel like one of the masses shopping for the latest man-sweater at Urban in preparation for a massive snowstorm, remember: It could be worse.

Attention, ladies: Free People, the boho-chic sister of Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie, has just opened for business at 1625 Walnut. As uwishunu reports, this location isn’t the first one in the Philadelphia area– two others are located in Ardmore and the King of Prussia. Take advantage of the fact that this much-loved store isn’t a minute’s walk from your mid-afternoon lecture because for a (very) limited time, you might walk into class feeling trendy and stylish without realizing three other people are wearing exactly the same thing.

Tomorrow is the Fairmount Flea Market! If you’ve never explored one of Philly’s giant flea markets before, now’s the time to pull out your obscure shopping list of tchotchkes and trinkets and get browsing. Spookily surrounding the Eastern State Penitentiary (haunted house, anyone?), more than 200 vendors will be selling vintage clothes and furniture alongside their lifetime collections of teacups, keychains or Civil War memorabilia–plus anything else you might discover if you dig a little.

The market is located on 22nd & Fairmount and the surrounding blocks, and will be open from 9am-5pm. See this schedule for a full list of flea markets happening in Philly this year. Let us know if you find that sparkly unicorn sweater we’ve always wanted.

A depiction of the future Apple store on Walnut Street (Philadelphia Art Commission)

While perusing PennLink today, we noticed a recent job posting that piqued our interest. While it isn’t your typical Analyst or Intern posting, it certainly got us excited for this July, when the new Apple store opens up downtown.

They’re looking for full-time and part-time specialists (aka personable SEAS kids with a knack for technology) to staff the store.

While the 1607 Walnut location wasn’t confirmed until early last November, Mac store rumors have been flying since 2004.

Needless to say, we’re even more stoked than when we first caught wind of the news.

Let’s face it, we kids grew a lot this summer, and you know what that means: cargo khakis falling right at the ankle bone, lacy sleeves hardly covering second knuckles, and too-small shoes that have us tripping in more ways than one. Even the clothes that do still fit are teeming with out-of-style catch phrases and outdated cultural references. Donate it all to charity, student. We’re going shopping!

Tomorrow in Houston Hall, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CollegeSampleSale.com will be hosting, of all things, an enormous College Sample Sale. Details listed below, and even more details listed on the Facebook event listing.

• All merchandise under $100
• Jeans 2 for 1
• Shirts, pants, jeans, jackets, bathing suits and other new products, all 50-80% off and brand new
• Designers including Anlo, T-Bags, Joie, AKA, La Rok, Primp, 291 and more

Courtesy DesignPhiladelphia, via Flickr.

It’s a spoof on the Gift of the Magi scenario: Philadelphia’s Barney’s CO-OP has finally opened… just as the recession is making money tight, of course. Nevertheless, it’s a huge boon to Philly fashionistas, who no longer have to trek to King of Prussia to find a decent department store. And it sure is pretty to look at! Here are the deets:

CO-OP PHILADELPHIA
10 Rittenhouse Square
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Mon – Sat: 10am – 8pm
Sun: 11am – 6pm

(Thanks, DesignPhiladelphia, for the tip!)

We’re not sure how we missed this one, but there’s a new Juicy Couture store downtown. It’s located right near Rittenhouse Square at 17th and Walnut. Props to DesignPhiladelphia for reminding us of this exciting retail development!

Mohawks are the new bangs.

Arts and Letters requirement got you down? Worried about whether or not your business casual slacks will cut it in Fisher Bennett, or even (gasp), the Kelly Writers House? Sell your vintage Retro Ramones Tee to the first angsty tween you pass on Locust Walk. We’ve got shopping to do!

This Sunday, February 1st, R5 Music Productions will be hosting the twice-postponed, bi-annual Punk Rock Flea Market! Held at the Electric Factory (7th and Willow Sts – just below 7th and Spring Garden), the event brings together over 130 vendors, selling old records, clothes, art, music, food, junk, bicycles, posters, furniture, and more.

The $3 admission fee, along with all proceeds, will go towards hosting all-age shows at the First Unitarian Church. Don’t let the name throw you off. There’s something for everyone here, punk rock or otherwise. And if you’re 21, drink and be merry. Maybe you’ll leave with that skateboard you never knew you needed.

Snow blanketed the eastern seaboard yesterday, and despite the picturesque quality it lent to our homecoming, today we find ourselves still snowed in and thus unable to partake in our favorite winter break activities: visiting the mall.  Luckily, our internet connection is working and amazon.com is almost as good as the real thing.  What follows is a last-minute holiday gift guide, conveniently featuring items that can be purchased online and shipped to you by December 24th.  (We’re leaving out the gift suggestions that have already been posted about.  And if you’re wondering whether “holiday gift guide” is a label that’s being used to mask the fact that this is really just a list of stuff your editor wants, well…so be it.)

1. For the sister, female cousin or Michael Gold in your life:  Everyone forgets that before Chuck was awesome, he was an attempted date rapist.  Relive the simpler times with Gossip Girl – The Complete First Season on DVD. Read the rest of this entry »