you can't always get what you want...

You can't always get what you want.
And if you try sometime you find -
You get what you need.

Well, this is what I need folks. Actually, this is about one-third of what I'd actually like, but I'm a practical gal- I can sacrifice.

(Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Wish list: Helmut Lang Glazed Moto Jacket, Calvin Klein Calf Hair Pump,
Halogen Merino Wool V-Neck Cardigan, MARC BY MARC JACOBS 'Blade' Crystal Index Watch, MARC BY MARC JACOBS Square Sunglasses)

Grab those credit cards...today starts the official start to the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.

Since the BF and I both have Nordstrom MOD cards, we got to enjoy pre-shopping at the preview events. He surprised me with a lovely Kate Spade leather bag - which I'm obsessed with - so I feel spoiled already.

Nordstrom is a magical place for me. For starters, my mom told me she had to wander around Nordstrom to enduce labor when my cute face was still in the womb (hence why I'm an expensive gal). Once I was out into the world, I would often scare my mom to death by hiding in the rounders of clothes. Her motherly-panic was in full swing. It was so, so fun...so was getting a balloon in the kid's shoe section. The Anniversary Sale was always the first stab at back-to-school shopping. For the next month and a half, I'd have several of those fun Sale bags in the corner of my room just waiting to have its contents be warn. Then back in 2008, I spent hours chatting it up with the BF for the first time as we wandered the different sections when he was enlisted to help style my sister's album cover shoot. We bonded over designer jeans, and later asked me to grab drinks that weekend.

From now until July 19, Nordstrom Fashion Rewards Members can earn double rewards points, while all the rest of you can just rack up some major debt. But it's worth it! The prices go back up August 1. Even though it's hard to shop for jackets and sweaters when Summer just arrived, your closet will thank you when fall rolls around.

please forgive me if I act a little strange...

I just went from enraged to insanely happy in 3 minutes! For the last few days, I have been paitently waiting for the chance to purchase or pre-order their "Kate Spade New York Supports Japan" tote bag. With a cool $18 price tag, 100% of the proceeds will go towards the Japanese Red Cross. A win win, right?

Wrong.

Let it be known that I would buy this bag on it's own anyway. The donation to Japan relief efforts was an added bonus. But unlike the spirit of the Kate Spade brand, this experience took me from a fan to a foe within a few days.

With the hype of the adorable tote bags plastered all over their Facebook and Twitter pages, Kate Spade kept insisting that they'd tell their customers when the link was ready to purchase and made us all sit tight and wait.

"We are so thankful to have so much excitement about the kate spade new york supports japan tote. our team is working hard to make sure that it is uploaded correctly on our website. we will share more details soon!"

So the link went up this morning, and the bags sold out in 15 minutes. Their website didn't display the link properly which they attributed to "growing pains of our new website." I'm all for blaming technology, and I don't doubt the demand was high, but from a marketing perspective - it was all wrong.

As one Facebook fan pointed out, all of this could have been avoided if they made enough bags to accomodate the demand or at least filled customers in on the production status. With 212,754 fans on Facebook and a few thousand more on Twitter, they obviously drummed up enough attention. But producing a product with the proceeds going to charity will do that. I'm afraid that they just pissed off a lot more people than are pleased with their tote bag purchase.

I love the idea that their brand decided to design a bag to help Japan. While Groupons and LivingSocial pages were offering a place to donate and the company will match, Kate Spade went a different route.

A simple email blast informing everyone of the details would have saved a ton of time and less dissapointment. Right?

One nice girl pointed out that their store in Texas was taking pre-orders, so I called, gave my information, and I'll have a bag in a week and a half. I'm happy to have the bag. I'm more happy to help Japan. I just feel so silly that I got so upset over a TOTE BAG!

My thoughts go out to everyone in Japan. Don't think that this is my only attempt to help Japan. I plan on donating more to help the relief effort.

At the end of the day, I feel totally silly to get so flustered over a tote bag. Forgive me?