Houston’s High-End Bargain Shoppers Know Their Time Is Here — Inside the Always Anticipated Chic Boutique Showroom Sale

Savvy bargain shoppers are counting the hours until the Salvation Army Auxiliary’s Chic Boutique Showroom opens on Wednesday, April 8, revealing a treasure trove of gently worn and spanking new fashions sourced from the chicest of Houston closets and from the racks of such esteemed H-Town stores as Elizabeth Anthony.

On a recent tour of the Chic Boutique pop-up at 3403 Richmond Avenue, we discovered what could have been a Santa’s elves workshop. Except that these elves were auxiliary volunteers categorizing, pricing and primping the donations.

Clothes are displayed across 150 racks that are labeled according to product — evening, jackets, dresses — and size. Shoes, handbags, jewelry, scarves and an entire section devoted to hats are stylishly presented. These are far from flea market finds. For example, popular Caruggi’s Boutique has contributed 95 pieces, all with original price tags and marked down substantially.

The Chi Boutique is act two of the annual Reflections on Style fundraising efforts. The luncheon and style show of the creme-de-la-creme of the donated clothing, set for this Tuesday, April 7 at River Oaks Country Club, sold out months in advance. In addition to the wealth of items already on display at the Richmond location, pieces that don’t sell at the luncheon will be transferred over.

“The thing that sets us apart with the Chic Boutique is that the shoppers come in knowing what we have. They know that we are going to have very high-end labels. Not only do we have the high-end, we have the middle like the bridge lines and then you have everything else,” Reflections on Style chair Lesha Elsenbrook says.

“If you’re a shopper looking for that special piece like ‘I’ve always wanted to have an Oscar de la Renta dress or a YSL purse.’  You know you can come here. We have all have those things.”

Among our finds:

— An incredible navy blue velvet gown with beading for $35.

— A wedding gown for $75 and another for $250.

— Black beaded evening jacket for $30.

— Pumps, boots, sneakers in all sizes at many price points.

— Hats priced from $10 to $20.

— A fabulous Fendi clutch for $150, less than one tenth the original cost.

Early shopping on Wednesday, April 8 runs from 3 pm to 7 pm with a $20 donation for entry. The sale continues with free admission on Thursday, April 9, Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11. The sale runs from 10 am to 5 pm daily during this stretch.