F.I.G. sale is a dud.

Yes, the much-touted and anticipated F.I.G. sale was nothing to write home about. The clothes and jewelry were one big blur of the same: trendy, clingy blouses, pants, skirts, dresses and accessories for twentysomethings. Many (if not most) of the sizes were fours and zeros.

There were, however, a few finds.

San Antonio-based boutique Penny Lane had several Isabel Marant wool jackets that were seventy five percent off. My personal favorite: a blue sequined long-sleeved dinner jacket.

David Peck, a Houston-based designer, showcased his CrOp collection and fall line of wool dresses. Mr. Peck's boatneck blouses are made of 100 percent crepe de chine, and the collection's blouses, dresses and skirts are printed with eco-friendly techniques. These clothes are luxurious, well-made and affordable.

Here are other reasons why to love Mr. Peck's clothes:

1. They are manufactured in Houston.
2. A percentage of CrOp's proceeds are donated to charitable causes.
3. Mr. Peck uses certified fair trade, natural and organic fabrics.

My last stop was at Poleci, and there were a few standouts there, too: an elegant grey jumpsuit, a colorful dress and a burgundy cocktail dress.

New purchases

The Calvin Klein dress I found at Nordstrom (online), and the pink shift at Talbots. I especially like the neckline of the Calvin Klein dress, and that it is form-fitting and ladlylike. The Talbots dress is a light-weight blend of silk and wool.

Browsing at Last Call

Maybe it's because I went two days after the sale started, but the racks at Neiman Marcus offered slim pickings.

I went over to Neiman's in between breaks and went through a couple of racks of Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and others. The standouts: a long-sleeved mod bejewled dress by Marchesa; Chanel skirts; a cream-colored jacket, a grey shift and silk navy shell by Akris.

The St. John rack had not much to be desired. What's with the cotton sequined tank tops? It's disappointing when high-end designers make clothes that are cheap and overpriced.

I'm going back Sunday for another look at more clothes, shoes and accessories.

Turn to ¡Hola! to get your fix of runway shows

No magazine seems to cover fashion shows like the quintessential Spanish gossip-cum-fashion magazine ¡Hola! 

I had forgotten just how fabulous the magazine's coverage is of runway shows, and recently rediscovered those great spreads flipping through old editions at Richard Brooks. The seasonal preview editions are spectacular, packed with hundreds of photographs of Valentino, Versace, Lanvin, etc., as well as some lesser known designers.

The magazine is not available locally, but you can order it online.

10 Best Dressed from Vogue

I look forward to Vogue's 10 Best Dressed every week. Cary Mulligan's always on it, and she's always spot on. Never trendy, always stylish.

Neiman Marcus Last Call Sale

Neiman Marcus is having a Last Call sale in select stores in Arizona, California, Hawaii and Texas. Discounts up to 65 percent off.

In Dallas, at downtown store and only through Sunday.

Victoria Beckham: Who Knew

Pinned on my bulletin board is a picture of short-sleeved red cocktail dress by Victoria Beckham. This is a great dress, and what makes it a great dress is that it's simple: no patterns, no frills. Very Lanvin-like: the designer took a solid-colored fabric and made an interesting and elegant dress.

(Unfortunately, I couldn't find a picture of this dress online, but it's available at Neiman Marcus.)

This dress piqued my curiosity about Ms. Beckham's collection, and what I saw on her Web site stunned me.

Clean lines, structured dresses, solid colors.

I am sold.

Who knew? Can't knock her anymore for being a celebrity-designer wannabe.

See the collection here.