Where does unsold fashion merchandise go to die? In an ideal world, it would go to charity. For H&M and Wal-Mart, it apparently gets slashed so it’s unwearable, and then chucked in the garbage. One New Yorker made this sad discovery when she happened upon tons of black trash bags filled with H&M clothing ruined with intentional cuts and holes. Some of the items even included winter jackets that retailed for as much as $129, and the store location was down the street from a charity coat collection post. It looks as if Wal-Mart is also guilty of this wasteful procedure even though a company rep told the New York Times that clothes are “normally” donated.

How can this be?

The crazy couture, the massive stage sets: It all comes with a price tag. For Lady Gaga, the cost of her accoutrement matters less than making sure her performances and appearances are over the top and up to her standards. Credit card bills and debt? Apparently, that’s a worry for tomorrow. But now her penchant for spending money has become a real problem, and her accountants are surely less than pleased. She not only dropped about $83,000 for the fabulous bathtub used just once for her X Factor performance, but the diva also spent about $800,000 on ONE stage set! Haus of Gaga outfits don’t come cheap either. Despite her sold-out tour, she’s reporting losses of about $3 million already. Yeesh. Lady needs to hire a financial planner and get a lock on those credit cards. [The Sun]

If Lands’ End models now look like this, then maybe that’s a sign the New Year is off to a great start.

Two brands that were previously momtastic—L.L. Bean and Lands’ End—have pulled an Eileen Fisher in re-branding for a trendier consumer. Both outdoorsy companies are launching bridge lines with wares that are younger and more current (meaning you won’t find any elastic waist bands or purple fleece jackets here). L.L. Bean’s range, called “Signature,” will also graduate from casual wear by offering men’s suits and fancy footwear for women. As a result of the upgrades, the two retailers have taken a new direction with their catalog styling and photography to produce more fashion-forward spreads. A fresh change from kids in backpacks and middle-aged couples in puffy vests—yet, these photos do look like J. Crew rips, which we’re not sure is a good or bad thing.

Forget that gift cards generally make lousy presents, another reason why they’re an all-around bad idea: they’re becoming popular vehicles of crime. The New York Times reports that more and more, retail employees are committing theft by manipulating stores’ gift cards. When you think about it, these electronic devices are far more clever than filling one’s pockets up with cash or goods, as it’s essentially hidden money. Joshua Bamfield, author of the Global Retail Theft Barometer, tells the Times, “To employees, this is like currency. It’s almost as good as the U.S. dollar.”

So what should you be looking out for? One popular tactic is for a clerk to distract you while they hand you a zero-value card and take your money themselves. Ask them to verify the value in front of you, or come back and ask a different employee to check the balance. Thank you for reading this very important PSA. [New York Times]

It’s the season for post-holiday super sales and like all of us, celebs are out taking advantage of the slashed prices—check out Charlize Theron with her mom at BCBG and Renee Zellweger has been seen out with boyfriend Bradley Cooper‘s mother too. I’m planning on hitting up a few sales in the next few days (got those holiday gift cards burning a hole in my pocket, after all!), but, personally, I loathe shopping with anyone but me, myself and I.

The days of waiting outside for a store to open alongside a dangerous mob of people swarming around you are coming to a close. Thanks to online retail and all the comparison shopping tools available, it’s never been easier or more convenient to score seriously great deals. And due to the combination of competition and the recession, many online venues offer low-cost to free shipping. Here are a couple of guidelines for getting the most out of all the after-Xmas sales going on right now.

Looking for free booze? Just head to your local luxury retailer, where they might just be offering shoppers—whether they’re your average Joes or loaded P. Diddies—a glass of bubbly when you walk in the door. According to the New York Times, many stores are experiencing attitude readjustments in an attempt to lure in holiday shoppers. So in snobby boutiques where sales clerks may have never given you a second look, you may now find that a shopgirl is ready to compliment, fetch, and wait on you. At Bergdorf Goodman, for example, “almost every person who has stepped through the gilded revolving doors ... has been given a hero’s welcome, with an honor guard of doting sales associates.”

Fashion trends may come and go, but true style is eternal. Just ask Elizabeth Taylor, who recently sat down to talk style with out friends at Stylelist. Take lessons from her, darlings, because she certainly knows what she’s talking about. “I don’t follow the dictates of fashion,” she said.” “I stay true to my own style, wearing the things that inspire me and not just what’s shown on the runway or in fashion magazines.” And she’s been through it all: Hollywood, marriages, health issues, brilliant acting roles, not to mention that fact that she was named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In all her experience, she’s gained more sartorial knowledge than most—fashion icons Halston, Edith Head, Helen Rose, Irene Sharaff, Versace and Valentino are her good friends—so jump through for eight of her must-have fashion items.

Ohmigod, newsflash: women like shoes! In the latest of lady debates, people have discussed which women care more about—guys or their footwear? This should be an obvious answer, but recent studies have tried to convince us that ladies actually obsess way more over shoes than men. Apparently, these women do exist, and one of them has asserted to the Daily Mail that “shoes ARE sexier than men.” She’s invested a lot of heart and soul into her collection, which numbers some 700 pairs! (Would the term “slut” be justified here?)

Anyhow, we want to know—how many pairs of shoes are in your closet? And for those out there with big collections, where does the obsession come from?

Avon calling! Or, poking?

Mark, Avon’s trendier, Lauren Conrad-endorsed line, is now selling makeup through Facebook. This is the first time we’ve seen e-commerce really take advantage of the social network. The Mark store essentially operates as a fan page with the standard wall and info tabs, but there’s also a shop tab that lets you browse and purchase products under the same umbrella. This could be a flop—something that their market research team thinks is fail-proof because young girls are, like, always on Facebook, right? Or could this be the beginning of a new social networking trend where everything you do (or buy) online is all within the same structure? What do you think—would you buy clothes or makeup off Facebook? [Mark Girl Facebook Page via StyleList]

Buying a gift card or certificate might be one way to deal with people whom you have no idea what to get for the holidays. And true, for the person receiving a gift card, it can feel like free money.

However, if you’re going this route, you’d probably be better off just handing them a wad of twenties. After the jump, the reasons why, and what to do if you’re stuck with a crap gift card.

Simon Doonan is the famously charming and genius Creative Director of fancy department store Barneys New York. And also, apparently, one very irritated (and totally gay) elf. Yet, he still has to do his job, and take down everyone’s gift wish at the Barneys office. Watch to see Doonan’s best Santa’s Helper impression. [YouTube]

Bling while you grocery shop! To promote the super-fabulousness of gourmet store Okku in Istanbul, the supermarket created a set of gold-plated, rhinestone-encrusted shopping carts. Purportedly, all the “fabulously rich customers” loved them. When I was younger, I used to climb in shopping carts, and my friends would push me down a hill, and then I would crash. Probably, I would not do that with one of these. Anyway, so much for that global recession, right? Somebody pimp my shopping cart, please. [NOTCOT]

My inbox is inundated with sample sales—from Gilt Groupe, Editor’s Closet, The Clothing Line, and Daily Candy’s updates. But now there’s one more to add to the list of tempting sales. eBay must feel left out, because they just launched their very own online shopping section. Their Fashion Vault opened with goodies from DKNY up to 70 percent off (which seem to have already sold out). So, if you’re searching for designer deals, make sure to sign up for their newsletter and prepare to click fast for your desired purchases. At least there are no girl fights involved over the last pair of shoes in the online world. [SHEFinds]

Breaking News: Lily Allen and her sister are planning to open up a clothing shop and rent out designer looks à la Rent the Runway. The shop will be called Lucy In Disguise and, though we’re fairly sick of celebs thinking they have any business working in fashion, we’re fairly excited about this idea. After all, Lily looks stylish more often than most other celebs her age, she’s a bit edgy, and her Chanel campaign was just far too cute for words. Here’s to hoping some of papa Lagerfeld’s creations show up at Allen’s shop. [Elle UK]

The holidays are pretty important to most of us, although some of the reasons why are a little superficial. For example, it’s the perfect time to show off a new look, your hard work at the gym, and the outfit that took you hours to find. But are you aware of just how many hours are spent prepping for the season? Apparently, 312 of them, or so says a new study commissioned by Clothes Show Live. Shocking but true. In those 13 days, 72 hours are spent shopping for clothes while 48 hours are directed at accessories alone, 96 hours go to the gym, 63 hours add up the time you’ll chat with friends for advice,12 hours on hair styling, and 23 hours encompass the time spent getting pretty. Add to that 10 hours of magazine research and six hours of makeup inspiration searching. It sound exhausting just detailing all of the minute requirements to look “beautiful.” [Daily Mail]