I Shoulda Bought It

It's not exactly a secret that we're wild about Marden's — you can read The Maven's take on it in The Boston Globe. With all due respect to the Marden's Lady (or is that Maaaahden's?) we don't have an accent that needs translation and we don't shop there because we're cheap. We shop there because it's like a treasure hunt — and, really, who doesn't love a ridiculous deal?

Sometimes, we leave empty-handed, but we've found Ann Taylor clothing, Tod's driving mocs, model-skinny Ralph Lauren runway samples, leather couches, Pottery Barn tables and other goodies for a fraction of retail. After shopping for months for her wedding dress — everywhere from Priscilla of Boston to House of Brides in Bangor — The Maven found her silk, hand-beaded designer gown at Marden's in Calais for $99. When her tailor heard the price, she said the fabric alone was worth more than that.

Until recently, the best thing about Marden's has also been the worst thing about Marden's: You truly have no idea what you're going to find. In Brewer, for example, savvy shoppers always show up on Tuesday evening, when they unload new stock. But now, they don't have to.

Marden's recently launched a redesigned Web site and added a feature that shows which stores are getting what. Store blogs give more detailed information. There's even a place to view this week's newspaper ads, just in case you missed them. The site is, in a word, fabulous. Simply click on the column down the left-hand side of the page and you'll learn that the Lewiston furniture department just received new loveseats, Brewer just got in a shipment of women's clothing from a home-shopping channel, and all stores just received pine and cedar wainscot.

That's Marden's for you: always thinking of ways to save (in this case, a trip). Now, you truly have no excuse to say you shoulda bought it.

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Goodwill Hunting

We can't tell you how many hours the Maven crew has spent combing the racks at various and sundry Goodwill boutiques throughout Maine. Over the years, we've found stained-glass windows and designer jeans, Kate Spade bags and sets of fine china, evening gowns and vintage furs. But we have to admit, we've never scored anything as good as the steals at the upcoming Bridal & Prom Showcase, this Saturday, April 18, at the Augusta Goodwill Retail Store (56 Western Ave., Augusta).

The whole idea of the showcase is to provide affordable dresses and formalwear — used and new. To that end, prices range from $9.99 to $299 (for a $6,000 designer gown). Pashminas, jewelry and other accessories are available. For more information, click here.

We're wild about this idea, but thanks to Twitter, we don't even need to leave home for a little Goodwill hunting. If you follow @SHOPgoodwillnne, you can get updates on Goodwill Industries of Northern New England's newly posted items on eBay. Today's offerings include a Dooney & Bourke bag, fine silver and new linen sheets.

Is it more fun than wading through hundreds of pants to discover a like-new pair of Sevens? No, but it does beat the 99-cent necklace we picked up a few weeks ago.

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Send In The Clowns

You mastered juggling — career, family, mortgage — years ago. From time to time, your kids and their friends sound like a herd of elephants lumbering through the house. And there are certainly times when you feel like you have two heads.

Some days, it feels like you live your life under the big top. But imagine, if you will, a circus of a different kind — where the three rings are full of gorgeous clothes, sumptuous accessories and truly astonishing prices.

For nine days in February and March, the Designers Circus will be the greatest show in Portland, if not on earth. Trust us — we've gone. We've bought. We've juggled.

Part sample sale, part warehouse free-for-all, the Designers Circus features national and local boutique designers who sell their goods for 50 percent to 90 percent off retail cost. It started in Boston in the '80s with one designer and has since grown to include a rotation of 175 designers (75 at a time) with shows in Braintree and Hyannis, Mass., as well as Portland. In Maine, there are three shows annually: Winter Blues (February/March); Memorial Day; and Back-To-School. The Designers Circus is intentionally under-the-radar, but it is worth seeking out.

In addition, the Circus is a socially and environmentally conscious endeavor: The sale raises money for women living with cancer, while the designers promote environmentally friendly practices and support indigenous cultures of the Americas.

The Winter Blues sale will take place from Saturday, Feb. 28, to Sunday, March 8, at 58 Fore St. in Portland (near the Railroad Museum). Hours, a full list of designers and directions click here.

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