Bargain bin

By Ami Albernaz, Globe Correspondent  |  February 12, 2009

Ladies, do you have a great piece of clothing that no longer looks so great on you? Take it to Turtle (619a Tremont St., Boston, 617-266-2610, www.turtleboston.com), which hosts its annual clothing swap this evening from 5-8 p.m. Find fun pieces for all ages and sizes. Whatever's left at the end of the night will be donated to Rosie's Place. Wear a leotard, leggings, or anything else you can easily slip try-ons over, as the store's two dressing rooms will be in high demand. Participants get a coupon toward Turtle's new spring merchandise.

A little more than a year after expanding into Boston, Intimacy (Copley Place, 857-277-7887, www.myintimacy.com) is having its first sale. Starting Monday, select lingerie from La Perla, Simone Perele, Prima Donna, and others will be 40-60 percent off. Pair that with one of the store's meticulous, free bra fittings (appointment recommended), and you've got yourself the perfect belated Valentine's gift.

If you've wandered through the Prudential Center recently, you might have noticed Clutch, a modest arrangement of display cases smack in the middle of L'Occitane and Express. Its handbags and, naturally, clutches are now 50 percent off, and include Jessica Simpson, Kenneth Cole, and other eye-catching numbers. Given its relatively low overhead, the operation is committed to low prices beyond the sale, says the owner, who's spent time at both Louis Vuitton and Harvard Business School. That's good news for our purses.

We can always count on French Connection for pieces that strike the right balance of playful and sophisticated. Now that select items are up to 75 percent off, shopping there is that much more appealing. On a recent visit to the Newbury Street store, we found button-down shirts for him for $29.99 (originally $98), along with marked-down sweaters, blazers, and belts. For her, we found tops for as little as $9.99 and smart, belted wool coats for $149.99 (marked down from $368). French Connection is at 206 Newbury St., Boston, 617-247-1301, and Copley Place, Boston, 617-424-1819. www.frenchconnection.com

One more reason to get to the South End pronto: Latin American home design outfit Diseno (409 Harrison Ave., Boston, 617-423-2008, www.disenoboston.com) has taken 20-50 percent off everything in the store as part of its winter sale. Alpaca shawls and scarves are now 40 percent off, while furniture floor models (Argentine leather sofas, classic and contemporary coffee tables) are 20-30 percent off. Pick up some suede fringe pillows or leather magnetic wall tiles or, if you're particularly adventurous, a leather or cowhide rug.