Above the Fray: Shoppers Are Off to the Races at the Barneys Warehouse Sale

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Today begins the semi-annual Barneys Warehouse Sale, along with two weeks of debate about whether it's really worth the hassle of fighting with hundreds of clothing-crazed shoppers over discounts that—let's be honest—are just as easy to find online. One thing that's not up for debate, though: The chaos that inevitable surrounds the sale. A special Racked correspondent has already documented the line outside the Santa Monica airport, and now she's moving on to the deals within. Stay tuned for constant updates as the morning unfolds.

8:02am: Women are literally sprinting towards the shoes. Hilarious.

8:20am: Meanwhile, in the men's shoe section? Tumbleweeds.

8:27am: Bags are already cleared out.

8:30am: There's a good selection of jeans that no one is shopping—Acne, Current/Elliot, J Brand, Citizens, James. Size 24 is getting shopped the heaviest.

8:42am: On to apparel! Lots of DVF, Vena Cava, Phillip Lim, Co-op brand. I've also spotted some Rag & Bone, Stella, etc. Small sizes are getting the most attention. Nothing really over $200, but I'm still in RTW—haven't hit designer yet.

8:50am: Spotted: Christopher Kane paillette dress! But still $800. As for blouses and skirts—if you aren't size six or over, forget it. Don't forget your nice underwear, though, as there are no fitting rooms.

8:57am: People are actually being very civil. It's super mellow and there's tons of staff, so everything is still tidy. Lots of husbands standing around carrying garbage bags full of stuff.

9:01am: In the designer section, I'm seeing tons of Prada, Lanvin, Balenciaga, and Dries, plus a little bit of everything else. Mostly big sizes. It's so funny to see it all on plastic hangers!

9:05am: In menswear, guys are ignoring the suits. Mostly Burberry, Hugo Boss, Hickey Freeman, around $600 each.

9:07am: Oh, and Varvatos! Amusing number of women stripping down in front of the men's section.

9:12: OK, men have it WAY better. Shirts, ties, scarves, hats, tees, coats—and a lot of them. Am now in the palty home furnishings department. Mostly Christmas organments and ugly throw pillows.

9:24am: Shoe check: Still pretty well-stocked. Lots of Prada, Manolo, Lanvin, Marc by Marc, Marni, Louboutin. Still mostly over $300 and nothing I couldn't live without. The line for pairs is fairly short.

9:30am: The stroller brigade is starting to arrive. Presumably lots more clogged aisles ahead. I see two unrelated babies waving around Manolos.

9:35am: Crucial final detail: The checking line is stretching the entire length of the hangar.