Designer duds still on offer at Wendy Davis estate sale

A small crowd had already gathered as the garage door rolled open Friday morning, signaling the start of the two-day Wendy Davis estate sale.

The Fort Worth lawyer-turned-politician vaulted to national fame after an epic 2013 filibuster for abortion rights, and in 2014, she was the Democratic candidate for Texas governor. But Davis also is known for her good taste — her sleek personal style is totally telegenic, and her tony Museum District townhouse, with its glazed walls and ivy-covered courtyard, was once featured in the Star-Telegram’s luxury magzine, Indulge.

Davis recently moved to Austin and, as they say in sales, everything must go.

Folks walked swiftly past the piles of ordinary objects filling the garage — apparently rolls of wrapping paper, boxes of light bulbs and old campaign koozies weren’t topping anyone’s shopping lists on this sunny morning.

Many were making a beeline for the room with the shoes. It was widely reported that running shoes similar to the red Mizuno Wave Riders Davis wore during that famed 11-hour filibuster would be for sale. At least two pairs of Mizunos were on the shelf, although the sale price of one — $120 — was on par with a fresh pair.

But there’s plenty more on sale here than just sneakers.

Women with a size 6.5 foot can expect a treasure trove of drastically discounted designer kicks — think Lanvin, Chanel, Christian Louboutin and Yves Saint Laurent. The purse selection is a mixed bag, with brands ranging from affordable options like Elaine Turner and Trina Turk to higher-end styles from Chloe and Marc Jacobs.

There’s also a room full of rolling racks jam-packed with Davis-size duds (that would be XS, 0 and 2) ranging from evening gowns and sleek sheaths to jean jackets and track suits. There’s even a big plastic bin filled with bathing suits. Women designers and American brands abound, with selections from Diane Von Furstenberg and Tory Burch as well as Elie Tahari, Banana Republic and J. Crew.

The kitchen has been transformed into jewelry central, and the good news there is that the random selection of blingy brooches and bead necklaces displayed across every countertop comes not from Davis but from the collection of the estate sale company. Meaning chances are low that any of the bedazzled frog pins ever graced Davis’ lapel.

There’s a selection of sophisticated furniture, including several elegant upholstered settees. But the bigger draw just may be the beautiful hardcover books lining the built-in bookcases in the living room. The genres are myriad, and anyone searching for a copy — or two or 10 — of Davis’ 2015 memoir, Forgetting to be Afraid, will be in luck.

As of noon Friday, Davis’ deluxe treadmill was still available, as was her still-in-its-box Guitar Hero and an unused monogrammed yoga mat.

This story was originally published February 26, 2016 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Designer duds still on offer at Wendy Davis estate sale."