Shopping Guide to New York: Vintage Stores

I visited New York in August for the first time in my life, and I loved the city. It's so different from the rest of large cities I've been to (Paris, London and Madrid), and even though we're part of the occidental culture (we watch the same movies, listen to the same bands, and watch the same tv series), it seems like another world.

We had the typical tourist plan: visit the Empire State, see the Statue of Liberty, have a walk in Central Park, the Financial District... But I wanted to check the fashion stores too. I had spent most of my shopping budget in Paris (check the shopping guide to Paris here), so I knew I wouldn't go on a splurge (Well, I wasn't able to). Nevertheless, I was shocked to find that most of the prices were slightly higher than in Paris, and very few shops fitted my style. Maybe I'm more classic and European. Who knows.



Thanks to the amazing recommendations that you gave me on this post, I had a long list of shops to visit. I didn't have enough time to check them all (New York is big), but I made a guide with some of the best finds. My advice: if you really love vintage stores, go to Brooklyn and spend the whole saturday there.

New York Guide: Vintage Stores
Notes:
$= affordable items
$$= investment pieces (prices range from $90 to 300$)
$$$= expensive (many items around 400$ and up)

- LF Stores: 149 Spring Street.
- What goes around comes around: $$$ 351 West Broadway. When I visited the store, I wanted to buy everything. Amazing leather jackets, vests... It was too expensive to my taste, and most of the things could be found in other vintage shops (the ones in Brooklyn, see below) much cheaper.

- The Yelow Rat bastard: $ 478 Broadway. Lots of vintage superhero t-shirts. Nike, Levi's, Lee, Billabong, Quiksilver, Vans... Better for boys, but girls can find some treasures too.
- Tokyo 7: $ $$ 83 E. 7th Street This store is really good. Clothes by Vera Wang, Vivienne Westwood, Chloé... at very accesible prices. If you need a good dress and want to invest in a designer label, save some money and visit that shop.
- Salvation Army (lots all around NY)
- Frock: 170 Elizabeth Street
- Cheap jack's: 841 Broadway (between 13th and 14th streets)

- The Antique Boutique: 712-714 Broadway near 4th Street

- Pilgrim: 70 Orchard Street

- The Family Jewels: 130 W 23rd Street. (website)

- Matinee New York: provides costumes for Hollywood films such as Revolutionary Road, Factory Girl, American Gangster...By appointment only (website)
- Zachary's Smile: 9 Greenwich Village and 317 Lafayette Street

- Cherry: 40 W. 25th St.

- INA: 15 Bleecker St. (check more locations here)

- Resurrection: 217 Mott St.

- Allan & Suzi: 416 Amsterdam Avenue.

In Brooklyn:
Brookly was probably the best place to shop vintage clothes. Every saturday lots of markets and street vendors sell their unique creations, that include self-made jewelry, old books, vintage finds... I walked around Bedford Street and Grand Street and found amazing shops, I suggest you do the same if you visit Brooklyn.

- Brooklyn Art Market Artists & Fleas: $ 70 North 7th between Wythe/Kent This is a MUST. On saturdays. Young designers, vintage sellers, art collectors, reunite every Saturday for an amazing flea market. It's the best I've ever been. Lots of original vintage clothes (I wish I had bought a colourful jacket I saw).

- Beacon's Closet: 88 North 11th Street
- Vice versa: $ 241 Bedford Avenue. Really cheap! You can find vintage treasures here. Not from designer labels, but some hipster basics such as taylor-esque vests, leather jackets, shoes... The quality of the clothes is not quite good, most of them look dirty. Nevertheless, you can always clean them!

Vice versa

- Bird: $$ 203 Grand Street. A selection of clothes with a parisienne touch. A little bit expensive, though.
- Franny & Roey: 252 Grand Street.
- Flores Antique Clothing: 529 Grand Street.
- Jumelle: 148 Bedford Avenue
- Amarcord: $$ $$ 223 Bedford Ave. European style, looks like you entered a shop in Saint Tropez

Some other stores worth visiting:

(not vintage)
- Gap
- Abercrombie & Fitch: Even if you don't buy anything, that shop must be seen.
- American Apparel
- Urban Outfitters: the special items section is to die for.
- Prada: 575 Broadway The one Carrie Bradshaw visits.
- Century 21: Lots of designer labels on sale. I didn't like anything I saw.
- The three B's: Barney's, Bergdorf and Goodman, Bloomingdale's. As seen on Blair Waldorf.
- Tifanny's

- Adidas Originals Store: $ 136 Wooster Street. The classic designs of Adidas. I bought a really cool sweatshirt for $15!

For a complete list of Vintage Stores, visit NYMag (sorted by neighbourhood, really useful guide)

Restaurants
A list of interesting restaurants and bars in NY:
- Magnolia Bakery
- The Smith (East Village)
- Cafetiria (Chelsea)
- Los Dados
- Mercbar (Soho)
- La Esquina (esquinanyc.com) 106 Kenmare street
- Employees Only (510 Hudson)
- Brass Monkey (Meat Packing)
- Mud and Scoops and Cones
- Cafe Gitane
- Cafe Habana (Elizabeth con Prince)
- Pastis (Meat Packing District) Bookings: 1 212-929-4844
- Balthazar
- Coffe Shop
- Momofuku
- Shake Shack
- JG Melon
- Nobu (105 Hudson)
- Cipriani's (781, 5th Av)
- Burger Joint (inside a hotel)
- Spice Market
- Gray's Papaya (2090 Broadway)
- EAT
- Corner Bistro.
- PJ Clarke's

all photographs by me and my family

Also:
Shopping Guide to Paris: Le Marais