RALPH LAUREN RHINELANDER MANSION
Other brands have Madison Avenue flagships, but only Ralph has a century-old Beaux Arts mansion dedicated to menswear. (Women get an equally expansive space across the street.) It doesn't matter if you don't need any preppy new clothes; the space is worth a visit just for the architecture alone.
FIVESTORY
Shop owner Claire Distenfeld only opened Fivestory a mere few months ago, but since it's inception, the boutique has garnered plenty of attention for its extremely well-edited selection of super high-end merchandise. Expect pricey designer goods from Peter Pilotto, Balmain, and Cushnie et Ochs, as well as a handful of others lines that are a little bit more under the radar.
BARNEYS NEW YORK
Barneys had to be on this list; it sets the standard that all other designer department stores have to live up to. Barneys's decidedly unstuffy approach to high-end style makes it a favorite of fashion types from ladies who lunch to downtown hipsters and everyone in between.
APPLE STORE
There are plenty of Apple stores in Manhattan, and they're all designed within an inch of their lives. But only this location boasts the Cube, a completely useless but incredibly cool glass atrium that looks like nothing else on Fifth Avenue. Thanks to a recent $7 million redesign, the Cube now consists of just 15 panels, which is very exciting in some circles.
BERGDORF GOODMAN
The Platonic Form of the luxury department store, Bergdorf Goodman is known for lavish window displays, world-class designer shopping and the 9th floor John Barrett salon where Bergdorf blondes get their highlights. If stores were people, Bergdorf would be Barneys' impeccably coiffed older sister who might not have a great sense of humor, but her clothes cost more than most houses.
UNIQLO
The Uniqlo mothership opened on Fifth Avenue last year, making the futuristic Soho store suddenly seemed quaint. The new space has all the $70 cashmere and Heat Tech innerwear you could possibly want. Just don't get lost—it might take you days to find the exit.
COMME DES GARÇONS
Like a high-fashion boutique designed by Dr. Seuss, this Chelsea stalwart is all swooping curves and funhouse shapes—not unlike the clothes themselves. Pairs perfectly with an afternoon of gallery visits.
DIANE VON FURSTENBERG
Diane von Furstenberg's Meatpacking District flagship really embraces the idea that a boutique's design should reflect the message of its clothes. The shop is a bright, colorful and adamantly modern showcase for the designer's signature frocks, sportswear, and eveningwear along with shoes, jewelry, and a rotating selection of swimwear in the warm months and outerwear when it's cold.
HOUSING WORKS THRIFT SHOP
The Chelsea location is widely regarded as the best of the Housing Works thrift shops, which sell used clothing and furniture to benefit homeless New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS. The space looks like a designer store, and it's a really good place find deals on great furniture and designer clothing while supporting a good cause.
MADEWELL
OK, sure, it's a chain, and one owned by J.Crew at that. But Madewell's shoppers are a little more savvy than the average mass-market customer, and the company caters to them with fun but work-ready dresses and on-trend denim. No wonder it's a favorite with fashion industry insiders.
ABC CARPET & HOME
This home decor mecca maintains a warehouse-chic aesthetic for decorators who like their high-end antiques to come with a bit of character. Check out the location across the street for furniture, linens and other home accessories.
LEFFOT
Leffot sells hip but sturdy men's shoes from brands like Alden and Wolverine under the watchful eye of owner Steven Taffel, who seems to know everything there is to know about men's footwear. Only drawback: The prices, but then, perfection doesn't come cheap.
C.O. BIGELOW
A West Village destination for those who prefer their retail laced with history instead of topped with buttercream frosting, this 171-year-old pharmacy is notable for its selection of hard-to-find beauty products, including European imports and a well-loved house line. And the space is old-fashioned and charming—you can picture one-time customer Mark Twain wandering around the aisles, even if you can't quite imagine him picking up a Tocca candle for $36.
THE STRAND
If the idea of 55,000 square feet of books sounds attractive, you must visit The Strand. The over-80-year-old establishment houses thousands of discounted new and used titles, rare books, and hard-to-find art and photography books.
KIEHL'S
Like Bigelow, this apothecary has been around for decades—it just celebrated its 160th birthday. But unlike Bigelow, Kiehl's is obsessively modern, from its simple recyclable packaging to its frequently-updated line of magical skincare products.
OAK
Arguably the spot for cutting edge designers—think Acne, Henrik Vibskov, and Surface To Air—Oak is something of a trendsetter haven. This is where you head for something black, something leather, and something new.
INA
When Sex and the City (the TV show) ended, INA got the wardrobe. That's the kind of power wielded by this mini-chain, which offers high-quality designer consignment in five different Manhattan locations. The staff evaluates merchandise with a gimlet eye, only accepting the best-preserved, most contemporary pieces from big name labels.
RAG & BONE
You can't go wrong with any of Rag & Bone's Manhattan locations, but the Mercer Street store is the most comprehensive, with the brand's artfully rumpled clothing for men and women all in one place. Don't even get us started on the accessories.
PRADA
Of all the Pradas in New York and the US, this store, designed by Rem Koolhaas, makes the strongest impression. It's a pure shopping experience as you descend down the steep wood slope into the mid-store cavern to shop underground. And every so often, the boutique invites editors and artists (such as W Magazine's Alex White) to re-conceptualize the place.
DOLCE VITA
If you're young, female, and stylish and you don't make a banker's salary, then there's a good chance your closet contains at least one pair of Dolce Vita shoes. The clothes here are cute, but this boutique is really all about the footwear, which is perfectly calibrated to be smack-dab on-trend and highly affordable.
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
There's nothing twee or fusty about this Soho vintage shop, which has made a name for itself with an enormous selection of designer pieces, many with a rock edge.
DALAGA
As for Dalaga, it's grown from a cute but out-of-the-way Greenpoint boutique to something rare and precious: a place to shop in Nolita that won't destroy your budget.
ALEXANDER WANG
The first retail outpost for fashion's hottest boy wonder isn't exactly a bastion of warmth or friendliness, but the spare, industrial design is gorgeous—at once grungy without being dirty and luxurious without being stuffy.
CREATURES OF COMFORT
Owner Jade Lai has terrific taste and a killer eye for color, as embodied by her Nolita shop's selection of cool-kid labels like Rachel Comey, Dieppa Restreppo, and Isabel Marant. If you want to look like you work in an art gallery, here's where to shop.
SATURDAYS SURF
Granted, there's not too much you can actually buy at this surf-emporium-cum-coffee-shop. But the space is so inviting, what with the warm lighting, cute salesguys, and back patio, that it's hard not to stop by whenever you're in the neighborhood. No wonder it's a favorite among fashion types.
SPIRITUAL AMERICA
Name a buzzy label—Surface to Air, Loeffler Randall, Vena Cava, United Bamboo—and chances are good that you'll find it here. But unlike a lot of similar stores, both the pricing and the selection are accessible for those of us who aren't heiress/supermodel/DJs.
ODIN
The NYT once called Odin's style "spiffed up workwear," which is a perfect descriptor so long as you don't actually plan to do any work. High prices come with high quality, and this original Odin location boasts brands like Woolrich, Phillip Lim Men's, and Florsheim by Duckie Brown. Essentially, it's the perfect store for the man who resolves to dress better and doesn't mind paying more than Gap prices to do so.
ERICA WEINER
It's easy to find well-made expensive jewelry, and it's easy to find cheap trendy accessories made under dubious circumstances, but it's tough to find pieces that split the difference. Weiner's collection ranges from vintage to antique to new stuff that's handmade in NYC, and it's not much pricier than certain chains we could mention.
OPENING CEREMONY
Currently the destination for it-labels like Alexander Wang, Band of Outsiders and Erin Wasson x RVCA, Opening Ceremony has benefited from major publicity in magazines, blogs, and from interviews with the well-connected founders. Their own label and collabs with the likes of Chlöe Sevigny and Jeremy Scott keep OC at the top of the retail game. It also helps that its Howard Street location makes it feel like a special nook in Soho.
WARM
Husband and wife team Winnie Beattie and Rob Magnotta really hit the nail on the head with the name of their Mott Street boutique, Warm. It's particularly quaint and cozy inside, and boasts a well-edited selection of clothing and accessories from designers like Vanessa Bruno, Tracy Feith, Araks, and Jerome Dreyfuss.
STEVEN ALAN ANNEX
Steven Alan won over hipsters in the blingy pre-recession era with his classic low-key Americana. His Tribeca Annex is filled with plaid shirts for men and gamine looks for women, plus a carefully selected collection of pieces from like-minded brands like APC and Rachel Comey.
TENOVERTEN
Nail salon Tenoverten is warm, friendly, and hip without being snobbish--like going to the apartment of your coolest friend for a manicure. They recently launched their first line of products, polishes named after downtown streets like Jane, Carmine, and Walker.
IN GOD WE TRUST
The flagship for this New York mini-chain also houses the brand's offices and the studio where they make their cheeky jewelry. Ladies should go for the '70s-inspired long skirts and high-waisted shorts; guys should go for slim trousers, and to buy presents for their ladyfriends.
BEACON'S CLOSET
This isn't the cheapest resale shop in the city, and it might not be the biggest, but we're pretty sure it's the best. The wide selection encompasses everything from no-name 70s vintage to $40 DVF wrap dresses, and the music and the people-watching are both always top-notch.
BIRD
Jennifer Mankins' Brooklyn mini-empire has three outposts, but the Burg location is the biggest. The big, warm, LEED-certified space carries Alexander Wang, Isabel Marant, Rag & Bone, and other designers so of-the-moment that if you only shopped there for the rest of your life, you'd still look hip.
DEAR FIELDBINDER
This Brooklyn shop is a clean white box of a space stocked with hip labels like Rodebjer, Miista, and Surface to Air, but don't expect the service to be too cool for school. The staffers here are sweet and attentive and full of good styling ideas, and the denim sales can't be beat.
EPAULET
Run by a married couple, this mostly-menswear shop stays on-trend without being too slavishly trendy. The owners' obsession with production makes this place perfect for guys who like knowing exactly how (and where) their jeans were made. There's an Orchard Street shop too, but Smith Street is the original.
BROOKLYN FLEA (FORT GREENE)
This weekend event from the Brownstoner folks is the mother of all hipster flea markets. Go for the antique vendors and the delicious snacks, not to mention the people-watching. Note: In mid-November the Flea moves indoors to its equally excellent Skylight One Hanson location.
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