Archive for the ‘Walking Tour Maps’ Category
Shop NYC Tours - Episode 3
Friday, February 12th, 2010Shop NYC Tours Video - Episode 2
Friday, February 5th, 2010Shop NYC Tours Video - Episode 1
Friday, January 29th, 2010Brick Lane, London
Monday, October 26th, 2009London is famous for starting the mod 60s revolution and being a bit on edge with fashion. When I visited recently I saw a distinct difference in the way people dressed in central London’s Oxford Circle area from the west side of town starting on Soho and working its way over to Brick Lane. This is where the youth hang out and show off their edgy grunge looks. The effortless cool you only find when you mix old with new. They clearly had a “make due” attitude about them, but I found each person had their own unique spin on things. Walking this strip will energize you with youthful reflection!
1) Blondie – 114-118 Commercial Street
Start out on Commercial street at this blush boutique. It is the higher end sister store to Absolute Vintage. Here you will find dressier designer and unknown designer garments, handbags, and shoes. It is a tight assortment of downtown chic styles.
2) Absolute Vintage – 15 Hanbury Street
Turn the corner down Hanbury Street and you can’t help but notice this huge store with neon signs in front. This shop is warehouse style huge selection of used goods in good condition. They have everything sectioned off into jackets, skirts, dresses, handbag, shoes, menswear, etc. If they don’t have it you don’t need it!
3) This Shop Rocks – 131 Brick Lane
Go North on Brick Lane, which is the main strip. The first store you come to is modestly named This Shop Rocks, and it does! It is a small little shop with a more lady-like feel to it. Mostly women’s garments. Not too many accessories. Everything is very reasonably priced.
4) Rokit – 101 & 107 Brick Lane
This is a chain vintage store. There are two right next door to one another. Figure that one out. Here you will find the inexpensive hip garb that fits right into the neighborhood. Think denim skirts, plaid shirts, studded belts, and patch work handbags. They must be doing something right because the stores are packed!
5) I dream of Wires – 68a Cheshire Street
Turn off the beaten path down Cheshire street. You won’t be disappointed. This first shop is a tiny place specializing in 80s rock. Lots of leather jackets, neon tops, and slinky club wear.
6) Beyond Retro – 110-112 Cheshire Street
This is a must stop shop! This unassuming warehouse is hardly noticeable from the street, but have built a cult following. Inside is a spacious warehouse filled with everything under the sun from track suits to prom dresses. It is all very neat and orderly considering the huge selection.
7) Vintage Heaven – 184 Brick Lane
This purple shop is heavenly to shop. It is a pulled together collection of women’s casual daywear and accessories. This store is new to the neighborhood and brings with it a more casual but hip vibe with great seperates.
8) Vintage Store – 182 Brick Lane
This is a fairly new store that just opened about 6 months ago. It specializes in Western wear. There are two stories. One being in the basement. Here you will find some choice pieces to add to your wardrobe for that added style.
9) Hunky Dory Vintage – 226 Brick Lane
This store is the last on your tour and it is all about the men! Here the men are outfitted in 50-70s pieces that as casual, yet cool.
Portobello Rd., London
Monday, September 28th, 2009
I had a lovely time in London last week visiting all the vintage stores there. It was interesting to see the English perspective on secondhand clothing as it compares to the U.S. I got to meet the shop owners and peruse their back rooms and latest arrivals. I love my job!
My first day there I hit Portobello Rd. up in the North East part of the city in the Notting Hill area. This winding little street is lined with brightly colored building that remind me of Charleston. The street is peppered with antique marlets, secondhand furnishing shops and vintage clothing stores. This seemingly quiet hidden treasure on a week day turns into a jam packed caravan of people on the weekends when the antique markets open and treasure hunters go on the prowl.
Traveling North the first shop you come to is One of A Kind, and that is certainly is! When you walk in you can easily get distracted by the dangling crinoline skirts and fancy frocks hanging above you head. This shop uses every square inch of its walls and ceilings to display the merchandise.
I am convinced that the store used to be someone’s apartment because there are little rooms that form a maze of hidden treasures that you simply must sift through. There is the shoe room, the coat closet, the men’s boudoir, and if you are deemed special enough, there is the back room. Here the most prized items are kept including antique frocks, couture gowns, and one off runway pieces that have inspire stylists and designers over the years. One of A Kind is located at 253 Portobello Rd.
These next three shops are all right next door to one another making it very convenient to shop. Mensah is a located at 291 Portobello Rd. It is a sun filled, airy boutique with a tight selection of contemporary women’s vintage. Here you will find day looks and accessories in great condition between 30-50punds.
Next door is 295 Portobello. This pink shop is popping with a little bit of everything. There are party accessories: hats, gloves, bow ties, and cumber buns. There are also racks and racks of casual vintage pieces from the 60-80s.
Across the street 282 Portobello, a new shop on the block only being open about a year. This store has a rustic feel from its wheel barrow props to its saloon style dressing rooms. Makes perfect sense that here they specialize in vintage leather goods including an array of leather jackets and about 1000 boots and shoes!
Keep walking north. Cross under the freeway, and take a right on Golborne Rd. Jane Bourvis is located at 234 Golborne Rd. This store is a historians dream! Owner Jane Bouvis collects Edwardian and turn of the century dresses and antique textiles. On display along the walls and dangling from the ceiling are richly embellished fabrics too delicate to be worn again, but exquisite to look at.
Jane does sell some vintage and antique dresses, but usually she copies the designs into other antique or vintage textiles, sometimes slightly adjusting the shape to better fit today’s vintage brides or Cinderellas. She also makes romantic whimsical head pieces out of vintage feathers and other old materials.
Rellik is a high end vintage boutique located at 8 Golborne Rd. Every single piece in here has a design label. In fact, the shop specializes in vintage Vivienne Westwood! This brightly lit store plays fun 80s tunes which will get you in the mood to shop. They have a wide selection of mint condition garments that are priced to sell. This store is a haven for stylists, designers, and the discerning fashionistas who want top quality, memorable pieces.
La Brea Ave. Los Angeles
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
1. Shabon– (7617½ Beverly Blvd)
2. Re-Mix Vintage Shoes – (7605½ Beverly Blvd)
3. Mister Freedom– (7161 Beverly Blvd.)
4. Buffalo Exchange– (131 N. La Brea)
5. Golyester– (136 S. La Brea Ave.)
6. American Rag– (150 S. La Brea Ave.)
7. The Way We Wore– (334 S. La Brea Ave.)
8. Rock and Rodeo– (459 1/2 S. La Brea Ave.)
Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY
Monday, July 27th, 2009Hop the pond from Manhattan over to Brooklyn and there is a nest of hidden gems waiting to be uncovered. Brooklyn has grown over the years into a hot bed of young artist and creative professionals. There is a cloister of vintage shops in Williamsburg Brooklyn waiting to be explored. Just take the L train to the first stop and get off on Bedford Ave.
1. Beacon’s Closet – (88 North 11th Street) This industrial location turned retail space brings in young stylish people in droves. The store is jam packed with inexpensive lightly worn and vintage casual pieces all coordinated by color. They offer mostly women’s and a fairly large selection of men’s clothing with a smattering of accessories and shoes for each.
2. Fluke – (86 N 6th Street) This is a fairly new addition to the Williamsburg area, but it is no Fluke that it is raising a lot of attention. This store has a tight selection of dressier vintage pieces that are perfect for going out in. There are beautiful additions to your wardrobe to be made here. They sell only women’s dresses, separates, and shoes. There are mostly European collections here that have been handpicked and styled for their clientele. The price ticket is higher, but so is the taste level.
3. Buffalo Exchange – (504 Driggs Ave.) This is just one of a huge chain of stores that built their reputation around the concept of swapping goods; hence “Exchange.” However, this franchise is clearly doing something right offering up a great selection of casual pieces from T-shirts to Western shirts, Levi’s to jean skirts. You will have plenty to pick through all at a low price.
4. Malin Landaeus – (155 N. 6th street) This tiny store offers up a great selection of middle of the road fashion. It’s not super casual, but not designer fancy either. It is just right! They stock floor to ceiling women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories. You are sure to find a new outfit or two here. Prices are middle of the road too.
5. Amarcord Vintage Fashion – (223 Bedford Ave.) Amarcord is where you are going to find your upscale European designers and other hard to find labels. This store is stocked with carefully selected and well merchandised goodies that are brought over from seasonal buying trips to Europe; especially Italy the home town of owners Patti Bardoni & Marco Liotta. This is the sister store to its Manhattan location. The company has made a name for itself working with fashion industry professionals. They have another inspiration studio location that is open by appointment only where they work exclusively with designers, stylists, and media where items are available for rent or purchase.
6. Horizons– (377 Metropolitan Ave.)This is a tiny little store off the beaten path owned by stylist Breanne DiDomenico. She hand picks all the items herself. For the most part each of the items are really intended to be statement pieces. They are a little on the pricey side, but you won’t be disappointed with the selection.
7. 10 ft. Single by Stella Dallas – (285 North 6th Street) This is a fun, BoHo style, Hawaii 50 inspired shop. It has a huge selection of stylish casual wear for both men and women that will add fab additions to any wardrobe. When you walk in you feel super relaxed with beach boards overhead. Prices are very reasonable and the staff is very friendly and helpful. This is actually the sister store to its Manhattan location, Stella Dallas, which is smaller and more South West inspired.
8. Sweet Virginia Vintage – (164 Havemeyer Street) This store is not shown on the map, but just walk four blocks down on Havemeyer Street between 2nd & 3rd and you can’t miss it. This is also a new comer to the neighborhood. It offers a little something different as many of its items are reworked vintage! The reinvented looks are casual and fun with prices very cool to your wallet.
