Look for consignment shops on a New York City map.
In this age of recycling and reusing, shopping in consignment stores has become not only acceptable, but downright cool. In New York City, you'll find no shortage of consignment/thrift shops, many with designer clothing labels and chic home furnishings. Here are just a few of the best in the Big Apple.
Instructions
1. Go first to one of the city's seven Housing Works Thrift Shops. Housing Works, which raises money for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS, also has a popular online auctions site. Locations are at 143 W. 17th St. in Chelsea, 157 E. 23rd St. in Gramercy, 306 Columbus Ave. on the Upper West Side, 202 E. 77th St. on the Upper East Side, 245 W. 10th St. in the West Village, 1730 2nd Ave. in Yorkville, and 122 Montague St. in Brooklyn. The shops carry an eclectic variety of items including women's clothing, shoes and accessories; jewelry, artwork, books, housewares and furniture. Prices are great.
2. Head over to Michael's, The Consignment Shop for Women, at 1041 Madison Ave., and 79th Street. Here you'll find two floors of used designer clothing, most in incredibly good shape. The price at Michael's will nearly always be half the item's original price, so don't expect to be paying $20 for a Prada handbag. There are merchandise markdowns, however, if the items sit for too long.
3. Shop for a good cause at the Angel Street Thrift Shop, 118 West 17th Street in Chelsea, which offers a large selection of furniture, china, Oriental items, art, women's and men's clothing, and decorative accessories. Angel Street has stocked everything from exercise equipment to Rolex watches since it opened in 1997, so you're bound to find just about anything here. The proceeds benefit individuals and families affected by substance abuse, HIV, AIDS and mental illness.
4. Shop where the rich and famous seek out vintage duds, at Cheap Jack's Vintage Clothing, 303 Fifth Avenue, at the corner of 31st Street. Cheap Jack's offers high-end vintage clothing at "reasonable" prices in a large, airy space that you rarely see in consignment stores. Cheap Jack's also does alterations. Serious collectors can find everything from Victorian to 1980s clothing, and for that reason, fashion designers, magazine editors and wardrobe folks make it a regular stop for inspiration. Cheap Jack's has been profiled in magazines like "Elle", "Vogue", "Teen Vogue", "Mademoiselle", and "New York".
5. Visit the City Opera Thrift Shop, 222 East 23rd Street, near Third Avenue, which offers a wide range of high-quality but affordable clothing, furniture, and household items, with the proceeds going to Lincoln Center's City Opera. You'll find lots of evening wear, including men's blazers and slacks and women's dresses, along with steeply marked down furs. Upstairs, you can browse its limited collection of household items that include dishware, glassware, decorative items and books.
6. Browse through the Pradas, Guccis, Armanis and more at Encore, the self-proclaimed "grand dame of New York's retail consignment shops," located on the second floor at 1132 Madison Avenue between 84th & 85th Streets. Expect to find carefully culled and gently used designer merchandise here, including clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories consigned by high-profile New York women (at one time including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis) who clean out their closets every season.
7. Hop on over to Brooklyn, where you'll find Butter Consignment at 371 Atlantic Ave., near Hoyt Street, in the chic Boerum Hill neighborhood. Butter Consignment was named Best Consignment Shop by New York magazine this year, and the merchandise includes out-of-season clothing from their main store, Butter, along with lightly worn designer items. This is a delightful consignment shop that's well organized, with items displayed in a large space.
8. Shop for Hermes handbags and more at Fisch For The Hip, 153 West 18th Street, near Sixth Avenue. Although Fisch specializes in Hermes handbags, the shop also carries plenty of men's and women's clothing, with designer tags that include Narciso Rodriguez, Malandrino, Zegna, and more. There are multiple discounts, the longer an item stays in the store.
9. Visit Cadillac's Castle, at 333 East 9th Street, near Second Avenue, a friendly boutique named after the owners' dog. Cadillac's Castle sells lightly worn and new designer clothes at discount prices and an impressive vintage collection that includes punk-inspired dresses, psychedelic shirts, and other unique items. Designer merchandise includes Jean Paul Gaultier, Moschino, and others. Many outfits still have their original tags, and Cadillac's Castle reduces the price of most items by about one-third.
Tags: Cheap Jack, Cadillac Castle, Street near, women clothing, York City, along with, Angel Street