Where to Find the Best Vintage Shopping in NYC

Jasmine Chess, founder of high-end vintage retailer Vetta Vintage, has a keen eye for selecting one-of-a-kind pieces, flea market stalls, boutique shelves, and fashion-forward Manhattan crowds. She boils down the New York City vintage scene to the basics. 

NEW YORK CITY – I've always felt at home in New York City — As a child when I would visit often from my hometown of Phoenicia, New York and as an adult when I moved here ten years ago to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. Nowadays, I weekend at home upstate and spend most of my time scouring the streets of New York for rare old-school gear for my company, Vetta Vintage. When I'm shopping for myself, I look for cool vintage tees, decades-old dresses and blouses, Levi's, and chunky Chanel jewelry from the 1980s. Here are my favorite stops.

Quirky cat eyes on display. Photo courtesy of Fabulous Franny's.

THE BEST VINTAGE ACCESSORIES

Pilgrim
70 Orchard St.; +1-212-463-772
Super low-key spot on the Lower East side. Has tons of Chanel.

Fabulous Fanny's
335 E. 9th St.; +1-212-533-0637
East Village staple. They've been there forever and have the coolest eyeglasses and sunglasses from every decade.

Elle W Antiques
864 Lexington Ave.; +1-212-472-0191
The best designer vintage jewelry and antiques.

THE BEST VINTAGE TEES

Chapel NYC
Run by my good friend Patrick Matamoros. By appointment only. Email mrsoulsatisfaction@gmail.com for viewings.

Old-school blouses galore. Photo courtesy of 9th Street Haberdashery.

THE BEST VINTAGE SHOPS (FOR REAL VINTAGE)

9^th Street Haberdashery
346 E. 9th St.; +1-917-265-8833
There's a difference between vintage-style clothing and real vintage. This place sells the real deal. Dresses from the '40s and '50s, vintage Levi's, and the most amazing blouses.

Shareen
13 W. 17th St.; +1-212-206-1644
Curated but affordable. I love their line of re-done, re-purposed vintage and their bridal wear.

And, of course, I like VettaVintage.com for anything in between.

HOW TO HUNT FOR VINTAGE LIKE A PRO

Vintage designer jewelry will always be stamped. Look for stamps on the back of earrings or clasps. Authentic Chanel bags should also be stamped, and the hardware should match the imprint (gold logo, gold stamp). Another Chanel giveaway: The right C should overlap at the top of the logo.

HOW TO CARE FOR VINTAGE

Silhouettes and Profiles
160 W. 71st St.; +1-212-877-3372
The best vintage tailor in New York City.

Madame Paulette
1255 2nd Ave.; +1-212-838-6827
The gold standard of dry cleaners. For good reason.

COOL PLACES TO WEAR YOUR NEW OUTFIT

Acme
9 Great Jones St.; +1-212-203-2121
A sceney modern bistro with cool vibes.

169 Bar
169 E. Broadway; +1-646-833-7199
A classic downtown New York bar.

Bowery Hotel
335 Bowery; +1-212-505-9100
A total see-and-be-seen scene.

Vendors with their wares. Photo courtesy of Artists and Fleas.

WHERE I FIND INSPIRATION

Manhattan Vintage Show
Various locations; +1-518-852-2415
A well-curated expo of centuries-old clothing and textiles.

Artists and Fleas
70 N. 7th St., Williamsburg; +1-917-488-4203
88 10th Ave., Chelsea; +1-917-488-0044
A trendy, well-stocked vintage market selling clothes, jewelry, art, and food.

WHERE I SPOT THE BEST TRENDS

Soho House. Central Park. Brooklyn Bridge. The West Side Highway running trail. They're all excellent spots to camp out and brainstorm outfits.