I (Chrissie) was recently in NYC before attending a wedding in Connecticut and had an awesome solo day visiting a number of stores on my list. I started at 10 am on the Upper East Side and finished the day, 30,000 steps later, in Little Italy with a well-deserved foot massage!
Here are the stores I visited by area, listed from north to south, along with any standout categories/items each offers. I also popped into other various small stores en route, but didn’t get the names of all of them!
Upper East Side
Nili Lotan (Madison and 87th)
We’ve always loved their Shon pants, and heard they had launched a shoe line. Their current offering is only boots, and they were a bit too western for my liking. Still love all their pants, tops, and jackets though!
Alex Mill (Madison between 86th/87th)
I am a big fan of their Jo shirt, which I have in multiple colors, with the navy/white stripe being my new favorite I’m wearing on repeat. They have launched a slightly less boxy, but not too fitted, version called the Gracie that comes in a lot of colors, including this beautiful cornflower blue.
Varley (Madison between 86th/87th)
Varley is known for their upscale loungewear made of DoubleSoft material, which I’d never touched in person. Wow! Now I get why this is so popular! It’s SO soft and cozy you’d want to travel in it, go to work in it, and sleep in it. I loved the Hawley Half Zip (comes in 25 colors) and the sweatpants, which come not only in different styles but also in different lengths. Loved this lightweight knit cardigan, which also comes in a best-selling V-neck pullover option. Bonus – the salespeople here are so nice!
Tuckernuck (Madison between 83rd/84th)
This location is the brand’s only retail store, and is fairly new to NYC. Given how broad the brand’s online offering is, the store carries only a small percentage of it, yet it still has a fairly good selection of dresses, tops, and sportswear.
Staud (Madison between 78th/79th)
We love the dresses at Staud in particular, and given the store’s small footprint, the selection wasn’t huge, but it was fun to look around at their offerings in person.
La Ligne (Madison between 77th/78th)
Originally known for their striped sweaters, they are now best known for their Colby pants. These pull-on pants originally came in only one silky material, but now come in a whole variety of materials, widths, and lengths. They aren’t cheap, and many brands have knocked them off, but they are “the originals”. Only a small selection of the pants are in the store, but you can try them on for fit and then order the style you like.
Ann Mashburn (Madison between 73rd/74th)
If I could have purchased items from just one store on this trip, it would have been this one. Her upscale basics are so beautifully made; they are items you can build a wardrobe around. I asked the salesperson what the one thing they recommended was, and she handed me a pair of Faye Flare Pants (they come in cropped or regular), saying they were like the $$$ High Sport Kick pants, but less $ and better. Wow—these pants make you look and feel great, and will be my next purchase. I want to pair them with her Leopard Calf Hair Buckle Shoes and a popover blouse, and that would be it for fall. When you put her items on, you feel the difference of everyday items that are made better. The brand shares a space with their male counterpart, Sid Mashburn, which has beautiful men’s clothing.
Francis Valentine (Madison between 73rd/74th)
If I had to go to one place to find a party dress with a slightly vintage feel, this would be the spot. Founded by Elyce Arons and Kate Spade, their dresses are fun, festive, and full of color, and if you are a fan of shifts or A-line dresses in particular, this is your spot.
La DoubleJ (69th just off Madison between Madison/5th)
La DoubleJ is an upscale brand, founded by an American and based in Milan, that is known for its vibrant colors and prints. This store opened this past spring and is like a jewel box, worth visiting for the vibrant decor as well as the clothing. The NYT just wrote an article on the founder and NYC store opening. I tried on their iconic Swing dress and the Choux dress. Again, you can see the difference a high-quality brand feels like when you put these items on.
Midtown
Nordstrom (W 57th bwetween 7th/Broadway)
I didn’t have time to stop by Nordstrom, but wanted to include it on the list since it’s one of their two flagship stores. Jo went on her May visit to NYC (read about it here) and thought it was even better than the corporate hometown Nordstrom Flagship store in Seattle!
Bergdorf Goodman (5th between 57th/58th)
Ahhh, just come in and wander and look at beautiful things! The jewelry, the bags, the shoes, the clothes are all so good! Check out all the designers you read about but don’t see in person. Loved checking out Khaite clothing, bags and shoes, Mansur Gavriel purses, and all the jewelry brands! And the restaurant is great as well for a very “NYC moment” lunch spot.
Uniqlo (5th at 53rd)
This is such a huge Uniqlo store that it takes some energy to go through it, but if you have the stamina, it’s a great place to see such a wide selection of their offerings. Their tees really are terrific!
Saks (5th at 50th)
It’s always fun to stop by Saks to see so many top designers in one place. It’s also good to see if the designer sale is on—it offers great discounts! I was curious to try on various TWP blouses and other items that get such rave reviews, and their materials are really beautiful.
West Village
Aloha (Bleeker between W. 11th/Perry)
This shoe company makes its products on demand in Portugal. You can try the shoes on in-store to see what fits, and you may be lucky enough to have them in stock, but they’ll likely ship at a later date. But the wait would be worth it because boy are these comfortable! I am not generally a ballerina-flat person, but these ballerinas (that come in 19 colors) were not only the comfiest I’ve ever tried, but I also liked the keyhole/tie design on the toe. The leather was like butter!
Leset (Bleeker between Perry/Charles)
The Leset Margo Tee (comes in 16 colors) is said by so many people to be their favorite tee ever. I tried it on and really liked it— it’s a medium-weight cotton, not too long, and just a better basic tee. I also tried their very popular Kyoto Carpenter Pant (comes in 16 colors) in a cotton drawstring option, and they really are so crisp and tailored looking, while still being casual and loose. I see why this brand is doing so well right now with their everyday upscale basics.
Kinn Studio (Bleeker between Perry/Charles)
After seeing this jewelry brand online, I popped in to have a look in person. They have been making beautiful 14k items for 9 years, and I would have happily walked out with any of their pieces on my ears, neck, wrists, or hands! Alas, although this necklace really spoke to me (it looks great solo or with a charm attatched to it) I will have to wait for a big occasion to enjoy something from Kinn! I also love that they have a partnership with the tennis brand Prince to make, among other things, tennis bracelets :)!
Loeffler Randall (Bleeker between 10th/Christopher)
We have been fans of Loeffler Randall shoes for a while, but I’d never been in one of their brick-and-mortar stores. It was a beautiful store, and the staff could not have been kinder (this makes SUCH a difference in one’s shopping experience, and I reached out to the founder afterward to complement her staff, which she appreciated). I liked these mules and these boat shoes with fun laces for fall, and these elevated “netted” Mary-Janes for late summer/fall wear. Their totes are also really well-designed, and while I was in the store, a new mom bought the gingham Essential Tote as a stylish diaper bag, and another person bought the Travel Tote for everyday use and for a trip.
SOHO/Little Italy
I was losing steam and time after walking all day, so I just had time for a couple of stops…before my foot massage!
COS (Spring between Greene/Wooster)
I always love doing a quick run-through at COS to check out their clean, streamlined clothes. The dresses in particular are always great to check out, as are their tees and knitwear.
VIVAIA (Prince between Crosby/Lafayette)
I had read about these “comfort” shoes so stopped in to have a look. Many of the styles didn’t appeal to me, but I really liked the sneakers, and they were indeed SO comfortable. A friend of mine got this pair the following day; they look good with dresses or pants (and you can step into them hands-free, which I love).
Relax Station Massage (138 Mulberry between Grand/Hester)
I ended the day after so much shopping and walking 30k steps with a massage! Book a foot, body, or combo massage at this little off-the-beaten-track place with great service and great prices. It’s not fancy, but it’s good! Perfect way to end the day.
