Hidden Gem NYC Shops You Need to Visit

Columbia Barnard Contributor Student Contributor, Columbia University & Barnard College

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Columbia Barnard chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

For your next city shopping excursion, skip the huge chains and crowded Midtown department stores, and go a little off the beaten track! The city is crowded with hundreds of unique fashion and accessory boutiques for all senses of style and budgets. Here, we list six of our favorite undiscovered spots for picking up your new favorite piece.

Catbird

219 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

This tiny Williamsburg boutique specializes in beautiful, dainty jewelry and boasts a cult following of New York locals. They are best known for their stackable rings, which range in price from $20 to $218. Catbird also carries unique pieces from local, indie designers that you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Definitely worth the trek to Brooklyn!

Reformation

23 Howard Street, New York, NY 10013;

156 Ludlow Street, New York, NY 10002

This eco-friendly Los Angeles import uses vintage and sustainable fabrics to create easy, flowy dresses and cool-girl vintage tees. Adored by fashion insiders (and practically every member of Taylor Swift’s girl gang), Reformation has proven to be both an East Coast and West Coast staple. Though a bit pricey, think of the high cost as an investment: Reformation’s pieces never seem to go out of style.

Kirna Zabete

477 Broome St, New York, NY 10013

Think of this upscale miniature department store as an avant-garde, downtown version of Bergdorf Goodman. Here, classic luxury labels are displayed side by side with more cutting-edge names, and you’ll bump shoulders with members of New York’s fashion in crowd.

Mixology

1467 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10028

This Upper East Side boutique caters to the millennial generation with its affordable prices and laid-back vibe. Here you’ll find lots of Free People, For Love & Lemons, and Stylestalker, as well as an expansive selection of “going out tops,” which are apparently necessities for every college girl in America. During your visit, you may rub elbows with a middle schooler and her mom, but forget the haters, because you just found your new favorite LBD for a super affordable price!

Babel Fair

260 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012

This worldly boutique, tucked in a small minimalistic-chic space on Elizabeth Street in Nolita, carries an eclectic selection of stylish labels from all over the globe. Beyond their treasure trove of downtown-cool clothing, the shop also has lovingly curated offerings of miscellaneous items, from phone cases to stationery.

Opening Ceremony

35 Howard St, New York, NY 10013

Once the most heavily guarded secret of the downtown set, Opening Ceremony has expanded in recent years to Los Angeles and Tokyo. But the label, whose flagship is located in Soho, remains true to its roots with an uberhip selection of designer apparel and accessories and an edgy collection designed in-house.