The New York "Heads Up" thread

[robrinay]

I've really enjoyed following the 'London Heads Up' thread in Vintage Finds.... and thought it would be great if other cities had their own featured threads including where to get 'stuff' and finds that for example don't fit you but you just know a fellow lounger would be interested in.
This might be a 'bit of a cheek' but - I'm visiting New York City this coming October, to celebrate my 60th. birthday and would love to know where to find vintage clothing etc. etc. and I feel sure others would like to know too? Of course I'll post any research I do when I'm there but it would be good to know where to go to when I get there, so I would appreciate any tips and pointers.
I can set up a similar thread on places in Sheffield in the UK should anyone be interested.
Cheers
Rob

 

[dhermann1]

There is a NYC meet up thread in the Events forum.

 

[dhermann1]

Here it is: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...-The-NYC-Meet-Up-Thread&p=1604167#post1604167

 

[robrinay]

Excellent, that's good to know thank you.

 

[robrinay]

The meet up thread is good but not specific on where to buy stuff, surely some of you know good retro clothing shops, thrift stores etc. etc.
Cheers
Rob

 

[GoldenEraFan]

The meet up thread is good but not specific on where to buy stuff, surely some of you know good retro clothing shops, thrift stores etc. etc.
Cheers
Rob

Here's a list of the places I know. I'll also put "$" signs to show the price range. Be aware that NYC vintage prices are probably one of, if not the most expensive compared to anywhere else.

Star Struck $$$$
Reminiscence $
Family Jewels $$$
Bopkat vintage $
Vintage Thrift $$
David Owens Vintage $$$
Olaf's $$$$
Salvation Army (208 E. 23rd Street) $

 

[thunderw21]

Don't forget:

Cheap Jacks $$$$$$$$$$

 

[DamianM]

cheap jacks is a joke

 

[GoldenEraFan]

cheap jacks is a joke

Cheap Jacks closed it's doors recently. They're planning on finding another location, but as of right now there is no Cheap Jacks.

 

[Two Types]

I went in Cheap Jacks once: I found a tie I liked, it was $35. But it had a massive hole in the middle. I was wasting my time looking in there.

I was in David Owens last year they had a fantastic (1920s I think) bearskin coat. It had been priced at $750, which seems like a lot of money for a coat that only a handful of people would wear. A friend was with me and tried it on, it was a perfect fit for him. I had to tell him not to buy it. But even with the price reduced to $450 it was an awful lot of money for a coat.

But agreed, NEw York vintage shops can be staggeringly expensive. In one place they had a standard late 1950s suit. I looked at the label and thought '$35 is a good price.' Then I looked again and realised it was $350!!!!

 

[thunderw21]

^Heck, I was at Cheap Jacks in February and saw a typical, unamazing '50s suit for $600. I'm amazed anyone would shop there, but I guess they.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I remember a knot of excellent and reasonably priced thrift and vintage shops in Manhattan, on and around 2nd and 3rd Avenues between maybe 16th and 23rd Streets. This may have changed since 2009.

bk

 

[Two Types]

BK, I think I visited the thrift stores in that area last year: they were full of rubbish. Maybe it was just bad timing on my behalf.

As I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, I tried on a bear skin coat in David Owens Vintage. Too small for me, I'm afraid:

My friend found it was a good fit:

(I bought the pink diagonally striped tie, third from left on the rack in the picture above)

 

[Two Types]

I don't know what happened to those pictures. I'll try again.

 

[GoldenEraFan]

I went in Cheap Jacks once: I found a tie I liked, it was $35. But it had a massive hole in the middle. I was wasting my time looking in there.

I was in David Owens last year they had a fantastic (1920s I think) bearskin coat. It had been priced at $750, which seems like a lot of money for a coat that only a handful of people would wear. A friend was with me and tried it on, it was a perfect fit for him. I had to tell him not to buy it. But even with the price reduced to $450 it was an awful lot of money for a coat.

But agreed, NEw York vintage shops can be staggeringly expensive. In one place they had a standard late 1950s suit. I looked at the label and thought '$35 is a good price.' Then I looked again and realised it was $350!!!!

I recall during one trip to cheap jacks finding a '40s orphaned double breasted suit coat, that was priced at $65. I never saw anything double breasted priced under $250 there so I knew there was a catch. This jacket had so many moth holes it looked like Swiss cheese, basically unwearable and practically too far-gone to repair. Only on a few occasions did I buy something there without breaking the bank. My 1940's Harris Tweed for about $32, a 1959 dated zip up tweed jacket for $16.50, and a late '50s brown suit jacket for $30, but let it be known I had to spend hours digging through overpriced polyester messes to find them.

 

[DamianM]

I recall during one trip to cheap jacks finding a '40s orphaned double breasted suit coat, that was priced at $65. I never saw anything double breasted priced under $250 there so I knew there was a catch. This jacket had so many moth holes it looked like Swiss cheese, basically unwearable and practically too far-gone to repair. Only on a few occasions did I buy something there without breaking the bank. My 1940's Harris Tweed for about $32, a 1959 dated zip up tweed jacket for $16.50, and a late '50s brown suit jacket for $30, but let it be known I had to spend hours digging through overpriced polyester messes to find them.

Lately that has been the problem here in LA as well.
Once in a while I wonder into a vintage store (American Vintage, Iguana) just to see if anything if anything is there.
But just piles and piles of trash. Polyester till you can't breath and bad t shirts and jackets.
I understand we get cleaned out once in a while when the Japanese roll into town to make a shipment, but seriously nothing!

I do regret back in 2008( when prices seemed lower) there was a pair of Pink Hollywood waist gabardine slacks and a two tone Hollywood both for under 50 bucks and I had 5 dollars to my name as I was 18. I wonder what happened to those!

The problem I have seen is thrift stores raising there prices. Found a 50s patch pocket jacket with "swiss cheese" fabric for 55 dollars. In a thrift store!
But its hit and miss. Same place I found my 1935 J.Press Jacket for 10.

So now I finish my ramble.

 

[GoldenEraFan]

Lately that has been the problem here in LA as well.
Once in a while I wonder into a vintage store (American Vintage, Iguana) just to see if anything if anything is there.
But just piles and piles of trash. Polyester till you can't breath and bad t shirts and jackets.
I understand we get cleaned out once in a while when the Japanese roll into town to make a shipment, but seriously nothing!

I do regret back in 2008( when prices seemed lower) there was a pair of Pink Hollywood waist gabardine slacks and a two tone Hollywood both for under 50 bucks and I had 5 dollars to my name as I was 18. I wonder what happened to those!

The problem I have seen is thrift stores raising there prices. Found a 50s patch pocket jacket with "swiss cheese" fabric for 55 dollars. In a thrift store!
But its hit and miss. Same place I found my 1935 J.Press Jacket for 10.

So now I finish my ramble.

I've bought several items from American Vintage via there website, but I never knew it was an actual store! A 1935 dated jacket for only $10? Amazing! Could you post photo's if you still have it? Also I didn't realize we're the same age!

 

[DamianM]

I've bought several items from American Vintage via there website, but I never knew it was an actual store! A 1935 dated jacket for only $10? Amazing! Could you post photo's if you still have it? Also I didn't realize we're the same age!

yeah it was the one I posted on the "Show of the sports coats " Thread a little back. http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?22255-Show-off-the-sports-coats./page96


Yeah we are Young and Worthy

 

[thunderw21]

I found two nice orphaned suit jackets at a Salvation Army in NYC in February for cheap. They're still out there for a decent price.

 

[DamianM]

I found two nice orphaned suit jackets at a Salvation Army in NYC in February for cheap. They're still out there for a decent price.

Salvation Army is the best. especially 50% off days