My Favorite Places for Thrift Shopping & Clothing Deals in NYC


All month long, I’ve been featuring some of my favorite places in New York City (Brooklyn especially). Be sure to click through the archives for more round-up posts. 

I’ve always loved fashion, but with a mother who is an expert on sale-shopping, I’ve also always felt compelled to look for good deals when it comes to stylish clothes. Luckily, in New York City, there are lots of opportunities to shop thrift stores and outlets. I’m going to let you in on a few of my favorites. Don’t let them go to waste!

Buffalo Exchange – The chain of thrift shops is always reliable, but I particularly like the location on Boerum Place, in Cobble Hill, because it’s got a great high/low mix (above is a photo of the Marc Jacobs sunglasses I scored there last time). Things I’ve spotted/bought include items from Catherine Malandrino, Calvin Klein, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and Tracy Reese.

Chelsea Market – You’ll find sporadic sample sales at this awesome food hall, so stop by often to see what’s happening. Recent sales featured men’s and women’s outerwear, casual button-downs, and Pinkyotto.

Cure Thrift Shop – On 12th Street in the East Village near Union Square, this great bi-level store has a wide array of things for both men and women. My recent scores include: a Vince sweater and a Pink by Thomas Pink button-downs for women.

Gabay’s Outlet – Located on 1st Ave in the East Village, this is my ultimate NYC secret. One of the few independent outlets left, Gabay’s gets in goodies from Barney’s, Bergdorff’s, and more.  You’ll find Jimmy Choo shoes, men’s button-downs from John Varvatos, and lots of cashmere sweaters. Bring cash and you may be able to finagle a bit of a price break too.

Housing Works – My favorite location is the one on 17th Street in Manhattan, where you’ll find a wide array of clothes, as well as home goods. Keep an eye on things that haven’t yet been marked for sale, and show up early in the day to snag them.

Do you have any favorite thrifty places to shop for clothes? Leave a comment!