The perfect fall outfit is made to last. The perfect fall outfit is cozy, but not sweaty, faded, but naturally, and above all, comfortable, to the point where you don’t have to think twice about it. The only place where you can find garments that fit all of your fall needs? Thrift stores. Don’t worry, New York City has a lot of them.
One thing to remember as school comes back into session: dress codes are made up. To find the perfect rule-breaking Y2K fit to rock in the halls look no further than Funny Pretty Nice. Their two locations, University Palace and Greenwich Village, carry every piece your Instagram feed could dream of. Awoke Vintage in Williamsburg and Other People’s Clothes in Ridgewood and Bushwick can also help you get your Y2K fix.
People who like a more muted fall closet can turn to Monk Vintage Thrift in Brooklyn. If you’re looking to lean into your Gilmore Girls persona with perfectly worn-in-college sweatshirts and cable knit sweaters, your local Goodwill or Salvation Army are great places to look. Yes, you can get many pieces that would fit right into Rory Gilmore’s closet from Brandy Melville, but second-hand pieces are unique, more comfortable, and are half, if not less, than the price of fast fashion items.
If there’s a trend that you have your eye on, but wouldn’t be caught dead wearing fast fashion L Train Vintage and Tired Thrift are where to look. In the age of microtrends, a lot can change in a week. Find that lacey slip, pattern jacket, or statement top at one of L Train’s five locations across the city, or Tired Thrift’s flagpoint in Greenpoint, and know you’re on top of trends – in a responsible manner, of course.
For our friends over the water in New Jersey, the perfect one-stop shop is Electrix Vintage in Manasquan. Electrix focuses on 90s fashion with a large selection of sweaters, jackets, and jeans perfect for the imminent colder weather. If you’ve made the Barbie movie your entire personality Pearl Street in Red Bank has your back. A favorite of influencers like Clara Perlmutter (@tinyjewishgirl) and David Ross Lawn (@davidrosslawn) Pearl Street carries every lace slip dress ever made.
This fall wear something that not only makes you happy but also makes the Earth happy. Halloween, arguably the best event of the fall, is the holiday that kicks off the most polluting time of the year. For people with many Halloween parties on their schedule, buying just one second-hand outfit could, according to the American Apparel Association, reduce a person’s carbon footprint by 80%. When possible avoid fast fashion, shop locally, and break some dress codes along the way.
Written by Stella Feinstein
Photography by Adem Wijewickrema