the best 14 local boutiques in nyc
All boutiques have their own individual curation of items with a unique point of view, providing the perfect opportunity to discover new designers and items you wouldn’t have known about before. Here are the 14 best independent boutiques to shop in New York City for unique clothing, accessories, and more.
west village / designer
If you love oversized silhouettes, then this upscale store is for you. With billowing dresses from Ulla Johnson and roomy trench coats from Rejina Pyo, oroboro will help you craft the idyllic, effortless, comfy-chic style so essential to aspirational quarantine-living (think effortless Instagram influencer-at-home vibes). A beautiful selection of handcrafted ceramics, as well as apothecary goods, shoes, artisanal jewelry, and other accessories complete the space.
*Woman-owned business
meatpacking / designer
Owned by 27 year old Telsha Anderson, t.a. opened its doors this past summer (the original mid-March opening date was postponed for obvious reasons). Carefully hand-curated with a selection of brands from all around the world, t.a. features cool, unique pieces you won’t find elsewhere.
*Black-owned business / woman-owned business
soho / contemporary apparel
With outposts in Beverly Hills, Soho, and Brooklyn, Tags is another delightful bicoastal boutique. Filled with elevated basics, Tags features curated fashionable, packable, and easy-to-wear pieces that are perfect for people who love to travel.
*Woman-owned business
lower east side / vintage + designer clothing + accessories
Assembly features an elevated but eclectic assortment of vintage and designer pieces. Located in the heart of LES, Assembly fully embodies the gritty downtown cool, edgy upscale, and diverse cultural vibe of the neighborhood. Expect to find the full gamut of women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, accessories, beauty, jewelry, and bags in this funky, minimalist space. I found my favorite pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses here a few years ago from the Swedish brand Sun Buddies.
east village + williamsburg + boerum hill / ready-to-wear clothing
Created for women by women, Meg carries woman-owned shoe and accessory brands and namesake RTW pieces designed by the founder Megan Kinney, who first opened in East Village in 1994 when she was 22. With multiple locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn and one in Toronto, Meg has since expanded. Featuring classic, roomy silhouettes perfect for work-to-weekend dressing, Meg is for the on-the-go woman who wants to look put together without being overly dressed up.
*Woman-owned business
This Greenpoint boutique carries an array of Brooklyn-chic, Madewell-esque brands like LF Markey, Mod Ref, and more. With both women’s and men’s clothing as well as accessories and shoes, Alter is a spacious shop full of indie labels to peruse when you’re in the neighborhood. I scored a very inexpensive but extremely chic pair of cat eye tortoiseshell sunglasses from here.
soho / clothing, accessories, beauty + home / $$$
An e-commerce marketplace first, Wolf & Badger’s New York physical outpost is one of two (the other store is located in London). A marketplace of independent designers, Wolf & Badger functions as a mini, highly curated modern department store. With an abundance of vibrant prints, brightly colored jewelry, sparkly bags, and more, Wolf & Badger would be an ideal store for Emily from Emily in Paris.
soho / elevated contemporary clothing + accessories
With sister stores in San Francisco, Isalis is officially bicoastal, and the merchandise it features reflects this east coast/west coast sensibility. Puff sleeve smocked mini dresses are offset by cozy sweater dresses, and brands like Nanushka, Intentionally Blank, Just Female, Lisa Says Gah, and Agolde all live together in this small but inviting space.
*Woman-owned business
west village / clothing
With a pre-pandemic soft opening, Lahn is another newish face to the NYC retail scene. (When one door closes another one opens, am I right?) Featuring festive box clutches, structural earrings, patterned pants, and chunky knits, this cozy boutique will be sure to have something that catches your eye.
murray hill / designer department store / $$$
Part modern department store and part interactive art gallery (one could argue), Dover Street Market’s New York location provides a heady retreat into the world of Comme des Garcons, Maison Margiela, and Supreme (if you’re lucky).
brooklyn heights / clothing + accessories
While many boutiques in the city are pricey af, Article& has a cute selection of clothing, accessories, and shoes that are available for affordable prices (for reference you can find dresses for around $100 or less, and sweaters that range from around $40 and up). When you actually want to shop, come browse the indie labels at this Cobble Hill gem (your wallet and closet will thank you later).
meatpacking district / department store / $$$
Another relative NYC newcomer, this indoor marketplace of curated brands gives space to feel and try on goods that (most of which), were previously exclusively only available online. Nestled in the Meatpacking district next to Chelsea Market, Neighborhood Goods is another excuse to spend the day in the area. With an ever-changing rotation of brands, this modern-day department store knows how to stay relevant and exciting.
For even more shops, check out NYC Vintage Map, which has a complete guide of 270+ vintage, resale, and retail shops across NYC.