Gramercy's Vintage Thrift Shop

Where do New Yorkers spend a humid August afternoon? At the Zagat rated Vintage Thrift Shop - where traffic was so congested, that I had to wait until several frugalistas exited before I could get in. It's not as busy as Trader Joe's where the line for the privilege of paying at one of the 22 cash registers is 45 minutes, but busier than let's say Saks shoe salon, so big it has its own zip code, where a major 70% consolidation sale started last Thursday. Usually I just pop by and drop off my donations, but I had to investigate what all the buzz was about. The last time I was there, someone sauntered off with a pair of Prada shoes with soles that had never touched the ground - and a hard to find size 5 too. A vintage one-of-a-kind Lanvin belt was being priced and put out for sale while I was donating. Among the real finds - the costume jewelry - why pay more for less at a retail shop for fake 70s and 80s when you can find Debbie Harry, Madonna heyday studded cuffs here? Tired of the same old Drew Carey eyeglasses found at every optical shop? Discover an original stand-out pair here. Check out the shoes too - while many are worn, think of it as a treasure hunt to see if you can unearth brand new ones. The best time to go? Transitional periods - such as Fall and Spring when closets are cleaned, although new merchandise arrives daily. When everyone is tweeting at the tents in Bryant Park, try out Vintage's window auctions - no stilettos necessary shopping - but bidding can be fierce. Vintage has so many donations, they even have stuff in storage. Also look out for the "blue tag" fifty percent off sales when the goods are marked down even further after a few weeks on the floor. Find furnishings, hats, vintage gloves, housewares, matchbook covers, etc. Talk to the salespeople - they are fashion curators! Friday afternoons are busy, as are Sundays. Go shopping for back-to-school items, or a new armoire. Apparently recessionistas everywhere are shopping the thrifts. According to a report by the The National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops (NARTS), issued this month, nearly 80 percent of their survey respondents experienced an increase in new customers. And the quality of incoming merchandise was either higher (28.2 percent) or the same (59.1 percent), with only 12.8 percent feeling a decrease in quality.

Peruse in-person in Gramercy Park thrift-shopper heaven or online at vintagethriftshop.org. Or donate, and get a tax deduction!

~Nancy Brenner

PERSONAL NOTE FROM GSNYC: This is in my hood and is definitely one of the better thrifts around. I got a rhinestone "V" pin here...

M.A.C Hello Kitty Couture Auction Thru Feb. 19

I have just leaned that we should rejoice in the name of kitties. Why? Because we have all been granted the chance to bid on a one-of-a-kind Kitty Creation, designed exclusively for M.A.C by Catherine Malandrino, Zac Posen, Charlotte Ronson, Hervé Léger, Kai Kuhne, Rosa Cha, Tadashi Shoji, The Blonds, threeasFOUR, Vicente Villarin, Giles, Dress 33, Elie Saab, Emmanuel Ungaro, Manish Arora, Qiu Hao, Zimmerman, Kate Sylvester, Shu Chi Huang and more.

The above images reveal just two of the designs that so brilliantly capture the essence of Hello Kitty - do I foresee a Project Runway challenge (if it ever gets back on the air)??

All proceeds benefit the Acquisition Fund for The Museum at FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology. The M.A.C Hello Kitty Couture Auction ends on February 19 at 10:00pm EST/7:00pm PST.

And while you're at it, check out the new M.A.C Hello Kitty video on the M.A.C Cosmetics YouTube channel - it's like a veritable Hello Kitty in Wonderland! I now think I need to git me some Hello Kitty M.A.C!

By the way, how great is M.A.C's marketing? And products? Brilliant to join with the enigma that is Hello Kitty. Someone give those people a blue bow (for their hair of course!).

custo barcelona shirt at auction

In the spirit of the paternal grandfather I never met, I thought I'd try my own auction for anyone interested in this worn, but in fine condition, Custo Barcelona top.

If you are not familiar with Custo, it's a Spanish company that creates clothing akin to wearable pop art. I bought several pieces at the now closed Aaron's in Brooklyn and am now ready to pass this one shirt on to an eager taker.

I have to say that the sizing is a bit on the small side for us giant Americans, and one of the reasons I've decided to part with this top is that it is frankly too short on me. But for those of you who are Custo collectors, or 5' 5" or shorter, this may be the item for you!

Just public comment or send me a private email (schoolied@gmail.com) with your "bid" and I shall award the highest figure!

Up for Grabs - Red Charles David boots, Size 39

I tried to hold onto them, but alas, these fine red leather boots by Charles David are simply too narrow for me. I've only worn them twice, so other than very minor scuffs on the soles, they are in great condition.

So in an effort to connect to the boot-adoring public, I thought I'd try to execute my own low-tech auction, a "meBay" if you will (or even if you won't).

Basically, the person who offers the highest bid by 5 p.m. EST, Wednesday, February 28 wins said boots (U.S. residents only - shipping is expensive!). Just email me your price (schoolied@gmail.com), and I will respond personally to the winner and then we will determine the shipping logistics (I will ship to you for free!).

These size 39s are made (in Italy) of real honest-to-goodness leather, with a 1.5-inch heel with black zippers on the sides not shown in this photo. They are HOT and the two times that I actually wore them, strangers and friends alike commented on them. I just checked online, and new Charles David boots are currently going for $350-$625.

Step right up! Do we have a winna? Yes we do!

Housing Works - At Auction

I love the display windows at Housing Works on E. 23rd St. I think because they convey the message of demented domesticity, which is really the truth of the matter when it comes right down to it. Incidentally, they also often have some really great stuff - clothing and furniture - that is not available for sale, but is available for silent auction.

While I have never partaken (partook?) in said silent auction activity, I did look into it briefly one time...and have considered doing so again. You need to go into the store and put your name on a list with the amount of money you are willing to spend on the particular item(s) that you are interested in. Then, after the auction closes, I believe they determine the "winner" by looking to see who was willing to pay the most.

I know that this may not be exactly accurate and some of you may be thinking to yourselves, "this is common knowledge, what is this ditz talking about?" but humor me as I am just finding my way through life and this big scary town one day at a time. That, and I suppose I should have done a bit more reasearch on this before I decided to write about it.

Anyway, I think I decided to not pursue the silent auction approach with much fervor as people are willing to spend absurd amounts of money on other people's trash in this town. Go to Michigan with a van and get some real deals on antique furniture - prices that would make even the Salvation Army in NYC laugh.

But when all is said and done, remember Housing Works mission: "to ensure that adequate housing, food, social services, harm reduction and other drug treatment services, medical and mental health care, and employment opportunities are available to homeless persons living with AIDS and HIV and to their families as they define them."

So it is most certainly money well-spent.