It seems almost silly to say that my stay in New York improved dramatically as soon as I left Manhattan and headed to Williamsburg. Especially since the area has supposedly become somewhat of a cliched hipster crawl. Perhaps it was the beautiful blue skies, the complete LACK of crowds and traffic, the way the stores were pleasingly sparse and spread out with interest street art and eatery to preoccupy you inbetween the stores. Comparisons of the place with Hoxton/Shoreditch seemed curious to me as I found the place to be more like a neighbourhood than a pit where people congregate dressed to the nines in the hope of being streetstyle-photographed.
It really had nothing to do with the connections this place has with the supposed echelons of ‘cool’ why I enjoyed the day so much, because it was just a genuinely PLEASANT place to walk around, hang and shop. The head was cleared, mind free of hard drive issues and so came the purchases. Still, I didn’t go mad. Mostly vintage, nothing extravagant but all giving me pleasures of a different kinds and not surprisingly, all mostly of the skirt variety too…vintage Comme des Garcons white brocade skirt, a vintage Escada floral skirt, a diagonal black and white bandage skirt, a Grecian nightgown….oh and a pair of Vivienne Westwood knee highs to add to the burgeoning sock drawer. I’ll say less this time and let the pics do the talking. Can anyone please play Deerhoof’s Plus 81? Suits the collage….
That sounds like a lovely place. It seems to me (even in NYC) people go about with their lives, whilst dressing somewhat originally; do people really TRY to get streetstyle photographed in certain neighborhoods? I know certain parties/clubs, but just a neighborhood to be a draw…seems a little silly.
I love that floral print skirt!
the vintage escada floral skirt is just perfect!
Wow, the peach colour of those Vivienne Westwood knee highs is amazing: one of my fav colours to wear in spring. (Regardless of what the ‘in’ colour is!)
And (sorry for the repetition) I LOVE the Escada skirt too!
xx
Williamsburg is great! Love your collage!! Makes me wish I was there too 🙂
xox Girl and the City
http://girlandthecity.wordpress.com
Lovely colour knee-highs, perfect for the upcoming months.
hey i want that flower skirt.
the burg is cool, it’s all true about it being sparser and nicer, and yet — NYC altogether doesn’t have the same edge (it’s a bit vanilla). yes it is frequently annoying how much East End TRIES to be fashionable, but it’s always entertaining and stimulating too. if btw you go further out and you get same feeling as in Brooklyn — around Vyner street.. check art galleries, sit in abandoned pub, no nonsense.
Oh my oh my….where is that long white skirt from, Susie? ‘Tis absolutely beautiful (and it has pockets!)- is that the Comme des Garcons number you bought?
Sounds like a really pleasant day, S. And it has retained its neighborhood feel; it’s really only somewhat recently that Brooklyn became “hip,” but it was inevitable. The peculiarity of Manhattan was/is that people held on until it became too unrewarding to hang on any longer, and then the boundaries of hip began to smudge.
I love that b/w skirt. I have a long jacket from early nineties that had a smaller version of that design.
SUSIE! Call me! I’m here! I’ll take you out for brunch!
ALSO: you look great!
xox
OH LUCKY YOU!!
i wish i had a burgeoning sock drawer! Any tips on how to start one?? I’ve never been shopping thoroughly in Williamsburg. I wish I were there, oh the longing and pining…
Glad to hear you had a great day. Williamsburg sounds like a really interesting place to visit and your buys are superb – excellent choices, the long white skirt is my favourite
Yeah, I believe it is going to stock all of her lines. I’m quite excited, I must say! It is odd that she’s opening it here considering the reputation etc. but Nottingham’s not as bad as it’s made out to be, haha! We have a lot of good highstreet shops, and our Topshop is the biggest outside of London. I hope that what with Paul Smith’s flagship and her new shop, we should start getting a few more shops popping up! We really need some indie boutiques though… All the ones we have had seem to close down in the end, due to not being able to pay the rent. Sad times…
Hey Susie,
It’s Dan from last nights party. Just posted some picts of you. Hope you like. Have fun in New York. Also, I have a Fashion Show for Tunji Dada you and your boyfriend can come too tonight. Saynt@fashionindie.com if your interested.
Dan
I never made it to Williamsburg but New York, as in Manhattan, can be rather awful. I had a terrible time my first trip, the crowds of people, the heat, and the trash everywhere.
Side Note: The Escade skirt might just be the best find.
Ooh the place looks gorgeous! Seems like you have some good finds too, I esp love the black and white bandage skirt!
I’m sorry, I totally can’t get past the Williamsburg thing. To me that’s like saying “My visit to NYC improved the minute I went to New Jersey.” And yeah, I grew up in Jersey.
oh my gosh, that’s beautiful!
i can see how nyc can be intense if you are used to london. they are both super big cities, but london is more open and less frantic.
that said… oh gosh, williamsburg! it’s really changed… my god, i remember when that was a place you would want to avoid.
This collage makes me happy! Love tapestried unicorns (had one in my room as a child), and the floral and diamond skirts are amazing.
The Escada skirt is beautiful!
Hey lady! What room you in? :p Look forward to seeing you at the press conference, if not before! xx, Elisabeth
thrifting is my favorite thing to do…i have so many great vintage pieces that I have gotten for literally pennies at Goodwills and Salvation Army’s…and I lvoe mixing them with current designer pieces…you’ll never see anyone wearing the same thing as you!
radicalproper.blogspot.com
Glad you found a place to chill. Thats what I love about where I live in London. LOVE the CDG white skirt – who makes the shoes you are wearing with it? I’ve been looking for something similar!
Well done, keep having fun!
Ah, Beacon’s Closet. If only Atlantis Basement were still open – you would’ve had an absolute field day there.
OMG, I work in Williamsburg! A piece of your collage is from the Triple Crown bar — whose owners are getting kicked out by locals (I don’t completely blame them, since families live the apartment complex adjacent to it.) I totally feel star struck. You were roaming down Bedford Avenue, weren’t you?
OMG, I work in Williamsburg! A piece of your collage is from the Triple Crown bar — whose owners are getting kicked out by locals (I don’t completely blame them, since families live the apartment complex adjacent to it.) I totally feel star struck. You were roaming down Bedford Avenue, weren’t you?
i have to say i agree with wendyb. but at least you had a good time.
I started shaking as soon as I walked into Beacon’s Closet! So so much, so little time!!! You scored some direct hits, Susie.
I had a similar quieting experience on Roosevelt Island – a scary tramride over the Hudson to a real ‘neighbourhoody’ feel but alas only a little charity shop with slim pickin’s.
I really like the skirts, especially the one with the floral print.
Yay- glad you liked my neighborhood! There’s a big anti-Williamsburg sentiment w/a lot of New Yorkers (and New Jersey people I guess- see one of the comments above), but I still love it. And can we pleeeease just get everyone to stop viewing the word “hipster” in such a negative light (at least around here)?? Even the actual hipsters hate being called that. I mean, I’ll use it as a superficial label (like I would w/”hippie” or “punk” or any other style term), but I never mean it w/a negative connotation. Annnnyway, completely derailed there! Hurray Williamsburg!
love that dress!!!
love that dress!!!
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what’s with the ugly expression on your face? look happy for once! you never look like you enjoy what you do
“than a pit where people congregate dressed to the nines in the hope of being streetstyle-photographed.”
so funny, so true.
Really, the Escada skirt is gogeous!
Thank you for all your ‘Burg insight here and on emails…. again… short replies….
Dru: Yup indeedio!
Mish: Agreed about hipster connontations…
Jayjay: Never been good at the smiling thing in front of the camera…
“Comparisons of the place with Hoxton/Shoreditch seemed curious to me as I found the place to be more like a neighbourhood than a pit where people congregate dressed to the nines in the hope of being streetstyle-photographed. ”
You nailed it. It’s exactly why I’m doing everything in my power to try and secure a US visa at the moment. I love London, but I just love NY that much more…
Hooray for Deerhoof!
Beautiful purchases.