Need ideas for NYC teen shopping-is Fulton St Mall worth the trip?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Thanks for all the suggestions. If my D gets around to shopping (she better, ha ha), I’ll pass some of these onto her. </p>

<p>Sally, while my D tends toward more young, trendy and hip, she does need a dressier dress than she typically wears but it can’t be as trendy as she typically wears. It is not as if she is attending a party (then it would not matter!). She is performing in a major NYC theater in front of both significant people in the industry and also the general public and so it has to look right for this purpose, but she would tend toward something that still is young and modern and not conservative either. And I truly found dresses online last time that she said “yes” to but it is not that she was able to get them in NYC but she also spent only a couple of hours total on one afternoon and so I hope she doesn’t wait to the last minute and also that her search can be focused on the right stores this time. Thanks again!</p>

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<p>I agree that she should go to saks as they will have a large selection of dresses and she can also catch a great sale.</p>

<p>You cannot beat a lord and taylor coupon sale. You can go to their site and sign up for their mailing list. There is a coupon sale at least twice a month where you will be able to get between 10-20% of any sale item. This week’s coupon is for the friends and family sale starts today with an extra 25% off almost everything (10% off cosmetics and fragrances).</p>

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<p>sybbie, last night I visited the Lord and Taylor site and saw about the sale but I did not see where you print out the coupon that someone else on this thread also mentioned.</p>

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<p>Another out-there suggestion: Beacon’s Closet in Williamsburg (Brooklyn). It’s a thrift shop, but it has great stuff. My daughter had a field day there (especially with jeans). My kids also really like the casual clothes from Brooklyn Industries.</p>

<p>I would also recommend skipping as many giant chain stores as possible and going to some funky boutiques. Try the stores in NoLiTa–some of them are cheaper than the ones in Soho.</p>

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<p>Hunt, I truly believe my kid is overwhelmed at large department stores as she just has never shopped in any, having grown up in a rural area, and a smaller shop would be better and so while I knew of chains that have stores in NYC, I don’t know the name of single shops and that was part of my query here, thanks. </p>

<p>Funny you mention Brooklyn Industries because that was the store that my older D wanted to stop in when we were just down in NYC. (again, younger D lives in Williamsburg in Brooklyn) It didn’t really have dressy dresses but was a store I could see my younger D liking for clothes otherwise. </p>

<p>It just would help to give her specific places to go to when her time is limited. I could mention Nolita and she should know the area well as she lived in Nolita her junior year of college. By the same token, the situation she needs to dress up for can’t be “funky” even if she normally likes that!</p>

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<p>Yes, we have Urban Outfitters in the area. </p>

<p>Is Filene’s Basement still open and stocked with merchandise? I know they’re in Ch. 11 and that Men’s Wearhouse is buying them.</p>

<p>Last time in NY we had great luck at Century 21 for purses - not so much clothing.</p>

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<p>Are there any landmarks that Century 21 is close to? I’ve only been to Manhattan once so if I know what Century 21 is close to it would help me find it. I’m bringing my daughter for a short visit in August before school starts back up. My D is 21 and loves H&M and Urban Outfitters (we have UO here as well). Last time we came a couple of years ago she got a little overwhelmed in some of the stores because of the size of the stores but I think she’d like to check out Century 21 anyway.</p>

<p>We also have a White House/Black Market at home and I agree that it’s a great place to get a reasonably priced cocktail dress - usually several different styles of little black dresses to choose from. My daughter can always find something there that she likes and the fit is always really nice (prices are right too).</p>

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<p>Century 21 is right by Ground Zero. I mean right there. When we were in NY a couple of years ago, it had fantastic visibility, I’m guessing only because the tall buildings that used to be near it are no more.</p>

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<p>I am also interested in where Century 21 is located. I think my DD would like to go there this summer to shop. She will be in Philadelphia for the month of July, but plans to take the train to visit my brother and his girlfriend in Brooklyn for a couple of weekends so she can go see some Broadway shows. She needs to do some shopping for college auditions next year and plans to look at some stores while in NYC.</p>

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<p>Thanks so much for the info! You ladies are wonderful!</p>

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<p>soozie, you have to sign up to get the coupon offers.</p>

<p>please PM me.</p>

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<p>Missy, I agree with the posters who suggested Williamsburg. It will be a lot of fun for your girls!</p>

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<p>As a native New Yorker and the parent of a singer- I really second Lord and Taylor as a great source, especially with the extra coupons for charge acct customers. They really do have the best selection and carry many dresses priced under $300. Bloomingdales is good-Macy’s can be really overwhelming and you have to know where to go in Macy’s. My daughter has found several appropriate dresses over the years in both L & T and Bloomie’s as well as Banana Republic-try the larger store on 34th St or near Lincoln Center. Anthropologie is great-there is a large store in Rockefeller Center. Betsy Johnson has great stuff but usually pricey. Nordstrom is out in the Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island and surprisingly doesn’t always have a wide selection. There is Loehmann’s on 7th & 18th street (or so)but Loehmann’s shopping not for everyone. Also small stores in the village-look at stores on Sullivan Street between Bleecker and Houston. TopShop should be exciting-newly arrived from London. Skip Ann Taylor Loft but there are often lovely appropriate dresses in regular Ann Taylor. There is WhiteHouse/Black Market as well as Banana, J Crew and so much more in Roosevelt Field Mall.</p>

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<p>One reason I hesitate to take my girls to NYC is that they would want to shop. It can be frustrating when everything is so expensive.
Does anyone else have a D who has the hardest time deciding what to wear. D’s 9th grade grad is tomorrow. She had a dress all set. She decided she did not like the shoes. Now also decides she doesn’t want to wear black. So I go back out and pick up dress choice number 2. As of this afternoon she is wearing dress 2 with a pair of my shoes. Of course dress 1 was on sale and is not returnable. But she can wear it to work so at least it will get worn. She is my last minute change her mind D. Drives me crazy.</p>

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<p>That is why I need to choose the stores carefully. It’s not fun for the girls to just “look” at an extremely expensive store but to be told they can’t buy anything. That’s why I’ve always liked H&M…you can buy the trendy clothes for not much money, and they at least last until the trend is over.</p>

<p>Our best vacation shopping was actually in Barcelona, weak dollar and all. There must not be an equivalent of TJ Maxx there to send stuff to, because the sale racks there were filled with things that were severely discounted.</p>

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<p>missypie, I agree it is not so much fun to shop in stores out of your price range. Do you have H & M at home? If not, it would be a treat for your girls in NYC as the prices and selection can be good for that age. I recall when my girls were your girl’s ages, and since they grew up in a rural area where we did not have many of these chains, it was really fun to hit a store like H&M if in NYC as we had nothing like it at home.</p>

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<p>I’m always astounded that there are chain stores that Dallas doesn’t have, but no, we don’t have H&M. We shop there wherever we find them…Barcelona, Heidelberg, Boston, NY…actually, the worst H&M we’ve been to was the one on 5th Avenue in New York…crowded and messy and long lines for the dressing room and the rudest employees ever…Of course, we found all the employees in all the 5th Ave stores to be rude - even at the Disney store! I guess it’s wearing on people to have your store extremely crowded every minute of the day every day of the year.</p>

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<p>When we were in New York last summer my DDs really liked the H&M store that was across from Bloomingdale’s. It was a 2-story store and they found lots of clothes there. My youngest also loved the Sephora near Times Square that was really fancy inside.</p>

<p>We had H&M in Orange County, but just got them more recently here in San Diego. My DDs always seem to find clothes they like there!</p>

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<p>D and I had the same experience shopping in Saint Petersburg last summer! D got a load of clothes (4 dresses and a couple of skirts) for less than $150 at a downtown boutique that was clearing out its late spring collection. Apparently, young, trendy European ladies are very picky about their clothes, and would rather eat stale bread than wear clothes that will be declared out of style tomorrow :slight_smile: We also discovered that the trendiest clothes in Saint Petersburg never come in sizes larger than 6 (may be 8) - apparently, there is no market for larger sizes. </p>

<p>There are three H&Ms in our area that I’m aware of, and I just recently found out that the funky stores across the street from my favorite Banana Republic are Anthropologie/Urban Outfitters. So if anyone is planning on visiting Seattle and wondering whether there is any decent shopping in the city, the answer is yes, we’ve got our own 5th Avenue with some nice shopping options! Although most Seattleites still dress terribly.</p>

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<p>I actually shop at H&M for myself all the time and find plenty of great things (I’m 50). I ususally go to the one on 34th st because it’s convenient for me, but all the locations are crowded. The best time to go is the morning before noon.</p>

<p>soozievt, I wish you were my Mom! </p>

<p>OK, here’s a breakdown of some neighborhoods:</p>

<p>34th St area (subway to Penn Station): Macy’s, H&M, Old Navy, Forever 21, Sephora, and countless smaller stores that tend to trendy, cheap looking clothes.</p>

<p>14th St (Union Square): H&M (again), Forever 21 (again), DSW, Filene’s Basement, Whole Foods (for lunch!), Urban Outfitters, the Virgin store going out of business so if you hurry, all their CDs are on sale, Strawberry, etc. </p>

<p>NYC’s versions of TJMaxx: Conway (34th st—kind of downscale), Loehmann’s (7th Ave & 17th st), Century 21 (across from ground zero), Daffy’s on 5th ave in the teens (my favorite of this genre),</p>

<p>Soho: The stores on Broadway are generally all the ones you find in any big mall with a few snazzy ones thrown in like Prada, Armani X, and of course, Topshop, Zara, and a new Korean one whose name I’ve forgotten but has beautiful, drapey, trendy clothes. Also, some fun shoe stores.
It’s just a quick walk east to Nolita–try Prince St, Lafayette, Spring st, Mott St, and make your way towards the Lower East Side. (Stop in at Housing Works Bookstore on Crosby just off Prince. They have a great book selection and a bathroom!) Lots of really interesting small boutiques (much more fun browsing than the big stores on Broadway in my opinion), but a bit pricey. This neighborhood is definitely for the youngsters though. Similar in feel and merch from Williamsburg.</p>

<p>And speaking of Wmbg, don’t just stay on Bedford Ave, also check out the streets parallel to it, particularly around the L subway stop. I second Beacon’s Closet (my D loves it and always manages to find incredible things there). </p>

<p>Some random tips: the Anthropologie on 5th Ave has a downstairs sale room which has great stuff on sale. Hmm, can’t think of any more tips right now.
Oh yes, I’ve started to buy clothes from ■■■■■■■■. Now, THAT’s fun!</p>