Place to be a temporary design maven:
Rent the RunwayIf you’re the type of woman who never likes to wear the same thing twice, you’ll love the new brick-and-mortar outpost from Rent the Runway, the website that rents designer dresses and accessories for a fraction of the retail price. (Think $150 for a $1,500 Calvin Klein gown.) Located within the high-end department store Henri Bendel, the gorgeous, 1,400-square-foot shop is seriously stocked with cocktail dresses, gowns and casual frocks from top designers. Walk-ins are taken, but if you register online for an appointment, RTR will ensure plenty of options in your size that are appropriate for your occasion. 712 Fifth Ave., second floor, 212-315-5917, renttherun way.comAffordable spectacle shop: Warby Parker
Fashion-forward, quality, prescription glasses that are less than $100? We’ll take it! Online since 2010, cult eyewear brand Warby Parker opened shop in SoHo in April and then expanded to the Meatpacking District this fall. We’re partial to the larger, New York Library-inspired SoHo flagship, but both stores carry a large array of men’s and women’s plastic and metal frames, most of which cost $95, including prescription. (An optometrist is on-site.) If you’re at the SoHo outpost and can’t decide on frames, get your pic snapped for free in the photo booth. Take it home for a stylish memento. 121 Greene St., 646-568-3720, warby parker.com Go-to for glamour: Badgley MischkaAll dolled up with somewhere to go? Look no further than Badgley Mischka, which opened its first NYC store in August after 25 years in the fashion biz. The über-glam Upper East Side boutique, located in a lovely three-story town house, carries the stunning gowns and cocktail dresses that are red-carpet staples, as well as sophisticated ready-to-wear apparel, furs, jewelry, handbags and sunglasses, plus bridal. The elegant atmosphere of the town house is a perfect backdrop for the luxe wares, and it feels more like a private home than a typical store. 24 E. 64th St., 212-644-4934, badgleymischka.comHotel store:
The Shop at the
Wythe HotelWilliamsburg’s Wythe Hotel has jumped on the trend of chic hotels housing equally chic stores. What makes The Shop more interesting is that every few months a different curator selects the store’s stock. Kicking things off in September was Brooklyn designer Caron Callahan, who’s filled the tiny shop with a fashion-forward selection of locally designed items, from Smith & Chang General Goods soap ($9) to Ulla Johnson leopard-print pumps ($440). 80 Wythe Ave., Williamsburg, 718- 460-8000, wythehotel.comShop for book lovers
(that doesn’t sell books):
Goods for the StudyAt a time when the popularity of physical books is (sadly) on the decline, NoLita bookstore mainstay McNally Jackson has opened a quaint little shop with everything you need for your home library, study or office. Located around the corner from McNally Jackson, the store carries sleek, streamlined goods ranging from pens for $4.50-$310 to a $4,000 oak secretary desk. Chairs, prints, notebooks, desk accessories, calendars, stationery and select pieces of furniture round out the stock. 234 Mulberry St., 212-219-2789, mcnallyjack sonstore.comSpot for fashionable plus-size fashions: Curvaceous KBoutique Curvaceous K brought super-stylish plus-size fashions to the Lower East Side this year. The moderately priced store carries a haute variety of on-trend pieces that don’t shy away from showing off a gal’s curves. There’s a plethora of pencil skirts, great studded leather jackets, flirty dresses and sleek blazers from brands such as Jaime, Igigi and Mynt. 179 Stanton St., 646-684-3175, curvaceousk.comPlace to keep your feet toasty: Happy Socks
This Swedish import sells just socks, with dozens of prints, such as camo, polka dot, paisley, stripes — and the list goes on. Men’s and women’s styles are all $12, and in addition to straight-up pairs of socks, the store sells sock gift boxes and cute travel cases for (you guessed it) socks. 436 West Broadway, 212- 966-9692, happysocks.com Men’s store for a custom experience: Manuel Racim
This TriBeCa newbie gives discerning gents a made-to-measure shirt with a truly custom experience — a personal style adviser helps you design your shirt from among 200 high-grade fabrics and 20 collar and 15 button options. Shirts, handcrafted in France, cost $125-$295. 44 Hudson St., 212-233-0417, manuelracim.com
