Brokelyn

Photos by Dennis Cahlo and Willy Staley.

I used to think that Army Navy surplus stores were only for paranoids who only felt safe in military fatigues, even if they were just going for coffee. Not until one of my best friends back in San Francisco started working at Kaplan’s Surplus Store on the seedy stretch of Market Street did I find out that the non-surplus goods—Levi’s, Dickies, Vans and New Era hats—are often the best deals at these stores, along with an abundance of cheap outerwear. To take advantage of these bargains but avoid the trap of the “crazy veteran” look, I went shopping at Cato’s Army and Navy in Greenpoint with Brooklyn style blogger Dennis Cahlo. Read the rest of this entry »

Fashion Week is both an escape from the recession and a reminder of it: it’s somehow exciting to see designers roll out the Bergdorf bait as though there are still people who can afford $8,000 dresses. Wait, there are still people who can afford them—just not anyone we know. (That’s the reminder part.)

But as we all know around here, fabulosity can still be within reach even if your dress budget is just $8. This we confirmed during a boutique crawl of Williamsburg—yes, on Fashion’s Night Out—where we asked some glammy gals for their advice on staying chic in tough times. Read the rest of this entry »