1. Nordstrom
Being from Seattle, I was born and raised a Nordstrom girl. They have always held the bar for a satisfactory shopping experience for me. They have quality service without being scary and overbearing. The merchandise is quality, stylish, and extremely versatile. I am just now graduating into TBD and lusting over everything in the Savvy department. I love the concept of never being able to outgrow a store. Every time I set foot in that store I fall in love with something new and when I do buy something (which is frequently) I rarely have shoppers remorse. I am an extreme sucker for the shoe department since its usually the first thing I see when walking into the flaghip downtown. The one thing Manhattan lacks is Nordstrom.

2. Urban Outfitters
If I could have an entire wardrobe from any store it would be Urban Outfitters. I like that it embodies a lifestyle and is really selling an attitude. Their clothing is youthful, trendy, sexy and you can usually find something very unique. Their price points are amazing and their sale rack is a stellar place to score. Their website is the best place to shop online because it always has amazing photography of the merchandise and also allows user reviews of individual merchandise (which is actually extremely helpful when determining fit or sizing). Its also an amazing place to buy gifts for hard to shop people.

3. H&M
Keep in mind that up until a few years ago there was no H&M on the west coast. I was addicted the moment I set foot into the 5th ave location on my first trip to New York City. You can find amazing knock offs and fashion forward pieces that other stores are not willing to risk selling. During that trip I ended up buying a black shiny stretch full length unitard. You definitely wont find that at Macy’s. Most of my work clothes come from H&M since I want to look put together but cant afford to buy everything at investment prices. I have an amazing black blazer and black sheath dress from H&M that are timeless and look leagues more expensive then they actually were.

4. American Apparel
I remember back in the day when American Apparel operated strictly as wholesale out of a catalog. My mother used to order samples for my sister when she was in middle school. Well times have changed, and now everyone is wearing something from American Apparel. It was refreshing to have clothing that was consistent, predictable, easy to wear and practical. Pretty much anyone can find something in American Apparel that suits their needs. I am a very casual person too so its a great place for hoodies, leggings and their famed deep v-neck tee shirts, but they have also expanded their collection to include some incredibly sexy dresses, leotards, and intimate apparel. I am also a fan of the provocative advertising campaigns that feature some actually interesting looking models.

5. UNIQLO
The UNIQLO flagship is in Soho and was introduced to me as the “Japanese version of the GAP.” Obviously I was intrigued and not disappointed. UNIQLO delivers quality basics with a stylish twist at awesome value. I got some great boyfriend jeans and a cropped gray cashmere tee for really cheap. I can also count on them for affordable prices on things like cardigans, tanks and when I was looking for over the knee black socks they were the first and only store I hit up. I like that there isn’t a contrived image behind the clothing and anyone with a sense of style can take their merchandise and do something different with it. It’s also relatively new to the states, so not everyone is wearing/raving about it outside NYC.

Filed under: Fashion, NYC by Miya