Alter
Neighborhood: Greenpoint
Type of Place: Women's Clothing
Description:
Brooklyn’s got a very distinct flavor, and it manifests in feisty boutiques like Alter, one of my favorite indie shops in Greenpoint. The shop’s just ridden with sass in the form of some of the highest quality vintage clothing for men and women that I have yet to come across in the borough. Just across the street from another fave of mine, Dances with Wolves, Alter not only offers up a decent cocktail of panache and affordability, but the versatility of its items will blow your mind.
Whether you’re of the gaunt hipster variety or carry a bit more meat on your bones, Alter’s got something for you. (So don’t be swayed if their mannequins are sporting ultra-tiny men’s swimwear or slender pea coats – there’s more to this store than meets the eye). Aside from clothing, Alter also as a sizeable collection of accessories, like wallets (my boyfriend ogled at a Maxx and Unicorn leather variety at $100), belts, ties (including a line of cool crinkly ties that range from about $24 - $34) , a good portion of edgy jewelry (they just received a shipment of new bling with price tags from $20 - $40), Desire, Denver and Stage footwear and more.
The owners of Alter, Roy and Tommy, are well known in the cutting-edge fashion niche for keeping a close eye on their price-point so that costs stay well below that of the average vintage shop. The boys also possess a keen ability to maintain an inventory that strays from hackneyed brands like H&M or Urban. Instead, you’ll find the shop’s racks peppered with lesser-known labels like Cheap Monday (check out their line of CM jeans for under $50 and huge spectrum of sunglasses for less than a $100), BABYGHOST, Kill City Men (look for their embroidered skull shirts for a whopping $135, but worth it), Globe Goodstock jeans, and others. The best part about Alter is that they are hip, but not nauseatingly so – and in this day and age, indie boutiques that don’t overdo it are few and far between if you ask me.
While the store itself is pretty small and some shoppers may find the selection limited, the quality of Alter’s garb screams quality at Made-in-China prices. You can even find suits here, like the super mod one I’m saving up to buy my younger brother for his upcoming birthday ($200, but I couldn’t see that little punk in anything less fashionable).
Alter
109 Franklin St
(Noble St & Greenpoint Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 784-8818
Website
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