Darling
Neighborhood: West Village
Type of Place: Women's Clothing
Description:
No matter how old I get and how razor-burned New York City may make me feel at times, there will always reside within me a little girl who simply adores dress shopping. Even when I don’t particularly need a new frock, shopping for one sometimes just hits the spot. For the afternoons you need to unleash your inner Shirley Temple and just plain feel pretty for a day, Darling is the perfect place to skip-to-your-lou to.
Darling, which I prefer to call “Dahling” of course, is teeming (think Scarlet O’Hara bursting out of her corset kind of teeming; the inventory seems never-ending) with dresses and accessories including costume jewelry, intimates, belts, purses, and other cutesy items. Styles range from trendy to vintage to bohemian to those hard to find gotta-have classics. Every nook and cranny of the shop is stuffed with a little something, so you are sure to find something no matter what season you are looking for – and if you don’t, well I promise you’ll have fun just playing dress-up for a couple of hours. In fact, there are several floors to prance about – so don’t forget to hit them all, girl. (For super sales, hit “The Salon” on the lower level.)
Prices at Darling vary widely. Like lots of secret-gem boutiques in and about New York City, you can find everything from the too-pricey down to the “No way this is so cheap”. A friend of mine recently picked up a gorgeous Ralph Lauren halter dress (tags still attached) for $78, which to me seems moderately priced. On the other end of the spectrum: last time I was there, I tried on a silk, midnight-blue cocktail dress (Luna) that looked magical on my petite figure but did not impress me enough to dish out the $300 it cost. The silk felt a bit too delicate to withstand the caliber of partying I am notorious for, so I opted for a Max and Cleo grape-purple pleated shift for $68. With the extra money, I purchased a vintage, costume necklace donning an abstract floral-y pendant for $35.
Darling’s storefront is tiny, so be careful not to pass it amid the bustle of Horatio Street. Be prepared for a super-friendly staff, and also to spend a good portion of your day sifting through all of the store’s goodies, because there sure are a lot of them. After your spree, don’t be surprised to find yourself frolicking down Horatio Street singing “I feel pretty!”, because you will.
Darling
1 Horatio Street
New York, NY 10014
(646) 336-6966
Website
Map Hours: Mon-Sat 12-7pm; Sunday 12-6pm
Comments:
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