Barneys had to be on this list; it sets the standard that all other designer department stores have to live up to. Barneys's decidedly unstuffy approach to high-end style … makes it a favorite of fashion types from ladies who lunch to downtown hipsters and everyone in between. [link]

There are plenty of Apple stores in Manhattan, and they're all designed within an inch of their lives. But only this location boasts the Cube, a completely useless but … incredibly cool glass atrium that looks like nothing else on Fifth Avenue. Thanks to a recent $7 million redesign, the Cube now consists of just 15 panels, which is very exciting in some circles. [link]

The Platonic Form of the luxury department store, Bergdorf Goodman is known for lavish window displays, world-class designer shopping and the 9th floor John Barrett salon … where Bergdorf blondes get their highlights. If stores were people, Bergdorf would be Barneys' impeccably coiffed older sister who might not have a great sense of humor, but her clothes cost more than most houses. [link]

This relative newcomer manages to take advantage of menswear's current obsession with the past without losing track of the present. Instead of just pushing Ye Olde-Timey … Workwear, they carry a contemporary-looking collection of brands like Engineered Garments, Mark McNairy, and Woolrich Woolen Mills. [link]

The Uniqlo mothership opened on Fifth Avenue last year, making the futuristic Soho store suddenly seemed quaint. The new space has all the $70 cashmere and Heat Tech … innerwear you could possibly want. Just don't get lost—it might take you days to find the exit. [link]

This home decor mecca maintains a warehouse-chic aesthetic for decorators who like their high-end antiques to come with a bit of character. Check out the location across … the street for furniture, linens and other home accessories. [link]

The perfect antidote to gorgeous but expensive houseware shops, Fishs Eddy is filled with piles of cheery, affordable dishes and kitchen goods. Look for standout vintage … (love the 1960s airline flatware) and only-in-New-York patterns like Floorplan and Heroes of the Torah. [link]

The Chelsea location is widely regarded as the best of the Housing Works thrift shops, which sell used clothing and furniture to benefit homeless New Yorkers living with … HIV and AIDS. The space looks like a designer store, and it's a really good place find deals on great furniture and designer clothing while supporting a good cause. [link]

Like a high-fashion boutique designed by Dr. Seuss, this Chelsea stalwart is all swooping curves and funhouse shapes—not unlike the clothes themselves. Pairs … perfectly with an afternoon of gallery visits. [link]

Diane von Furstenberg's Meatpacking District flagship really embraces the idea that a boutique's design should reflect the message of its clothes. The shop is a bright, … colorful and adamantly modern showcase for the designer's signature frocks, sportswear, and eveningwear along with shoes, jewelry, and a rotating selection of swimwear in the warm months and outerwear when it's cold. [link]

This exuberant Meatpacking District flagship houses the high-end Moschino line alongside its siblings: Moschino Cheap & Chic, Love Moschino, and the men's line, … Moschino Uomo. The decor and window displays are every bit as bright and irreverent as you would expect, and make it as fun as it should be to shop for Moschino's famously playful and tongue-in-cheek apparel. [link]

As Net-a-Porter's Tracy Taylor put it recently, "Aedes de Venustas puts the sensuality into scent shopping." The tiny shop carries a range of hard-to-find fragrances, … including many brands from overseas, and the owners are known for their dedication to personal service. [link]

Leffot sells hip but sturdy men's shoes from brands like Alden and Wolverine under the watchful eye of owner Steven Taffel, who seems to know everything there is to know … about men's footwear. Only drawback: The prices, but then, perfection doesn't come cheap. [link]

A West Village destination for those who prefer their retail laced with history instead of topped with buttercream frosting, this 171-year-old pharmacy is notable for its … selection of hard-to-find beauty products, including European imports and a well-loved house line. And the space is old-fashioned and charming—you can picture one-time customer Mark Twain wandering around the aisles, even if you can't quite imagine him picking up a Tocca candle for $36. [link]

If the idea of 55,000 square feet of books sounds attractive, you must visit The Strand. The over-80-year-old establishment houses thousands of discounted new and used … titles, rare books, and hard-to-find art and photography books. [link]

Like Bigelow, this apothecary has been around for decades—it just celebrated its 160th birthday. But unlike Bigelow, Kiehl's is obsessively modern, from its simple … recyclable packaging to its frequently-updated line of magical skincare products. [link]

Andy Spade's design-studio-cum-novelty-store is the strangest boutique in the city, and we mean that as a compliment. The merchandise displays feel like art … installations, and if you ask a salesperson how much something costs, there's a good chance they'll invent a price on the spot. Do note the "impulse buys" section, which is on a shelf about 14 feet in the air, accessible only by ladder. [link]

Arguably the spot for cutting edge designers—think Acne, Henrik Vibskov, and Surface To Air—Oak is something of a trendsetter haven. This is where you head … for something black, something leather, and something new. [link]

When Sex and the City (the TV show) ended, INA got the wardrobe. That's the kind of power wielded by this mini-chain, which offers high-quality designer consignment in … five different Manhattan locations. The staff evaluates merchandise with a gimlet eye, only accepting the best-preserved, most contemporary pieces from big name labels. [link]

Pat Field's eponymous shop is kind of like a Complete Idiot's Guide to New York Fashion For Beginners—a required stop for affordable and unique glitz and glamor … (with a sort of punk/grunge/S&M twist) curated by the woman behind the outfits in Sex and the City and Ugly Betty. Browse patent harnesses, limousine pendants, Vivienne Westwood pumps, flat-brim hats, sequined clutches, and acid-wash denim—there's just no other shop like it. [link]

Owner Renee Bejil stocks this little vintage shop with an expert eye, making it a favorite of fashion insiders. Even Alexander Wang is a fan. [link]

If you're young, female, and stylish and you don't make a banker's salary, then there's a good chance your closet contains at least one pair of Dolce Vita shoes. The … clothes here are cute, but this boutique is really all about the footwear, which is perfectly calibrated to be smack-dab on-trend and highly affordable. [link]

It's easy to find well-made expensive jewelry, and it's easy to find cheap trendy accessories made under dubious circumstances, but it's tough to find pieces that split … the difference. Weiner's collection ranges from vintage to antique to new stuff that's handmade in NYC, and it's not much pricier than certain chains we could mention. [link]

Owner Jade Lai has terrific taste and a killer eye for color, as embodied by her Nolita shop's selection of cool-kid labels like Rachel Comey, Dieppa Restreppo, and … Isabel Marant. If you want to look like you work in an art gallery, here's where to shop. [link]

Of all the Pradas in New York and the US, this store, designed by Rem Koolhaas, makes the strongest impression. It's a pure shopping experience as you descend down the … steep wood slope into the mid-store cavern to shop underground. And every so often, the boutique invites editors and artists (such as W Magazine's Alex White) to re-conceptualize the place. [link]

The NYT once called Odin's style "spiffed up workwear," which is a perfect descriptor so long as you don't actually plan to do any work. High prices come with high … quality, and this original Odin location boasts brands like Woolrich, Phillip Lim Men's, and Florsheim by Duckie Brown. Essentially, it's the perfect store for the man who resolves to dress better and doesn't mind paying more than Gap prices to do so. [link]

Granted, there's not too much you can actually buy at this surf-emporium-cum-coffee-shop. But the space is so inviting, what with the warm lighting, cute salesguys, and … back patio, that it's hard not to stop by whenever you're in the neighborhood. No wonder it's a favorite among fashion types. [link]

The first retail outpost for fashion's hottest boy wonder isn't exactly a bastion of warmth or friendliness, but the spare, industrial design is gorgeous—at once … grungy without being dirty and luxurious without being stuffy. [link]

Currently the destination for it-labels like Alexander Wang, Band of Outsiders and Erin Wasson x RVCA, Opening Ceremony has benefited from major publicity in magazines, … blogs, and from interviews with the well-connected founders. Their own label and collabs with the likes of Chlöe Sevigny and Jeremy Scott keep OC at the top of the retail game. It also helps that its Howard Street location makes it feel like a special nook in Soho. [link]

There's nothing twee or fusty about this Soho vintage shop, which has made a name for itself with an enormous selection of designer pieces, many with a rock edge. [link]

Steven Alan won over hipsters in the blingy pre-recession era with his classic low-key Americana. His Tribeca Annex is filled with plaid shirts for men and gamine looks … for women, plus a carefully selected collection of pieces from like-minded brands like APC and Rachel Comey. [link]

Gargyle is a smartly curated boutique dedicated to reviving its vision of a vintage country club culture that is sporty, artistic and always devastatingly fashionable. … Racks are simultaneously smart and arty, with wares from Acne, Karen Walker, Lover, Shipley & Halmos, Opening Ceremony and Vena Cava. [link]

The flagship for this New York mini-chain also houses the brand's offices and the studio where they make their cheeky jewelry. Ladies should go for the '70s-inspired long … skirts and high-waisted shorts; guys should go for slim trousers, and to buy presents for their ladyfriends. [link]

This isn't the cheapest resale shop in the city, and it might not be the biggest, but we're pretty sure it's the best. The wide selection encompasses everything from … no-name 70s vintage to $40 DVF wrap dresses, and the music and the people-watching are both always top-notch. [link]

Jennifer Mankins' Brooklyn mini-empire has three outposts, but the Burg location is the biggest. The big, warm, LEED-certified space carries Alexander Wang, Isabel … Marant, Rag & Bone, and other designers so of-the-moment that if you only shopped there for the rest of your life, you'd still look hip. [link]

This weekend event from the Brownstoner folks is the mother of all hipster flea markets. Go for the antique vendors, the delicious snacks, and the building itself, a … gorgeous former bank with soaring ceilings and a creepy-awesome vault that doubles as a food court. [link]

This Brooklyn shop is a clean white box of a space stocked with hip labels like Rodebjer, Miista, and Surface to Air, but don't expect the service to be too cool for … school. The staffers here are sweet and attentive and full of good styling ideas, and the denim sales can't be beat. [link]

Run by a married couple, this mostly-menswear shop stays on-trend without being too slavishly trendy. The owners' obsession with production makes this place perfect for … guys who like knowing exactly how (and where) their jeans were made. There's an Orchard Street shop too, but Smith Street is the original. [link]