Housing Works

Housing Works Patricia Clarkson
Events

Patricia Clarkson Hosts Housing Works’ Fashion for Action, Thinks Her Parks and Recreation Character Could Use a New Hairdo

While shopping season is in full swing around New York City, there was a charitable retail therapy party raging in Chelsea last night at the annual Housing Works Fashion for Action benefit. Hosted by Thom Browne, Patricia Clarkson and Rachel Roy, the gala event benefits the Housing Works mission to end homelessness and AIDS.

In years past, the boozing and silent auction took place at the Rubin Museum of Art, while the shopping went down in the Housing Works Chelsea location across the street. But this year, organizers brought both past-times together under one roof at the Altman Building. Energized by the cause and with easy access to beverages, guests shopped majorly discounted brand new items donated by designers including Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenburg (wrap dresses: check!), Tory Burch, and Black Fleece by Brooks Brothers.

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  • Fawnia Soo Hoo
  • Thursday, Nov 17, 2011 / 6:30 PM
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Broke and the City

Broke and the City: Actually Affordable NYC Thrift Stores

To most people who grew up outside of the metropolitan area, “thrift store” means cheap clothes that are quick fixes for an empty wallet and a starving wardrobe. A Salvation Army or local hospital charity store will yield sometimes cool and vintage-looking items for about $5; I spent most of high school scrounging secondhand places and the one vintage store in an hour radius of my hometown (where I once got a floor-length leopard fur coat for $40).

You can imagine my surprise, then, when I first moved to New York a few years ago and discovered that even Goodwill can be overpriced. An old tee that would normally cost $2 would be marked up to $20, and forget even looking at anything labeled “vintage”–even my grandmother’s muumuu can fetch $60 in certain Manhattan boutiques. I despaired. How else was I supposed to dress myself? I missed the thrill of the hunt, the sifting through musty men’s button downs and neon track jackets to uncover the perfect _____(insert heart’s desire). Plus, I liked being able to go shopping and not spend tons of money.

Though it’s taken me awhile, I eventually found few places that deserve the thrifty label, where I can nab four or five pieces for under $30 (as I did this weekend). Here are some of the city’s hidden secondhand gems (and some more well-known ones that are just plain awesome).

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Parties

Housing Works’ Fashion For Action With Thom Browne

While Lauren was shopping Lanvin x H&M with Alber at the Pierre, I was shopping Black Fleece with Thom Browne at Housing Works. Thursday night was the VIP gala to celebrate the 7th annual Fashion for Action fundraiser. Housing Works operates several charity thrift stores throughout the city to support the needs of low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS. All of the proceeds from Fashion for Action–which includes a silent auction and sample sale–will benefit Housing Works’ lifesaving services. We got to talk to Thom, the event’s chair, about the fundraiser and his upcoming women’s collection that we’re already obsessed with. But first, the party.

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Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: Bob Guccione Passes Away, Alexander Wang Pre-Sale, and ADR’s Headpiece Blocks the Sartoralist’s View

The Racked 38: Racked has updated their “Racked 38″–a definitive list of New York City’s shopping experiences. Some stores that made the list: Housing Works, Trash & Vaudeville, Patricia Field, and Opening Ceremony. {Racked}

Bob Guccione Passes Away: Bob Guccione, the man best known for establishing the men’s magazine Penthouse (but for our purposes, he’s the man who launched Anna Wintour’s career), has passed away of throat cancer. Guccione gave Wintour her first job in the magazine industry in the late 1970′s when he hired her as the fashion editor of his adult magazine, Viva. {People}

Alexander Wang Pre-sale: Opening Ceremony has announced their pre-sale of Alexander Wang’s Spring 2011 collection. The pre-sale will begin on October 25 on Opening Ceremony’s website, and will offer select looks from the designers collection. So, if you’re into white and have some spare change to drop on a white paint-splatter dress, then start counting down the days. {Opening Ceremony}

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Sales

Racked Dealfeed: Fenton-Fallon, Hermes and More

Fenton-Fallon
Deal: Jewelry for $35 to $200 (originally $180—$2000)
When/Where: Thursday, September 23rd through Friday, September 24th,. Thurs 1pm—8pm, Fri 1pm—7pm. Freeman’s Alley off Rivington St between Bowery and Chrystie St (212-477-1315)

Housing Works
Deal: The thrift shop’s annual fall preview sale includes artwork, clothing and furniture
When/Where: Through September 30. Consult website for locations and sale hours.

Urban Outfitters
Deal: Enter code HAPPYFALL at checkout to save 10% off your purchase
Ends: September 30, 2010

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Shopping

Fashion for Action

We love Housing Works not only because you can always find the best stuff there, but because of all the good work they do. Their sixth annual Fashion for Action charity event is coming up and they just announced the details. The event, which raises money for homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV [...]

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Shopping

Michael Carl & C. Ronson at Housing Works

Next Tuesday, Allure‘s fashion director Michael Carl is hosting a party at Housing Works. It’s part of their editor’s choice series in which the charity, the largest community-based AIDS service organization in the country, asks an editor to cull the best pieces within the store and present them to the public. Carl’s party, “Last Days [...]

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Fashion Is Fun

A Verdi Good Cause

Housing Works is throwing a party with Robert Verdi tonight. The TV stylist is working with the NYC charity to raise money for those living with AIDS through an exclusive sale of products from Steven Alan, Richie Rich, John Bartlett, Jonathan Adler and more. While the VIP hour is from 8-9, the event opens to [...]

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Shopping

Housing Works Snags Steven Alan

Housing Works must be making a killing on their fashion related auctions. Just a month after their Marc hosted auction and one week post-vintage YSL blowout, they’ve announced a major Steven Alan sale. The designer’s donated one thousand pieces of his own line, as well as the other brands he sells in his Manhattan store [...]

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Shopping

Would You Like Some YSL With That?

Someone walked into Housing Works – the New York-based thrift store whose profits house AIDS patients across the city – with a bag full of clothes. And by “bag” we mean almost 500 pieces of vintage Yves Saint Laurent. So while Christie’s is going to try and sell Monsieur Laurent’s art to the very rich [...]

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Marc Hosts Fashion For Action

Before Marc hosts the Met, he’s hosting an even more important gala. Well, maybe not if you asked Anna, but if you asked just a handful of homeless people living with AIDS and HIV in New York they’d probably answer that Housing Works’ Fashion for Action auction is infinitely more important. The opening gala is [...]

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