It was a nice surprise coming to realize that we could customize a shopping tour perfect for an entire family. The tour was for a lovely family from Berlin, Germany consisting of dad, mom, teenage daugther and a six-year-old little girl. We started the tour at Henri Bendel where the mother was quickly drawn into the beauty department to try a new product. The teenaged daughter perused the signature accessories section in the Gazebo shop while the six-year-old watched her mom get made over in awe. The dad picked out some things to surprise the girls with while they were busy and then joined the teen on the second floor to check out some of their fragrances. On our way out, the mother and teen picked out some signature Bendel accessories to take back home to their friends.

From Bendel’s, we headed downtown to the Meatpacking District where they had quickly toured earlier on their trip but didn’t have time to experience the shopping. We started out at Tracy Reese, where the mom and the teen had fun trying on some colorful dresses and boho blouses. I knew this would be a great start for the two of them since Tracy’s line is both youthful and sophisticated.

From Tracy Reese, we stopped quickly next door at Elizabeth Charles, where there were some beautiful New Zealand designs along with some Australian designs, although nothing that really suited the ladies’ taste. And since I started to get a feel for their style by this point, I suggested that we head over to Scoop. (I also knew that there would be something for the dad at Scoop Men and for the youngest daughter at Scoop Kids–although to my dismay, the kids’ store has closed and they discontinued the line.)

Scoop, however, was definitely successful for the mom, and the teen tried on some things as well. The teen was specifically searching for a handbag and I knew that they would have a cool selection. Also, while the dad shopped at Scoop Men, I suggested the mom and teen cross the street to the Diane Von Furstenberg flagship to check out her famous wrap dresses and her handbags.

By this point, the youngest daughter, who had been on her best behavior was slightly restless, so we headed over to the West Village so I could get their cupcakes at the Magnolia Bakery. It was here that I also introduced them to the Marc Jacobs Special Items Store where I helped the six-year-old pick out a small NYC necklace with a heart and a statue of liberty charm. I suggested that the dad head over to Jack Spade, where he found a few things, and I sent the mom and teen to the Mulberry store to search for handbags since the teen hadn’t found what she was looking for yet. They also checked out Olive & Bette’s which is always a great option for the chic shopper.

Since the six-year-old had been so patient, her dad took her to the Little Marc Jacobs store where he bought her a beautiful wool-knit poncho. Her eyes just lit up when she put it on, so he couldn’t say no :-)

We headed back to the limo and since we had time for one more stop, I suggested TopShop. I knew that they could all find something there (even the six-year-old could fit in their 00 Petite sizes!) They enjoyed their cupcakes on the way and I gave them a quick run-down of the store layout so they could find their way around more easily. Afterall, it is a HUGE store!

At this point we were out of time with the limo and they decided to stay at TopShop to continue shopping. Before I left them, they asked me about a place for dinner so I suggested the new Scott Conant restaurant in the East Village, Faustina. They absolutely loved it and they sent me this e-mail on their way back to Berlin:

Dear Natasha,

Now we’re on our way back home to Berlin. We’re still i
Pressed of the tour we had with you. We all want to thank you again for your assistence, your charme and helpful tips. Even the Faustino was à great event and we enjoyed the meal and the very sympathic waitresses. Thank’s for all.

Best regards

Gudrun, Mara, Jo and Marco

If you’d like to take a customized shopping tour of NYC, visit our website at www.shop-nyctours.com/guidedtours. We look forward to shopping with you!

ShopNYC Tours wanted to provide our shoppers with a shopping tour that offers VARIETY like no other! Why??? Well, most people come to NYC with a packed itinerary and reserve just a small window of time (usually 2-3 hours) for each activity that they want to do.

So let’s say a group has just a few hours set aside for shopping and the group consists of people with different preferences, styles, needs, budgets, etc. For example, a family comes to NYC and the mother wants to look for clothing, the grandmother wants to look for housewares, the father wants to look for a souvenir t-shirt and the teenaged daughter wants to look for accessories. In another case scenario, there’s a group of friends: one wants to buy a $300 handbag, one wants to buy a $75 pair of shoes and the other wants to find second-hand clothing for 10 bucks. With our All-in-One Unique NYC Shopping Tour you will have access to ALL of these things over the course of the 3-hour tour. There will be boutiques with women’s clothing and accessories, home decor items, unique gifts, beauty products, teen clothing and accessories, and men’s clothing. The prices will range from $5 per item up to $500 per item. The shops will offer a variety of high fashion, vintage fashion, bargain shopping and consignment.

The other thing that’s unique about this tour is that even though you’ll be shopping with a group, you’ll have the opportunity to shop in the stores that appeal most to YOU. There will be clusters of shops and each person will be given a map. The tour guide will give you a certain amount of free time and then you can follow the map and decide which shops you want to visit first, second, and third, or you can just spend the entire time in your favorite shop!

Our All-in-One Unique NYC Shopping Tour is offered every Saturday from 11am-2pm for just $34. It’s a guided, walking tour and departs at the Southeast corner of 14th Street and Fifth Avenue. For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.shop-nyctours.com/guidedtours. We look forward to shopping with you!

Are you coming to NYC to shop for your prom dress??  ShopNYC Tours can help!  With our Complete NYC Prom Shopping Experience, you will shop everything from chic and contemporary prom, to vintage and unique prom.  Not only will you get access to some of the most amazing prom dresses NYC has to offer, but you will also have the opportunity to get your prom accessories (tiaras, rhinestone bracelets, earrings, beaded purses and shoes!)

ShopNYC Tours realizes that prom is one of those special times when teens want to look and feel their best.  We realize that they also want to wear something special that no one else will have.  With our Complete NYC Prom Shopping Experience, you will be shopping and sightseeing in the fashion capitol of the world where the possibilities are endless!  Your style-savvy guide will show you videos highlighting the latest prom trends for 2010 along with ways for you to find your own unique style.  We want you to feel confident, beautiful, comfortable, and most importantly, like YOU when you put on that dress!  (Afterall, mom will be so camera happy that it will be a night you NEVER forget!)

Not only will you find the hottest and latest prom attire on this tour, but you’ll also get a special makeup tutorial session at the Makeup Forever Flagship Store in Greenwich Village.  This is definitely not your average makeup store!  Their products are used by professionals for film, television, and Broadway and they have in-store professional makeup artists who can give you the tips you need to shine.  You’ll learn how to stand out with their makeup (especially with their Diamond Powder Eye Shadow that’s perfect for prom!)

Oh–and there are a couple other perks we forgot to mention…  Along the way, you’ll enjoy some complimentary “Teeny” Cosmos along with cupcakes from a world-famous bakery.  Shopping AND sugar?!?  It doesn’t get much better than this!

If you’re interested in taking the Complete NYC Shopping Experience, visit our website for more information at www.shop-nyctours.com/tours/nyc-prom-shopping-experience.  We look forward to shopping with you!

ShopNYC Tours is grateful to have grown so much over the past two years! We realize, however, that many people who’d like to experience the city simply don’t have the time or money to visit. So we wanted to come up with a way that these people could still experience NYC: with our Webcam Shopping Experiences! These experiences allow people to shop in a unique, New York City boutique from anywhere in the world–through webcam. That’s right–you just set up an appointment to web chat–or web SHOP–with a boutique specialist/sytlist, logon to Skype.com, and SHOPNYC!

We will actually have a phone/e-mail consultation with you prior to your web appointment to find out what your general style is (classic, bohemian, trendy), what you’re looking for (dresses, jeans, handbags) and what sizes you wear in certain items. If you have a boutique that you’ve discovered online and you’re just dying to shop in it, we can arrange that for you as well. There’s also the option to add a model with your measurements to your shopping experience so you can actually see (in 3D) what the clothing will look like on YOU!

We realize that online shopping is popular, but it can also be extremely overwhelming and difficult. You’ll spend hours and hours browsing through 2-dimensional websites in the hopes that once something is shipped it will fit you correctly! Webcam shopping experiences give you the opportunity to avoid all of the downfalls of online shopping while enjoying personal style tips, the boutique ambiance (which is much more fun than staring at a computer screen) and a more unique selection of fashion than you can imagine.

If you’d like to set up a webcam shopping experience, visit www.shop-nyctours.com/webcam-shopping-experience for more information. We look forward to shopping with you!

It was an extremely cold day and the first shopping tour of 2010.  A woman from Australia and her husband wanted to do something of interest but unfortunately their choices were very different.  The woman wanted to shop and the man wanted to take photographs of the city.  It just so happens that ShopNYC Tours has a friend who gives photography tours/lessons so it worked out perfectly for everyone!

We started our shopping tour walking through the beautiful and historic Washington Square Park and up University Place to Pia.  This woman was serious about getting a new wardrobe since she had recently lost some weight.  I figured this would be a great boutique to start in and get a feel for her style since they have a selection of both classic and trendy looks.  Pia also has some amazing accessories that work perfectly with almost any style.  After trying on a few of the blouses (which were a little on the trendy side) and not having much luck, I pointed her in the direction of one of their skirts.  She said that she was looking at things for work and I knew that with a grey pencil skirt you couldn’t go wrong!  It was a success.

From Pia, we headed over to Ibiza, but their funky, vintage-inspired clothing and accessories weren’t quite working.  It was good to see what wasn’t working, however, because from this point of the tour and onward, I knew where we needed to shop!

I took her south of Washington Square Park to LaGuardia Place where we made two stops.  The first was Helianthus where they had some amazing sales happening.  We found a few trendier items that she took a chance with and tried on, but they didn’t quite work.   The second stop was Purdy Girl and it ended up being a gold mine for her.  Not only did they have a 50% off storewide sale happening, but she found everything from tops to dresses to jeans.  We discovered that the shift dress was THE perfect fit for her and she ended up purchasing several of these Jackie & Michelle O numbers.

Following Purdy Girl, we headed down to Soho to the New York Look.  This store is great because 1.) it’s huge but not department store huge and 2.) they have a wide range of sizes for each item like a department store but, again, it’s not one!  She tried on several dresses by Elie Tahari, Tory Burch, and Nicole Miller along with jeans by 7 for All Mankind.  New York Look–like Purdy Girl–was a very successful stop!

After finding some great stand-out pieces, she expressed that she wanted to find some basic staples at reasonable prices.  I asked her if they had a Zara in Australia and to my surprise, she had never heard of it.  I knew this would be the perfect place for her to get basics.  It definitely was.  She found a black turtleneck and some black skinny pants that fit her like a dream.

Zara was lacking in shirts, however, so we had time for one more quick stop across the street at Mango–another shop that, to my surprise, she hadn’t heard of.  I figured it would be a good place to find blouses and it worked.

If you’re looking to find a new wardrobe that suits you, take a private shopping tour with us!  We’ll focus on your style and shops that work best for your body type and your budget.  To inquire, visit www.shop-nyctours.com/contact.  We look forward to shopping with you!

So I have to admit that our tours are more popular with women, however, we do get the occasional request for tours that offer shopping for men too!  Such was the case with the couple from Germany.

They were a lovely married couple in there 30s/40s and the lady had a strong love for trendy fashion whereas the guy definitely appreciate a simpler, classic style.  I decided it would be best to start our shopping with the the women’s store since shopping for women can be a little more difficult and time consuming than shopping for men.

We began the tour in Greenwich Village at Pia, where I knew the lady would find some beautiful handbags and some very unique clothing by Debra Moorefield as well.  She ended up taking a strong liking to one of their Treesje handbags (which I love) along with some of their beautiful Scottish cashmere.  She actually ending up purchasing a black cashmere sweater that could be worn several ways (3 to be exact) which made it a very, very practical purchase.

Moving on from Pia, we headed next door to Ibiza where there was a huge sale going on since they’re moving to their new store very soon.  The lady tried on several of their tops by Custo Barcelona along with some of their beautiful coats.  It was another successful stop as she walked away with a dress, top and a beautiful black trench with mesh detail.

After Ibiza, we walked across the street to La Petite Coquette where, although a women’s lingerie store, was equally fun for the guy to shop, of course!  The owner, Rebecca, was there and it was a pleasure to finally meet the creator of this gem-of-a-shop.  Again, the lady walked away with some beautiful underwear by La Perla and beautiful hosiery by Wolford.

From here, the limo picked us up and I was told that we needed to find snow boots for the guy since it was due to start a blizzard at any moment.  I took them to Keito in Soho on West Broadway and it was a little too fashion forward for the guy’s liking.  So instead we went up the block to Reno fashions, where I knew they had more casual, sporty boots and shoes.  Here they bought a classic pair of black boots for the guy along with some colorful Ugg boots for their two daughters.

It was back to the fashion track after this stop.  The lady specified that she needed jeans so we headed down to Flying A in Soho where I knew they had a huge selection including:  Domino, Notified, Paper Denim, 2 Blocks South, Maje, Joe’s Jean’s, and Eden.  She tried on a few pair while the guy browsed the men’s selection but they didn’t have much luck on sizes.

We walked down the block and I suggested they take a peek in Olive & Bette’s since we were waiting on the limo.  I knew they would be able to find different sizes for Joe’s Jeans here and also James Jeans as well.  It was a success!  She found jeans and a few cute tops to match which I believe were Plenty and Splendid.

After this stop, the lady insisted that she was through shopping and that we needed to focus on her husband.  They enjoyed a glass of champagne while in transit and then the limo dropped us off at Inven.tory which ended up being a little too trendy for his liking.  We were running out of time so we couldn’t get over to the East Village from Soho and have enough time so I suggested a last-minute stop in Noho at Save Khaki on the way back uptown to their hotel.  It was a perfect fit–figuratively and literally.  The guy was pleased with the style and the sizes also fit him well.  He ended up purchasing a few sweaters, shirts and a couple pairs of pants.  So although the lady left the tour with a small new wardrobe, the guy ended up doing well for himself too.

If you’d like to schedule a customized shopping tour for you and your hubby (or boyfriend), visit our website at www.shop-nyctours.com for more information.  Happy New Year and we look forward to shopping with you!

Last week’s Recessionista shopping tour was for 3 lovely ladies from New Jersey and one of them was celebrating their 35th birthday.  They told me that they visit NYC all the time, but that they wanted to try something different–so that’s why they came on the tour.  They said that they usually don’t get out of Midtown because they really just don’t know where to go.  I told them that they came on the right shopping tour!

Since the tour was scheduled just for the three of them and they were going to Dashing Diva on the Upper East Side afterwards, we started the tour in Soho and worked our way backwards to Union Square.  The first stop I took them to was UniQlo.  They had never been before (since it just opened in the last year and it’s the only one in the US) so they were surprised to find such great prices for such quality items.  I explained to them that the latest designer to come to UniQlo was Jil Sander with her +J line. 

After UniQlo, which is more about basics, we headed to TopShop which was definitely the opposite with their funky furs and dazzling sequins.  They explored all three levels and were especially anxious to see the Shoe Lounge. 

After a lot of browsing, we moved on to Nolita and headed to The Market NYC which is also known as the Young Designers’ Market.  They absolutely LOVED it.  From the unique knit hats, to some lovely CZ studs, to the sweet-smelling body butters, none of them left empty-handed.  This stop, as usual, was definitely one of the most successful. 

From Nolita, we headed up to Necessary Clothing in Noho.  They browsed for a bit and then it was on to Monk, near Washington Square Park.  They really enjoyed exploring all the unique vintage and consignment and the birthday girl bought herself a beautiful silk scarf. 

From here we explored the Shoe District and then headed up Sixth Avenue to 14th Street, where we stopped at Gem Story and they bought some really cute jewelry with bargain, bargain, bargain prices.  (I also bought my grandmother a pretty snowman pin!) 

The next stop was Remix shoe store on 14th Street where one of the ladies bought a really fun and funky pair of rain boots (which was very appropriate since it was pouring the whole day!)  From there, we made a quick stop at Strawberry and then I escorted them uptown to Macy’s where they wanted to shop before getting their manicures and pedicures at Dashing Diva.

Despite the rain and the cold, it was a fun tour and they had the chance to shop places that they hadn’t shopped before.  If you’re a bargain-lover and would like to take our Recessionista Tour, visit our website at www.shop-nyctours.com/tours for more information.  Hope to shop with you soon!

Last weekend’s customized shopping tours were very unique experiences.  (It was fun to create new routes and change things up a bit!)  I had two mothers book tours to take with their teenaged daugthers but they had some special requests as far as their daughters’ styles and interests. 

On Friday, the mother of the 12-year-old girl (they were visiting from California) requested that we visit some of the Teen Tour stores but also some boutiques a la the Chic Boutique Tour that were unique to New York.  So we picked them up in a towncar at their hotel and headed to Henri Bendel first since they had never been there.  I explained to them that even though they had shopped on Fifth Avenue, Bendel’s was a must-see since 1.)  it’s the holiday season and it’s decorated beautifully and 2.)  it changes weekly with the different designers they invite to showcase on the main floor.  They ended up purchasing some of Bendel’s signature holiday items (which make the perfect NON-tacky NYC souvenirs–really the ONLY NON-tacky NYC souvenirs!) 

After Bendel’s, we headed to the Juicy Couture Flagship Store.  Even though the gals have Juicy Couture in California, the daughter is such a huge fan that I recommended we visit this shop at least for a few minutes. 

From here we hopped back in the towncar and headed to East 12th Street in Greenwich Village.  We made a quick stop at Make-up Forever and since all the make-up artists were occupied, I did a quick demonstration of their products on the daughter.  A 12-year-old doesn’t really need much make-up, of course, but just  a little shimmer eye-shadow on her lids with a pale pink “pop of color” (nothing too drastic) followed by some clear, glittery gloss was the perfect palette. 

Our next planned stop was Owl’s Lab, but to my dismay they have closed their store!!! :-(  They are exclusive to the online world right now and have a messenger service that can deliver ordered fashion right to your door.

Next up was Pia, although it was a stop geared more toward the mother.  It was a little too sophisticated for a pre-teen.  Same with Ibiza–a little too sophisticated, but nonetheless, still a very unique stop.

Since Owl’s Lab was eliminated, I added two other last-minute stops to the tour that I thought the gals would enjoy.  We hopped back into the towncar and it was off to LaGuardia Place to Helianthus and Purdy Girl.  They absolutely LOVED these boutiques and it didn’t hurt that both shops had HUGE sales going on!  They made a few fun and funky jewelry purchases at Helianthus where they had everything from miniature pig charm necklaces to elegant floral charm bracelets.  At Purdy Girl, they bought an adorable plaid peacoat for the tween and a chic cashmere sweater and scarf for the mother.  Afterall, everything in the store was 50% OFF!

At this point we were running out of time so we headed to the must-see TopShop.  This was a hit for both the mother and the daughter (although it was a little more funky than their preferred style.)  Nonetheless, they took a liking to some of their basic tees and their funky accessories. 

Before we parted ways, I gave them some suggestions for dinner in the area, which included a Little Italy favorite of mine–Umberto’s Clam House!  I also made a map of some other boutiques in the area that they might be interested in, including Jump and Keito (since the mother wanted to find shoes) and Olive & Bette’s (which I knew the teen would love.)

Saturday’s customized shopping tour (although planned for a Sweet 16 Birthday Party) also had some special requests.  It was a mother, daughter and her teenaged friend in a limo and they were looking for some unique, funky, vintage/vintage-inspired and consignment boutiques.  It was a very exciting itinerary to plan!

The tour began at City Bakery (where I recommended the gals have brunch since it was away from the bustle of their hotel in Times Square.)  (Sometimes the disadvantage to a luxury transportation tour can be sitting in traffic for half the tour–especially during this busy holiday season.  To avoid holiday traffic, I suggested we make the tour a downtown-only tour.) 

First stop after City Bakery was Irregular Choice.  The only store in the US is located in the heart of Soho/Nolita and it’s like a shoe carnival.  You will never find more unique shoes in your life!  They had a blast exploring the British-designed shoes, sneakers, boots and handbags.  They even had some unique clothing including t-shirts and raincoats. 

Next stop was the Young Designers Market in Nolita which is a unique shopper’s treasure trove!  You can find anything from jewelry made of geodes to never-before-seen slogan tees.  What’s great about YOUNG designers??  They’re trying to build their business so their prices are EXTREMELY reasonable!  The daughter purchased a beautiful purple dress with crocheted detail for just $40. 

Following the market (where they spent a good 40 minutes–you almost have to with over 50 vendors), we headed to one of the more contemporary stops on the tour–Necessary Clothing.  I knew they would love the prices and since they’re from New Jersey and they have a Joyce Leslie, this would make for a nice alternative.  The daughter ended up buying a couple cute holiday dresses while her friend purchased a cute pair of $7 earmuffs. 

The last stops on the tour were Eye Candy and Zachary’s Smile (both on Lafayette Street.)  They loved browsing Eye Candy for their unique, vintage accessories and they had even more fun in the “Bargain Basement” at Zachary’s Smile where the daughter found a cute holiday blouse for $5! 

Since the time with the limo was up, I walked them over to their final destination–Urban Outfitters–the perfect ending for a day of shopping for teens with vintage style.

If you’d like to take a Customized Shopping Tour in New York City, contact us at www.shop-nyctours.com!

Last weekend’s Teen Shopping Tours, despite the weather, were fun, fun, fun! On Friday, the tour was for a 13-year-old birthday girl, her mom and her grandmother. I picked them up in a limo at 10am and we headed to our usual first stop on the Upper East Side. What made this tour extra special was that we had a stylist meet us at the first stop (the Abercrombie & Fitch Flagship). Kelly Mealia of Kreative Kouture and Ollie & Boo Jewelry had several outfits whipped out in no time and after a whirlwind in the dressing room, we were on our way to Henri Bendel while the mom purchased their favorites.

At Bendel’s, we focused mostly on accessories since most of their women’s clothing would be too large for the tiny teen. Kelly hand picked several headband options and again, it was a quick show for mom and grandma (who even bought some things for themselves–how could they not at the “Girl’s Playground”???). 

After the Bendel mini-spree, it was back in the limo and down Fifth Avenue to the Juicy Couture Flagship store where once again, Kelly put several cute pieces together to form some fabulous outfits. And the grandma picked out one of their signature terry-cloth track suits for HER daughter :-)

On the way to Noho/Soho, Kelly rode along with us and showed her beautiful jewelry collection, Ollie & Boo, which had just been seen on The Today Show the previous morning. The teen picked out her favorite earrings and Kelly left us at this point of the tour. 

We continued on to Soho, where we stopped for a quick lunch break. While mom and grandma finished up eating, me and the teen headed over to the much-anticipated TopShop! This store was awesome because all 3 of the lovely ladies found clothing that worked for them here. The teen ended up getting an adorable jumper and a sweet bohemian top while the mom bought a stunning black cocktail dress and the grandma a beautiful floral blouse. 

We were running out of time at this point so we had to head uptown to the MAC store where it was time for a teen makeover in preparation for her photo shoot. While the make-up artist applied some colorful and fresh eyeshadow and lip gloss, the grandma got a “smokey-eye” lesson. 

At this point of the tour, it was time for me to leave them as they continued on to the photo shoot on location in the Meatpacking District with Caitlin Greer Photography. 

These gals were super sweet and had a wonderful time, as did I! It made me want to take a shopping trip with my mom and grandma….so fun!

On Saturday, the tour was for a Sweet 16 Birthday and the group came into the city for the day from New Jersey. I met them at Penn Station where the limo picked them up. From here we headed uptown to Henri Bendel, where I assured them they would enjoy browsing the “Girl’s Playground.” 

Since they wanted to focus more on unique, NYC shopping, we skipped Abercrombie & Fitch and Juicy Couture and headed downtown to Noho to Joyce Leslie and Necessary Clothing. On the way, they enjoyed their “teeny” cosmos. Since they’re from New Jersey they were actually familiar with Joyce Leslie but they definitely loved shopping at Necessary Clothing. They found some amazing clothes, shoes and accessories at this stop but I assured them that they needed to save up some energy for TopShop–and they did!

TopShop was a super-successful stop as the sales going on were absolutely AMAZING! There was something for everyone and they made a lot of their purchases there. 

After this stop, we headed to the West Village and they enjoyed their cupcakes along the way. There was a line at the Marc Jacobs Special Items store (as there often is) so I waited in line for them while they browsed Olive & Bettes and Juicy Couture Bleecker Street. 

We were running out of time and I had mini-makeovers planned for the teens after the tour at Makeup Forever so we quickly finished up in the West Village. (Their mom told me these teens loved, loved, loved makeup so I knew this would be a nice addition to the tour for them!) 

The limo dropped us off at Makeup Forever and while they waited for each teen to get their makeover, I mapped out a quick itinerary for them to eat dinner after, continue discount shopping and end up back at Penn Station. All in all, it was a fun birthday!

For more information about ShopNYC Tours OR to book a tour for YOUR teen’s birthday, visit www.shop-nyctours.com!