New York City- the fashion capital of the world. This beautiful city of mine comes with high expectations of glamour and luxury amidst the non-stop pace of our residents. Admittedly it can be difficult to discover shops and restaurants that really speak to you personally and aesthetically. There is always something going on so it’s hard to keep up! Fine dining (Candle Cafe anyone?) is open late to fuel your nights, but the real treasure might be all the shopping downtown- so many stores with so little time! I can sometimes spend an entire Saturday just popping in and out of every boutique on Mercer Street to see what’s new. If you find yourself here and are looking to venture beyond Times Square (I swear it gets old after a few days!) then these are chic vegan approved spots to shop.

Who knew rubber shoes could be so chic? I love their selection of pretty and fashion forward shoes but what I love even more is the atmosphere of their store. It’s very open and boutique-like with very un-boutique like prices. Shoes range from $60-$400 with most coming in below $200. The dramatic light fixtures, spiral staircase and comfy benches make it a favorite haunt of my mine to just try on shoes leisurely, whether or not I buy something on the spot. If you want to wait for an online sale, I think it’s always a good idea to know your size before you buy. And it doesn’t hurt the help is super friendly but not overly pushy.

Purveyor of good taste and daughter of Donal Trump has made a living sharing her designs and eye for classic pieces with the masses. Located on trendy Mercer Street with all the other designer shops like Tiffany and Co, Vera Wang and Kate Spade she truly holds her own. This is probably my favorite store ever for its interior design alone- it oozes femininity with a touch of class. From the satin walls, dramatic chandeliers and plush carpet I make a habit of staying as long as I can without seeming creepy.

ivankatrump3 This store is home to her gorgeous (and expensive!) jewelry that warrants it’s own security guard on most days, but the real treasures are her non-leather handbags. Not all of her handbags are faux, but a good majority are so just double check with the salesperson before buying. Their price tags should resemble the same ones as her jewelry but somehow they manage to be under $200.

OCC

Sephora (the makeup mecca) is the usual destination for OCC, but why settle for a tiny display of lip tars when you can peruse an entire store?! Sephoras are a dime a dozen in NYC, practically as ubiquitous as Starbucks. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics has itself a very cute and clean (I’m OCD) storefront on Ludlow street chock full of brushes, lip tars, palettes, and nail polishes all neatly lined up. Tiny is the word, as rent in New York is sky high so it’s similar to long wide hallway but hey, as long as there’s enough room to try on on the colors!

Stella McCartney

The sustainably chic queen of fashion has a flagship on Greene Street that is to die for. So swanky, in fact, they wouldn’t even let me take pictures inside the store but believe me when I say you won’t be prepared for the giddiness that bubbles over as soon as you step foot inside. All of Stella’s vegan bags line the walls on open shelves and in the middle is her latest collection spaced evenly on racks. The staple Fallabella purse has a few variations, but I’m more into her clutches and Beckett line of bags.

Moo Shoes

The first and only vegan shoe store in NYC boasts a selection of designers including Vegetarian Shoes, Novacas and Marais. Located around the corner from vegan bakery Babycakes, make sure you grab a snack before or after buying new shoes. They also carry bags, accessories and some tee shirts that spread the vegan message but my favorites are anything by GUNAS. Check their site before coming to NYC because they’re always having events like vegan bake sales and book signings!

Thrift Shops

The list of thrift shops in NYC might just outnumber the amount of vegan restaurants, but I think if you hit up at least one of these you’ll be in good shape:

Buffalo Exchange
Cure
Vintage Thrift

See? New York shouldn’t be categorized by just the flagships on Fifth or Madison Avenues, trendy Soho offers a lot in the way of animal friendly shopping. The fabulous way of course.

Nicole Hoffman

Nicole is a native New Yorker and graduate of New York University with a Bachelor's in Media, Culture and Communication. Her cruelty-free style is girly and carefree with lots of sparkles thrown in for good measure. She blogs about NYC life and animal-friendly fashion at Too Chic for Meat.