Ellen

I was strolling the Lower East Side, and the window of this store caught by eye. there was something very inviting about it. i walked in and felt like I was in the comfort of my own closet surrounded by my closest girlfriends. How rare, especially when handling such fine vintage! Ellen, the shop keeper, was so lovely and really helped me find a unique piece — a particular look of blouse I had been shopping for. She never once made me feel pressured to by other items, and did not stop looking through the racks of gorgeous pieces until she found what was just right for me! I can’t wait to go back. TThank you Ellen Shop!

Ever wonder where designers like Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors (who love vintage clothes) shop for those pieces that inspire entire collections?
Well, the final answer is here: Ellen. After touching a few of the pieces in this carefully «curated» shop, which sits demurely under some scaffolding on Ludlow below Rivington, I knew I was in no ordinary vintage store. There was no trace of something hideous like Lycra. Only wool, silk, fur. In other words, no synthetics, baby, only the good stuff. Which explains the price tags (handwritten and exquisite like everything here). The price tags are pricey. This is not a bargain basement. It is where you go to find that item that is a treasure and outlasts by years not seasons the things you thought you «loved».
It is the kind of experience that makes you wonder why you ever stood that horrendous line at J. Crew on a «Black Friday», to purchase a knock-​off of a knock-​off.
PS– I peeked in the window last night and did see a sale rack for this weekend, apparently even Ellen celebrates Black Friday. As you can tell, I am a fan– my conversion came in the form of a divine navy blue wool dress, red belt combination. Subtle, elegant, perfect winter dress, 1940’s. It made me want to throw out everything in my closet and start over.

A few years ago I stumbled upon this adorable shop. At the time I was living on a ramen noodles diet and knew I couldn’t afford to most of the merchandise they had.
Within minutes I fell in L-​O-​V-​E with trench that equaled half my Chicago rent at the time. I took the trench off and started to leave but I couldn’t make it out the door. Three years later I still get compliments and occasionally frequent this Lower East Side staple. Great little store worth the extra cash.

I walked into ellen and was immediately won over by the charm of the store, by the fabulous clothes, and by ellen herself! the whole experience was like going shopping with a friend and trying on great clothes except the friend in this case was actually the store owner. picked up the most amazing pair of white 70s jeans — high waisted sailor style wide legs, just perfect. and definitely reasonably priced. if you love vintage clothes and you love feeling totally taken care of by a store owner, you can’t miss out on ellen.