I love New York. I have since my first trip to the five boroughs at 14, during which I lost my phone in a yellow cab and thought I could call a taxi dispatcher to locate and retrieve it— silly rabbit. Lost property notwithstanding, I was mesmerized by the energy, the skyscrapers, the dollar slices, the rats, but most notably, I loved the style. I adored how accessible fashion felt in New York compared to other fashion capitals, such as Paris, Milan, and London. The utilitarian approach required to carry someone from a day in the office to a night of dinner and socializing, with flair intact. When I finally had the chance to move to town 11 years ago to build a career in fashion, I drew inspiration from the creative set (some native, some transplant) like Ann Lowe, Stephen Burrows, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, James Baldwin, and Toni Morrison, who collaborated with the city of New York to make it the fashionable and artistic hub.
I wanted to make my mark on the city, yes, but I desired to interact with the city in a way that invested as much as it extracted, because I invested in building a whole life, not a main character plot line, when I leapt to the city with nothing but a dollar and a dream. As of late, every corner (or algorithm) of the internet feels equipped with a New York transplant ready to tell you where to eat, which neighborhoods to live in, and what uniform the post-collegiate set is wearing to grab drinks at the hottest new bar or sweat it out in heated pilates.
Everyone is entitled to share their opinion; however, I want to hear more from native and longtime New Yorkers who seem to be getting lost in the internet’s nonstop suggestion box. I want to know what they are wearing, where they are going, where they are shopping, sweating, and dining! I want to know what native New Yorkers believe to be cool because, before the internet and social media gave the illusion of accessibility, they had to create their own identity to stand out from the rest. Here, we visited four native New Yorkers (Yara Flinn, Maria Isabel, Linda Hansen, and Sarah Tokornoo) in their current spaces across the city, lensed by Eric Jess, and I talked to them about their ethos and approach to style, uniforms, and what it was like to grow up and find their identities in the five boroughs.
Eric Jess
What do you love about New York? What do you love about your particular borough? Why?
What I love most about New York is what makes this a particularly difficult question to answer, in that New York is nearly impossible to define. It’s everything good, everything janky, and everything in between. I appreciate the many dichotomies that make up the city: I love that you can be consumed by both anonymity and community. I love that you’ll experience your highest highs and lowest lows within the same 24 hour span.
I also love that resources and culture are so readily available to people of all walks of life and socioeconomic status in a way that is certainly not true of most places in the US. Like the quality of public education, for example and the accessibility of the arts. This made a world of difference for me growing up, and I had access to things I certainly would not have otherwise. It makes having a higher quality of life more equitable and attainable.
I’m originally from Manhattan, and what I do love about Manhattan is how unforgivingly dense and chaotic it is. I live in Brooklyn now, and I always knew I would as an adult. I associate Manhattan more with working and Brooklyn more with living, in part because the capitalist nucleus of New York is downtown Manhattan. I love how residential central Brooklyn feels. It’s so neighborhood-y: locals all say hello to each other on my block, and my neighborhood also has an incredible amount of Victorian pre-war architecture, which I really treasure and take inspiration from as a huge nerd.
How has being a native New Yorker or being a longtime New York resident influenced your style?
It’s hard to overstate just how much growing up in the city encourages and inspires self-exploration. Yes, it’s inspiring seeing all of the different characters, but I think the main reason growing up in the city is so conducive to refining one’s personal style is because it encourages you to be your full self without repression or apology. This is what really allows someone to realize their full potential stylewise. I grew up shopping secondhand out of financial necessity but it quickly became my passion. In New York, it’s never really about the “brand” you wear, it’s about how you wear something and what it says who you are in relation to your style. The liberal climate of the city has a very positive impact on the quality of style here. In New York, “blending in” or “assimilating” calls for standing out by leaning into one’s authentic self.
Eric Jess
The city feels like it’s changing at a faster pace than normal. Is the ever-shifting city impacting your style or your ability to access longtime favorites?
Thankfully, my style has always been about collecting pieces slowly over time that resonate with me. Thrifting has helped me refine my style and discover myself through self-expression. Because I feel established in my style and identity, I’m on my own timeline regardless of the speed at which the city changes. Personal style in New York is not necessarily about New York – it’s about you!
The best way to always have access to the things you love is to know what you like, have a keen eye and source things before they become popular. This is the only sustainable way, unless you’re rich. I do think gatekeeping can be helpful in some way because once rich people are put on to a particular style, it’s impossible to financially compete and before you know it, you’ll be priced out of a “trend” you helped pioneer! But I think growing up with limited financial resources has made me amazing at sourcing– necessity is the mother of invention. I can truly find most anything!
What are some of those favorites?
I’ve been collecting Frye campus boots for the greater part of ten years (when I first started talking about them on TikTok, no one really cared LOL) with my favorite pair being my very first pair of banana campus boots from my first job at Buffalo Exchange – I got them for $30. Since then, I’ve gotten some for as little as $20 and have also paid up to $250 for more rare variations. It’s crazy to see them now go for $600+ on resale sights. Same with Balenciaga city bags – if I stated how much I have purchased mine for over the last ten years, I feel like no one would believe me. Such is TikTok. Such is life!
The contemporary uniform of New York is being portrayed as a white tank top and Adidas Sambas; what is your uniform? Did your borough or neighborhood have a uniform growing up? Does it have one now? What is it?
I totally get where you’re coming from as many who move here now do seem to default to the above uniform. I laugh because “uniform” and “New York” are so naturally antithetical to one another! Authenticity and individuality are central to New York’s ethos which is definitely a big part of why I am the way I am. On the one hand, my wardrobe is almost entirely vintage so I don’t have a hyper-specific uniform. I definitely tend to gravitate toward different variations of the same thing. I’m almost always wearing vintage boots of some kind, either paired with vintage denim or a 1930s/1970s dress (my two favorite eras). To be honest, though, I’m a different woman everyday. That’s the beauty and the fun of it!
Eric Jess
Eric Jess
Do you think social media is homogenizing personal style in a city as stylish and fashionable as New York City? How?
The short answer, I would say, is no. I don’t think any force, even one as formidable as TikTok, could have such a profound impact on a city like New York. That’s not to say it has no impact. As New York is being branded and sold to the same archetype of person, we will see more homogenized style, yes, but only really along this group. TikTok makes it seem like it’s all of New York, but this is a fallacy and speaks to the way a very specific group of often non-native New Yorkers disproportionately represents New York on social media. In reality, this group will always be homogenized in some way because they are all following the same trends, but they are far from representative of the city as a whole. And to be fair, no one group could ever be representative of the city as a whole, which is why we all love New York!
What’s your favorite restaurant/bar/scene?
One of my long-standing favorite restaurants is Cafe Henri, a French restaurant in Queens. I grew up going there with my family and my friends from high school. Their moules frites are my favorite in the entire city. I love the fact that it’s such a classic and timeless spot. I do think my style is very romantic and classic in its own way, and I do tend to gravitate towards older spots that reference history in general. Queens has my favorite food scene because it’s the most diverse, unsurprisingly, as is reflective of the borough’s cultural diversity. My favorite cuisines are West African, Southeast Asian and East Asian, all of which can easily be found throughout Queens. One of my favorite Thai places, House of Thai, is also around there. They have beautiful outdoor seating during the summer! I think I enjoy eating at places that don’t just feel like a trendy, tiktokified flash in the pan – a “here today, gone tomorrow” type of place. I enjoy restaurants that have been a part of the community for some time and have withstood the neighborhood’s changes. Graziela’s in Brooklyn is also awesome for this reason.
Do you think your style is influenced by it?
I think this does mirror my style, as I appreciate longevity and have had most of my wardrobe for five plus years. I also appreciate local, unique, family owned cuisine over chain restaurants, in the same way I appreciate unique secondhand pieces over branded items. I find the unforgiving micro trend cycle very uninspiring, and very unsustainable!
What is something you want transplants to consider when choosing to live in a city like New York? If you are a transplant, what is a piece of advice you wish a native New Yorker imparted on you?
As a native New Yorker, I only ask that transplants be thoughtful and considerate when moving into pre-existing communities here. Take the time to actually learn about the cultural history and context of the neighborhood you live in. Pour into your local community when possible – whether that be by opting for local, family-owned businesses over chains, or getting involved in local politics. On that note, do get involved in local politics! Invest in making the community a better place and aim to leave it better than you found it, regardless of whether or not you plan to live there long-term. Vote locally from City Council all the way up to the mayoral election.
Don’t have such strong notions of what “NYC” is like before you’ve lived here, as the idea of New York that’s been fed to you is likely pretty artificial. It will probably subvert your expectations, in both good and bad ways.
Oh, and don’t glamorize the astronomical cost of living here. It sucks.
It basically all boils down to being considerate and self-aware, which could be said for anyone traveling somewhere new.
Eric Jess
What do you love about New York? What do you love about your particular borough? Why?
Everything. All of it. The culture, the people, the hustle, the grit, the noise, the trains, the energy. It may sound cliche but there’s really nowhere like it. Everyone who knows me knows how proud I am to be born and raised here. What I love about Queens in particular though…it’s home. There’s a feeling here I don’t get anywhere else. I love how many cultures and languages this borough holds. It’s pretty amazing to be able to walk through different hoods and watch the accents, the stories, the music and the food change.
How has being a native New Yorker or being a longtime New York resident influenced your style?
So much of my style is influenced by growing up here. Riding the train to school everyday and just spending time outside made it so easy to be exposed to so many different people and their clothing. I so distinctly remember growing up and seeing a girl walk by me in a pair of red skinny jeans and thinking, “I need those, where can I get those?” (I definitely did NOT need those but you feel me).
The city feels like it’s changing at a faster pace than normal. Is the ever-shifting city impacting your style or your ability to access longtime favorites? What are some of those favorites?
100%. You blink and everything’s different. I don’t think it’s directly impacting my style because that’s so rooted in who I am at this point and we have so much access with the internet, but it is weird watching places I grew up shopping or growing disappear. RIP Opening Ceremony.
The contemporary uniform of New York is being portrayed as a white tank top and Adidas Sambas; what is your uniform? Did your borough or neighborhood have a uniform growing up? Does it have one now? What is it?
Me as my truest self, or my uniform, will always be a baggy t-shirt, or a Hanes ribbed tank top with basketball shorts and a pair of white Nike Air Force 1 mids. I think the New York uniform still consists of AF1s or a pair of classic Timbs.
Eric Jess
Do you think social media is homogenizing personal style in a city as stylish and fashionable as New York City? How?
Yes and no. I think social media with the impact it has now can definitely have a homogenizing effect, even in such a diverse city. You can see people leaning into the same trends and aesthetics in a way that leads to a lot of sameness and this isn’t to say I’m not guilty of it in some ways. So there’s repetition yes, but I think in a general sense New York is still and will always be a place where style is deeply personal. People are always gonna wear what they want.
What’s your favorite restaurant/bar/scene? Do you think your style is influenced by it? How?
My real favorite places are sacred. But I think growing up I was at a lot of Dominican parties, and bars between Queens and the Heights and that definitely had an influence. Really it was a combination of everywhere I spent time, whether it was in my neighborhood or in and around lower Manhattan while I was at NYU. I just got to see a lot of different things and figure out what I liked.
Eric Jess
What is something you want transplants to consider when choosing to live in a city like New York? If you are a transplant, what is a piece of advice you wish a native New Yorker imparted on you?
I think it’s important to get to know the city in a real way. New York is not Manhattan, it’s just one part of it. I really dislike it when transplants claim to operate within a radius of a few streets, even jokingly. There’s so much more to see and do. Living here is such a luxury, take advantage of it and see all of it. Immerse yourself for real.
Eric Jess
What do you love about New York? What do you love about your particular borough? Why?
It feels cliche, but the energy of NY is unmatched, it’s so chaotic and frenetic, but inspiring. I live in sunnyside Queens now, and it has been such a nice move for my family and I, we’ve found a community that is diverse and supportive of each other, many of our neighbors have lived in the building for 20-60 years and everyone knows each other’s name. It’s so special and I feel really lucky to be a part of it.
How has being a native New Yorker or being a longtime New York resident influenced your style?
I think growing up in NYC definitely made me gravitate towards dressing very practically and comfortably, but also to have a distinct style and to wear clothes with confidence. One thing New Yorkers can always sense is inauthenticity, so I think as I grew up it helped my find my true sense of personal style.
The city feels like it’s changing at a faster pace than normal. Is the ever-shifting city impacting your style or your ability to access longtime favorites? What are some of those favorites?
I have to say, the rapid growth of real estate seems to be affecting a lot of my favorite shops, which is sad because NYC is so desirable precisely because of the independent businesses and small art galleries, bookshops, cafes, music venues, etc. I love having a shop, not only for the opportunity to share my designs in person, but also because of the community it creates and the connections that are built which can only happen serendipitously in a physical space. Some of my favorites that are no longer here: Canal Jeans Co (where the Bloomingdales is on Broadway) was the coolest place to shop, it had army surplus, vintage, raver clothes, etc. Some other current faves- and there are so many to list, Tangerine (our neighbor in Williamsburg).
Eric Jess
Do you think social media is homogenizing personal style in a city as stylish and fashionable as New York City? How?
It’s hard to say, overall there are so many issues with social media, but it also has allowed our brand to reach new people, and to create a community. I think what is interesting, compared to when I grew up very much pre-social media, was how hard it was to find “cool” or alternative clothes, and how much it signified to others what your interests might be. I think it’s harder to develop a personal sense of style now because we are so bombarded with style guides and outfits of the day, so it can be hard to tell where the inspiration ends and your own taste begins.
Eric Jess
What is something you want transplants to consider when choosing to live in a city like New York? If you are a transplant, what is a piece of advice you wish a native New Yorker imparted on you?
I think NYC has always been an inspirational city, which is what makes it so special, but it also makes it susceptible to displacement and gentrification. I would make sure that whichever neighborhood I moved to, I would try to learn about the dynamics of the neighborhood historically and how I could support it long term. I feel that people should send their children to local public schools and invest in the businesses of the neighborhood they live in, every dollar you spend is an investment, whether it’s at a grocery store, shop, cafe or restaurant, and it’s important to preserve and foster all the local businesses, old and new.
Linda Hansen, Pilates Instructor, Brooklyn
Eric Jess
What do you love about New York? What do you love about your particular borough? Why?
There’s hundreds of things happening all at once and somehow they’re all connected. It’s familiar to me. I teach Pilates out of a studio in Soho and when I step out after a session my body is reset and my mind is quiet but the streets are still buzzing. But Brooklyn is home, it’s where I grew up. It’s much more grounded. That energy shaped the way I move through the world.
How has being a native New Yorker or being a longtime New York resident influenced your style?
I think style is something the streets breathe into you. It teaches you that if you look like you belong, you’ll get in anywhere without being questioned. It’s not just how you dress, but how you carry yourself. New York is my home, I don’t ever feel like I need a reason to be anywhere. Maybe that’s why I don’t always follow the dress code.
The city feels like it’s changing at a faster pace than normal. Is the ever-shifting city impacting your style or your ability to access longtime favorites? What are some of those favorites?
The places disappear, sometimes before you even get a chance to say goodbye. That’s the hardest part. Sometimes it feels like it’s being erased in real time. Growing up St.Marks felt like a portal. I loved going to this Japanese restaurant with my mom and getting a window seat to people watch. So many punk kids with mohawks and piercings, ripped fishnets and platform boots. It was messy and sacred. The city keeps sanding its edges.
The contemporary uniform of New York is being portrayed as a white tank top and Adidas Sambas; what is your uniform? Did your borough or neighborhood have a uniform growing up? Does it have one now? What is it?
Sometimes uniforms are just a myth you tell yourself to feel included. Growing up the uniform was whatever your mother could afford and wouldn’t make you a target. Now, as a Pilates instructor, I usually find myself in tights, booty shorts and an old oversized shirt I once borrowed and never returned. I love those, they make me feel anonymous enough and hold memories like a second skin.
Do you think social media is homogenizing personal style in a city as stylish and fashionable as New York City? How? I don’t spend much time on social media but when you’re looking at everyone else, you begin to see yourself through borrowed eyes. The algorithm can definitely crop your imagination
Eric Jess
What’s your favorite restaurant/bar/scene? Do you think your style is influenced by it? How?
Maybe the most boring and easy answer but I love Balthazar. The theatrics of it, the feeling of being a part of something old and indulgent. I have a lot of good memories there. Sometimes I dress up for it, even when it’s a table for one. I also love Time Again. It’s different- it asks for nothing of you but your presence. It’s where I go when I want to disappear into other people’s stories. And the owner remembers my drink order, which is usually just a tall glass bottle of water. Sometimes I show up in whatever I wore to dinner, other times it’s whatever I wore to teach. I don’t know if either place influences my style but maybe they show the range.
What is something you want transplants to consider when choosing to live in a city like New York? If you are a transplant, what is a piece of advice you wish a native New Yorker imparted on you?
Don’t try to make the city bend to you. Let it teach you something. Walk fast. Tip well. Listen more than you talk. Don’t expect things to be easy, and don’t expect them to make sense. The city is a story that’s been going long before you got here. Read a few chapters before trying to write your own. And if you care about yourself at all, do Pilates with Linda.
