"Annual Shopping Awards: "Best Vintage, Beacon's Closet. Unlike some vintage boutiques, Beacon's Closet remains true to the thrift philosophy that one can walk in with a tenner and leave with cool clothes. The shop has come a long way since its 1997 beginnings in a 900 square foot shop. Today it occupies 5500 square feet and has a smaller spin-off in Park Slope. The Williamsburg shop's gymnasiumlike digs will remind locals of dearly departed Domsey's, but with higher-quality threads. Head to the back for party dresses ($10-$25), or hit the racks in the main room to up your ironic T-shirt ($8-$20) quotient. Both locations have buying counters where you can trade in your rejects for (35) percent of their resale value in cash, or 55 percent in store credit. It's like instant karma."

An alternative to consignment shops can get you cash for the clothes you no longer want. And at Beacon's Closet in Park Slope, you can get that cash immediately. 

Beacon's Closet is a clothing exchange store where the highly-trained staff selectively buys a mix of vintage and current trendy items. Here's how it works: you bring in your clothing, shoes and accessories, and they carefully sort through the items.  

Anything with holes or stains they will pass on, but when it comes to vintage items, Tiffany Collings let us in on a few secrets. 

She says, "We are a little bit more lenient just because it tends to be more special, something from the past." Things they want to keep get a price tag and go back on the floor. Once this nail biting process is done, workers do the math, and you get a master total and a slip. 

At the register it's decision time. Take the cash, 35 percent of the total, or get a store credit, 55 percent of the total. One shopper calls it the perfect place. You can get a pair of Jill Stuart shoes for just $15.

"Vintage stores everywhere have tried to capture what Beacon's Closet masters everyday—a strong reputation and the best of the best collection. The trade vintage plus modern clothing shop, founded by Carrie Peterson, first opened its doors in Brooklyn's trendy Williamsburg in 1997. Originally, Beacon's Closet housed 900 square feet of fabulousness. Today, the store has grown into somewhat of a vintage headquarters for fashion lovers; it sprawls over 5,500 square feet and shares a sister location in Park Slope."

Most stylish New Yorkers
Ten best shops
According to our most stylish subjects.

1. Beacon's Closet for mountains of vintage and a killer shoe selection. (You just have to dig.) 88 North 11th St at Wythe Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-486-0816, beaconscloset.com) • 92 5th Ave. [sic], Park Slope, Brooklyn (718-230-1630)
2. Bird for emerging designers. Locations throughout the city; visit shopbird.com.
3. The Garage for vintage furs, ties, pins and brooches. 112 W 25th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves (hellskitchenfleamarket.com). Sat, Sun 9am–5pm.
4. H&M for basics and trendy pieces you won't feel bad chucking six months later. Locations throughout the city; visit hm.com.
5. Marc by Marc Jacobs for, well, you know: heaven in a handbag. 403 Bleecker St at 11th St (212-924-0026, marcjacobs.com)
6. Maryam Nassir Zadeh for Vena Cava, Phillip Lim and other hip but pricey designers. 123 Norfolk St between Delancey and Rivington Sts (212-673-6405, maryamnassirzadeh.com)
7. Oak for boys and girls who love black. 28 Bond St between Bowery and Lafayette St (212-677-1293, oaknyc.com) • 208 North 8th St between Driggs Ave and Roebling St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-782-3632)
8. Opening Ceremony for cutting-edge everything. 35 Howard St between Broadway and Lafayette St (212-219-2688, openingceremony.us)
9. 10ft Single by Stella Dallas for weird tees, great vintage dresses and beaten-up kicks. 285 North 6th St between Havemeyer St and Meeker Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-486-9482)
10. Topshop for statement necklaces and shoe porn. 478 Broadway at Broome St (212-966-9555, topshop.com)

Overrated/Underrated: "Underrated Shopping Neighborhood, Park Slope's Fifth Avenue . . . recently welcomed a new branch of Beacon's Closet, the Williamsburg vintage trading post- serves the people boutique clothing and stylish wares (like the women's threads at design collective Eidolon) sans Manhattan sticker shock." 

"This new shop stands out from the many secondhand clothing stores in Williamsburg for its quality. Owner Carrie Peterson picks only the best recycled threads for resale, giving the donors (35) percent of the selling price up front (or 55 percent in trade). That hefty financial incentive means the often broke artist-andmusician community here constantly keeps this place full of comfy sweaters (mostly $12 – $15), leather pants (some just $8; others more than $20) and a variety of vintage party dresses (most less than $20)."