Keeping up Appearances in NYC

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 on 2021.11.18
Multiple locations
14 Places
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I definitely did not wake up like this—it took all these people and places to make me and my stuff look even slightly put together.

Denim Therapy

Clothing alteration service · Midtown West

Because you shouldn't have to get rid of your favorite jeans just because they have a giant hole in the crotch. These experts will reweave 'em so you can wear them at least until they go out of style. (Miss u, skinny jeans.)

Jesse Parris-Lamb

Interior designer · Prospect Heights

Work-wife interior designers who manage to make things feel fresh and modern without ever relying on trendy, of-the-moment tricks that end up feeling dated.

Tidy Tova

Professional organizer · Franklin

Tova has an incredible gift for organizing that goes beyond just knowing all the tricks and understanding the discipline—she has instinct and emotional intelligence that make her services like therapy...but with quicker payoff?

Vanessa Pena, M.D.

Obstetrician-gynecologist · Tribeca

To be fair, this has little to nothing to do with keeping up appearances, but I love my OB-GYN. She deserves a spot on this list.

Bridgestone Cleaners

Laundry Service · DUMBO

I have traveled long distances with large bags of dirty clothes just to have them cleaned by Bridgestone. They are great at what they do and have outstanding customer service—you (and your clothes) feel really cared for.

Rescue Spa

Spa · Gramercy

Occasionally, I'l try a facial somewhere else, and it only ever serves to remind me of how standout this place is. They use Biologique Recherche products, and every single aesthetician nails it every single time.

Julien Farel Restore Salon & Spa

Salon / Barbershop · Upper East Side

Rudy Pena does an excellent defrizzing treatment that has made my hair infinitely more manageable without damaging it.

Bed Stuy Acupuncture & Massage Therapy

Acupuncturist · Bedford-Stuyvesant

Nothing fancy or design-y about it—just really good acupuncture and massage.

Jin Soon

Nail Salon · Tribeca

The best of the best for your paws.

Silhouettes & Profiles

Tailor Shop · Upper West Side

An institution for 50-odd years that’s hidden inside an Upper West Side apartment building. It’s full of master seamstresses working their magic on everything from bridal gowns to suits to looks that are about to be headed down a runway for fashion week. Their wall of thank you notes is fun celeb-spotting.

The Way

Hair salon · SoHo

Illeisha gets curly hair—and you know not everyone does.

Beam Laser Spa

Laser hair removal service · Midtown West

It's a big claim, but I feel like I can back it up: Laser hair removal is the most life-changing beauty treatment I've done. The team here is top-notch, and the space is gorgeous and calm. I felt wildly comfortable with them pointing powerful lasers at deeply private and sensitive parts of me.

Leather Spa

Leather Goods Store · Financial District

These people work absolute magic on beat-up shoes and handbags. It's not cheap, but it's usually less expensive than replacing something entirely. Regardless of the shape your stuff is in when you leave it, it always comes back looking nearly brand-new. It's always fun to be nosy and look at the names on the bags waiting to be picked up—you'll spy some fancy folks, some fashion editors, definitely a few fashion houses, and maybe a celeb.

Sania's Brow Bar

Salon / Barbershop · Chelsea

Sania's been in charge of my brows since I was in high school and did such a hack job on them myself that my mom marched me into the beauty level at Bergdorf and told me I was no longer allowed to handle tweezers myself. Now Sania has her own salons and the best brow products in the biz—the pencil is my desert-island beauty pick.