Styling Old Sunglasses in New York

Why Accessories Matter Now

Gloves, belts, sunglasses, hats. The accessories rail is where vintage is still genuinely cheap and still genuinely good. These are the details that make an outfit look assembled rather than bought. You can spend $400 on a new coat and look like everyone else. Spend $40 on a vintage belt and suddenly you look like someone with opinions.

I've watched a woman in SoHo grab a 1960s silk scarf, check the label, and hand over $80 without blinking. She knew what she wanted. That's the spirit. But you don't need to be that quick. You need to be that sure.

Accessories are the gateway drug. They're small, they're cheap, and they carry decades of style in a single object. A 1950s leather belt with a brass buckle can transform a pair of modern trousers. A pair of 1970s sunglasses changes your face. Gloves, hats, scarves. They all do the work of making you look like you didn't just roll out of bed and into Uniqlo.

The beauty of vintage accessories is that they're not precious. You can wear them every day, spill coffee on them, and they still look better than new. That's the point. They've already survived someone else's life. They can survive yours.

How to Wear It

Start with belts. A proper leather belt with a heavy buckle upgrades every pair of trousers you own. I have a 1940s saddle leather belt with a solid brass buckle that I wear with everything from jeans to suit trousers. It's the kind of belt that makes you stand up straighter. The key is to find one that's not too wide. Anything over 1.5 inches starts to look like a costume. And the buckle should be substantial, not flimsy. You want to feel the weight when you hold it.

Old sunglasses sit closer to the face. That's the first thing you'll notice. Frames from the 1950s and 60s were made for smaller faces, and they hug the cheekbones. Choose a frame narrower than feels safe. It will feel tight at first, but that's the look. Think Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but less dramatic. If you're brave, go for cat-eye or browline frames. If you're not, stick with classic wayfarers or round metal frames. I have a pair of 1960s Persol 649s that I found at a flea market for $50. They're my favorite thing I own.

Leather gloves with a plain coat is the cheapest way to look expensive in winter. A pair of black leather gloves from the 1960s, with a little bit of elastic at the wrist, can cost you $20 at a thrift store. Wear them with a simple wool coat and you'll look like you have money, even if you don't. The trick is to find gloves that fit snugly. Not too tight, not loose. And check the lining. Cashmere lining is a bonus, but even plain silk is fine.

Hats are the hardest to pull off, but the most rewarding. A fedora from the 1940s can make you look like a film noir detective. A beret from the 1950s gives you a Parisian vibe. But hats are also the most risky. If you're not a hat person, start with a simple cap or a beret. Try it on, look in the mirror, and be honest with yourself. If you feel like you're wearing a costume, put it back.

Where to Find Yours in New York

New York is a treasure trove of vintage accessories, but you have to know where to look. Here's my shortlist, based on years of hunting.

L Train Vintage (204 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn). This is the volume play. You'll find racks of belts, bins of sunglasses, and shelves of hats. The prices are low. Belts from $10, sunglasses from $20. But you have to dig. Be thorough. Check every buckle, every hinge. I once found a 1960s Coach belt for $15. It's still my everyday belt.

What Goes Around Comes Around (351 West Broadway). This is the grail room. The prices are high. Sunglasses from $100, belts from $200. But the quality is impeccable. They've curated the best vintage in the city. If you want a pair of 1970s Cazal sunglasses or a Hermès belt, this is the place. Go in with a budget and a clear idea of what you want, or you'll blow your rent money.

Beacon's Closet (74 Guernsey Street, Brooklyn). This is resale done properly. The turnover is good, so the stock changes constantly. I've found everything from 1980s Ray-Bans to 1950s kid gloves here. Prices are reasonable. Sunglasses from $30, belts from $25. The key is to go often and check the accessories section first. The good stuff goes fast.

Chelsea Flea Market (West 25th Street). This is the weekend spot. It's open on Saturdays and Sundays, and you'll find vintage dealers with everything from costume jewelry to antique hat pins. Bring cash and haggle politely. I've negotiated prices down by 20% just by asking. The best time to go is early Sunday morning, when the dealers are still setting up and are more willing to deal.

Go on a weekday morning if you can. The rails are fullest before the weekend crowd arrives, and staff have time to show you what came in overnight. I've had salespeople at L Train pull out a box of belts from the back room that they hadn't put out yet. That's the insider move.

What to Look For

Now, the nitty-gritty. Here's what to check before you hand over your cash.

Belts: Should be full-grain leather. Check the cut edge. If you see layers, it's bonded leather, which will crack and peel within a year. The buckle should be solid metal, not plastic-coated. And check the stitching. Loose or broken stitching is a dealbreaker. I've seen belts that looked fine on the outside but were falling apart on the inside.

Sunglasses: Look at the hinges. Metal barrels beat moulded plastic. Plastic hinges snap after a few months. Also check the lenses for scratches. You can't replace vintage lenses easily. And try them on. They should fit snugly on your nose without sliding down.

Hats: Check the sweatband for a maker's name. That's your quality indicator. A genuine Stetson or Borsalino is worth the investment. And make sure the felt has not gone soft and shapeless. Squeeze the crown. It should spring back. If it stays dented, it's dead. Also check for moth holes. A tiny hole can be repaired, but a cluster of holes is a no-go.

Gloves: Check the seams. They should be tight and even. And check the leather for cracks, especially between the fingers. That's where they wear out first. Also, try them on. They should fit like a second skin.

One last thing: try it on properly, walk around in it, and sit down. A vintage accessory that only works standing still is not going to survive your actual life. I've seen people buy a hat that looked great in the mirror but was too tight to wear for more than an hour. Don't be that person.

The History Lesson

Vintage accessories are not just objects. They're pieces of history. Take the 1950s cat-eye sunglasses. They were designed to reflect the optimism of the post-war era. Women were entering the workforce, and they wanted to look sharp. The glasses were bold, feminine, and a little bit rebellious. Wearing a pair today is like putting on a piece of that attitude.

Or consider the 1940s leather belt. During the war, leather was rationed, so belts were made narrower and with minimal ornamentation. That's why a 1940s belt has such clean lines. It was a product of necessity. Today, that minimalism looks modern.

And then there's the 1960s fedora. It was the hat of the Rat Pack, of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. It represented cool, confident masculinity. When you wear a fedora today, you're channeling that energy. But you have to do it right. Don't wear it with a t-shirt and jeans. Wear it with a proper coat, and don't be afraid to tilt it slightly.

The best part of vintage accessories is the story. Every piece has one. I have a pair of 1970s sunglasses that I bought at a flea market. They're tortoiseshell, with slightly amber lenses. The seller told me they came from an estate sale in Greenwich Village, and they belonged to a woman who was a painter in the 70s. I don't know if that's true, but I like to think about her when I wear them. That's the magic of vintage. It connects you to a past you never lived, but you can feel it.

The Bottom Line

Vintage accessories are the smartest buy in fashion. They're cheap, they're unique, and they're made to last. In New York, you can find them everywhere if you know where to look. The key is to be patient, be thorough, and be willing to walk away if something's not right. There's always another belt, another pair of sunglasses, another hat. The city is full of them.

So go out and find yours. Start with one piece. A belt, a pair of sunglasses, a hat. Wear it with everything. Let it become part of your identity. That's what vintage is for. It's not about collecting. It's about living with beautiful things that have a past. And in a city like New York, that's the best kind of accessory.