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Alex K Doesn't Go Shopping: Another Return to the Lower East Side

15criticxlarge1Today we welcome Zarah Crawford to the ranks of those would be 'Critical Shoppers' chosen to substitute for Alex Kuczynski while she either continues to flog her book (futile endeavor) or hits the slopes (more likely). It seems that whenever Alex is off-duty, they send her substitute down to the Lower East Side. We have to admit we were unable to make it down to Frock on Orchard Street for a variety of reasons, (cold and slush being primary among them).  We genuinely regret this, not only because we like to make a thorough report, but because we love that kind of vintage store. Frock is the sort of place, like Resurrection on Mott Street, that trades in vintage designer gems. It's always fun to go in those places and see just how much today's designers have been ripping off Alaïa or Ossie Clark lately. Zarah has decided to tell her story through her own experience of shopping for a dress, but has, unfortunately, opted not to take he opportunity to embarrass herself with a series of barely relevant anecdotes, and that's really what this column is all about. Still, we applaud her taste, as she succeeded in scoring a vintage Norma Kamali for herself, but we take issue with her opinion of '80s footwear, as she writes, "To my eye the shoes at Frock, mostly circa ’80s and high quality, are kind of dowdy, leading one to conclude that this was not a halcyon age for the shoemaker’s art." Zarah, before you write another word, we strongly suggest you acquaint yourself with the work of Maud Frizon, Walter Steiger, Guido Pasquali and Andrea Pfister. We think you may change your opinion.

Frock Vintage 148 Orchard Street, Lower East Side

Critical Shopper: Vintage Clothes With an Eye on Tomorrow by Zarah Crawford (NYTimes)

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