I recently had to replace a pair of eye glasses and dreaded the prospect of searching for frames to take the place of the vintage ones I loved and lost (after all, I have shows to go to and clothes to see)…until I remembered that Fabulous Fanny’s, (the source of my original frames, which was no longer at the 26th street Flea Market) had recently set up shop in the East Village (335 East 9th street- between 1st and 2nd avenues, 212 533 0637, www.fabulousfannys.com). Within 10 minutes, I found not one, but several pairs of the most purrrfect cats eye frames (which at $40 and $60 were half if not one third or one fourth the price of vintage frames at other high end shops in Soho, Tribeca, and the Upper East Side).
Not only is this tiny jewel of a shop filled with fantastic choices for both men and women (the owners- Stanton Blackmer and Ken Finneran- claim they have the “largest selection of eyewear on the East Coast- a vast inventory of over 40,000 frames”), but they also offer many highly specialized services, sell a small assortment of vintage clothing and accessories, and are most proud of their recently added vintage and antique costume jewelry handmade by their friend- Chinwa Kenjyatta. Specializing in the 60’s and the 70’s, Chinwa counts Twiggy as a customer, and like everything else in the shop, the pieces are affordable (earrings sell for about $30 and necklaces go for about $75 to under $100).
Best of all, Stanton and Ken are two of the most knowledgeable, helpful, engaging, eager to please, and pleasant retailers you can hope to meet. Their slogan reflects this: “If you have to wear them- make it fun….” I can certainly relate to that.
Happy Hunting!
-Marilyn Kirschner
