What is the Boutique of the Week?

With a belief that everyone can use a little retail therapy, The Boutique of the Week helps guide you away from the New York City chains and expensive designers and directly to the most unique and affordable boutiques in the city. 

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Monday
Jun012009

Face-Off: Lollipop vs. Pinkyotto

Location - 49 Prince Street (between Mulberry & Lafayette)

lollipop pinkyotto

Despite Nolita having a number of boutiques, rarely do you find two sharing the same wall, so when this happens on Prince Street between Mulberry and Lafayette, a comparison competition is bound to happen.

 

Lollipop by Namja

Lollipop boutiqueLollipop boutiqueLollipop boutique

Lollipop has a soft, cozy feel with brick walls and a quiet interior. All their staple brands came with them when they moved this past February to their new location, with a large selection of Renee C pieces, Poppy Garden and a small selection of vintage-inspired Piko 1988.

The clothes are trendy, friendly, and flowy in airy pastels. Tops, dresses, tunics, and bottoms range from $50-175, with most dresses hovering around $115. A rack of soft graphic tees greets you at the entrance, with dresses and tops hanging along the brick wall drawing you deeper into the store. The clothes are fun and light, but lack much creativity depth, with pretty basic cuts and patterns. Some of the pieces are reminiscent of something you may find at Forever 21, but in a much nicer environment with friendlier staff.

Lollipop has a very comfortable setting, but lack creative excitement, and that's where Pinkyotto steps in.

 

Pinkyotto

pinkyottopinkyotto

With its cramped space and stark white walls, Pinkyotto has the exact opposite environment when compared to Lollipop. With racks of dresses and tops hanging on the walls and accessories cramped on inner tables, Pinkyotto makes use of their space and shows as much of their merchandise as possible.

Filled with dresses and tops ranging from $75-200, everything is bouncy, light and mostly patterned in bright colors. The dresses are mainly around $150 and are pleated and cut in such a way they make you feel you want to twirl once you try them on. With a limiting one-size only policy for all their pieces, only specific body types can shop here, however most dresses come with belts and ties to help conform to your body.

Accessories range from jewel-tone clutches and bags (around $80) and long necklaces with funky pendants ($30-60). To assist in the efforts to have one-size fit as many as possible, Pinkyotto has a wide array of belts, with the best being colorful leather bow tie belts for $50.

The fun staff make light of the small space and are quick to suggest their personal favorites and ooh and aah once you try it on.  Beware, on a warm Saturday afternoon be willing to wait for the dressing room and be prepared to be bumped by fellow shoppers' purses.

Winner:
So if you can only visit one side of the shared wall, make it Pinkyotto.  Yes, Lollipop has a more welcoming atmosphere, but Pinkyotto has funkiness and flirtatiousness in their clothes that makes fighting the cramped space feel like you're digging through the closet of a stylish, size-4 fashionista.

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Reader Comments (1)

I love both these boutiques. I wish I owned everything in both these stores and I recommend everyone to go to these stores and see the unique collection for yourself! But, it's both on the pricy side, yet at the same.. different?. It's not in the thousands, but $108 for a skirt in Pinkyotto compared to $88 for a dress in Lollipop.. I don't know: take your pick! I wish they would drop their prices a little, so then they could get even more business, because everyone can then agree that it's genuinely affordable, but I guess (in some way or another) some of these clothes are worth its price!

April 3, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterLynna

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