When someone asks me where they should go with very little time in NYC, it’s like asking me to pick a single pair of shoes out of the hundreds I’m currently dreaming about.

If you want to live life like a fashion girl in the City, you should absolutely hit these places below. 24 hours is quite the strain on time, but I promise you’ll love every minute. I’ve lived here for 3 years and I’m feeling like a lifetime wouldn’t be enough!

Illustration by Alicia Malesani

1. Get a $1 coffee from a cart on the street and hit the pavement! The garment district is the most wonderful place to be in the morning if you want to experience the true bustle of NYC fashion industry getting garments out the doors. Duck into one of the dozens of fabric and trim stores. Buy a few patches to add to a denim jacket later.
2. The shops on 5th ave are essential to visit. Start at Bergdorf Goodman, and work your way down 5th. Bergdorf is also known as THE single most gorgeous department store in the entire United States. Before you visit, I suggest watching the obscenely beautiful documentary, Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf. Yes, this place is so good that some have seriously declared they would like their remains scattered there. The shoe floor on the second level is a dream come true.
3. Meander around the rest of 5th avenue. There are so many wonderful stores to stop in on 5th avenue, and don’t forget about Saks! If you have a little extra time, and since you’re only a skip away, head one avenue over to Madison, and window shop some of the best.
4. Lunch at the SoHo Ladurée. Touted the cutest and most instagrammable place in all the land, many a fashion girl has come here for a luxe lunch with friends. I like to bring a few friends and indulge in the cheese plates, and of course, the very famous macaroons.
5. Explore some of the shops on Broadway in SoHo. Stores like Necessary Clothing and Mystic Boutique are not to be missed for a good deal. Of course you’ll see little knockoffs, but there are some gems in there too.
6. Chinatown is just steps away for some more action. Enjoy a bubble tea at one of the many options, or even better, the extremely cute and adorable Chinatown Ice Cream Factory.

I know you’ll love the time you spend in the city, walking these busy streets. Make sure if you see me to say hello!