TracyChambers Vintage

You won’t find this homespun vintage shop, located on a residential Bed-Stuy block, unless you're looking for it. That’s because it’s housed in the front room of owner Helen Williams Nurse’s brownstone apartment, marked only by a small sign in the window and a chiffon dress hanging on the door. Nurse, a stay-at-home mom who has been collecting vintage items for 30 years, converted her spacious unused dining room into a boutique curtained off from the rest of the house. The store is named after Diana Ross’s fashion-designing character in the 1975 film Mahogany, and is stocked with colorful, boldly printed clothes from the ’50s through the ’80s. Metal rolling racks hold treasures such as a ’70s Don Sophisticates by Charlotte Ford sheer dress ($35), a ’60s beaded tank ($40) and an ’80s Rimini Petites floral minidress ($40). There’s also a rack for new old-school–inspired items, including Kanvas sheer button-up blouses ($35) and SK Wilbur one-shoulder dresses ($250–$600). Make sure to check out the accessories selection, featuring Rush Hour perforated-leather booties ($18) and a chunky metal cuff ($15). In the assorted $5 bins, we recently found a Ms. Sugar print blouse and a leather clutch.