Store Review: Funky LaLa

Lucky for me, and now you. Yesterday as I wandered home from running very boring errands, an absolutely stunning dress caught my eye from deep within the store.  I decided to enter. Either the dress was a vintage anomaly, or I had misjudged the place. Either way, I was willing to investigate. The store is indeed crammed, but the clothes are all by young, up and coming designers. It's like a candy store for clothes horses. The dress that caught my eye was by the amazing Robert Rodriguez, who also sells as Fred Segal, and Bergdorf. There were other designers I had seen and admired: Grey Ant, Foley & Corinna, to name a few. And some I had never seen or heard of. I realized I had a find of epic proportions on my hands. 

The clothes on each rack were uniformly great- though don't expect a lot of color. Spring seems to be dawning with a neutral palate, at least at Funky LaLa. That's fine with me. If I had had the time, or the wherewithal, I could have done some serious damage there. I loved a soft fawn brown dress-length tunic with shiny flat brown sequins on the front. There were some great wide legged pants, and kicky little motorcycle jackets in interesting fabrics. And the clothes weren't all! There were great shoes; they had the best pair of flat black Gryson boots, with zips on the side, on sale, and a cool flat pair of sandals in a couple of colors. And bags! Of the sort that are not commonly seen on famous people! In a good way! Botkier is a favorite.

Considering the high price point of the place, the ladies who worked there were unexpectedly charming. I was greeted at the door with an offer of water. When I looked at the dress, I was also shown a similar skirt, with no push or attitude. As I handled the boots, one of the ladies approached (the one who offered me the water) and told me they were actually on bigger sale then marked, a nice piece of information that would have made me buy them, if they had had my size. And when I walked out (sadly) empty handed, it was with a friendly "bye." The kind that makes me want to go back soon.

Funky LaLa 

422 East 9th Street (Between 1st Avenue and Avenue A)