Build a One-Off Halloween Costume From Three Vintage Racks Near 14th Street

Start with the piece the whole look hangs on. Beacon's Closet fills a wide room on West 13th Street under oversized chandeliers made from buttons, with vintage classics racked beside recent designer labels. Look for a jacket, a dress or boots to build around. Stock and prices change piece by piece, and a set budget keeps the hunt focused. The shop is open daily from 11 AM to 8 PM. The full three-stop route only works on Saturday or Sunday; on weekdays, this shop and Screaming Mimi's make the trip.

Screaming Mimi's has sold vintage and costuming in New York from 1978 on, now one flight up at 240 West 14th Street. The racks are arranged by decade and theme, which makes it easier to commit to one era. One example is a 1970s disco look: a wide-collar shirt from Beacon's Closet, a hat or scarf from this decade's rack, then gold jewelry from a flea stall. Hours run noon to 8 PM Monday through Saturday and 1 to 7 PM on Sunday.

Chelsea Flea on West 25th Street opens Saturday and Sunday at 8 AM, with free admission and fifty to sixty vendors selling estate jewelry, paintings and decorative curiosities. Stalls close at 5 PM. For an afternoon start, come here first and finish at the two shops, which stay open into the evening. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. Make Fun Studio, listed below, is a costume makerspace open Tuesdays 5 to 9 PM or by appointment, not a walk-in shop.