If you saw Lena Dunham’s outfit on the first Girls episode and thought Gah! That is truly awful! you now have someone to blame. On Fashion Etc., Girls costume designer Jenn Rogien says she shopped Beacon’s Closet to get just the right look for the Greenpoint-livin’ Dunham (Hannah) and her crew. (For those who missed it, Hannah rocked a floral Western-style top, an ill-fitting mini, purplish tights and flat granny boots with white socks peeking out the top.) ”We were probably at Atlantis Attic and Beacon’s Closet for every episode because it’s the right stuff, that’s where those girls would go,” Rogien tells the fashion news site. (more…)

Caroline's friend Kat learns what to keep and what to ditch.

Our own Caroline Shadood has been killing it over at her new Tumblr jam Broadist, aka the home of “Fashion for Broads.” This week she schools you in something useful to brokesters everywhere: cleaning out your closet, for fun and profit! Caroline runs down the proper way to clean, sort and prepare your clothes to get the most of them out of a stoop sale or by reselling them at places like Beacon’s Closet. She even tells you which stores are the best bet for which kinds of clothes and the bets times to go. A taste of her tips: “Even if you have a bunch of really cute, bright, designer halter maxi dresses, thrift stores aren’t going to buy them because they are OFF SEASON. So get your spring and summer stuff now — fold it up, and stash it away.” There’s much more, so read on!

Photos and collage by Sarah Gainer.

Fall is my favorite season; not only because of the perfect weather, but also because it means September issues, Fashion’s Night Out, and the one and only New York Fashion Week. Having recently joined the ranks of the not-so-steadily employed, I’m eager to keep up with the latest trends without spending a fortune. Armed with a trend checklist from People StyleWatch’s Lucy Moore and Bloomingdale’s web designer Nicole Kuchera Collins, I scouted my favorite two resale shops in Brooklyn (Beacon’s Closet in Park Slope and Buffalo Exchange in Williamsburg) to prove that you don’t have to spend tons to keep up. Trends I chose to skip? Let’s just say the poncho craze didn’t make the cut. (more…)

Beacon's Closet. Photo by Tokyo Hanna.

Each week (or thereabouts), our Dear Penny column investigates the answers to reader questions about saving money in Brooklyn. This week, Cody McBurnett asks how to get the most from her closet giveaways, and fellow Brokelyn reader Tina Robinson is our guest expert. Take it away, Tina…

The best way to maximize this situation is to divide and conquer. Start by separating your no-longer-wanted clothes into three categories: designer goods and/or one-of-a-kind vintage, trendy items with labels people have heard of, and finally, everything else. (more…)