A Lesson In Vintage (& Dance Moves) At Brooklyn's Coolest Thrift Shop

Walk into The Break Vintage in Greenpoint, and chances are, you'll be greeted with a glass of chilled rosé, served by a dancing 20-something shop-guy in platforms and a dress. That cheery gentleman is Luke Meagher, one of the store's many stylish employees, who attends FIT, makes YouTube videos, and dances on Instagram during the week, and works on Sundays, jamming out to '80s music and trying on the stock's many shoulder-padded blazers and ruffled blouses.

Though the store is all about "vintage that's effortless, relevant, and affordable," (as stated in its Instagram bio), it's actually becoming a place for more than jeans and super-soft T-shirts. It's a place where super-indie brands, like Glazed NYC and Maimoun, can find a place they fit in seamlessly, where small publications, like Pond Mag, can throw a party, and where you can go with your best friend on a weeknight and leave with two new sex toys and a fresh stick-and-poke tattoo (yes, this is a true story) — and the next day, return to donate unwanted clothes and get your tarot cards read.

Most importantly, The Break is becoming a place where all are welcome, unlike so many other vintage and contemporary boutiques in New York City that make you feel like an unwanted visitor upon entering. On Pride Day and beyond, it's a store that feels more like a community center. And ay a time when retail is supposedly "dying," if The Break is any indication, it's really just changing form.

"My top priority is not to sell these clothes, because the clothes pretty much sell themselves," Hannah Richtman, who founded The Break as a pop-up idea in October of 2016 and has since managed to turn her vision into a permanent store and safe space for young creatives, tells Refinery29. "They’re relevant clothing that’s exclusive, that’s affordable, and that, to me, is very, important to maintain. But number one is making sure that whoever comes through this door, whether they are 95-years-old or 15-years-old, feels super-comfortable and welcomed. I think you can come here despite your gender and find something that really calls to you. Anything goes in this store. One of my favorite things is seeing my employees put on clothes, or experiment in a way that is true to them."

So to further get know the faces behind, and the major trends within, The Break, click ahead to see us style some of our favorite looks with Hannah, Luke, and R29 fashion writer Landon Peoples. If it'll inspire anything within you, we hope it's to frankly wear whatever you want this coming season, and shopping the Break can certainly help you get the statement-making pieces that'll allow you to do just that — all that and a free glass of pink wine.