Where This Menswear Stylist Finds Antiques in Cobble Hill

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New York City has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around our fantastic city that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.

Image via Fork and Pencil

Brett Fahlgren has been working in fashion in New York since 1996 when his friends at Calvin Klein derisively dubbed him "chore boy" because he spent his days answering phones and shipping samples. Now working as a stylist on the publishing side at GQ, he hosts events and helps guys upgrade their style where he guides guys on everything from summer suits to how to tie the perfect tie. He's launched a custom collection of ties called Fahlgren and also edits the menswear website Style Ledger. Since he lives in Brooklyn with his wife and daughter Elsa, he likes Fork and Pencil, a quaint shop on Court Street where he's scored crystal decanters for his bar.

I walk past Fork and Pencil, this sweet little shop on my way to the F train and get pulled in almost daily, just to see what's new. There's an old-world charm to it, and I like the fact that handed-down luxury carries a certain sentimental value, a looking glass effect.

I've found heavy silver candlesticks and crystal decanters for the bar, two metal tie clips, and interesting military medals that I use for inspiration for my ties. And I like the fact that you can negotiate, as most of the items are on consignment from the many brownstones in the neighborhood. Around the corner on Bergen Street is Fork & Pencil's bigger space, with rows of furniture, leather trunks, croquet and bocce sets from the 50ss and other cool finds. You can rent them for prop styling, as I recently did with a 1920s era sled and that I used to display my ties at last month's Capsule show. Fork and Pencil proves that dusty and disheveled can be a very good thing.

· Fork and Pencil [Official Site]
· Fahlgren Ties [Official Site]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked NY]

Fork and Pencil

221 Court Street Brooklyn New York 11201