I have waited for this day my whole New York life.

I finally got to go on a tour of the old, abandoned City Hall Station beneath NYC. Everyone has heard about it. The only glimpse you can get of it is when you stay on the downtown 6 train and look out the window as it loops around to become an uptown train.

The station opened in 1904 and it’s located right underneath City Hall Park and from certain areas in the park (that are now blocked off to the public), you can look down and see through the tops of the skylights in the station.

It closed in 1945 due to the increased subway ridership that led to longer trains, and thus longer platforms. The City Hall station (built on a tight curve) would have been difficult to lengthen, and it was also fairly close to the far busier Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station so the closure made sense at the time.

SIDE NOTE: I feel like I’m slowly realizing this in real time, but like… am I… into… history? When the hell did that happen?

The station was designed by Rafael Guastavino and is so unexpectedly refined for a subway station with its Romanesque Revival architectural style. (Yes I looked up what the name of the style is.)

Tours are arranged through the New York Transit Museum (you have to become a member for access to ticket sales), but it’s very much worth the price. Tickets go on sale usually twice a year for different blocks of time and absolutely always sell out.

This is, by far, one of the coolest things that you can see in New York. Equally as incredible as it was to walk around inside the crown of The Statue of Liberty.

It really did feel like walking into a time machine that shows you what old New York City would’ve felt like. Just an incredible experience.

I know that I only bought my New York Transit Museum membership solely for this tour, but of all the clubs to become a member to - this one really feels like a good fit for me. So excited to hear about what other tours will be offered throughout the year.

the met in america costume institute nyc

One of my favourite things to do each year is to visit The Costume Institute inside The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Next to the rooftop exhibit, it’s my second favourite thing to do there. Here’s a description of the exhibit that’s been on display since September.

“Approximately 100 men’s and women’s ensembles by a diverse range of designers from the 1940s to the present are featured. Enclosed in scrimmed cases that represent three-dimensional “patches” of a quilt, they are organized into 12 sections that explore defining emotional qualities: Nostalgia, Belonging, Delight, Joy, Wonder, Affinity, Confidence, Strength, Desire, Assurance, Comfort, and Consciousness.”

— The Met

It’s a two part exhibit and the second part will be opening on May 7, 2022 and I absolutely cannot wait for it. Here were my favourites from part one.

“For his autumn/winter 2021–22 collection, Michael Kors celebrated the fortieth anniversary of his womenswear line with a presentation that included reinterpretations of designs from his past collections. This gold-sequined dress, paired here with a cashmere coat that has a coordinating sequin-embroidered lining, is a reprisal of a design he debuted in 2000 and a nod to one of Norman Norell’s favored combinations. The ensemble exemplifies Kors’s facility for executing opulent garments in a relaxed manner intended to offer the wearer a sense of confidence and ease.”

— The Met

“Tom Ford is well known for the overt sex appeal of his designs, which reveal and accentuate the body with fluid fabrics and body-conscious silhouettes. Ford’s spring/summer 2018 collection borrowed from the sharp lines of his men’s suits. This evening dress is constructed of tightly ruched black net wrapped over the broad, padded shoulders and around the upper arms, mimicking the square shape of a man’s jacket. From the waist to the hem, the net is loosely draped in sheer folds, revealing the hips and legs beneath. ”

— The Met

“In Donna Karan’s first collection for her own label, she introduced a concept that became known as “Seven Easy Pieces.” This series of coordinated separates—bodysuits, trousers, skirts, and jackets—could be variously combined for different occasions and formed the foundation of a modular wardrobe. These fashions offered the wearer an alternative language of professional dress that was both commanding and feminine, while providing a sense of assurance due to their comfort, ease of coordination, and compatibility with work and personal life. ”

— The Met

“In her designs, Claude Kameni uses fabrics often referred to as African wax prints. These vividly colored and densely patterned textiles, which have an enduring history of popular use in West and Central Africa, were originally inspired by batik, or wax-resist, cloth from Indonesia. The dynamism of Kameni’s work is indebted to the synergy she creates between these vibrant patterns, her strong silhouettes, and the body of the wearer. In this dress, the pattern is arranged to complement the curves of the figure and accentuate the flowing tiers of the skirt.”

— The Met

“The double-hooded sweatshirt displayed here features two neck holes with only one set of sleeves. Part of Bstroy’s “Sweet Screams” collection, it was presented on the runway on two models as if they were craving companionship. Intended for an individual wearer, the garment’s second hood effectively lays limp on the shoulder, suggesting a dystopian future of loneliness and isolation.”

— The Met

“A piece of embroidery executed in his native Haiti and shared with him by his sister Brigitte inspired the first of Fabrice Simon’s beaded designs. Beaded garments based on embroidery patterns he drafted himself would become his signature. As in this dress, they often retain the lively and spontaneous quality of a drawing. Previous experience as a textile designer likely honed his ability to create patterns that harmonize with the body in the finished garment.”

— The Met

“Musicals of Hollywood’s Golden Age provided inspiration for Rodarte’s autumn/winter 2019–20 collection, which featured designs that offer a fantastical counterpoint to the costumes brought to life on screen by women such as Ginger Rogers. In this dress, the designers created a sense of animation through their careful handling of the fabric. Dense, cascading ruffles enveloping the skirt spring gently in tandem with the wearer’s movement, giving way to open, petal-like layers at the shoulders that generate more buoyancy. ”

— The Met

“Titled “Nothing Is Forever,” Vaquera’s spring/summer 2021 collection explored the potential of an “anything goes” approach to dressing in a post-pandemic world. The design trio—known for its campy sensibility and fashion-outsider status—played with the idea of innerwear as everyday outerwear, incorporating lingerie and bedroom details throughout the collection. This oversized boa boasts an exuberant jumble of jersey, tulle, and lace, as if the wearer wrapped themselves in lingerie-strewn bedding and unabashedly walked out the door.”

— The Met

You can see glimpses of the past exhibits if you’re at all interested…

And if you don’t find yourself in NYC and still want to take a look at some of the exhibit, then take a look at this video below or you can see all of the pieces on display over here.

UPDATE: The Met also added new pieces to this collection in 2022 and I wrote about them over here.

Abandoned City Hall Station

In America: A Lexicon of Fashion Exhibit at The Met