Fabric Shopping in NYC: M&J Trimming

No visit to the Garment District would be complete without a trip to M&J Trimming.

I wish my photos did better justice to this emporium of all things embellishment. You'll just have to take my word that M&J Trimming is retail nirvana for trims, beads, appliqués, buttons, cords, ribbons, sequins, sew-on jewels, nailheads, rhinestones and much, much more. M&J Trimming has an excellent online store but it only represents about a fraction of what you'll find at the real thing on Sixth Avenue.

What I love about M&J:

• If you're looking for trim by color, you won't just have a handful of choices in that color--you could have fifty to a hundred different options. It's almost mind-boggling.

• The store has these nice big counters where you can spread out your garment and try out all the various things you've grabbed. No one bothers you while you agonize over which embellishment works best.

• The staff is mostly young and look like they've never sewn a seam in their life, but they are very knowledgeable about the store's inventory and friendly to boot.

• The store is actually open on Saturdays and Sundays! And hidden in the rear of the store, next to the restroom (extra points for having a restroom!), there are shelves with all the sale items. You can always find some interesting stuff back here on sale.

Now some people say M&J is pricey but I think their prices are fairly reasonable for the quality of the merchandise. They carry some of the basics you'll find in your local Joann's or Hancock's but M&J's prices are generally the same on these goods, not higher. You may be floored to pay $35 a yard for beaded trim but you can be guaranteed the trim will make your outfit. M&J's is one of the best places to shop for braids to adorn that Chanel jacket you've always wanted to make; I purchased some beautiful chocolate-brown velvet braid here for my Chanel jacket.

Sew-on beads are showing up in RTW everywhere, and even McCall's has some patterns featuring sew-on beads. M&J has a large selection of these, much more than what's presently on their web site. If you're into making your own handbags, this is also the place to come for hardware.

If your garment district shopping plans allow, I recommend stopping at Daytona Braids and Trimmings first to stock up on your basic trims. Then head to M&J for that one-of-a-kind trim or embellishment that will give your garment an expensive, RTW look.

A view of M&J looking out toward Sixth Avenue. Love the high ceilings.

Here are those big counters that are perfect for spreading out your garment as you experiment with different embellishments.

A bulletin board calls your attention to the newest additions.

The selection at M&J's is what keeps me coming back again and again. Just look at all these suede tassels in different sizes and colors.

I made this dress for my daughter using trim she picked out from M&J. It was about $24 a yard, but it was the focal point of the dress and we needed a little less than a yard.

M&J Trimming
1008 Sixth Avenue
Between 37th & 38th Streets.
New York, NY 10018

Store Hours
Mon - Fri : 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday : 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday : 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Phone Number
1-800-9-MJTRIM
(Mon. - Fri 9:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Sat. 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.)