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What is a ‘Bklyn girl’?

By Ben Muessig
The Brooklyn Paper
These are two real Brooklyn girls, according to our experts.

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Brooklyn girls are certainly a diverse bunch, but the ladies of the borough — from Newtown Creek to the Narrows — share plenty in common.

Tough, classy, well-read and well-dressed, Brooklyn girls — from bike punks and 9-to-5ers to stroller moms to scenesters — have more than just a style that separates them from their less-stylish Manhattan sisters.

“Brooklyn girls know where they are going and how to get there — we have drive, ability, creativity and a toughness that is ultimately true inner strength rather than false bravado,” said Monica Byrne, co-owner of Tini wine bar and Home/made Bklyn, both in Red Hook.

Ever wonder what it else goes into a Brooklyn girl (other than sugar, spice and all things nice)? Here’s a checklist:

Shoes: When Brooklyn chicks pick a pair of kicks, they favor the classics. Tall leather Frye boots are the top choice this fall at Shoe Market in Williamsburg — but “vintage-y” shoes like Oxfords and moccasins are also staples for Brooklyn girls, said salesman James Pollis.

Tops: A Brooklyn girl loves her mother and her grandma — and their wardrobes! The ladies of the borough adore vintage blouses and cashmere sweaters, said Rand Niederhoffer, co-founder of Thistle & Clover boutique in Fort Greene.

Brooklyn Bridge Realty

Pants: A Brooklyn girl likes tight pants. “We are really heavy on jeans — especially the really skinny jeans,” said Julia Stewart of the Williamsburg boutique Otte.

Books: When Brooklyn girls hit the books, they devour the surreal short stories of contemporary writers like Kelly Link — whose latest is “Pretty Monsters.” “Whenever people buy her book, they smile at the cash register like they are buying some delicious type of ice cream or something,” said Emily Vaughn of Community Bookstore in Park Slope.

Music: Brooklyn girls blast the Argentine avant-pop singer Juana Molina’s new album, “Un Dia” from their iPods, according to Christian Lee, of Ear Wax Records in Williamsburg.

Transportation: Brooklyn girls push pedals: “A Brooklyn girl commutes on a bike and she probably rides with her baby on the back of it,” said Dave Dixon of Dixon’s Bicycle Shop in Park Slope.

Rico Furniture

Drinks: Brooklyn girls love their borough — but they cheat on it whenever they hit the bars, according to employees at the Clover Club in Carroll Gardens, where Manhattans are inexplicably the drink of choice.

©2008 The Brooklyn Paper

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