The stretch of Madison Avenue from 57th Street to 79th Street is not just one of the most beautiful stretches of New York City, but also known for hosting the most expensive retail in the world. This is the neighborhood to go for those who seek the ultimate in luxury. Anchored by Barneys New York near 61st Street and interspersed with virtually every luxury designer boutique one can imagine, one can easily wile away hours, maybe even days, shopping this stretch of New York.

[Photo Source: Fashion Examiner]

From Apple to Zara, Soho really has it all. Known for being über trendy, come to Soho ready to encounter all things über chic. Along Broadway, you will find bustling locales of mainstream names such as H&M, Uniqlo and the like, along with a downtown outpost of both Bloomingdales and Prada. Head west to the picturesque cobble stone Soho streets and ultra-luxe boutiques including Louis Vuitton, Stella McCartney, Dior, and a soon to open YSL outpost. Soho also hosts a number of must-shop contemporary flagships including Rag & Bone, Splendid, Theory, Paige Denim, Vince, John Varvatos along with their typical stockists--Intermix, Scoop and Barneys Co-op.

Aren't most New York girls taught her four B's before her ABC's? That's Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, Henri Bendel and Barneys. Ok, so we've already covered that Barneys is over on Madison Ave. but in order to hit the other three, venture over to Fifth Avenue. Here you will also find the original Saks Fifth Avenue and a number of luxury flagships including Louis Vuitton, Prada, Tiffany & Co., Harry Winston, Mikimoto & Piaget, Wempe, Bottega Veneta, Fendi, FAO Schwarz AND that crazy Apple store in a Louvre-esque glass cube!

Arguably the hottest NYC neighborhood, big name designers like Stella McCartney, Christian Louboutin and Alexander McQueen are all staking down in the Meatpacking District. The cobble stone streets give way to spacious frames for the aforementioned designers along with outposts of Intermix, Barneys Co-op, Paige Denim, Theory and the like. A perk: this neighborhood and its stores tend to feel less congested than their giant counterparts uptown and even in Soho. This is the area for those who shop for the love of shopping.

[Photo Source: The Examiner]

Ok, so it's not located in the city but just a hop and a skip away on Long Island is Americana Manhasset Mall aka "Miracle Mile". Shoppers here are terminally chic and, better yet, the spacious and aesthetically pleasing design allows for hassle-free perusing of literally every luxury and contemporary store you might be after. Here you will find everything from Sephora and Brooks Brothers to Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Hermés and the like without the crowd of Fifth Avenue.