It’s not illegal to go topless in NYC.
It’s important to note that the majority of U.S. states are top free, but there’s some grey area regarding this law in New York State, which ruled in 1992 that breast exposure violates the law when it happens in a commercial context.
As attorney Lisa Bloom told CNN, “Just so long as it’s not sexualized and as long as it’s not for a commercial purpose, it is legal for a woman to be topless in New York.”