I’m really worried about all the independent stores and designers and how they’re going to weather this storm, so I thought I might share a few of my favorites with you (please mention your own favorites in the comments). Even if you’re not in the mood to buy anything right now, consider purchasing a gift card. It all helps. I’m starting out with California boutique Beklina, which makes some of my favorite clogs. I’ve been wanting to buy these for ages, and now may just be the time I pull the trigger.
Beklina also has a lot of cool items for the home. I really dig these marbelized melamine plates.
Next up is 6397 , makers of my current favorite jean: the Mini Skinny. It’s slightly looser than your typical skinny jean, which is why I like it.
They’ve also got a pretty happening sale section, where I found this awesome sweater that I’ve been toying with purchasing for a while.
My favorite Brooklyn boutique is Bird; owner Jen Mankins is an expert at sniffing out new talent, and I’m really liking the print on this dress.
I really like this puckered button-down by Caron Callahan too.
Any longtime reader of GOACA knows of my affection for No 6; right before the whole world changed, I bought these clog sandals and I look forward to it being warm enough to wear them out of the house. If I ever leave the house.
I also think the print on this floral dress is just gorgeous.
La Garconne traffics in what I would describe as edgy classics, although I wouldn’t use either of those words to describe this beautiful robe.
They also sell Hope trousers, which are similar to Nili Lotan’s but a bit cheaper. I like this subtly pinstriped pair.
Alder & Co is a Portland boutique I often visit online for inspiration. I could see this dress going into very high summer rotation.
And I am dying for this pretty quilt.
Assembly NY/LA is one of the only good boutiques in my direct vicinity, so I visit often. I think these Doc Marten sandals are pretty great.
They always have good jewelry, and right now I want these sterling silver hoops.
Anna is a brand designed by my old pal Kathy Kemp. She’s been in the East Village since the 90s, churning out cool pieces for cool girls. I think this red leather wrap skirt is pretty stellar.
As is this pretty Liberty print top.
Jo Gordon is a British knitwear designer who makes some of my favorite hats, scarves, gloves, and sweaters. Right now she’s offering a whopping 50% off of everything, including this adorable hat, which I own and wore all winter.
I got this striped scarf too, and it kind of matches the hat and is so damn cozy.
Love the washed black Mini Skinny jeans so much ……might have to do some pandemic shopping just to make myself feel better!
Agreed, I saw a bunch on TRR, are they true to size??
Love 6397 too!
Please buy that sweater for me. Not for me as a gift. Buy it for yourself because I love it so much but it doesn’t come in my size. 🙁
Oh man, I love these. Local shops I am supporting right now include Merzatta, (merzatta.com) a husband and wife jewelry making team who make the most amazing pieces, all sourced and cast from items in nature. They have a shop in Morristown, NJ, but they had to close, of course. Still doing online sales. They make things in bronze, silver, and gold, so a wide variety of prices. I own a bunch of their pieces, and am considering a belt buckle cast of lace! or a cast of a slice of sweetgum necklace to help them out.
The other place I just ordered from is Ann Mashburn (annmashburn.com) in Atlanta — great source for really quality pieces, great Southern aesthetic, lots of Liberty print!
I am digging the annmashburn site, thanks.
There is an LA store for when this is all over. Hmm. I wonder if I can fit into any of it!
The awesome jewelry store Esqueleto — in Oakland, LA and NY. Everything is 25% off right now!
I LOVE these hairbands. They are stylish yet still practical (they really hold!). I’ve been gifting them to friends who have all loved them as much as I do. And right now, they are running a promotion where they will send you a free band if you send one as a gift. Small, female run business! http://www.bylilla.com
Please do a round up of Etsy sellers too – they are all small independent businesses that need a lot of love right now!!!
I’m not sure how I learned about Salt and Still (maybe here?) but I love the designer’s eye for simple, classic shapes. I’ve been hovering over her hoops for quite a while, in my opinion they are a perfect size, weight, and shape. http://www.saltandstill.com/jewelry-collection
Bird❤️!!! My favorite Brooklyn shop.
If I may, I’d love to shout out one of my favorite local businesses in Phoenix, Crane & Carbon. The owner formulates and compounds everything himself. He has a tiny, adorable storefront with sales in the front and production in the back. The liquid soap has saved my hands from beginning a chapped mess during this time of incessant hand washing. The Evening Primrose mask is HEAVEN. And He’s introducing a new hand sanitizer on Friday, too! https://craneandcarbon.com
Covet + Lou (covetandlou.com) is my favorite small shop, which only carries independent designers and vintage. Love the owner and her point of view (and obsessed with her housewares/accessories). Thanks for pointing me to other small businesses -worried about them!
Anna is the greatest: I was in an x-top this week and the circle cut-out dresses are divine. Kathy Kemp and her amazing saleswomen are the coolest while also being the nicest.
I love love love my Henry Lehr stores in Amagansett and East Hampton. It’s tomboy chic dressing at its best. https://www.amagansettsquare.com/henry-lehr-womens
And Botanica Bazaar is a great little clean skincare boutique that carries a lot of organic/natural skincare brands. https://www.botanicabazaar.com/
Love that poncho sweater….
I’d like to support our local and online Maine bag maker, Rough and Tumble. They’re great, and truly local.
https://roughandtumbledesign.com/
Agree! Although they are not local to me (in Denver) I have ordered some great Rough and Tumble bags!
Yes! I have a gorgeous Rough and Tumble bag purchased from their showroom in Norway, ME. Women owned and super quality.
sadly, I think they moved from Norway
Oh my gosh — absolutely crave nearly every other piece on the Alder & Co site! Did you see the navy worker pants? And the many crispy/voluminous dresses, reminiscent of Egg London?? (Wondering: They appear to be in NY, not Portland?)
I would like to encourage you all to check out the work of a dear friend, Lisa Colby, who has been a jeweler/metalsmith for over 30 years. She works primarily in silver, but also uses stones, gold and steel. Her work is quite original, both primitive and modern. (she gets copied a lot, which is frustrating for her, but a sign of the quality of her designs) I love her work and admire that she’s made a living as an artist for so long — it’s not easy to do that. Lisa is also just one of the world’s good people; always helping others, supportive of other artisans and passionate about human rights. She’s the sole support for her little family and I worry a lot about artisans like her now.
https://www.etsy.com/search?q=lisa%20colby%20metalsmith&ref=auto-1&as_prefix=lisa%20colby
Just ordered a pair of earrings from her. Exactly what I was looking for for a friend’s birthday. Thanks!
Peggi, that’s wonderful. So glad you found something, I know you won’t be disappointed. Thanks for supporting my friend’s work!
forgot to add her instagram link
https://www.instagram.com/lisacolby65/
and apologies if this is inappropriate to the theme of the post
Totally appropriate to the theme of the post, lc!
Nice to know about Alder – another source for Casey Casey and Chez Vidalenc in the US!
It’s so hard to know what to do now. I want to support my local small businesses in LA. I just online purchased two very nice candles and two hoodies locally. Half the proceeds go to a cancer charity so that helps—BUT even though I am still working, I am incredibly fearful of a bank crash–or some other extreme financial disaster. So, what to do? Spend? Not spend? Ugh!
I’m worried about small businesses, but I’m also really concerned about USPS workers, many of whom are contracting the virus. I’m struggling with the ethics of ordering non-essential items right now. I mean, I have, but then I started reading about the working conditions for warehouse and mail delivery staff and am now thinking I shouldn’t.
Been checking up on my mail carrier and UPS person. They say they are fine and happy to be working. Just got home from the grocery store. The line to get in was longer than last weekend! I fear this is the new normal.
It *is* hard to know what the right thing to do is. Somewhat related is that it would be great if stores offered a *slower* delivery option, for things you want but don’t actually need any time soon. Lots of things in this category! And I mean, slower-than-first-class slow. An as-long-as-it-gets-here-eventually slow. … Though I guess, that would mean more work for coders. I wonder if they can work at home?
We have Halo Shoes (haloshoes.com) here in Portland, which is an amazing shop filled with hard to find shoe and clothing brands.
6397 are by far my favorite jeans in my closet. I have three pair so don’t really need another pair, but… Also, a word about the Dr. Marten sandals. I tried on this style in my local Nordstrom before all this Corona stuff started and they are CUTE, but…the straps across the top of the foot were too loose on me (I could slide my index finger between the strap and my foot) and they can’t be made tighter so bear that in mind. Still, if they fit your foot BUY THEM because they are adorable, supremely comfortable and I promise you will wear them with everything. AND they are very lightweight!!!
I’ve wanted one of those Anna leather wrap skirts for years.. so good! when this is all over I’d like to having something glamorous to wear.
When my girls are old lady’s I’d like them to to wax romantic about me in a leather skirt at the grocery store. Not an old sweater and leggings😏
That floral dress is lovely and the robe is quite pretty. My hair gal had to close her salon & I just purchased a gift card for my delayed appointment. I am daring others to let their roots show!!
ANNA!!!! So happy to see Kathy’s stellar clothes on here. <3
I bought that wrap skirt in black in 2012, I think, and it’s one of my favorite articles of clothing ever. Every single time I wear it, I get a compliment on it.
I had been eyeing this felt and leather bag at a boutique near my home. When I finally decided to go for it they had sold out so I searched for it online and found the company is a LA small manufacturer. They are offering 25% off site-wide right now. https://graf-lantz.com/
Might I recommend re-soul (www.resoul.com) and Sole Food (www.shopsolefood.com) shoes, a pair (see what I did there) of family owned shoe stores. Both have slightly different assortments of cool, well worth it, shoes. The owners also design and manufacture their own line of branded re-soul shoes that are sold in both stores.
I adore Tesero designs from Philadelphia. The bags are just stunning and the price points are about the same as a Coach bag. (Not inexpensive but not mortgage payment either.)
https://www.tesoro.design/
Oh dear (those pants)(!!!!!!!). … I like the jeans, the little blue top, and the Liberty one though.
Can you please do a robe post? The one you linked here reminded me that mine is completely dead–it was already on its last legs in the before times, but now that we’re home all day every day, it’s finished. Would love to see some options for a range of robes–not just flowy caftans but some cozy ones w/ quilting or batting.
Sure, I’ll poke around & see if I can find enough good robes for a post.
I love this local Austin designer: http://www.esbyapparel.com
All regular priced items are 20% off and there are a lot of things way on sale.
Would Need Supply count as a small retailer in need of support? I’m tempted by their current 25% off everything sale but, like Kimbersam I’m worried about the hit my net worth will take by the time this crisis is over. It’s easy to rationalize spending a few hundred dollars on clothes I don’t really need, but this could be a time to exercise restraint.
I’m a big fan of Poppy Barley footwear – they are mostly online but in the old days (last month) did pop ups across Canada. The custom make tall boots for those of us with shapely calves. And if I ever pierce my ears – Warren Steven Scott makes I pair I covet!