Areas of Interest: Specialty Stores Are Thick With Fashion Treasures
And they're categorically underrated.
Here at Dress Codes, we LOVE a one-slot shop. Not to be confused with a one-stop shop (all-in-one mega-retailers like Target, Walmart, our even the fanciest of department stores), a one-slot shop occupies a particular zone of interest: kitchen essentials, or office supplies, or plant and gardening tools. These are the niche stores that don’t just carry one or two brands/makes/sizes of anything and everything, but rather all the brands/makes/sizes of a single thing. They’re a single-subject matter deep dive, encapsulated into retail form.
And there’s something vaguely Old World or European-feeling about them, too. In Paris, one can gather all the ingredients for that night’s dinner and some sundries for the week ahead during quick, single stops along the walk home: the boulangerie (bakery), the fromagerie (cheese shop), the pâtisserie (pastry shop), the boucherie (butcher), every name plainly announcing its role. And every quarter or arrondissement contains its many micro-neighborhoods, each comprising its own collection of these essential vendors where local residents show their loyalty with daily patronage. Then there are the specialty destinations like E. Dehillerin, a fantastically famous kitchen supply store where one can spend hours comparing dozens of ramekin sizes, or the different handle colors of Opinel paring knives.
If you’re not a fan of Wizard of Oz cosplay and copping funnels as headwear, a kitchen supply shop probably won’t scratch any fashion itches, but there are scads of others out there that might surprise you.
Trade & Industry Supply
Tractor Supply Co. - You can find everything from snow blowers and wood heating pellets, to live poultry here, along with loads of durable, low-key chic apparel by crossover brands like Carhartt, Wrangler, and Dickies. No-brainer staples include Carhartt’s [very Balenciaga-like] knit balaclava mask, and this extremely affordable Dickies jumpsuit, but dig a little deeper to discover some lesser-known brands like the Muck Boot Company (check out these pretty gardening clogs) and XTRATUF. We’re OBSESSED with these exaggerated Chelsea-style rain boots.
Arts & Crafts
M&J Trimming, Michaels, Joann, and Blick Art Supplies are crammed with ribbons and beading, rhinestones, pins and hot glue guns (for making brooches, earrings, and laying down patches and decals), fabric dyes and markers, and even paint brushes for applying makeup. Not exactly ready-to-wear, but if you’re willing to put in a little bit of handiwork—like monogramming a vintage sweater with your initials—the results can be so terrifically gratifying.
Army/Navy Surplus
Military surplus stores like Kaufman’s are where you’ll find nylon bomber jackets, military fatigue and wool felt naval caps, cargo pants, utility shirts and pea coats—for not a lot of money, either.
Sports & Athletics
Sure there’s Nike, Adidas, and all the other obvious go-tos, but believe it or not, it was the quest for a sweater-like knit polo that led us to the prepster’s paradise at Wilson. Pleated tennis skirts, wide-leg warm-up pants (❤️ the contrasting sportiness of this elastic waistband), and varsity-style jackets make fun pairings with more polished, structured wardrobe fixtures like a sharply-tailored blazer.
If you’re feeling even more blue-blooded, look to equestrian retailers like Ariat and for tall riding boots, barn jackets, and slim-cut polos.
Lastly, ballet-core may have already hit its apex, but the influence and appeal of ballet in fashion is as enduring as French techniques in cooking. Dance supply stores and iconic brands like Capezio stock more than ballet slippers, too. Leotards and bodysuits, rip stop pants (which look incredibly chic with a thick and cozy cardigan), and ribbed wrap sweaters are all classic layering pieces.
Grew up wearing Capezio rip pants and shorts! The best!