Travel & Guides

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• June 11, 2008
• On Location

Dallas

Behind the denim and diamonds is a fashion-forward city well-worth discovering. By Erin Donnelly

New boutiques in and around the trendier Oak Lawn neighborhood, which encompasses the upscale Uptown area and new Victory Park retail development, have brought with them an influx of fresh, forward-thinking and independent labels that are paving the way for a younger, decidedly edgier Dallas. From eclectic vintage outposts and emerging local designers to trendsetting boutiques and post-shopping rest-stops, we've got your guide to discovering Dallas in a whole new way.

Shop.

Ahab Bowen, 2614 Boll Street; 214-720-1874

This vintage store occupies a house that's been registered as a historical landmark dating back to the 1870s, and while the women's clothes and accessories stashed inside aren't quite as old, there's definitely some time travel involved. From 1950s prom dresses to retro jumpsuits, the quirky offerings here are in keeping with the shop's infectiously funky vibe. There's also a fantastic collection of vintage shoes, handbags, jewelry, and sunglasses.

• Dolly Python, 1916 N. Haskell Avenue; 214-887-3434

A beloved staple of the new Dallas shopping scene, this madcap vintage store is home to 16 dealers ("brocanteurs") who restock their wares daily. The store's 2,600-square-feet house a dizzying display of bizarre-but-covetable bric-a-brac, antiques, clothing, and, naturally, a collection of belt buckles and cowboy boots. Affordable finds abound against a backdrop of spray-painted murals: fur-trimmed coats, '60s-era Pucci-esque bikinis and snakeskin sandals, vintage rock T-shirts, and the like. Of special note is jewelry from local designer Ren 7 Smith, who refashions vintage pieces--watch fobs, glass beads, gold chains, etc.--into one-of-a-kind necklaces.

• Grange Hall, 4445 Travis Street, Suite 101; 214-443-0600