Fashion Stores
Skirt
Skirt is a boutique clothing store catering to the "young and trendy" in the Annex. "Our clothes are geared toward urban, young women," the sales clerk tells me. "University-age."
The store, which opened about seven weeks ago on Bloor east of Bathurst, is actually one of a chain of boutiques, the first originating in London, Ontario. There are seven other locations, the clerk tells me, including Skirts in Waterloo, Peterborough, and Muskoka. My questions about the history of the business, the buying, the decision to open to the Toronto market elicited nothing but shrugs from the girl folding shirts; "you'd have to ask the owner," she tells me. "But he never comes in."
So, I decided to peruse the selection myself. First was the wall of jewelry, with chunky necklaces, bangles, and dangly earrings. Most of the items were priced under $20, and sort of looked that way, so I moved on.
With the clerk again by my side, she pointed me toward the table Modrobes (yes, Modrobes!) and of course then, I perked up. They had leggings ($49.54) yoga pants ($54.95) and other workout gear made with its signature Eucalyptex fabric in a variety of sizes and colours.
But most of the stuff at Skirt is more dinner and drinks attire: lots of printed tops, cocktail dresses, pleats, decals, and extra fabric. Ark & Co. is one brand littered throughout the store; two of my picks included a bohemian grey blazer with a striped inner lining ($119.95) and a ruched pastel purple dress ($114). Lush was another recurring brand, best embodied in a taupe one-shoulder cocktail dress spotted among others on the west wall. And then there was a Pretty Good brown printed shirt/dress for $39.95.
Most of the items seemed very trendy and had a vintage-bohemian feel, yet were naggingly reminiscent of the type of "unique and trendy" items you and 10 others can get from a place like Urban Outfitters. But if you don't care about that (and--full disclosure--sometimes I don't) you're pretty much guaranteed to leave Skirt with something looking fashionable and chic.
Photos by Dennis Marciniak
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Unfortunately when I went in the sales staff were about as aloof as you've described them- completely unfriendly and not helpful. Not that I want super chatty staff that don't leave me alone, but at least a hello when you go in the store, maybe at one point asking of I need any help....something to acknowledge me- especially since I was the only customer in the store at the time. Instead the one girl fiddled around on the laptop while the other talked on the phone.
The accessories look cheap and not that nice, and I didn't see anything I liked amongst the clothes either.
This is not a place I will be going back to.
If you want some unique and trendy women's fashion in the area, go down the street to Risque. They've been around for a while and I'll be they'll be around long after Skirt has left...
risque i suppose would be a step up, but, really, come one, how many frilly tops and dresses does a woman need? not sure what i think of theodore 124-whatever..either (the mens store).
surprisingly, the annex is a total wasteland for fashion (and becoming so for food too - like, how may sushi places do we really need!?!?).
Some of what they stock is okay, but in general it feels like an overpriced mid-end "Sirens".
The shop girls I've encountered were attentive, but it was obvious they knew little about fashion. University students, I think?
That's probably who this store is best suited for... University girls who want something frilly to wear on the weekend.
p.s. I hear they bring in new stuff every week!!! yayyyy
I found the staff so nice and helpful. Which was somewhat refreshing after experiencing retail people in bigger chain stores.
I also say this as a former retail person.
I wil, definitely going back regularily