The stretch of Avenue Road just south of Wilson has always been something of a retail dead zone—at least for style-conscious females under 60. But the recent arrival of Chronic Clothing means area residents will no longer have to trek downtown to stock up on casually cool apparel like fuzzy vests and well-made jeans. Owner Diane Alperin offers a mixture of office-appropriate attire and laid-back, playful separates: think dark Paige Denim jeans paired with an oversized boyfriend blazer from Lush. Alongside more mainstream brands, visitors will also discover unique pieces from relatively obscure international designers, like these whimsical dresses from Germany-based Rundholz. The store deliberately stocks items inexpensive enough that shoppers should be able to assemble complete outfits for under $200, though specialty pieces like extremely warm winter coats from local outerwear maker Arctic Bay are priced upwards of $800. There’s a ton of variety in the store, but Alperin usually only carries items in twos or threes, meaning keen shoppers should act quickly.
Chronic Clothing, 1986 Avenue Rd, twitter.com
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