Southern staples like Polo shirts and pearls are making way for Habitual skinny jeans and Thread Social cowl neck sweaters at Hampden Clothing, a boutique in Charleston, S.C., that redefines what it means to exude southern charm.
King Street in downtown Charleston is a one-stop shop for tried and true standbys like Saks Fifth Avenue, Max Azria and Brooks Brothers. Hampden Clothing stands out from its neighbors thanks to its fashion-forwardness: the store is stocked with Tracy Reese, Sass & Bide, Gennera, Daryl K. and other cutting-edge designers whose clothing can be hard to find in the Southeast. Hampden is one of only three stores in the U.S. that sells clothing by Vanessa Barrantes, a Peruvian who makes dresses and skirts from natural fibers like bamboo and employs artisans from her country to support its economy. Not only are Barrantes’s creations beautiful, they’re 100% biodegradable.
Charleston native Stacy Smallwood, a former buyer for Neiman Marcus, incorporates her impeccable fashion sense into a relaxed setting that makes a routine shopping trip feel more like a visit to the closet of your most fashionable friend. Gorgeous bamboo floors, cozy white armchairs and a giant flat-screen television take the anxiety out of finding that perfect dress and make for a laid-back, enjoyable shopping experience. The knowledgeable staff pulls clothing suited to customers’ tastes and serves spiced cider on chilly autumn days and cold, sweet tea that cuts the thick haze of summer afternoons.
The combination of groundbreaking designs and beautifully constructed basics makes Hampden Clothing a place you can shop for a black-tie event or a backyard barbeque, and makes you wonder how you ever got dressed without it. That’s a rare find to which we’ll keep coming back.
357 King Street, Charleston; 843-724-6363; hampdenclothing.com.
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