Critical Shopping

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This week, Ruth LaFerla gives the Soho flagship of the British indie-goth fast-fashion AllSaints Spitalfields a Critical Shopper once-over. Upon walking in, she rightfully determines that the offerings are appealing to the “I’ve seen action at Glastonbury” aspirational set while "the ambience in this meandering space evokes the dour London of Sweeney Todd and Jack the Ripper." After perusing hourglass shapes and a vast number of voluminous dresses, she takes a $400 leather jacket for a spin, learning the hard way that the store tends to cater to the young and thin. Instead, after forgoing rocked out boat shoes and five-inch heel huaraches, LaFerla finally finds success in the shoe department with a pair of $180 streamlined canvas shoes. [NYT, previously]