Feb 13, 2014

Suits, Specs, and Fashion from Spain


As it goes in the fashion world, trends come and go, stores open and close. One week you’re standing on the corner in wide-leg trousers, and the next week everyone is running around in skinny jeans. In the past few months three new fashion destinations have opened in downtown Seattle, including Suitsupply, Zara, and SEE Eyewear. All the stores are right on trend, but they also carry classically inspired styles that ensure that these three are here to stay.


2429 5th Ave.
(206) 288-5040

The online eyewear craze has really caught on in the past couple of years. It’s quick, convenient, and companies will send you a selection to try on before you buy. But the styles are all starting to blend together—sometimes you'll see three people in the same room wearing almost identical pairs. SEE Eyewear in downtown Seattle offers a refreshing experience in a hip, easy-to-navigate space full of hundreds of completely unique frames including sunnies, prescription lenses, and reading glasses. Started in Detroit by a pair of brothers, Richard and Randal Golden, SEE brings in frames from around the world, made exclusively for the company, and offers them at competitive prices that include both frames and lenses, from $99 sunglasses, to prescription pairs that range in the hundreds. If you’re looking for something that you won’t see on anyone else, then SEE Eyewear offers an unparalleled selection that actually makes having to wear glasses a very fun thing.

Don't expect to pop in and quickly breeze through the selection at SEE Eyewear. Hundreds of glasses in all shapes and colors can leave you standing in front of the mirror for the entire afternoon (trust us on this one).

The shop is a streamlined space with white shelves boasting hundreds of unique glasses. Started by brothers Richard and Randal Golden (their father was in the optometry industry as well), the 5th. Ave. location in downtown Seattle features black-and-white family photos on the walls.

SEE offers everything from sunglasses to prescription glasses for adults and kids, as well as readers in a variety of prices ranges to fit most budgets.



1331 5th Ave.
(206) 212-0100

Just a block down the road from SEE is Suitsupply—a European import (the company is based in Amsterdam) that truly is a one-stop shopping destination for the trendy, PNW man. Stocked with a stylish selection of suits starting from $399, the retailer has a variety of materials (wool, linen, cashmere) and patterns (pinstripe, windowpane) in styles from a classic three-piece to a fashion-forward triple-pocket jacket. Aside from suits, the company also offers weekend wear, shoes, accessories, ties, and shirts. If you’re in a rush, Suitsupply has an in-house tailor to tuck your cuffs and handle your hems. Notable Seattle rapper Macklemore sports threads from the store, and several Seahawks player have been spotted suiting up for off-field play.


The unique jacket display at Suitsupply makes for easy browsing, letting customers compare different styles, materials, and details. Dark hardwood flooring and simple side-lit mirrors aren't distracting, and the curving racks create a visual flow through this section of the store.

The velvet suit on the right is the same style as the one Macklemore wore to the 2014 Grammy Awards.

A tall display of color-coordinated ties shows off the company's penchant for color and pattern.

Each Suitsupply store has an in-house tailor to make sure your purchases fit perfectly before your next big meeting. 



Westlake Center
400 Pine St.

It’s finally here. The day every Seattle fashonista has been waiting for—ZARA, the Spanish clothing chain, is now open in Westlake Center. The 8,200-square-foot building clocks in as one of their largest stores in the United States, and offers clothes for women, men, children, and babies in its black-and-white two-story space. The Seattle location is the first to have the newly re-vamped look, including slightly textured lined ceilings, simple straight lines, and uplit shelves close to the floor. The focus is on the clothes. And oh, what a selection there is. With pieces ranging from classic pencil skirts and mod yellow coats to sheer crop tops and caftan-like shirts for men, ZARA is guaranteed to shake up the Seattle fashion scene this year.

Bold patterns and fashion-forward cuts abound at the newly opened ZARA in Seattle's Westlake Center.

Details such as metallic embellishments take a plain white shirt to the next level.

Yellow is a big color this spring, and can be seen throughout the store.

The men's collections are inspired by different cities and countries around the world including New York, Paris, Africa, and the Middle East.







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