Where to Shop Now

Where to shop in Dallas right now: 8 must-hit stores for October

It's a busy, busy month for the shoppers of Dallas. And whether you are interested in popping into new stores, exploring one-day shopping events, or maybe a little bit of both, your cup of options runneth over.

Avant Garden
Todd Fiscus recently opened the doors to his stunning new store at The Shops of Highland Park in between Celebrity Bakery and Flywheel Sports. You can expect the same brilliant floral design and a carefully selected collection of home accessories.

Flea Style at Dallas Market Center
This shopping extravaganza features more than 60,000 square foot of shopping space and 220 vendors at Dallas Market Hall. Some of our favorites featured include Blaine Bowen, Katie Craig Art, Things Like Us, and many more. The October 21 event lasts from 9 am to 5 pm, and tickets start at $5.

Garrett Leight California Optical
This optical outpost opens its latest store in Knox-Henderson on October 20. To celebrate the Dallas opening, GLCO is releasing limited-edition custom, made-in-America optical ($375) and sun ($395) frames in a beautiful shade of maroon.

Indie Beauty Expo at Neiman Marcus NorthPark
This special event is happening October 20-21, and IBE team members will be on hand offering customers products from over 15 under-the-radar beauty brands, with many faces behind the brands on site to educate customers. Featured labels include Mahalo Care, Luxe Botanics, Swiss Smile, Beneath Your Mask, and more.

Talulah & Hess
Do not let the month pass without stopping into the new store that is bigger and better than ever. Located at the corner of Skillman and Live Oak, this darling design-inspired home accessories shop is the perfect place to pick up a gift for friends, babies, or yourself. There are also, as always, endless options for decorating your home. East Dallas got a winner when this store decided to move and expand its inventory.

The Tot
The folks at Levi’s recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their trucker jacket by creating a limited supply of one-of-a-kind kids' jackets. And because they know a good thing when they see it, they chose this Dallas-based children's boutique as the exclusive children's retailer to sell them. The Tot also partnered with Alex Israel to create additional jackets that are signed by the multimedia artist, with all proceeds going to pediatric AIDS research initiatives and the Dallas Museum of Art. Shop the jackets online.

Universal Standard Pop-Up at Nordstrom NorthPark
This brand of fashion-forward, high-quality clothing for women sizes 10-28 will be stopping in Dallas on October 19-21 from 11 am-7 pm daily. Exclusive items that cannot be found online are set to be featured at the pop-up shop for preview and pre-order.

11 Honoré
Peruse this new online shopping platform that serves women with luxury and designer contemporary clothing in sizes 10-20. Designers include Michael Kors, Monique Lhuillier, Prabal Gurung, and Zac Posen.

Avant Garden moved to its new store at The Shops at Highland Park.

Photo courtesy of Avant Garden

Avant Garden moved to its new store at The Shops at Highland Park.

where-to-shop

RETAIL WATCH

Texas AG Ken Paxton opens investigation into fast-fashion giant Shein

Photo courtesy of SHEIN

Shein is now under investigation from the Texas Attorney General.

Critics of fast fashion have found a strange bedfellow in Ken Paxton. The Texas Attorney General announced December 1 he would investigate online retailer Shein for alleged unethical labor practices and unsafe consumer products.

According to a release from Paxton’s office, the inquiry aims to find out if Shein’s “supply chain and manufacturing practices violate Texas law by using toxic or hazardous materials, misleading consumers about product safety, and misleading consumers about ethical sourcing.” The probe will also look into the corporation’s data collection and privacy practices.

In a statement, Paxton put a partisan spin on the investigation.

“Safe, non-toxic material and products are another key ingredient to [Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s] Make America Healthy Again movement,” said Paxton in the release. “Any company that cuts corners on labor standards or product safety, especially those operating in foreign nations like China, will be held accountable.”

Paxton’s move unexpectedly aligns the AG with environmental watchdogs. Nonprofit Yale Climate Connections has long sounded the alarm about the Singapore-based e-tailer, calling it one of the world’s biggest polluters. Paxton has long railed against climate change regulations and sued the Biden administration several times to block emissions rules.

The investigation is part of a larger Republican crackdown on Chinese consumer products. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are debating new restrictions on Shenzhen-based aerial drone maker DJI, and Senator Tom Cotton has called for investigations of “Communist Chinese” companies Shein and Temu. The September Texas vape ban specifically banned disposable e-cigarettes manufactured in the country.

In a statement emailed to multiple media outlets, Shein said it would comply with Paxton’s investigation.

“Shein takes these concerns seriously and is fully committed to cooperating,” a spokesperson said. “Our mission — to provide affordable, fashionable products to customers around the world — is underpinned by a dedication to safety, compliance, and respect for human rights.”

The controversy will likely have little effect on Shein’s popularity with Zoomers. The company snagged an estimated $38 billion in sales in 2024 and has an average of 24.7 million active app users each month.

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