Earnest Sewn Proves Quality (And Nostalgia) Can Be Duplicated

Our first weekend here, Rachelle and I passed by an empty storefront on Jobs Lane. "What's going in there?" we asked the liquor store clerk next door. He didn't know; it'd been empty for three and a half years, he said. Disappointed, we figured that there was little likelihood of the store finding fillings before Labor Day.

We figured wrong. The empty space is now covered in premium denim, fine-woven tees, Malin and Goetz and Santa Maria Novella body products, leather and canvas bags, Repetto flats and sandals, and dozens of heirloom-quality 19th and early 20th century artifacts -a globe, a huge map, scales, a few bicycles (as well as new ones by Jore and Olif for sale), a tattered copy of The Wizard of Oz.

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The overall effect is a cross between a frontier-era schoolhouse and general store, so long as you don't look at the price tags. Actually, though, considering the store's location and the state of the current high-end denim market, prices here aren't that stratospheric. Sure, I spotted a few pairs of jeans in the upper $200's, but there were plenty of discounted styles (the store is also an outlet) going for under $100, and some of the awesomely rugged satchels were only $160. Plus, the whole vibe of the store is very laid back, with merchandise laid out on tables and stuffed in cubby holes, and PJ Harvey and the Smiths wailing softly on the sound system. With wares that cater far beyond your legs, ES is worth checking out even if you're not in an indigo mood.

Earnest Sewn Southampton is located at 53 Jobs Lane.