Holiday Shopping, Done Locally (part 2: Clothing & Beauty)

Jay Bell

S​kipping the big lines at the malls

As holiday shopping continues, there are plenty of small businesses with personal service, online stores, small lines at the registers, and a variety of unique gifts. Last week, we suggested some craft coffee roasters, winemakers, and brewers from around New England. This time, the goal is to offer up a small sampling of local companies related to beauty and clothing that could be thoughtful and useful gifts.
 
These places are scattered around New England. As is often the case with small businesses, in-person visits can feel nice. But if you’re not in the area or just want to shop from the comfort of your couch, online purchases can do the trick. Or, perhaps they’re inspiration for a similar place near you. 

Cape Cloth is a boutique clothing company founded by Cape Cod natives to help locals. They offer a cozy, fashionable and varied lineup with $1 from all clothing sales benefiting Cape Abilities, a nonprofit empowering Cape residents with disabilities. The owner even worked with us to get a Cape Cloth wheel cover for our Jeep – out of the ordinary, cool, and really easy to find in a crowded parking lot or when friends meet us off-roading on the beach!
 
Since they’re increasingly popular, but still growing, it’s a way for someone to be on the front of the fashion wave. For vacationers who savor their annual time at the Cape, this could be a favorite holiday gift that they sport over the off-season and during their next trip. You can find Cape Cloth at Cape Abilities Farm on Route 6A in Dennis, and by checking Cape Cloth’s list of stockists (stores carrying Cape Cloth) or upcoming events at capecloth.com .

Cape Cloth has an array of casually trendy clothing.

​Cape Cod Lavender Farm is a family-owned farm featuring beauty products, candles and sachets, baby products, and food, all of which are lavender-based or infused with that wonderful scent. With acres of lavender, it’s a wonderful place to visit in the warmer months for those visiting or living on Cape Cod. But their offerings are great any time of year and not very expensive.

Cape Cod Lavender Farm is beautiful in season. Its products are great year-round.

​FarmAesthetics similarly creates natural products. This Rhode Island-based small business focuses on sustainable beauty products, and is gaining recognition for its environmentally friendly approach. With lotions, sprays, candles, and more, there are plenty of options. In our case, a deep lavender rub cream and an arnica remedy oil for inflammation were a couple of purchases for a daughter and grandmother.

FarmAesthetics' beauty products are high quality, environmentally friendly, and locally made.

​Portland Dry Goods Company is located in Portland, Maine. It features smaller brands from the USA, England, Portugal, Ireland, and Japan that emphasize high quality clothing for men and women. If you’re not able to enjoy a lovely afternoon in the historic Old Port area of the city, their website allows you to easy focus on the type of clothing you might be seeking for that special someone.

If you can visit the store, you can also take in Portland's historic Old Port.

​Again, these are hopefully inspirational for your holiday shopping. They’re also great places if you can visit them, and you can feel good about your support for small businesses.
More next week on ideas for local artists and craftspeople!
(Note: there’s no payment or swag in return for promoting these places, they’re just places that we’ve visited and feel comfortable recommending.)