Glenn, you don't even know how much I loved reading this. You wrote so many of my feelings about Doen captured perfectly and then gave us the most *chefs kiss* alternatives!
I also just want to point out that your idea of them partnering with actual vintage sellers because nothing annoys me more than seeing their designs and thinking "no wait, I've seen this before on Etsy."
I think partnering with the vintage world would be the perfect unique pivot for a brand of their size! The resale, secondhand market is only going to continue to explode these next few years and they could be a leader in building a community where you can both support a female founded clothing company and practice becoming a more conscious, "eco-friendly" consumer.
Along with your inauthenticity and fake hierloom points, I cannot put my finger on it, but somehow Doen gives me sinister vibes for a lot of other reasons. Partially because their price points would actually allow you to purchase real 1930s clothes that were made better 90 years ago, maybe? Or perhaps it's the extremely thin women doing nothing in pastoral settings marketing? They've always given me the ick and I've never been able to articulate it well, but I love a good take down. Thank you!
Sinister vibes are right on - I think that plays off of my "counterfeit authenticity" and "peculiar feminist energy" feels. It all seems very calculated, especially if you've followed their social media since 2020 and seen what feels like very performative marketing.
Omg it’s the try-hard fake arty/ephemeral “image descriptions” in their captions that give me the ick - like it’s an angled pic of a young skinny blonde lady on some random street in Pasadena in a coat made in China that probably cost $20 to produce. Don’t try to romanticize it by throwing a warm filter on it with a “poetic” description.
That said, do I want the barn coat because they’re peddling it to me as the perfect go-with-anything butter yellow- yes I love butter!
Had me at the title!! Loved this piece and honestly, they really do churn out the same piece in a different font every season. Does that mean I don’t want it? Nope. But taking a moment to ponder and pause separates a good wardrobe from a great one, I think.
As a vintage seller, this piece on Doen and your piece on Bode thoughtfully reflected sentiments I have been feeling for such a long time! It pains me to see people fawn over these brands (although I know they may not be aware of the vintage alternatives) when there are so many small businesses like mine trying to peddle similar wares at such a more affordable price point. I have maybe more of a controversial viewpoint that brands like this do not need to exist, with so much already in existence 😬 You bringing attention to the matter is so important! Thank you!
I think it's perplexing when you spend a lot of time in the vintage space to not understand how people don't get that what they're looking at isn't actually "good" or even original, but after years in retail I discovered the average consumer usually wants someone else to do the work for them and tell them what's cool - which kind of goes against the natural spirit of treasure hunting and discovering yourself through sifting through pieces of vintage history. People see brands like Bode and Dôen and it's easy to point at it and go "that's unique. I want that" without even realizing that these designers are drawing inspiration from something else. I think it will just get worse the further we get into creativity being stuck in the orbit of the internet.
I feel you on not really seeing the need for brands like this - it's one of the reasons I started this space - there's literally already so much shit on this planet that could clothe every human 1000x over in whatever ~aesthetic~ they desired. I think the vintage and secondhand space is the one booming industry I *want* to have oversaturated, even if it means I'm not the loudest voice in it (but I'd sure like to be considered it lol)
I debated adding some into this collection but honestly ran out of time --there are so many great alternatives on eBay and Etsy! "Vintage" Victoria Secret nightgowns are actually kind of a sleeper hit - good textiles (100% cotton, 100% silk) and very classic silhouettes. They tend to resale a little high ($90-125) because of this, but I think they might actually hold up better than some of Dôen's offerings.
https://go.shopmy.us/p-6843294 - a good starting point if you want sleeveless (not sure your sizing but if you scroll down you can find similar alternatives which is usually where I start clicking around!)
Thanks so much!! Such good recommendations for search terms that I wouldnt have thought of! And seriously considering those links- particularly first and third!
I’ve been searching for my toile item & brown skirt all summer and just grabbed this brown skirt. Can’t wait to pair with a camo jacket & lace/sheer/silk top. 🙌
My 5 year old was browsing with me this morning and also pointed it out as something I should get. You beat me to it! 😁 You should know it’s Theo-approved 👍
I worked in retail for 14 years- we sold those jackets for about $30 back in’94-ish. I enjoy seeing what’s in fashion and then looking for it in my local thrift shop. Most “new” styles can be found for a fraction secondhand (and the quality is better). Great article!
Thank you for reading! I salute your 14 years in retail as someone who did it for almost a decade 🫡
I also love looking at current trends and seeing what I can dig up secondhand -- I've discovered if you pray hard enough to the Thrift Gods, they almost always deliver!
At 53 I am not the market. And huge respect for two women building a super successful enterprise in this world! But I just don't GET this brand; every time I see it I'm like -- are we going to churn butter on the prairie today? I read this and was like "Maybe there's nothing wrong with me!" XO.
Yes! A very important point I don't think I managed to fully express is that I don't want to sit here and besmirch the lucrative business these women have built - kudos to them - I just spent years trying to get off the proverbial trail my Mormon pioneer ancestors paved and I have no interest in wearing a $500 dress that brings me right back to the prairie!
Love this! I’ve had similar hard to pin down feelings abt them (I do love their overpriced Pointelle tees). The thing that turned me off to the brand was going to a sample sale they had in nyc, pre pandemic. The clothes looked and felt SO cheap. And they looked SO out of place in nyc. Their grift was just too obvious at that moment. I still look at their stuff but the fantasy they’re selling doesn’t resonate with me. Like you say, original vintage is always better!
Yes, that's it! They're selling a *fantasy* and I think in this new culture of everything being an ~aesthetic~ they've focused too hard on their all around marketing image rather than having products that can actually stand out on their own (and resonate with the customer that doesn't fit the rich, thin, white aesthetic), especially when it comes down to quality. It's disappointing for sure because there is so much potential in the nooks and crannies of their vibes!
I guess I’ll be the lone commenter to raise my hand and say: I have a handful of dresses and blouses from Doen and love and wear the heck out of all of them. While they’re not vintage, they’ve lasted and worn well for years and they’ve helped me feel like the best version of myself on days when it felt hard to get dressed. As a curvy size 12–16 (US), vintage shopping is HARD (esp online), and I actually have found that Doen has fit me well, even at my biggest when I sized out of some other favorite brands.
I totally respect your ick since we’re all allowed to have our own reactions to styles, aesthetics, etc. I just don’t feel the same way. 🤷🏼♀️
You’re 100% correct that vintage is not accessible or inclusive to a lot of body types and there’s a huge gap in the new clothing market for curvy sizing that is also comfortable, made well, and makes the individual feel like their best self. I’m glad you feel great in their product — I have pieces from them I also love!
This essay was more of a critique on the sinister vibes I get from their marketing strategies and dancing around the fact they aren’t sustainable in the slightest — many of their products are significantly overpriced and sold under the vague guise that it’s all ethical. My other critique is focused on the culture they’ve built and that it all feels a little mean girl-ish/tradwifey to me and very faux feminist. I personally believe in the 2025 retail landscape we need to be pivoting to actually include vintage and secondhand *somehow* into more business strategies, especially if your entire brand is built off of remaking heirlooms that have already existed.
I want to hold them (along with so many other brands!) to higher standards because I believe it’s essential to finding some level of harmony amidst the relentless churn of capitalism and raging climate change.
Yeah I hear ya! I do like their Hand Me Doen program and actually plan to resell a couple of pieces via that soon. I just don't get mean girl vibes—a painfully and beautifully curated aesthetic, yes, but nefarious no—but again, to each their own! I think I also just don't feel misled by potential ethical posturing since I used to work as a copywriter for a luxury department store and I assume that unless something is explicitly stated, it's probably not true. 😅
For me no barn coat will ever top the thrifted llbean one with brown cord collar in a perfectly faded red my mom had when I was a kid, and I think that’s why I am immune to the sudden market implosion of these crazy new luxury ones 😂 Incredible finds as always, but my favorite thing here might be the concise v. enthusiastic shopper categorization!!
That sounds like the perfect coat!! I think we see images of filtered and photoshopped picture perfection and often forget part of the experience of getting dressed is *living* in your clothes. I love seeing faded, worn-in, mended pieces in the wild - signs of a life being lived.
I really loved this piece. Especially because I’ve been circling a handful of Dôen dresses online and I needed a sign not to spend £££ on things I do not need. Glenn, I adore your voice! As a UK reader, on the offchance that this is interesting/useful - vintage nightdresses from British brand Marks & Spencer, usually made under the St Michael label, have big Dôen vibes - but they’re fairly cheap and easy to get hold of. (Also there seems to be a greater range of sizing available than I usually find when I’m hunting for vintage.) XO
It’s almost as if most consumers don’t have many occasions that call for a $400 sundress dress with a fisherman sweater and rain boots?
I bet they do great numbers in Utah though
😂
Glenn, you don't even know how much I loved reading this. You wrote so many of my feelings about Doen captured perfectly and then gave us the most *chefs kiss* alternatives!
I also just want to point out that your idea of them partnering with actual vintage sellers because nothing annoys me more than seeing their designs and thinking "no wait, I've seen this before on Etsy."
Always appreciate your comments, Kelly!
I think partnering with the vintage world would be the perfect unique pivot for a brand of their size! The resale, secondhand market is only going to continue to explode these next few years and they could be a leader in building a community where you can both support a female founded clothing company and practice becoming a more conscious, "eco-friendly" consumer.
Along with your inauthenticity and fake hierloom points, I cannot put my finger on it, but somehow Doen gives me sinister vibes for a lot of other reasons. Partially because their price points would actually allow you to purchase real 1930s clothes that were made better 90 years ago, maybe? Or perhaps it's the extremely thin women doing nothing in pastoral settings marketing? They've always given me the ick and I've never been able to articulate it well, but I love a good take down. Thank you!
Sinister vibes are right on - I think that plays off of my "counterfeit authenticity" and "peculiar feminist energy" feels. It all seems very calculated, especially if you've followed their social media since 2020 and seen what feels like very performative marketing.
Omg it’s the try-hard fake arty/ephemeral “image descriptions” in their captions that give me the ick - like it’s an angled pic of a young skinny blonde lady on some random street in Pasadena in a coat made in China that probably cost $20 to produce. Don’t try to romanticize it by throwing a warm filter on it with a “poetic” description.
That said, do I want the barn coat because they’re peddling it to me as the perfect go-with-anything butter yellow- yes I love butter!
Had me at the title!! Loved this piece and honestly, they really do churn out the same piece in a different font every season. Does that mean I don’t want it? Nope. But taking a moment to ponder and pause separates a good wardrobe from a great one, I think.
"taking a moment to ponder and pause separates a good wardrobe from a great one"
damn, tattoo this on my forehead please - the wisdom!!!
❤️
As a vintage seller, this piece on Doen and your piece on Bode thoughtfully reflected sentiments I have been feeling for such a long time! It pains me to see people fawn over these brands (although I know they may not be aware of the vintage alternatives) when there are so many small businesses like mine trying to peddle similar wares at such a more affordable price point. I have maybe more of a controversial viewpoint that brands like this do not need to exist, with so much already in existence 😬 You bringing attention to the matter is so important! Thank you!
I think it's perplexing when you spend a lot of time in the vintage space to not understand how people don't get that what they're looking at isn't actually "good" or even original, but after years in retail I discovered the average consumer usually wants someone else to do the work for them and tell them what's cool - which kind of goes against the natural spirit of treasure hunting and discovering yourself through sifting through pieces of vintage history. People see brands like Bode and Dôen and it's easy to point at it and go "that's unique. I want that" without even realizing that these designers are drawing inspiration from something else. I think it will just get worse the further we get into creativity being stuck in the orbit of the internet.
I feel you on not really seeing the need for brands like this - it's one of the reasons I started this space - there's literally already so much shit on this planet that could clothe every human 1000x over in whatever ~aesthetic~ they desired. I think the vintage and secondhand space is the one booming industry I *want* to have oversaturated, even if it means I'm not the loudest voice in it (but I'd sure like to be considered it lol)
I've been on the edge of buying a cotton nightgown from doen- im glad to read this and take a pause to consider alternatives
I debated adding some into this collection but honestly ran out of time --there are so many great alternatives on eBay and Etsy! "Vintage" Victoria Secret nightgowns are actually kind of a sleeper hit - good textiles (100% cotton, 100% silk) and very classic silhouettes. They tend to resale a little high ($90-125) because of this, but I think they might actually hold up better than some of Dôen's offerings.
https://go.shopmy.us/p-6843294 - a good starting point if you want sleeveless (not sure your sizing but if you scroll down you can find similar alternatives which is usually where I start clicking around!)
https://go.shopmy.us/p-6843357 - the perfect traditional long sleeve that feels very Dôen
https://go.shopmy.us/p-6843536 - I had this one saved for this round-up but it didn't make it in
Would also recommend the keywords "Edwardian" and "French cotton" "cotton muslin"
Thanks so much!! Such good recommendations for search terms that I wouldnt have thought of! And seriously considering those links- particularly first and third!
Yay! - happy vintage hunting - I hope you find one you love!
I’ve been searching for my toile item & brown skirt all summer and just grabbed this brown skirt. Can’t wait to pair with a camo jacket & lace/sheer/silk top. 🙌
Wahoo! I love toile and I love the outfit idea - send pics!
My 5 year old was browsing with me this morning and also pointed it out as something I should get. You beat me to it! 😁 You should know it’s Theo-approved 👍
Toile always seems to tell a story so it’s no surprise a little guy would like it. I’ll wear it with extra confidence now!
What a great piece! Thanks for confirming that pre-fall is NOT a thing
Thank you for reading!
I worked in retail for 14 years- we sold those jackets for about $30 back in’94-ish. I enjoy seeing what’s in fashion and then looking for it in my local thrift shop. Most “new” styles can be found for a fraction secondhand (and the quality is better). Great article!
Thank you for reading! I salute your 14 years in retail as someone who did it for almost a decade 🫡
I also love looking at current trends and seeing what I can dig up secondhand -- I've discovered if you pray hard enough to the Thrift Gods, they almost always deliver!
At 53 I am not the market. And huge respect for two women building a super successful enterprise in this world! But I just don't GET this brand; every time I see it I'm like -- are we going to churn butter on the prairie today? I read this and was like "Maybe there's nothing wrong with me!" XO.
Yes! A very important point I don't think I managed to fully express is that I don't want to sit here and besmirch the lucrative business these women have built - kudos to them - I just spent years trying to get off the proverbial trail my Mormon pioneer ancestors paved and I have no interest in wearing a $500 dress that brings me right back to the prairie!
OMG YES exactly
Love this! I’ve had similar hard to pin down feelings abt them (I do love their overpriced Pointelle tees). The thing that turned me off to the brand was going to a sample sale they had in nyc, pre pandemic. The clothes looked and felt SO cheap. And they looked SO out of place in nyc. Their grift was just too obvious at that moment. I still look at their stuff but the fantasy they’re selling doesn’t resonate with me. Like you say, original vintage is always better!
Yes, that's it! They're selling a *fantasy* and I think in this new culture of everything being an ~aesthetic~ they've focused too hard on their all around marketing image rather than having products that can actually stand out on their own (and resonate with the customer that doesn't fit the rich, thin, white aesthetic), especially when it comes down to quality. It's disappointing for sure because there is so much potential in the nooks and crannies of their vibes!
A healthy dose of appreciation for your eye in spotting these amazing vintage pieces!!
Thank you so much!
I guess I’ll be the lone commenter to raise my hand and say: I have a handful of dresses and blouses from Doen and love and wear the heck out of all of them. While they’re not vintage, they’ve lasted and worn well for years and they’ve helped me feel like the best version of myself on days when it felt hard to get dressed. As a curvy size 12–16 (US), vintage shopping is HARD (esp online), and I actually have found that Doen has fit me well, even at my biggest when I sized out of some other favorite brands.
I totally respect your ick since we’re all allowed to have our own reactions to styles, aesthetics, etc. I just don’t feel the same way. 🤷🏼♀️
You’re 100% correct that vintage is not accessible or inclusive to a lot of body types and there’s a huge gap in the new clothing market for curvy sizing that is also comfortable, made well, and makes the individual feel like their best self. I’m glad you feel great in their product — I have pieces from them I also love!
This essay was more of a critique on the sinister vibes I get from their marketing strategies and dancing around the fact they aren’t sustainable in the slightest — many of their products are significantly overpriced and sold under the vague guise that it’s all ethical. My other critique is focused on the culture they’ve built and that it all feels a little mean girl-ish/tradwifey to me and very faux feminist. I personally believe in the 2025 retail landscape we need to be pivoting to actually include vintage and secondhand *somehow* into more business strategies, especially if your entire brand is built off of remaking heirlooms that have already existed.
I want to hold them (along with so many other brands!) to higher standards because I believe it’s essential to finding some level of harmony amidst the relentless churn of capitalism and raging climate change.
Yeah I hear ya! I do like their Hand Me Doen program and actually plan to resell a couple of pieces via that soon. I just don't get mean girl vibes—a painfully and beautifully curated aesthetic, yes, but nefarious no—but again, to each their own! I think I also just don't feel misled by potential ethical posturing since I used to work as a copywriter for a luxury department store and I assume that unless something is explicitly stated, it's probably not true. 😅
For me no barn coat will ever top the thrifted llbean one with brown cord collar in a perfectly faded red my mom had when I was a kid, and I think that’s why I am immune to the sudden market implosion of these crazy new luxury ones 😂 Incredible finds as always, but my favorite thing here might be the concise v. enthusiastic shopper categorization!!
That sounds like the perfect coat!! I think we see images of filtered and photoshopped picture perfection and often forget part of the experience of getting dressed is *living* in your clothes. I love seeing faded, worn-in, mended pieces in the wild - signs of a life being lived.
idk what to say that already hasn't been said! this was gold. huge fan of you + love your newsletter
Thank you so much for the hype/ego boost/love - I appreciate you!
I really loved this piece. Especially because I’ve been circling a handful of Dôen dresses online and I needed a sign not to spend £££ on things I do not need. Glenn, I adore your voice! As a UK reader, on the offchance that this is interesting/useful - vintage nightdresses from British brand Marks & Spencer, usually made under the St Michael label, have big Dôen vibes - but they’re fairly cheap and easy to get hold of. (Also there seems to be a greater range of sizing available than I usually find when I’m hunting for vintage.) XO
Thank you for reading, Daisy!
And thank you for this hot thrift tip, especially as it relates to size inclusivity, which is a particular hurdle when hunting for vintage!