Defiantly Tacoma’s Guide to D Haberdashery

Editors Note: If clothes make the man, then Dion Teague is as made as Don Corleone. He certainly dresses better too. Mr. Teague runs D Haberdashery, a fascinatingly packed vintage clothing store on Tacoma’s Antique Row. We stumbled upon his cavern-like wardrobe when it was in its old location, and now, just in time for local businesses reopening, he’s opened a new space right on Broadway. Chock full of fashions from a day where people simply dressed better, D Haberdashery is a one stop shop for all the staples of a dignified South Sound vintage wardrobe. We were lucky to pull in Dion to give us a Defiantly Tacoma look at his shop’s background and his 5 staples to a vintage men’s closet.

Dion Teague, Owner D Haberdashery:

I named my business “D Haberdashery”, in part, because I believe I’ve always had a fashionable eye. I enjoy and find it a pleasure to help other gentlemen get in touch with a dapper side that caters to their individualism, through yesterday and today’s trends, creating their own.

Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, men took great pride in detail how they dressed from the fedora, fit and quality of a shirt, suit, suspenders, socks, and shoes. Many streets were filled with quaint shops of local shoe smiths and apparel/accessory crafters. Patrons were able to customize their looks, establishing ongoing personal relationships with shop owners. It became a place of camaraderie and upstanding community cohesiveness.

D Haberdashery’s Top 5 Vintage Men’s Wardrobe Staples

Oxford Dress Shoes

Simply put, an oxford refers to a dress shoe that has a closed lacing system, meaning the parts of the shoe that hold the shoelace eyelets are sewn under the vamp, rather than on top of it.

This gives the oxford a clean look and a slim silhouette, making it perfect for suits.

Stylish Hat

Because of its position on the highest part of the body, the hat has always been both a useful protective accessory and a mark of distinction among men. It’s the crowning achievement as it were.

Whether Pork Pie, fedora or bowler, a hat will also reflect your true sense of individuality and style.

Pendleton Flannel

For that cool, casual, comfortable, and relaxed look, nothing wears and looks better in the Pacific Northwest than an iconic soft 100% wool Pendleton flannel shirt. Solid or plaid, these shirts from the woolen mills of Portland, Oregon are a must, rain or shine.

Vintage Watch

Whether a Rolex, Omega, or Hamilton, nothing adds more glamour to the wrist than the sleek look of a vintage mechanical watch. A mechanical watch uses a clockwork mechanism to measure the passage of time, as opposed to quartz, which function electronically via a small battery.

My favorites are the 1950s Hamilton Electrical watches with a number of dramatic case styles and non-traditional asymmetrical styling; it shows visual reminders of the ultra-modern movements inside the case.

Levi’s Denim

Flannel shirts pair well with the tried and true fit and feel of well-worn vintage Levi’s 501 denim jeans. “Made in the USA,” nothing beats the hard look of a fresh pair of new old stock blue denim Levi’s rolled up with a 4” cuff just waiting to be broken in. Your way, your style.

Ed: Thank you, Dion! Now to get to shopping, as there are certainly some boxes here we can’t check off in our own closets. Visit D Haberdashery’s new location at 743 Broadway (W-F 12 PM-6 PM, Saturday 11 AM-5 PM, Sunday 12 PM-5 PM) and take your wardrobe up a notch. Look good, feel good. You know we could all use a little more of that these days.