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Rowena
Categories: Shopping Fashion Accessories Shopping Fashion Men's Clothing Shopping Fashion Women's Clothing Accessories, Men's Clothing, Women's Clothing [Edit]
10762 82 Ave NWEdmonton, AB T6E 2A8
(780) 439-5445
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 10 am - 8 pm
Thu-Fri 10 am - 9 pm
Sat 10 am - 6 pm
Sun 12 pm - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
9 reviews for Rowena
9 reviews in English
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Review from KoKo C.
Edmonton, AB
11/14/2011
Rowena is one of the few alternative shops that actually carries plus size clothing! They have a lot of pin-up and rockabilly dresses for women bigger than size 12. I wish they had more skirts available in plus size but I assume that is partly because the brands they get in don't make them.
Most of the staff is really helpful and friendly. The store is so crammed that I am sure I am missing some great gems tucked away somewhere. -
Review from Alex P.
Updated - 4/6/2012
After being contacted by the owner I decided to re-evaluate my opinion of Rowena. I recently popped back in the store for a more thorough look-through.
Since I am most interested in the 50s / 60s style clothing, this is what I focused on. I did notice that they carried more fabric types than I'd originally seen, but a lot of them weren't really my thing. (A lot of it was this really form fitting stretchy stuff, and I don't really want to show off my "figure" that much! If you have a rad body it would look great, though.)
Unlike my previous visits, I did find a few dresses that I really liked. Unfortunately they were made of unlined lightweight quilting cotton, and I felt like any sudden movement on my part would tear it. (Some of the styles were strapless and therefore couldn't be worn with a full slip.) Even though they looked good I couldn't imagine spending $100+ on them.
The actual construction of the items looked pretty solid, and I didn't notice any loose seams or anything. Little details that I consider standard were missing on some of the dresses though (like a hook & eye at the top of the zipper). Things like this left me with a "home made" feeling with respect to some of the items, especially the simple cotton ones.
The staff were friendly as usual, and they were attentive and helpful for my entire visit. My one complaint is that it didn't matter what I tried on, their response was that it was "cute." This was true for some items, but others really did not look good (i.e., did not fit properly or hang nicely on my body). When I'm shopping alone I do prefer that employees be honest, so I don't end up buying something and regretting it later.
I have learned since my last review that the shop carries many dresses in plus sizes. I really respect that, and that does contribute to my rating.
Rowena has a large selection, and compared to other alternative shops on Whyte they have good prices. On the whole, though, I still don't think this place is for me.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/8/2012
I used to shop here when I wore gothic clothing (back in high school!), and I have checked the place… Read more »
Comment from W. S. B. of Rowena 4/3/2012
We are an alternative clothing store specializing in retro… More » -
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Review from Joanna F.
12/1/2010
One one of my favourite stores on Whyte, Rowena features and interesting combination of goth, rockabilly and pin-up style clothes and accessories that will appeal to those who don't necessarily want to dress like everyone else.
Looking for a mad-men style dress, a skull and crossbones embroidered cardigan or monster-face painted heels? Rowena is definitely the place to head to.
For the price-conscious, head straight next door and down the stairs: Rowena now has a basement shop where they sell older merchandise at a seriously reduced price. 1950's Hawaiian print beach dresses for $10? Yes Please! -
Review from Kerri W.
Banff, AB
10/3/2008 1 photo
This store totally appeals to my dark side. I couldn't believe how many Halloween costumes they had! Of course, to some people some of their regular clothes resemble Halloween costumes.
They've got really funky shoes and boots - most of them imported from England. Some are cute, others have spider webs and some serious boots that would likely be a workout to wear!
They've got some interesting corsets and such. I fell in love with a black straight jacket but resisted the urge to purchase. It was very difficult to leave it there.
An interesting store at any given time, I found it especially intriguing at this time of year. -
Review from Nicole B.
Edmonton, AB
10/20/2009 1 photo
Well, this store wasn't really my thing. It was very gothic and even sort of Celtic. Being that is close to Halloween, the whole store was filled with costumes. They had quite a bit of clothing for a small store and a small collection of shoes and boots. I have to be honest, some of the shoes were HOT and I really wanted a couple pairs! I managed to momentarily harness my shopping addiction and leave empty handed.
Rowena had some cute little novelty items and some really cute bags. It is definitely a dark, devil on your shoulder, kind of store. Did I mention the super sexy corsets?!!
It's not really my thing, but it was jam packed full of people when I went in so they must be doing something right! -
Review from Lauren N.
11/12/2008
I stopped by Rowena today, just to finally see what they have there. I was immediately greeted by the owner's cute puppy, although I don't think she liked me too much, because she kept following me around the shop and barking at me.
The store itself is really neat though, and reminds me a lot of Mars & Venus down the street. They have a lot of funky stuff, a unique blend of dark gothic and rockabilly styles, with lots of red and black everywhere. Although it's not usually my style, I'd buy their polka dot black and red dress if I could pull it off. They also had a lot of corsets, in all sorts of different styles, which was really cool. They have a wide shoe selection too, with platform boots to heels and cute ballet flats.
They also have a guys' section, which mostly consists of graphic T-shirts and pants. For girls, in addition to the dresses and corsets, they had jackets, skirts, tanktops, stockings, and graphic T-shirts too. I found a cute jersey tanktop I really liked, but I wasn't willing to pay $60 for it, especially if it was just a simple black one. Rowena was a bit more expensive than I thought it would be.
Really cool store, but if I can find similar stuff at Mars & Venus or even Deluxe, I won't be coming back here anytime soon. Plus I won't have a little dog constantly barking at my feet. -
Review from Bethany L.
Edmonton, AB
11/1/2011
This is a great place to shop if you're into pin-up or rockabilly! The staff are always super friendly, which for me is a huge bonus because I don't have what you would consider a "pin-up" figure, so it's sometimes hard for me to fine things that fit correctly in those styles. However, Wendy n particular knows the stock like the back of her hand and will pick out anything she thinks will work. Last time I went in, I got a gorgeous red dress covered with blue roses. It's a circle skirt style, with a ruched bodice and cap sleeves, and it even came with a little bolero jacket! We also found the perfect red crinoline to finish the outfit off. I could browse this store forever, but I would probably leave with my bank account empty. Some people probably think that this store is a little out there, but for anyone into "alternative" type culture (and I hate using that term, by the way) this is the place to be.
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Review from Paula K.
10/20/2008 1 photo
Rowena is a very unusual store - it sells a lot of what some would consider "goth" clothing and accessories. Some may find a lot of the clothing more like a costumes than everyday wear. Others would just consider this a place to get their normal outfits. It all depends on your taste and personality. For me, I find a lot of the items here a bit too "dark" for my taste, but interesting to look at nonetheless. Hats, jackets, t-shirts, pants, shoes - Rowena carries a variety of styles, all which could be classified as alternative. Definitely one of Whyte Avenue's most unique shops.
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Review from Jeanette B.
Edmonton, AB
11/6/2008 1 photo
Rowena is an awesomely unique store that carries clothes, shoes, bags, and other accessories that are very rockabilly, punk, alternative, and goth. This is another one of those stores that is so jam packed with merchandise that it takes a lot of time, effort, and patience to look through all the clothes. I've seen so many amazing dresses here that look totally 1950s and are totally sexy. I love the colours too--a lot of black, red, and white. I would love to get one someday, but the sizes do run a bit small. The shoes and boots here are really cool too. I love the leopard-print platforms and the almost knee-high sneakers. Rowena also has some very sexy corsets. I also love the bags, shirts and skirts with classic horror themes on them. I don't know what the customer service is like since, since I've never been asked if I need help, but then again, I've never asked.
