Workshop Studio & Boutique

I really love the two long-​sleeved cotton/​bamboo tops (made in Montréal, $ 40 each), scarf (made in Toronto, $ 50) and tea towel ($ 25) I just picked up at Workshop. The shop has a mellow, friendly feel and a wide range of price points. The jewellery is especially well-​curated.

I was already a fan of Workshop before I stumbled in there during their trunk sale. What a score that was.
At the beginning of the Fall and Spring seasons Workshop has designers send previous seasons clothing and it’s all majorly on sale. Needless to say, I spent a great deal of time trying everything on. They had a huge selection of the lovely pieces from atelier b which was a huge score. I found myself a new shirt, after trying on most of the store and was very happy.
The nice thing is that it’s not a sample sale, so it looked like they had a big range of sizes and multiples of the same item in different sizes. The place was buzzing, but the staff were chipper and really helpful.
They had set up a couple more change rooms set up which was good, they typically only have two so the extra space made it easier to go nuts and try everything on.
I got so overwhelmed by the trunk sale I forgot completely why I had gone in there and didn’t even look at the jewellery. By the time I was ready to leave I didn’t have the patience to look, but they have an ever growing selection of local and really awesome jewellery.
I highly recommend finding out when their next trunk sale is so you too can take advantage of the awesome deals!

Workshop completes the trio of independent clothing shops (the other two being Milk and Victoire) found on Dalhousie Street. It falls in the middle with regards to pricing, but it stands apart as a boutique featuring Canadian clothing lines, handmade jewelry, eco-​friendly products and organic fabrics. I usually go to this store in the summer as it is when I find the bold colours to be the most appealing.
This store is definitely worth stopping in if you are window shopping in the market. The staff is very friendly, and even though the pricing is a little bit high it is worth it for a unique & quality product.
The main items are women’s clothing (dresses, skirts, shirts etc) but they also have some really cool vintage looking jewelry pieces as well as accessories (scarves, headpieces, purses etc).
As it is a local business located just outside of the Byward Market, Worksop often participates in the Dalhousie Street Shopping Nights (which feature sales and extended hours). They also have a trunk show every spring that is definitely worth checking out!

Nice to find this local crafted gem visiting from Portland, Oregon. Supporting mostly women designers many from Ottawa. A bit spendy, each piece upwards of $ 80 to $ 100. Tons of jewelry locally crafted as well. I got a very art decco asian crossed inspired cap t. Curious what the Portland fashion peeps will say.
Staff super nice and when I asked about more local shops, they gave me a great guide that included foodie places as well.

I love this trendy clothing and accessory boutique on Dalhousie! A friend recently introduced me to it and they have some amazing styles here!
The whole boutique is exactly how I like my styles, colourful and original. My friend has a really original hair band from here with a sort of leaf shaped sewn pendant on it. You can be guaranteed that what you get here will be different than what everyone else has!
The staff are super-​friendly and always willing to answer questions on the artists and designers. It is wonderful that all the artists featured here are Canadian and that so many are local!
Clothes here cost more than the mainstream stores, but are more than worth the splurge to support local artists!

Workshop is one of my favourite boutiques in Ottawa, although I sometimes find it difficult to validate the slightly high prices. That said, I’m usually a vintage store frugal nut, so I find it hard to pay more than $ 100 for any item of clothing. This boutique mainly specializes in clothing, jewelry, purses and stuffed toys made by local and Canadian female designers. Most of what they have is awesome, although some of their designs may be a bit out there for some tastes.
The owners also run workshops, including knitting, earring making and sewing classes. Prices are usually around $ 50, but all materials are included.

Workshop is part of the original revival of Dalhousie Street as a relatively new shopping destination in Ottawa.
The shop is chalk full of stylish Canadian labels, crafty accessories and handmade lines of jewellery. All of the designers are women and Canadian (many of which are local) which makes this store totally unique in Ottawa.
Some cool labels include: Annie 50 and Soit Disant (both out of Montréal) and Dagg & Stacey whose latest collection feature tweeds in collegial cuts. There is also a funky line designed completely out of recycled sweaters!
The store environment is inviting and chilled out with nice familial chatting amongst staff and customers. Something else worth noting is the community spirit that the shops on this street seem to have. They all seem to know each other and don’t hesitate to recommend a visit to their neighbouring stores for something specific you might be looking for. I find this to be a totally refreshing take on retail and a great reason to visit this store.