Standard Style

Superb selection, terrible customer service. Would definitely be more inclined to spend my money here if the sales ladies weren’t stuck up and rude.

Love the store
Got an awesome leather jacket.

Beautiful boutique with fun clothing and great service!

If you pop into this store when they are having a sale, you’ll find KILLER deals. I don’t know how many pairs of shoes I’ve gotten from here for less than $ 30. The quality of the shoes are not that great but what do you expect from a markdown from $ 75-​$ 100?
Oh right, the clothes — just as lovely. You have your higher end in the back corner with other lines sprinkled throughout the front and to the left as soon as you walk in.

So I just got my paycheck and was on a holiday shopping binge. I’ve got most everybody on my list taken care of, including myself 3 times over (you gotta watch out for #1). I’m feeling spendy, and then I walk past Standard Style. In the words of Archer, I’m in the Danger Zone!
The clothes here are pretty much exactly my aesthetic, and they had a Baldwin pop-​up shop for the holidays. For the uninitiated, Baldwin is a local men’s line, mostly denim, but they have plenty of other items. It’s all fantastic, and FRICKIN EXPENSIVE! But that’s just par for the course at Standard. Amazing clothes that I’d immediately feel guilty about purchasing. Seriously, I could probably spend a months rent on one outfit.
But I don’t think this is breaking news to anybody that’s remotely familiar with the store.
So, then… why did I even bother to write this review if I’m not offering anything new or useful? Because I think it’s important to counteract so many of the reviews that take issue with Standard’s customer service. I think they do a great job of taking care of their guests. These people have always been friendly towards me, and are very knowledgeable about their product. On every visit I’ve been greeted warmly and offered assistance, but not harassed or stalked like some store clerks are known to do. In my experience, at least, these are good people. And If I had a lot more money, I’d give them a ton of it.

I LOVE their clothing, but if you aren’t dressed up or look bad, they won’t say hi to you or welcome you into the store. I have spent hundreds of dollars here, but always feel weird when employees don’t welcome me in,

Nice local store on the Plaza that carry a nice selection of men’s ware. More specialty and boutique based which is nice if you are looking for something different than what most stores carry. They even have their own line of denim and some other custom pieces here and there. Of course, there is a women’s section and also a nice gift/​home section to shop too. The customer service is a hit or miss, but as of late, the hits have won out. I need to check out their exclusive men’s store «Baldwin» out in the suburbs on one of the rare occasions that I make a trip out that direction. It’s a higher price point so I try to buy special pieces that are harder to find in town, here.

In Kansas City, there aren’t many places to find stylish clothing for men (and women too), but Standard does us guys right by providing home-​grown and off-​shore threads for us to rock.
Granted, Standard is not cheap. Nor should it be. I am just as big of a thrift-​store shopper as I am a retail shopper, believe me. If you want cheap prices, go to cheap stores (a la Forever 21), and buy clothing that lasts a good 2 weeks. Otherwise, Standard dishes up clothes that last for years.
My first purchase at Standard was a pair of Nudie jeans. They were my first pair of raw denim, and I’ve never gone back to a pair of Levi’s. They fit me like a glove, and best of all, the staff I bought them from was extremely helpful and gave me plenty of time to think over my (expensive, but worth it) purchase.
Now that the owners are expanding their Baldwin line, I feel even better about shopping in the store, supporting local talent. Plus, the current sales team (the one I’m familiar with), really know how to style a woman or a man. I can’t tell you how many compliments I’ve gotten every single item I’ve purchased from Standard. As a shopper with the long-​term in mind, I gladly go here first to suit my needs.

A store does not have to carry clothing that I would wear to like the store. They don’t have to have clothes that fit me or appeal to my demographic for me to like the store. A store doesn’t have to fit into my economic means for me to appreciate what they offer. A store doesn’t have to carry local merchandise for me to step into. Thank god for all of this, otherwise I wouldn’t be too damn happy to have Standard Style Boutique in town.
I am very happy that they are local owners taking up residence on the Plaza. I hate the feeling of us becoming a discount, coupon crazy society. (I understand it and the need for it, I really do) but I do feel there should be a huge variety of merchandise and environments to shop from. I like to be current on what’s going on in our culture, even if I don’t partake. I can get inspired by good design and merchandising even if I can’t afford what is being sold. Standard offers a beautiful environment to shop in. It’s fun to look at merchandise that I don’t see at many other retailers here in KC.
The biggest downfall and upset for me is the customer service. I love good customer service. This is the one area that Standard really falls short. Come on, you are local, I want to feel appreciated for stepping into your doors. Maybe I can’t fit into your jeans, but I can figuratively fit into a candle or book, so give me a smile or a «hi». It doesn’t take much more than a simple acknowledgement for me.
I wish you well Standard Style. I will still stop in every now and again and take a good look around and hope, just hope that I get a smile or two when I come through the doors.

Having worked retail most of my life, I am very particular about customer service. If you don’t treat me like I would treat a costumer, I am automatically irritated. Of all the times I have walked into Standard on my lunch break to kill tome, I have never once been greeted upon entering the store. Big no, no! it usually the takes the staff some time before they even ask what you’re looking for, and I feel like they are very obvious about their judging people. When some one very obviously designer-​clad walks in, the staff flocks to them, ignoring more modestly dressed people. Now, the logic behind that makes sense, the designer-​clad people look like they’re big spenders… but still, they don’t know whose carrying the most cash and they need to learn not to jump the gun so quickly.
Besides staffing, I feel like their merchandise is overpriced. I understand some people are willing to pay however much for the tag in their dresses, but I have found many of the same items on line for significantly cheaper. I fell in love with a Juicy Couture winter coat in SS one time, but the $ 700 price tag made me nauseous. I got online and found the same coat for $ 400 duckies! (Still didn’t but it, but thats not the point of the story.)
Also, Standard Style Boutique is a local store, and they emphasize supporting local businesses, but I’d say 90% of their product is shipped in, not from local designers.
Even after all of this, they still get 2 stars because one of my favorite headbands came from there. And they are one of the only places I know on the plaza that carry SPANX. haha :) And they have a lovely store dog. A big golden retriever that always made my lunch break a little better, because come on! Animals make everything a little better!

The word Boutique with the word «Sale» in bright red letters on a window, brought me into Standard Style Boutique on the Plaza.
I’ve shopped at the other locations, but the prices turned me away. Today, everything on the Plaza store was on sale. The prices were prefect. Sometimes I find the clothes at Standard Style, a bit smallish, but sometimes SS has just that one dress I want and it fits. But usually the price is too much.
Today, they had just that dress that would go perfect with either my skinny jeans, or leggings. What would’ve been priced for 65.00, I got for 30.00.
DVF for under $ 45.00, Rebbecca Taylor, for under 45.00. I couldn’t believe it. The dress I bought for 30.00 was by The Hanger. Blouse after blouse after blouse, I knew I was in for it. They are one of the few stores who sell what they sell. Granted, they are a chain boutique, but they are worth visiting.
So, the dress fit, and I bought it. I visioned myself walking around the Plaza holding a cool Standard Style bag… and when they put it in the bag, they gave me a brown crinkled bag that said, «Transfer to Town Center» x’d out in red marker… not funny… maybe they were out of bags. I wanted to hide the bag, and not let anyone see it. Infact, I’m going to return the bag, the next time I am at the Plaza, and walk out of the store. It’s that God-​awful. Not paying attention, huh, staff?
I bet they could’ve had 5 stars, if they’d given me the right bag, without printing on it, and without being crinkled. Seriously, I had to wait a bit to check out my clothes. The guy at the other register was discussing personal matters with the customer before me. So, finally, he had me go to the other register.
Again, forgiven, cause the clothes were so inexpensive during the sale that JC Nichols was probably turning over in his grave.

I will be in KC for like 3 months… I thought I was going to die until I discovered these three things
1. Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
2. BBQ
3. STANDARD STYLE BOUTIQUE!!!
I miss CA and I miss the bitchy sales girls who think they are so much better than you… and when I need a dose of that I can definitely come here
but seriously, they have the latest trends and my fav.: marc by marc jacobs– can’t afford it but it’s nice to look
they have everything from super high end to moderately priced one of a kind items
the store is also clean, well stocked and even sale items are plenty
this wed, I bought my cousin’s b-​day present here and it was cute, moderately priced and stylish
I will defintely be back to at least get a dose of non-​missouri-​ness but seriosuly… you’re in kansas city, do they have to act like a bitchy LA sales girl? after all, missouri is a «show me» state

So, like, the Standard Style Boutique is, like, so totally LA, right?!
I went undercover, to understand this little shop’s allure. To be fair, I can appreciate an overpriced store of designer goods like anyone else… but when the snobbery comes from the store’s workers, being a handful of twerps my own age and all, I get rightly offended. Here’s maybe the closest I’ve come to a classic Pretty Woman incident…
5:02 p.m. I enter to find a girl about 18 laying over the top of the checkout counter with her head glued to the phone shouting in a nauseatingly shrill, «Tony, why do you do this to me?! Stop it! I’m working…{laugh}! » Above the checkout counter hung a gigantic crystal chandelier… equipped with an even larger lamp shade encircled around it.
Observation #1: I would be dealing with some extravagant, odd and even needless merchandise.
I took no time to examine the clothing, because what caught my attention next was a wall of accessories that stretched from the warehouse-​style cement floors to the ceiling. And how quaint, underneath it all sat an ivory Victorian couch the size of two regular couches, embroidered and gilded and glossy. I sat down and began to write my observations for the next ten minutes, looking up only to find a huddle of hushed workers leaning over the couch to read what I was writing. I smiled at them and they turned away, not even a hello.
Ten minutes later, the girl on the phone, who was supposed to be working, ran up to the shoe section of the accessory wall… barefoot. I kid you not people, she was barefoot and said, «Suzy, I have to buy these shoes!» And to this Suzy replied, «Oh Jenny, they’re just so funky! You have to!» And then later added in a cliché girl-​dialogue kind of way, «God, I hate you. I would kill for your body.»
Observation #2: no one had entered the store since I had been here, now about 20 minutes.
As I turned around to find three other workers debating things they all planned on buying, I came to the conclusion that most people did not buy this crap… it was in fact feeding off of it own workers’ measly paychecks, dwindling away in a haze of $ 400 antique dresses that Richard Nixon’s wife used to wear, on sale, of course.
That’s when I saw it, the skirt: a silver, slimy space suit-​colored plastic a-​line skirt hanging proudly in front of a rack of comparatively better-​looking clothes. Maybe Suzy or Jenny would pay the $ 198 for the monstrosity. It was, after all, marked down from $ 300.
And… that was enough for me. Feeling unwanted and desiring, honestly, nothing in return, I simply left, without a word from anyone «working.» And that’s the standard truth of things, a store without a general care for its customers.

Standard Style Boutique comes via Matt & Emily Baldwin — two people I’ve had the pleasure to meet and interact with. Here’s the deal. Kansas City is a far cry from a fashion destination but Standard is trying to change all that. They are hands down the best resource for designer threads (if you have the cash). If you’re looking for a place with labels (Nudie, Varvatos, Perse, etc.) and know what’s hot/​trendy then Standard will most likely make you a happy camper. It can be a bit suffocating down at the plaza location but it’s nothing a few layout adjustments wouldn’t fix. Don’t expect over the top friendliness from the associates, they do exude that fashion sneer at times.
Do stop by on Thursday night for Ink Thursdays to shop till you drop with in-​store deals, food/​drink and a DJ spinning until close. With two locations and a hand in pretty much all the fashion related happenings in the area, Standard is just that — KC’s standard.

Standard Style is like a cool boutique like you would find on Melrose in LA, that has somehow landed in KC.
One of the few non-​chain stores in the Plaza, the Standard has a little bit of everything — from Marc Jacobs clothing to a fun printed dress from a lesser-​known designer. They have a good range of prices, and something for everyone. The style is definitely youthful and trendy, but it is not limited to the junior set.
We were there during a huge sale, and a savvy shopper with a couple of hours free could really find some choice items. I looked at a lot of things, and ended up with a great pink straw bag with bamboo handles, and a pair of silver Havianas. I could have easily bought some great bangles and a new wallet, but I restrained myself.
They carry Women’s clothing, shoes, bags and accessories, and Men’s clothing.
I will look forward to visiting this fun and fabulous store next time I am in the area.