Martin + Osa

M&O is going out of business. This is bad, bad news. But before they officially close, there will be big, chunky discounts. Start saying your long good-​byes…

AMAZING service. I was treated like a queen. I wanted boots online, but I wanted to go to the store to try them on first. They didn’t stock them in the store, but they were happy to order them for me online and assist me with sizing. I also tried on a dress, it was a little small, and again: they were happy to order my size and ship it to me. For free!
A little pricey, but it’s really, really worth it. The stuff is high quality.
If the products and service were this nice everywhere else, I would be so happy.

Martin + Osa’s tagline is «Refined Casual. Clothing + Accessories» so I thought I would make some additional slogie ogies similar to «Refined Casual.»
«Comfortable Classic»
«Reasonably Priced»
«Cute and Quality»
«Cheaper than JCrew»
«Fun yet not Flashy»
«More mature than Express»

If you’re looking for clothing that says «casual, but put-​together» or «classic, but not boring, work attire,» Martin+Osa is a great option. Before I’d even visited the store, I bought a few sweaters off their website. (As of today, they are still running the promotion — $ 79 for all cashmere sweaters!) I was really impressed by the fact that my stuff was delivered in like 2 days, and shipping/​returns are totally free. The sweaters fit perfectly and I like how they’re cut a bit longer than comparable styles at JCrew/​Banana.
This weekend, I was at Old Orchard so I wanted to check out the store. I like David W.‘s description of the layout and feel — it’s very rich, warm and modern. The salespeople were friendly without being annoying, letting us browse without interruption. With the holiday shopping season in full swing, I was surprised that the store wasn’t jam-​packed on Black Friday. Especially for recent college grads who are looking to build up a work wardrobe, this place is great! Nice gift ideas too.

If I could, I would give this little shop TWENTY stars! As a woman of an indeterminant age, I find it so difficult to find cute, yet fashionable clothing! I am so past the Bebe, Guess, and Forever 21 stage! For that reason, going to the mall is often painful since I am a shopping addict! But, tonight, I found Martin and Osa. It is the most divine store you’ve ever seen! Really. Quite chic. Very high end — but in appearance only! The clothing is very affordable (think French Connection meets J Crew). Wonderful classics that have just enough «funk» to be fun without being over the top preppy. Loved their T-​Shirts, which are absolutely divine. I want one in every color… and at just $ 20 each (sale price), you can buy every color! Their sweaters and cashmere are absolutely to die for! The only disappointment was their line of shoes… not that inspiring. But, the denims were fab fitting and less than $ 100! Yea.
Their clothing is strickly casual… sorta. I mean they have cutesy tops that are perfect for a night out. They also have great button front shirts that will rival Thomas Pink… for a third of the cost! Their skirts and trousers (cutesy things for casual Friday) were quite nice as well.
Ok. I loved everything! I also liked how their clothing was «put together». Just a wonderful store… if I go missing, look for me at Martin and Osa!

On the way out to Audrey’s dance rehearsal we decided to stop at Old Orchard Mall to kill some time. I hit the usual suspects and then stumbled upon a new store called Martin + Osa. Well, it’s been there since November, but it’s new to me!
Martin + Osa is a men’s and women’s clothing store that carries everything from clothing, to shoes, to candles. If Club Monaco and J Crew had a baby boy and that baby boy grew up and had a baby with a women who was 1 quarter REI, 1 quarter Gap, and 1 half Anthropologie, you’d have Martin + Osa.
The look and feel is mostly American, but with Scandinavian sensibility and design. I bought a classic plain white cotton button up shirt. This shirt may be boring if you bought it at Gap or Bannana, but the fit turned into something much more tailored and sexy. Yeah I said «sexy»! This is my Unilocal and you can’t stop me. Their shirts are suppressed through the sides, the sleeves long enough to accommodate a long arm, and the length long enough to tuck in. The shirt fit so well that I actually purchased four identical shirts. I also purchased a pair of pants made of a tech-​like fabric which also fit like a glove. I also added a pair of Addidas, a pair of Clarks Dessert Boots, three more button ups, and wool crew neck sweater.
The design of the store is clean and reminds me of the design you’d see in Stockholm or Copenhagen. I think the Scandinavians have the greatest ability to create modern design while incorporating rustic materials. This store accomplishes that aesthetic. I was saddened, however, to hear that the brand is based out of NYC and is owned by American Eagle. Wouldn’t it be cool if the guy who owned this place was name Jaan and lived in some remote village outside of Stockholm without access to the internet and designed everything on parchment and then sent the designs through the post to be manufactured out of all organic fabrics by well paid employees?
What really put this store over the top was the service. I was brought to my jumbo dressing room and offered a bottle of water while I tried on. Even at Barney’s or Neiman’s you rarely get offered a beverage. Furthering the top notch experience, if something was too small or too short the salesperson was honest in her advice.
Overall, I really enjoyed the clothes, the store, and the service. I’d also like to point out that the men’s section make up roughly half of the store. All too often I feel that the women’s section is 5000 sqft and the men have a lil nook in the corner. Equality at last!
2 Pairs of Shoes
7 Button Ups
1 Wool Crew Neck Sweater
1 Pair of Pants
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$ 420 (most of it was on sale)