If the mention of linen makes you think of The Great Gatsby, it may be time to reconsider.
While most people know that cotton comes from the cotton plant, many are unaware that linen comes from the fibers of the flax plant and is naturally breathable, hypoallergenic and moisture-repellent. Both linen and cotton—incidentally, the two fabrics that go into making paper currency—have made a comeback in the fashion industry and not just in the summertime.
Linen clothing tends to be loose and unconstructed, making it comfortable and flattering to all body types. In the Northern Neck, linen lovers can find an array of clothing lines featuring linen, cotton and blends at Pearl Boutique and When Ordinary Won’t Do, both located in the center of Kilmarnock’s Main Street.
Sera Petras Photography
At the time Dashiell’s mother died in 2016, Brock was having family issues of her own and looking for a buyer for the store. Dashiell took over Pearl in 2017 and Brock guided her in what lines to carry. Dashiell offered to let Diana Jamison and Vicki Kinsel carry a few lines in the store as well, and established a consignment area in the back. “Before long, there was too much inventory in here,” Dashiell says. “Then COVID hit, and we were closed for six weeks. My daughter helped us set up an online store and within 15 minutes, we were making sales again.”
Sera Petras Photography
Sallie Dashiell, owner of Pearl in Kilmarnock, VA.
Kilmarnock’s downtown is a shopping destination, known as a cute town for clothing shops. Dashiell relishes the competition of having multiple women’s clothing boutiques so close together. A progressive shopping party at Pearl and When Ordinary Won’t Do in February benefited The Haven and gave shoppers a discount, nibbles, sips and a chance to hear about The Haven’s mission. “We do so well because we send people to each other,” Dashiell says, referring to shops such as Fin & Pearl, Cathy’s Unique Pursuits and WOWD. “We try to support each other, and we all carry different lines.”
Since she was 15 and had her first retail job, Dashiell was convinced that it would be cool to be a buyer. In that role now as Pearl’s owner, she’s learned the business as well as what constitutes good-quality clothing. “My goal is to bring in comfortable, well-made pieces—basic and not-trendy—that you won’t see all over town,” she says. “To make sure, when I buy a line, I buy only one of each size. Uniqueness is important to me.”
She characterizes Pearl Boutique’s vibe as casual yet classic and insists that people who like linen have always liked linen. “I carry trusted brands that I know are good quality like Bryn Walker, PacifiCotton, Beau Jours and Cut Loose,” she says. “I wear linen year-round, even heavier linen in the winter because the weight of it matches other pieces of my cold weather wardrobe. I always say, it’s not your mother’s linen.”
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Sera Petras Photography
From breathable linen to artisan accessories, Pearl Boutique in Kilmarnock embodies timeless style and a warm, welcoming spirit. Owner Sallie Dashiell curates comfortable, high-quality pieces with a focus on individuality and community connection.
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Sera Petras Photography
From breathable linen to artisan accessories, Pearl Boutique in Kilmarnock embodies timeless style and a warm, welcoming spirit. Owner Sallie Dashiell curates comfortable, high-quality pieces with a focus on individuality and community connection.
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Sera Petras Photography
From breathable linen to artisan accessories, Pearl Boutique in Kilmarnock embodies timeless style and a warm, welcoming spirit. Owner Sallie Dashiell curates comfortable, high-quality pieces with a focus on individuality and community connection.
Pearl Boutique also carries artisan jewelry, bags and accessories and the consignment room is consistently popular. Every day, she sets out to make customers feel good when they go out in her clothing, but hopes they also remember how attentive the customer service was. It’s clear Dashiell’s transition from speech pathology to retail has energized her. “When someone comes in the door, I feel drawn to helping them,” she says. “After all, I was in a helping field before.”
Pearl Boutique | 35 S. Main Street, Kilmarnock | 804-435-8800 | pearlboutiqueva.com
Sera Petras Photography
WOWD’s owner Diana Jamison was a clinical social worker and now splits her time between offering psychotherapy services at her home office and pursuing more creative pursuits through her shop. “I refer to my therapy job as my day job, and my shop time as therapy for me,” she says.
Sera Petras Photography
Diana Jameson, owner of When Ordinary Won't Do in Kilmarnock, VA.
After she began painting and embellishing jean jackets, Dashiell offered her an outlet for consigning her upcycled clothing and later, the opportunity to rent space and carry a few clothing lines at Pearl Boutique. Then the lease ended. A pop-up shop in White Stone mid-COVID sold out and it was so much fun that Jamison decided to rent a corner space with Kinsel, dubbing it When Ordinary Won’t Do.
When the building was sold, Kinsel left and Jamison opened at her current location in January 2024. Now she has regular customers from Virginia Beach, NOVA, Richmond and Williamsburg. “Some customers are curious about how linen and cotton clothes feel on, so they try them on and find out how great they feel,” she says. “But if they want something fitted, I know where to send them if I don’t have what they want.”
Sustainability is important to Jamison who prefers to recycle clothing rather than throw it away. She also makes a point to buy from ethical producers and factories, often choosing women-owned cottage industries. “One of the lines I carry is Iguana, which is hand batiked in Bali,” she says. “Buying from them gives those women a source of income.”
At When Ordinary Won’t Do, Jamison strives for a boho chic vibe, offering clothing, jewelry, handbags and accessories that stand out from the usual. She prefers not to carry clothing that requires dry cleaning. “The clothes I offer are loose fitting and designed for women of a certain age and style who aren’t afraid to be seen and have fun with their wardrobe,” she says. “Clothing that makes them feel good.”
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Sera Petras Photography
Linen, cotton and upcycled pieces come together in a fashion-forward mix at WOWD. Diana creates a shopping a experience that's as personal and expressive as the clothing itself.
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Sera Petras Photography
Linen, cotton and upcycled pieces come together in a fashion-forward mix at WOWD. Diana creates a shopping a experience that's as personal and expressive as the clothing itself.
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Sera Petras Photography
Linen, cotton and upcycled pieces come together in a fashion-forward mix at WOWD. Diana creates a shopping a experience that's as personal and expressive as the clothing itself.
Being involved in the community matters to Jamison and she makes frequent fundraiser donations. A fashion show with Pearl Boutique at Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury used residents as models. “We had a 90-year-old woman walking down the runway with a cane and it was so much fun,” she says. “Things like that give us a presence in the community.”
Jamison uses her creativity to reimagine merchandise that doesn’t sell. A jacket is hand painted, a dress is stenciled and a T-shirt sports a design created with bleach painting, all thanks to her artistic talents. “We did an upcycled fashion show at the Unitarian Church with five models,” she says. “The theme was recyclable fashion, so people would learn not to just throw clothes away.”
She especially likes it when customers bring in several pieces of their wardrobe as a starting point. Her job is to suggest pieces that work with what the customer has, as well as with their body type. Customers come in curious about linen and cotton only to learn how good the clothes feel on the body. “I can make recommendations because I know every piece in the store. I want customers to be happy and after being a social worker, I have no problem talking and listening,” Jamison says with a smile. “My goal is for them to be satisfied when they leave the shop and feel like they got plenty of attention, which doesn’t happen in larger stores.”
When Ordinary Won’t Do | 76 S. Main Street, Kilmarnock | 804-577-4466 | store.whenordinarywontdo.com
