Johnny Was in Oklahoma City: Bohemian Embroidered Apparel and Home Goods

Johnny Was is an independent boutique specializing in hand-embroidered tunics, dresses, blouses, and home décor pieces rooted in global artisanal traditions. Located in Oklahoma City's Uptown shopping district, it occupies a narrow storefront with a curated inventory that skews toward customers seeking statement pieces rather than everyday basics. The brand centers on detailed needlework, layered silhouettes, and a color palette dominated by jewel tones and earth shades. Prices reflect the labor-intensive production: most clothing runs $128 to $298, with home goods between $45 and $180.

What Johnny Was actually is

Johnny Was began as a Los Angeles design house in 1978 and has grown into a multi-location retailer without losing its boutique identity. Each Oklahoma City location carries primarily women's apparel: tunics meant to wear over fitted pants, embroidered linen dresses, rayon blouses with sleeves cut wide enough for layering, and cardigans in natural fibers. The house style involves intricate embroidery on the front placket, hem, or cuff, paired with minimalist back panels. Home goods include throw pillows with matching patterns, wall hangings, and table runners. The Oklahoma City store stocks mostly ready-to-wear inventory; custom orders or special sizing requests are not standard offerings.

Apparel, home goods, and price positioning

Tunic styles anchor the inventory and range from $138 to $168. Most feature button fronts in cotton or linen blends with embroidery concentrated on the front panels. Dresses, typically A-line or slightly gathered silhouettes, run $158 to $225 depending on fabric and complexity of needlework. Blouses and cardigans occupy the $128 to $195 range. Home goods consist mainly of throw pillows ($65 to $95), wall art ($45 to $120), and decorative scarves ($55 to $89). The store does not publicly advertise whether alterations (hemming, sleeve adjustment) are available; this should be confirmed at the register or by phone. No clearance or seasonal sales appear to be standard practice, though inventory rotates quarterly.

How Johnny Was compares to other Oklahoma City accessories and apparel retailers

The immediate local alternative is Dillard's at Penn Square or Crossroads malls, which carry mass-produced tunics and embroidered blouses at $49 to $99. Those pieces use machine embroidery applied to faster-produced garments; thread work is visible but thinner and less dimensional than Johnny Was's hand-embroidered pieces. Dillard's offers wider size ranges and frequent markdowns. Anthropologie, also at Penn Square, stocks boho-inspired apparel and home goods at similar price points ($120 to $250) but leans toward quirky prints and modern silhouettes rather than traditional embroidery. Local boutique Turquoise & Leather in the Paseo Arts District carries hand-selected Western and Southwestern pieces at comparable prices but emphasizes leather and turquoise rather than needle work.

Choose Johnny Was if you prioritize detailed embroidery and global textile traditions over trend-driven design. Choose Dillard's if you want a similar aesthetic at lower price and need frequent sales or extended sizing. Choose Anthropologie for contemporary boho with pattern and print variety.

Who Johnny Was suits and who it does not

This store works for customers building a capsule wardrobe around layering, those who travel frequently and value packable pieces, and shoppers who wear neutrals and jewel tones year-round. It appeals to buyers willing to invest $150 to $250 per piece knowing the garment will not appear in five other closets. It does not suit bargain hunters, those who prefer bold prints or seasonal color palettes, or customers shopping for a single occasion. Parents shopping for children or teenagers will not find inventory; the brand is adult-focused.

What the first visit involves

Walk in without an appointment. Staff will show you the current tunic and dress selection while you browse pillows and home goods along the walls. Try on anything that fits your measurements; fitting rooms are small but adequate. Be prepared to see pieces you have not encountered in chain retail: expect asymmetrical hems, deep jewel tones, and collar cuts that sit different from standard tailoring. Most first-time customers spend 30 to 45 minutes in the store. Payment is cash or card; no online ordering or curbside pickup is advertised.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Johnny Was operates Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (confirm Sunday hours before visiting, as independent boutiques sometimes adjust seasonally). Street parking is available on the surrounding blocks; there is no dedicated lot. The storefront faces directly onto the sidewalk with large windows. Distance from downtown is roughly two miles; the Uptown area is car-dependent.

This store has earned its position in Oklahoma City because hand-embroidered apparel at this scale is rare in the region and the brand's consistency with its 45-year design philosophy gives customers confidence in durability over trend cycles.