SHOPPING
CLOTHING, WOMEN’S UPSCALE: Serenella
134 Newbury St., Boston, 617-262-5568, serenella-boston.com
As department stores and other competitors were busy freaking out over the downturn—buying less, discounting more—Serenella owner Leslee Shupe Korff made some minor but pointed adjustments. These days, even as her Newbury boutique shows $1,000 Cavalli dresses and $600 Alexandra Neel stilettos, it has equally attention-grabbing numbers from more-affordable lines like GarpArt and Stella McCartney for Adidas. A cast of design-darling exclusives—Thakoon, Massimo Alba, Sophie Theallet—means that if you do choose to invest in those $3,900 silver sequined shorts, odds are good that unless you live next door to a Brazilian supermodel, you’ll be the only one on the block wearing them.
RUNNERS-UP: Barneys New York, Louis Boston
LAST YEAR: Serenella
Copley Place, Boston, 617-385-3300, barneys.com
Whether in pursuit of the perfect burger or a potential mate, we men typically thrill to the chase. But hunting for just-right cuff links? Oh, no. No, no. The quickest way to kill off our inner Bond, in fact, is to trudge from store to store, questing after the highly specific accessories that live seemingly only in our imagination: the cool diver watch with grosgrain strap, aviators that don’t evoke dissolute rock star. While certain things at other local stores quicken our pulse (e.g., the socks at Drinkwater’s), for all-out adrenaline rush it’s Barneys: walls full of man bags, rows upon rows of pocket squares, belt racks that go on for days. We’re in, we’re out, mission accomplished.
RUNNERS-UP: Drinkwater’s, Louis Boston
LAST YEAR: Drinkwater’s
259 Newbury St., Boston, 617-266-9707, matsuboston.com
What’s the use of having disposable income if you go and blow it on disposable style? For accoutrements with staying power—and that won’t show up on Bluefly three weeks later—look to Matsu, where owner Dava Muramatsu has been growing and refining her accessories collection for years. In a season of understated dressing, her look-at-me handbags, jewelry, and hats make everything around them pop. Leather and embellished totes by Jamin Puech and M0851 are works of art, while mixed-metal jewelry by Heather Moore, Chan Luu, and Ten Thousand Things are far sounder investments than a statement necklace with an expiration date.
RUNNERS-UP: Barneys New York, Stil
LAST YEAR: Barneys New York
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776 Boylston St., Boston, 617-267-0500, frette.com
With a lot of things having gone “poof” lately, it’s good to have something tangible to hold on to—and even better if that something comes in high-thread-count Egyptian cotton, baby-soft cashmere, or even lamb nappa. Admittedly, the four-figure price tag on a sheet set from Milan-based Frette, that luxest-of-the-luxe bedding specialist that arrived on Boylston Street last year, might make one blanch, but the overall aesthetic of these wares is surprisingly restrained; the quality, downright uncompromising. In a time when most folks just want to go back to bed and pull the covers over their heads, the covers might as well feel this good.
RUNNER-UP: Pratesi
LAST YEAR: N/A
890 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, and other locations, 617-232-0446,landrys.com
At Landry’s, the two-wheel equivalent of a BMW showroom, the friendly gearheads are eager to get their customers tricked out, fixed up, or otherwise on the road. The Comm. Ave. outpost offers myriad road bikes, including a top-notch selection from Watertown-based Seven Cycles; nifty Dahon folding bikes (arguably the best examples of the stowable genre); and oodles of know-how at no extra charge.
RUNNER-UP: Boston Bicycle
LAST YEAR: Broadway Bicycle School
The Mall at Chestnut Hill, Chestnut Hill, 617-527-7845 stilinc.com
While most specialty clothing boutiques are inviting enough, it’s increasingly hard to find ones that risk stocking merchandise that is, in fact, special—that is to say, not all over Barneys, Neiman’s, and Saks. In the mall but still in the vanguard, Betty Riaz’s Stil satisfies fashion individualists with such off-the-grid labels as Copenhagen’s Bruuns Bazaar and Munthe Plus Simonsen and mold-breaking looks from otherwise more-mainstream designers. Rounding out the mix are local talents like casual-cool Nirva and couture wunderkind Sam Mendoza (whose workshop in Stil’s second outpost, at the Pru, is a draw unto itself).
LAST YEAR: Stel’s
CLOTHING, CONSIGNMENT: Poor Little Rich Girl
255 Elm St., Somerville, 617-684-0157, shoppoorlittlerichgirl.com
From $40 DVF wrap dresses to funky, quality jewelry to blessedly organized racks, the charms of this Davis Square shop are well documented (as are its occasional annoyances: yes, the label says Marc Jacobs, but they’re still ’90s-era powder-blue capris). This past year, though, it’s Poor Little Rich Girl’s new-clothing section that’s proved extra appealing. Rummage through some Route 66–brand Target castoffs, for instance, and you might score an on-trend H&M floral blouse marked 30 percent off an already bargain-basement price. Bonus: fresh inventory from Forever 21, that fabulous fashion-junk-food retailer that has thus far mysteriously failed to set up shop in town.
RUNNERS-UP: Oona’s, The Closet
LAST YEAR: Poor Little Rich Girl
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CLOTHING, MEN’S CASUAL: Uniform
511 Tremont St., Boston, 617-247-2360, uniformboston.com
Not feeling up to excessive sartorial risk-taking? That doesn’t make it okay to fall back into the Gap (you’ve come too far!). More moderately priced than Barneys, less alternative than Stel’s, Uniform straddles practicality and panache with its tailored casualwear. The well-crafted separates from elusive brands like Original Penguin, Scotch & Soda, and Canterbury—plus work-hard, play-hard shoes from Gola and Tretorn—will outlast any chain-store buy, making the most of your wardrobe budget while averting death by boring button-down.
RUNNERS-UP: Barneys New York, Stel’s
LAST YEAR: Stel’s
CLOTHING, MEN’S UPSCALE: Alan Bilzerian
34 Newbury St., Boston, 617-536-1001, alanbilzerian.com
Nearly three decades on, Alan Bilzerian’s trailblazer status remains unchallenged. It’s the go-to for avant-garde imports like Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto, as well as for the keen advice from veteran staffers (we’re talking about you, John Stefanelli) that’s required to make them wearable. The mood stays haute with fantastical pieces like a piqué Lanvin blazer so starkly white that passing glances leave a smudge, while the store’s eponymous line of dresswear basics ensures we’re only as V Man as we wanna be. (And really, if we wanted to play it safe, we’d shop at Brooks Brothers.)
RUNNERS-UP: Barneys New York, Louis Boston
LAST YEAR: Louis Boston
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11 Harvard St., Brookline, 617-739-4141, viziooptic.com
Squint through those frumpy, outdated spectacles of yours and take a good look around this sleek Brookline Village shop. You’ll readily appreciate the cache of 1,000 or so designer frames, dotted with cult brands (Kamuro, Kata) and European faves (Face à Face, Lafont). You’ll admire optometrist-owner Galina Rabkin’s staff of brainy-chic glamazons. And you’ll absolutely obsess over the one-of-a-kind photo booth providing a 360-degree view of how various pairs of glasses work with your face—something that, while it might seem gimmicky, can save hours of agonizing in hindsight.
RUNNER-UP: Eye Q
LAST YEAR: Harvard Square Eye Care
FURNITURE, ONE-STOP: Circle Furniture
199 Alewife Brook Pkwy., Cambridge, and other locations, 617-876-3988, circlefurniture.com
Despite the relentless country-cute styling of the showroom floor, for every table, bed, and chair on display there are at least 20 customizable options, making this strip mall–friendly mini chain a surprise winner almost by dint of choice alone. Because most pieces are made to order (in small workshops right here in New England), it’s a breeze to swap out cherry for walnut, trade traditionally styled molding for up-to-the-minute details, and get that classic chair upholstered in a brashly modern fabric. And while the prices are right, the quality is even better, with rock-solid bookcases and ottomans begging for years of use.
RUNNER-UP: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
LAST YEAR: N/A
FURNITURE, SPECIALTY: Machine Age
645 Summer St., Boston, 617-464-0099, machine-age.com
In the urban tundra between the Seaport District and South Boston sits an inconspicuous-looking 9,000-square-foot warehouse. Within it you’ll find a candyland for modern-design addicts, a place where George Nelson, Hans Wegner, and Florence Knoll repose in sculptural armchairs and austere chaises. A favorite stop for interior decorators and movie stylists, Machine Age takes midcentury furnishings from around the world—dining sets, sofas, storage systems, lamps—and restores them to perfection, and also frequently updates pieces with new but always appropriate upholstery. Like so much of what it purveys, this place is a genuinely rare find.
RUNNER-UP: Didriks
LAST YEAR: N/A
1731 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-497-0137, abodeon.com
A tightly focused inventory is all well and good for precision shoppers. For hapless procrastinators—the other 99 percent of us—less focus and more serendipity goes a long way, especially when we’re floundering about for a special-occasion gift. Among Abodeon’s inspired jumble (whimsical Japanese bowls, vintage Mexican silver bracelets), there is something to delight any friend, coworker, or in-law. Plus, it’s near impossible to leave without picking up an extra trinket (see our own growing herd of ceramic piggy banks), which means the next time a last-minute hostess gift is required, it won’t be a dusty bottle of zin snagged on a Route 6 pit stop.
RUNNERS-UP: Good, Joanne Rossman
2007 WINNER: Good
21 Lincoln Rd., Newton Highlands, 617-969-5600, luxcouture.com
The era of the mass-hyped, massively obvious It-bag is over (Arrivederci, Fendi baguette! Au revoir, Vuitton bowling bag!), clearing the way for the kinds of expertly crafted, anti-status designs that are Sari Brown’s stock in trade. Having built a global clientele with her LuxCouture website, she opened a shop in Newton Highlands last year so that local fans could skip the shipping and go straight to shelves loaded with uncommon Sang A clutches, JT Italia baguettes, and Elena Ghisellini totes. Unlike at competitors Gretta Luxe and Luna Boston, the labels here trend unique, not ubiquitous, and the service is far more personalized than at the department stores. Balenciaga? Bah!
RUNNERS-UP: Barneys New York, Louis Boston
LAST YEAR: Gretta Luxe
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312 Shawmut Ave., Boston, 617-262-0900, hudsonboston.com
Some people, we want to raid their closets; others, their kitchens. If Hudson owner Jill Goldberg’s home is anything like her domestic-décor mecca, though, we’d make off with the whole darn thing. From floor to ceiling her South End shop (there’s another in Wellesley) is stuffed with big-ticket gorgeousness like brindle cowhide rugs and artsy chandeliers, as well as smaller accents with outsize personality, such as plates decoupaged with old French pharmacy labels. And in contrast with most other high-end home-design spots, there’s zero attitude here. Note: When we say “zero,” we mean well-mannered dogs are allowed inside.
RUNNERS-UP: Louis Boston, Portobello Road
LAST YEAR: Louis Boston
39 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-491-1811, thetannery.com
No more standing before a certain unnamed “denim bar,” wondering where on earth to begin. No more searching specialty stores’ stacks of wash-du-jour denim, wondering where they put all the stuff for guys who aren’t pocket-sized indie rockers. Having expanded beyond its dingy, Birkenstock-filled basement space last year, the new and vastly improved 10,000-square-foot Tannery in Harvard Square devotes an entire well-organized wall to men’s denim stars like William Rast, True Religion, and Genetic. Still can’t make a pick? Brutally honest salespeople rush to the rescue, producing pairs that—miracle of miracles—actually fit.
RUNNER-UP: Riccardi
LAST YEAR: Jean Therapy
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116 Newbury St., Boston, 617-266-3158, riccardiboston.com
Buying within a clothing genre whose designers seem to delight in tweaking our dysmorphic tendencies has left us feeling broke, fat, and alone on more than one occasion. But at Riccardi, no body is left behind. With original denim-obsessed hipster Riccardo Dallai Sr. at the helm, brands show up here before the kids (not to mention the department stores) even know to lust after them, and the dozen-plus lines in stock—cult favorites like Nineteen48, Nudie, Ksubi, and Superfine—cater to thin, thick, petite, pear-shaped, stick-straight, and overly self-critical alike.
RUNNERS-UP: Barneys New York, The Tannery
LAST YEAR: Barneys New York
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24 Newbury St., Boston, 617-536-2022, dorfmanjewelers.com
Sitting on a block somewhere between Juicy Couture and Newbury MedSpa, Dorfman’s looks a tad out of place among its campier neighbors. Chalk it up to the stately façade and, no doubt, to the fact that this store practically oozes staying power. For two generations the Dorfman family has dealt exclusively in European-cut diamonds and other gems; these days they also sell such illustrious names as Harry Winston, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Breguet. Perhaps most representative is the in-house Barbara Collection, open-link gold pieces inspired by the clan matriarch that are at once unpretentious and enduring—much like the venerable Dorfman itself.
RUNNERS-UP: E. B. Horn, Pagéo
LAST YEAR: Pagéo
JEWELRY, ONE-STOP SHOPPING: Long’s
100 Summer St., Boston, and other locations, 617-426-8500, longsjewelers.com
Long’s has everything a proper all-around jewelry store should: designer and custom-made diamond rings; watches by the all-mighty Swiss (Breitling, Baume & Mercier, Rolex); and special-occasion numbers from, among others, Mikimoto and Penny Preville. Yet it’s more than that. Frankly, given recent bankruptcies and midnight abscondings, we’ve been left a little wary of the local jewelry scene. But for more than 130 years, the Rottenberg family has maintained Long’s as a place we can trust. Regular events bring customers and vendors together, while workshops on topics like selecting the right diamond leave us feeling reassuringly well informed.
RUNNERS-UP: Lux Bond & Green, Barmakian
LAST YEAR: N/A
215 Newbury St., Boston, 617-266-8701, kitchenarts.biz
Not much changed when KitchenArts picked up and moved a block down Newbury this spring: Getting into the tiny space is still a squeeze, and getting out without buying anything is still a miracle. Stellar cooking gear beckons everywhere you look, from the heavyweights (Wüsthof knives, Le Creuset Dutch ovens) to the essentials (silicone spatulas, stainless steel measuring cups). Gizmos and thingamabobs are also out in full force, including but hardly limited to gnocchi paddles, collapsible potato mashers, crêpe scrapers, tomato corers, and salt pigs. All in all, it’s really just about everything an Iron Chef wannabe needs to, er, set the world on fire.
RUNNER-UP: Sur La Table
LAST YEAR: KitchenArts
123 Newbury St., Boston, 617-267-0229, agentprovocateur.com
When we need support, we wade through the beige and white underthings at Intimacy and Nordstrom, where polite ladies wielding measuring tapes thoughtfully correct our ignorance in thinking we were a B cup. When we need lingerie, however (the kind of thing that revs our engine, and hopefully yours, too, hot stuff), we head to Agent Provocateur. New this year on Newbury Street, the British retailer deals in flashy-not-trashy revisions of boudoir basics: satin corsets, push-up bras in tartan plaids, tasseled pasties…okay, maybe not too trashy.
RUNNERS-UP: Intimacy, Night & Day
LAST YEAR: Intimacy
LUGGAGE: London Harness Company
94 Derby St., Hingham, 781-740-7848; 45 Central St.,Wellesley, 781-237-5950; londonharness.com
Unless “fashion victim” is the desired look, carting a mountain of logo-stamped luggage through Logan is simply gauche. Then again, so is cramming the overhead bin with junky duffels. For travel gear that’s both upscale and functional, London Harness is the ticket. This place rocks enough quality baggage to cover a Brangelina family vacation, including sleek Bric’s rollers and handsome Ghurka twill-and-leather weekenders. And at the Wellesley flagship’s in-store Tumi boutique, the selection of classic nylon suitcases and garment bags is unbeatable.
RUNNER-UP: Passport
LAST YEAR: Samsonite Black Label
322 Derby St., Salem, 978-740-1044, rouge.com
Beauty junkies can spend years perfecting their primping arsenals. If you’d prefer to skip beta-testing your makeup bag, though, let Rouge founder Ann Supple Massey do the work for you. A former cosmetics buyer at Filene’s, Massey vets every product with her staff, choosing only those deemed both innovative and effective. That makes for an appealing mix of old favorites (Nars, B. Kamins) and up-and-comers like Caudalie. Those who suffer from overstimulation at Sephora will appreciate Rouge’s manageable inventory and elegant interior, while cosmoholics love the staff’s exhaustive knowledge and occasional in-store appearances by beauty luminary Paula Dorf.
RUNNER-UP: Shu Uemura
LAST YEAR: Neiman Marcus
332 Newbury St., Boston, 617-236-4930, and other locations, newburycomics.com
With brick-and-mortar record stores boarding up left and right, this local chain—launched in 1978 by a pair of MIT students—has acquired fresh polish on its cherished-institution status. But the truth is that its balanced inventory of the arcane and the mainstream has always trumped the competition. Though the flagship store in the Back Bay has the most comprehensive selection, Newbury Comics’ suburban outlets smartly follow the same model of covering every genre and offering a strong supply of imports, used discs, and new vinyl. From Stravinsky to Stereolab, Neil Young to Young Jeezy, you can find it here—and may it ever be so.
RUNNER-UP: In Your Ear
LAST YEAR: N/A
ONE-STOP SHOPPING: Louis Boston
234 Berkeley St., Boston, 617-262-6100, louisboston.com
Maybe we’ve heard where Louis will relocate when its lease is up next year; maybe we haven’t. What we can confirm, though, is that while everyone has been buzzing over the Boston style bastion’s next address, Louis’s focus on ahead-of-the-curve finds for women, men, and home has continued undistracted. In addition to long-stocked designers like Marni and Proenza Schouler, the arrival of knit whiz Kimberly Ovitz and stealth favorite the Row appeals to the current value-obsessed mindset. Meanwhile, the revitalizing powers of the skin-care department, recently boosted by 3 Lab Series and Rodin Olio Lusso, puts chain department stores to shame. Big move or no, here’s betting Louis stays in one place: on top.
RUNNERS-UP: Barneys New York, Nordstrom
LAST YEAR: Louis Boston
671 Boylston St., Boston, 617-267-4774, and other locations, marathonsports.com
Yeah, they’re only shoes. And yeah, Kenyans run without ’em. But until you swap the Esplanade for the Savannah, you’d best take your jogging footwear seriously. The running savants at Marathon Sports know that the wrong pair might just be responsible for those niggling aches, and so guide you through the buying process with more attention—and less upselling—than you encountered when purchasing your last car. The smart selection of energy gels, water belts, and technical tees from Sugoi, Brooks, and other pro brands is proffered with condescension-free friendliness, regardless of whether you log five miles each week or 50.
RUNNER-UP: Bill Rodgers Running Center
2007 WINNER: Marathon Sports
Burlington Mall, Burlington, 781-345-7800, and other locations, nordstrom.com
Ideal for men who refuse to be pigeonholed, Nordstrom’s vast, easy-to-navigate department doesn’t arrange according to type: Here, we’re all preppy European bankers who skateboard down Mount Washington on the weekends. The 50-plus lines of shoes comprise Mephisto sandals, Converse Jack Purcells, Santoni dress shoes, and Bruno Magli moccasins (like the kind John-John used to wear). Major twice-yearly sales make it easy to snag a classic pair of Ferragamos for under $200, while the store’s famously unfailing customer service lets us return any pair that gives us blisters, or otherwise rubs us the wrong way.
RUNNER-UP: Barneys New York
LAST YEAR: Alan Bilzerian
SHOES, WOMEN’S: Barneys New York
Copley Place, Boston, 617-385-3300, barneys.com
You may not be buying as much these days, but—hallelujah!—Barneys is. The national chain is in the enviable, corporate-backed position of being able to continue carrying as broad an array of heels, sandals, boots, and flats as it did in flusher times. Rows of big names like Fendi, Givenchy, and Chloé provide a good excuse to splurge; however, for those feeling slightly less well heeled, the store’s recommitment to more-accessible footwear by Antik Batik, Maloles, and its own excellent Co-op house line makes saving money here a lot more attractive than buying last season at TJ Maxx.
RUNNERS-UP: Louis Boston, Viola
LAST YEAR: Louis Boston
6 Clearway St., Boston, bdgastore.com
We wanted to love the Attic, Central Square’s newish “lifestyle” shop that broke up the Payless-Blockbuster-Gap oligarchy. And we do like that its stock of Dunks is readily available in women’s and kids’ styles. Still, it’s only a slice of the selection available at other sneaker stores in town (with a lack of Saturday hours being the final nail in the coffin). So we’re still sending all our love to everyone’s favorite “hidden” shoe mecca: Though after three years Bodega’s no secret, what with preteens and parents infiltrating the hipster fray, that famed secret-door Snapple machine still marks the spot for the city’s most commanding array of limited-edition kicks, from Livestrong Air Maxes to Japanese Monster Pumas.
RUNNER-UP: The Attic
LAST YEAR: Bodega
105 Charles St., Boston, 617-742-0002, ruggroadpaper.com
This little Charles Street stationer is a dream for do-it-yourselfers, packed as it is with almost 300 kinds of handmade papers (and a wall of grosgrain ribbon wheels for good measure). Forget-the-hassle types, on the other hand, can peruse the more than 30 card lines, from the august Crane’s to quirky newcomer Blonde. For business cards or note cards, Bob Slate’s would get the nod, but Rugg Road’s intimate, cheerful vibe makes it our hands-down pick for anyone looking to celebrate life’s announcement-worthy occasions.
RUNNER-UP: Paper Source
LAST YEAR: Rugg Road
1336 Worcester St., Natick, 508-653-0908, and other locations, dickssportinggoods.com
City Sports has dominated this category for years, and if you’re trying to pull off athlete chic no matter the cost, it’s still a fine choice. Weekend warriors as concerned with price and performance as stylishness, though, should make tracks for Dick’s. Here you can score everything from sturdy Russell sweats to high-performance Under Armour tees to footballs, camping tents, and bows and arrows. Alas, the only thing we couldn’t find was our long-missing jump shot.
RUNNER-UP: City Sports
LAST YEAR: City Sports
Prudential Center, Boston, 617-262-8500, saksfifthavenue.com
Whether required for stalking an ex, masking last night’s excesses, or just plain blocking the sun, sunglasses are a very personal accessory—they’re the shades on the windows to one’s soul, after all. Eyewear emporium Robert Marc gets top marks for its sleek styles, but the one-brand situation leaves something to be desired. And while the high-to-low price spectrum at Solstice is laudable, it can’t compare to Saks, where choices abound for men and women of seemingly all tastes and budgets: Museum-rare Chloés, Valentinos, and Cavallis reign among hundreds of frames from Prada, Dior, and Oliver Peoples, and even Marc by Marc Jacobs pairs that can be had for less than $100.
RUNNERS-UP: Robert Marc, Solstice
2007 WINNER: Saks Fifth Avenue
The Mall At Chestnut Hill, Chestnut Hill, 617-630-6000, bloomingdales.com
If the beach beckons and you’re pressed for time, the Back Bay Lord & Taylor is still the best bet for a last-minute bikini. Otherwise, hop the city limits and head to Bloomingdale’s, where the racks are chock-full of Shoshanna, Milly, and other buzzy brands. Factor in the spacious (and credibly lit) fitting rooms at Bloomie’s, and Route 9 shapes up as your road to victory.
RUNNER-UP: Lord & Taylor
LAST YEAR: Lord & Taylor
Copley Place, Boston, 617-267-8463, tourneau.com
Say what you will about the late Alpha Omega: Its mind-boggling roster of timepieces set the bar in this town. In its wake, then, local watch buyers and collectors are forced to get a bit creative. Those in the market for a Rolex will do fine at Long’s or Ross-Simons. But anyone who hankers for something more exotic—IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Bell & Ross—and wants it new, today, will be satisfied only by Tourneau. The chain’s corporate clout provides for a strong mix of in-stock brands (and some negotiable pricing), and its stellar customer service includes free battery changes and lightning-quick repairs.
RUNNERS-UP: Ross-Simons, Royal Jewelers
LAST YEAR: Royal Jewelers
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