Buying on the Fly

Chicago

Where to Shop: The glories of the Magnificent Mile, Chicago’s main shopping drag, are widely known, but a few miles west in hipster-heavy Wicker Park sits a sizable crop of edgier fare. Habit (1951 W. Division St., 773-342-0093) favors emerging designers like local talent Abigail Glaum-Lathbury; a couple of doors down, Renegade Handmade (1924 W. Division St., 773-227-2707, renegadehandmade.com) sells affordable, unique artwork alongside vintage denim and dresses. On the same strip, you’ll find Silver Moon (1755 W. North Ave., 773-235-5797, silvermoonvintage.com), a resale store with an impressive selection of apparel dating back to the late 1800s.
Where to Stay: The Ruby Room (1743–45 W. Division St., 773-235-2323, rubyroom.com) is a day spa/salon/yoga studio that’s added eight well-appointed guest ro

Los Angeles

Where to Shop: L.A. may be known for a laid-back vibe, but its best debut boutiques prove low-key doesn’t equal lowbrow. In West Hollywood, Presse (326 S. La Brea Ave., 323-937-1560) stocks high-design lines (Proenza Schouler, Doo .Ri), while Satine (8117 W. Third St., 323-655-2142, satineboutique.com) specializes in Thakoon, Jovovich-Hawk, and other avant-garde types. And though Fred Segal isn’t new, there’s always something to discover: Its in-house beauty outpost Apothia (8118 Melrose Ave., 323-651-0239, apothia.com) offers a range of brands not found at your local Sephora.
Where to Stay: Even in a town filled with swank digs, the just-opened Thompson Beverly Hills (9360 Wilshire Blvd., 310-273-1400, thompsonhotels.com) is notable for its opulence.

New York City

Where to Shop: Some of the Big Apple’s most exciting newcomers have been around for a while, just not in this country. Among the international darlings choosing Manhattan for their stateside flagship is Uniqlo (546 Broadway, 917-237-8800, uniqlo.com), a Japanese clothing brand known for high-quality, reasonably priced basics and so-called capsule collections from hot young names like Alice Roi. Opening this month down the street is old-country compatriot Muji (455 Broadway, muji.com), a housewares shop offering sleek renditions of everything from alarm clocks to cotton swabs.
Where to Stay: The Bowery Hotel (335 Bowery, 212-505-9100, theboweryhotel.com) is a chic new inn from the forces behind the Maritime.

Washington, DC

Where to Shop: Style in the nation’s capital has moved beyond immobile hair and sensible shoes. Hit the cutting-edge U Street corridor for modish boutiques like Nana (1528 U St. NW, 202-667-6955, nanadc.com), which sells secondhand classics and modern items including tops by House of Spy and bags from Hobo International. Nearby is RCKNDY (1515 U St. NW, 202-332-5639, rckndy.com), a new décor store featuring colorful, contemporary pieces moderated by a bit of old-school flair. For vintage, the Remix (645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, 202-547-0211, remixvintage.com) covers the entire 20th century, especially the ’30s through the ’70s.
Where to Stay: Housed in a landmark building, the Hotel Monaco (700 F St. NW, 202-628-7177, monaco-dc.com) boasts history and luxury alike.