Fresh
Going on a fashion bender along Newbury can leave even hard-core shoppers feeling a tad wilted. Good thing Fresh is close at hand: With white-tiled walls and elegant white fixtures, the locally based chain's recently renovated Back Bay outpost soothes like a Victorian powder room, while simultaneously offering pep-promoting potions. Perfumes are touched with intriguing notes like Moroccan basil; skin care is punched up with lemon oil and cucumber extract; and a number of body products (even deodorant) feature real sugar in the mix. Just when you thought you'd lost your will to buy, it's back. 121 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, fresh.com.
French Dressing
The sheer variety of intimates from Aubade, Eberjey, Cosabella, Skin, and Hanky Panky (still the most comfy thongs around) that you'll discover at this pretty, boudoir-size boutique, discreetly located in the flat of Beacon Hill, would be enough to set it apart from the competition. It's the honest, practical, and rather sweet caretaking by proprietress Brenna Graham, though, that's truly prizewinning. If you bring in your gauziest blouses and slinkiest dresses, she'll even help you avoid a Tara Reid moment by assisting you in choosing the appropriate underpinnings. 49 River St., Boston, MA 2108, frenchdressinglingerie.com.
Polka Dog Bakery
Puffy's not the best shopping companion: drooling on merchandise, constantly demanding attention, invading strangers' personal space. Any place that overlooks —welcomes, even—such unseemly habits scores big with us. This year Polka Dog expanded to accommodate its lines of animal gear with voluminous bins of squeaky cupcakes and rubber telephones, walls of collars, piles of beds, and accessories for literal clothes hounds. As if all that weren't enough, there's the popular buffet of inventive edibles, for when your guests' shoes are no longer an option: liver chips, salmon coins, and catnip "pawbreakers" for delicate breeds; cow thigh bones for those with heartier appetites. 256 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 2118, polkadog.com.
Brussels Sprouts Kids
Relax, kids: This store doesn't have any of those icky vegetables you like to dispose of in your napkin. What it does have is loads of great clothes you can't get at the mall. That's because the owner, Molly Moncreiff, orders them from faraway places like Denmark, Israel, and Cabot, Vermont. For girls, there are down-to-earth print tops and dresses that any Anthropologie-loving big sis would kill for; for boys, relaxed Charlie Rocket tees and dress-up wear that's not dorky. There's even something for Mom and Dad: sale signs galore. 855 Washington St., Newton, MA 2460, .
Waterworks
Your bathroom never had it so good. Every inch of Waterworks is dedicated to the senses, and every item—each perfectly placed and folded—is luxury incarnate. The sweet aroma of French soaps welcomes you first. Then come bath towels so soft, you'll think you're back in the womb. Next up: gleaming shower fixtures, faucets, tiles, and tubs—in as many classic styles as newfangled modern designs. The staff is informed and charming, and if you absolutely must have those frosted glass tiles by the weekend, many of the items are available for delivery within eight days of the date of purchase. 103 Newbury St., Boston, MA waterworks.com.
Neiman Marcus
One step inside and your willpower begins to fade. After three steps, you're fixated on a lustrous, lacy negligee. Soon you're too weak-kneed to take any more steps. And here's why: set after set of bras, underwear, corsets, and simply sublime undergarments so beautiful, they'd make Roseanne Barr feel like Cameron Diaz. Far from tacky, these are quality labels like Cosabella and La Perla—all pricey, all worth splurging. How will you ever decide? With the help of the friendly and efficient staff, of course. 5 Copley Place, Boston, MA neimanmarcus.com.
America Dural
Among Cantabrigians' best-kept secrets is America Dural, hidden on a quiet street in Observatory Hill. An unfussy storefront conceals treasures from every period: midcentury Bertoia chrome chairs, ornate Georgian mahogany chests, a refreshing selection of contemporary art. Only a pro could set up such an enticing array of home furnishings—and, in fact, the showroom is part of Phillip Miller's interior design business. You could buy a single piece, but then again, why not just engage Miller to bring his cultivated eye to your entire home? 143 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA americadural.com.
Rouge Cosmetics
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. 322 Derby St., Salem, MA 1970, rouge.com.
Frette
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. 776B Boylston St., Boston, MA 2199, frette.com.
Tess & Carlos
Feeling in need of a foreign fling? Come dally among the handsome imports at Newton's Tess & Carlos—at 4,000 square feet, the biggest and most temptation-filled of the retailer's three stores. Co-owner Tess Enright has a gift for sifting Euro treasures from Euro trash, yielding Hoss Intropia dresses fit for American gamines, stern-but-chic work separates by Jil Sander, classic Etro knits, and baby-soft Majestic tees. Save yourself the airfare and put that useless phrasebook away: A Bostonian's tour of the world's fashion capitals begins, and ends, right here. 1241 Centre St., Newton Centre, MA 2459, tessandcarlos.com.
Salon Mario Russo
No matter who you make an appointment with at this style sanctuary, you’re guaranteed to leave looking and feeling your best. That’s thanks to the leadership of Italy-born, London-trained maestro Mario Russo, who has amassed a team of Boston’s most talented, trend-savvy stylists for his twin salons. And now that they’ve packed up those scissors for a move from Newbury to the Heritage on the Garden this spring, there’s a shiny new space to get that sharp cut or color transformation you’ve been dreaming about. Seaport and Back Bay, mariorusso.com.
Dream Kid Spa
Kids like getting pampered as much as grownups do — but nail salons aren’t exactly a fun place to hang out. That’s where this brand-new kid-focused spa in Hyde Park comes in. With Disney tunes setting the scene, skilled technicians twirl in pink tutus and charming aprons, ready to give your prince or princess the royal treatment. Donning a spa robe, kids are seated on a throne while they enjoy a mani-pedi featuring whimsical nail art, a sparkly ring, and glitter lotion on their tiny feet. And did someone say party favors? After the regal service, continue the magic at home with an add-on “Dream Box” filled with toys and spa goodies. 15 Dana Ave., Hyde Park, MA 02316, dreamkidspa.com.
Adamas Fine Jewelry
This Newton jewelry shop’s ring designs may range from the unconventional (think: a domed ring with a heart-shaped sparkler) to the tried-and-true (a diamond eternity band), but they all have one thing in common: timeless and lasting beauty. That’s thanks to the wealth of gemology expertise possessed by brother-sister duo Anto Aboyan and Veronica Sagherian, who’ve been business partners for more than three decades. Whether you’re updating an heirloom, creating your own bespoke piece, or dreaming of something simple and classic, they have the goods — and the know-how — to make it a reality. 22 Lincoln St., Newton, MA 02461, adamasfinejewelry.com.
Bardo's Bar Pizza
WHAT’S THE VIBE? This pizza slinger from the family behind Lombardo’s, a hugely popular function facility in Randolph, brings bar pies to Boston by way of a kitchen inside Southie’s Castle Island Brewing Co., an industrial-cool taproom with a picnic-table-filled patio. TASTING NOTES: The cracker-like crusts are super-thin and super-crisped, with “laced” (translation: oven-blackened) cheese edges. We love the sweet-sour sting of the pickle-topped pizza, a genius notion that probably sounds peculiar to anyone raised north of Route 24. 10 Old Colony Ave., Boston, MA 02127, bardospizza.com.
The Giftsmith at Brookline Booksmith
What do you get the person who has everything? The answer: Something from this Brookline standout, which offers an eclectic array of present-worthy goods without an ounce of the stuffiness or predictability that plagues some of the other gift shops around. The large selection — which, thanks to a shop expansion, has grown exponentially over the past couple of years — no doubt includes something for everyone on your list: Clark + Hopkins artisanal pepper sauces, floral tea towels from Rifle Paper Co., and organic flower-growing kits from the Urban Agriculture Co. are just the tip of the gift-giving iceberg. 279 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446, brooklinebooksmith.com/browse-gifts.