Outdoor Voices
Whether your idea of a workout is a leisurely stroll around Jamaica Pond or endless squats at Burnin’ by Ray, this newcomer to the Boston fitness scene has you covered, with lightweight athletic dresses, super-soft knit hoodies, and color-blocked leggings designed with performance and comfort in mind. The Seaport outpost of the chainlet even hosts a hikers’ club, rock-climbing outings, and ’90s-themed yoga, should you need a place to put your new duds to good use. 31 Northern Ave., Boston, MA outdoorvoices.com.
Colonial Drug
What's your scent? Woodsy? Spicy? Floral? Citrusy? Let the fragrance specialists at this 70-year-old institution help you discover your olfactory predilections as you sample their collection of 1,000-plus perfumes and colognes. Once a Harvard Square mainstay, the Newton boutique stocks classic and limited-edition European fragrances (starting at $35 per bottle), as well as old-school grooming aids such as shaving creams, badger-hair brushes, and, of course, mustache wax. 350 Watertown St., Newton, MA 02458, .
Honk! Festival of Activist Street Bands
This annual free music and dance party sprawls along Somerville's sidewalks and plazas, as dozens of brass and drum bands from across the U.S., Canada, France, Italy, Brazil, and Russia converge on Davis Square. The music pounds in your chest. The activism moves your soul. And to support the restaurants and shops in the square, Honk! forbids outside vendors. No wonder it's the rare local cultural invention so successful, it's been copied in New York, Seattle, and—for the first time this past January—Australia. honkfest.org.
Kit and Ace
Find a gentle way to break up with your dry cleaner, because just about everything at Kit and Ace—even the cashmere—is machine- or hand-washable. And if the sleek basics (tissue-soft sleeveless turtlenecks, work-ready pants as comfy as your weekend sweats, ultra-cozy blanket wraps) don’t fit perfectly off the rack, don’t sweat it. The newly opened shop can make in-store alterations while you sip on complimentary sparkling water. Bliss. 208 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, kitandace.com.
Shreve, Crump & Low
Browsing Shreve, Crump & Low is a lot like strolling around an art gallery dedicated to the fine work of the Swiss. You’ll see the classics, of course, from Jaeger-LeCoultre to Audemars Piguet, as well as more modern interpretations by Roger Dubuis, all brightly illuminated for your viewing pleasure. Every so often, a true masterpiece will stop you in your tracks—for us, it was IWC’s "Portuguese Sidérale Scafusia," a watch so splendid it’s made only by special request. 39 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, shrevecrumpandlow.com.
Follain
This pretty, well-appointed South End apothecary caters to your beauty needs, but with a conscience. Owner Tara Foley selects only the healthiest and most environmentally friendly products, including locally made goods from Shamanuti, Farmaesthetics, and Amber Blue, to line her shelves (an in-store hand-and-body-soap bar for refills cuts down on plastic bottle waste, too). Foley’s even committed to your well-being on vacation: Her Nantucket outpost opened this past May. 53 Dartmouth St., Boston; and 9A S. Beach St., Nantucket, shopfollain.com.
Paper Source
E-mail, e-vites, e-cards—you've been there, e-done that. Lend your correspondence some off-line heft with a pilgrimage to this epistolary shrine, with its formidable collection of paper, cards, and craft supplies. Initially you may feel overwhelmed, so take advantage of the design-savvy staffers (many of them art school students), the nifty DIY invitation and letter-writing kits, and personal stationery consults—all of which can help give your every missive a signature style. 1361 Beacon St., Brookline, Boston, Cambridge, Wellesley, MA 2446, paper-source.com.
Yale Appliance and Lighting
Your flambé skills may be supreme, but if your kitchen equipment isn't, "heat and stir" is about as gourmet as dinner's going to get. Fortunately, Yale stocks some of the finest appliances around—stainless-steel Sub-Zero fridges, stovetops, and Theramdor free ranges. And the service is superb: The store offers demonstrations and will deliver and remove appliances. 296 Freeport St., Dorchester, MA yaleappliance.com.
Aria Bridesmaids
The fittings! The price tags! The taffeta! Is this any way to treat your best friends? At Aria, you pick the color and fabric, then let each girl select her most flattering dress from among more than 30 distinctive yet complementary styles, all starting at less than $200 a pop. Ten bucks says that they'll show their appreciation when the time comes to buy your wedding present. 39 Newbury St., Boston, MA ariadress.com.
Poor Little Rich Girl
The lure of this Davis Square boutique begins even before you cross the threshold, with hypercolorful window displays full of irresistible outfits. No bait and switch here, as you'll discover even more choice threads inside. Seasonally appropriate selections, a wide range of styles, and bargain prices are sure to keep your shopping spirits light and your wallet heavy. (By the way, Poor Little Rich Girl isn't so little anymore: Last year it expanded to brighter and far less squished—but equally convenient—digs.) 255 Elm St., Somerville, MA shoppoorlittlerichgirl.com.
Abodeon
Sure, you could pick out a nice blender from the registry. But for a more original present, hit up Abodeon. The store's vintage and modern furniture and home accessories will outshine and outlast any kitchen appliance. Choose a set of '70s-era martini glasses for your bon vivant of an uncle, a bamboo magazine rack for your big sister, or go for broke with a Danish modern table you'll inevitably decide to keep for yourself. 1731 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2138, abodeon.com.
Harvard Gardens
A bit loungey, a tad yuppie, Harvard Gardens is an ideal place to meet your dress-casual mate. The bar is crowded from Wednesday to Saturday, but the low lighting and comfy booths make the setting conducive to storing digits in your cell or just having a light getting-to-know-you conversation. Mostly for the 20s-to-30s set, this spot is especially popular on Thursdays, when you'll have ample opportunity to pitch the perfect pickup line. 316 Cambridge St., Boston, MA harvardgardens.com.
Jordan the Tailor
You can shop off the rack, but that doesn't necessarily mean your clothes will fit off the rack. Jordan Tsavalakoglou can remedy that situation. Tsavalakoglou sizes you up in a glance, taking in proportions like a doctor assessing a patient during triage. Then he probes you with a barrage of meticulous questions about how you'd like the clothes to fit before getting to work cutting and sewing to precisely match your measurements. Added bonus: The prices are just as attractive as the tailoring would be. 133 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Grettacole
No foot is too foul for Lisa, Gretchen, and Valerie, the pedicurists at Grettacole. In their expert hands, your calluses disappear and your toenails are topped with the latest fashionable hue. In additional to the classic pedicure, the salon also offers a rose-oil version, plus a "signature" treatment that uses paraffin wax for softening and exfoliating. Watch out for the new Grettacole opening at the Westin Copley Place this fall. The Atrium Mall, Chestnut Hill, MA grettacole.com.
Gentle Giant
It is worth the hassle of moving simply for the pleasure of employing perennial winners Gentle Giant. The entire process unfolds like a dream: Book the move with a phone call and watch as the exceedingly polite, good-humored movers show up on time, load your belongings into the truck with astonishing grace and speed, and unload them—in their proper places—into your new home. Yes, they're more expensive than other movers, but they're worth it. 29 Harding Street, Somerville, MA gentlegiant.com.