Best of Boston

American men count on their counterparts in the Mother Country, Great Britain, to do two things: support the White House’s military policies and show the rest of us how to dress. Here in Boston, guys who seek to effect the casual cool of The Naked Chef’s Jamie Oliver (as opposed to, say, the dandyish look of Foreign Secretary Jack Straw) can browse the racks at Allston Beat, which turns in the best local imitation of a fashionable-but-affordable High Street boutique. This Newbury Street shop, once better known for peddling over-the-top clubwear, now stocks a more understated inventory that leans heavily towards jeans by Levis, G-Star, and Earl, retro-inspired button-downs by Ben Sherman, and Fred Perry warmups. The back of the store is devoted to shelves lined with old-school trainers (sorry—sneakers) that you’re not likely to find at Foot Locker.