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boston shopping guide

back bay & the south end


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1

Achilles Project

The most buzzed-about arrival in the up-and-coming industrial Fort Point Channel area, Achilles Project is suitably slick. Forward-thinking apparel—Opening Ceremony jackets, Josh Goot dresses—is arranged in Plexiglas blocks; each night, when the space becomes a restaurant, they're reconfigured into giant glowing cubes. And the owners are launching an in-house label, too.
283 Summer St., Fort Point Channel, 617-423-2257, achilles-project.com
2

Bobby from Boston

In a city known for its classic attire, this vintage resource has achieved icon status: Its contents could outfit the cast of School Ties many times over. Bobby Garnett has been traveling the world for 30 years, snapping up striped college scarves and boiled wool ski sweaters, which are perfectly arranged in a charmingly retro-clubhouse setting. He recently started sourcing equally timeless womenswear, like '50s cocktail dresses and ladylike heels, too. Those who ask can visit his 5,000-square-foot warehouse, 12 miles north of Boston in Lynn.
19 Thayer St., South End, 617-423-9299
3

Bodega

A hidden location behind a functioning, totally nondescript bodega (there's a secret door in the back of the deli that leads to the boutique) may seem only like a clever gimmick, but it fits with the owners' general retail philosophy. Much like the random groceries that are sold up front, the boutique's Surface to Air tops and Japanese North Face jackets were chosen because they're useful, desirable, and have a long shelf life.
6 Clearway St., Back Bay, bdgastore.com
4

Café Society

This carefully considered vintage clothing store in Brookline focuses on evening-worthy cocktail dresses. Proprietress Betsey Brooks puts pieces from as early as the 1890s out on the floor—though most of the inventory can be traced to the '40s and '50s—and ensures that every one is impeccably preserved. You won't find a single missing button, stain, or ragged hem in the mix.
131 Cypress St., Brookline, 617-738-7186
5

Dress

Martha Hilfinger and Jane Schlueter have reliably flawless taste: There are no risky style choices on their racks. Instead, their three-year-old spot, awash in blond wood, features only the most flattering picks from a smattering of brands like 3.1 Phillip Lim and Lyell. The duo's on-point judgment has established Dress as the best place in town for foolproof party dresses.
221 Newbury St., Back Bay, 617-424-7125, dressboston.com
6

Good

While in Boston on a retail consulting job, New Yorker Paul Niski happened upon a FOR RENT sign in a storefront—and he snapped up the lease on the spot. The space, fronted by huge Palladian-style windows, is just that compelling, and Niski has done a good job of ensuring that the gorgeous selection of gifts and jewelry inside measures up. Antique memento mori pendants are set beside old engraved cigarette cases, and beaded Chan Luu necklaces are arranged next to ink drawings from Patch NYC.
88 Charles St., Beacon Hill, 617-722-9200, shopatgood.com
7

Gretta Luxe

The Gretta Luxe minichain is our favorite of local TV personality Gretchen Monahan's vast endeavors (she also owns spas and salons); Monahan unerringly presents an irresistible array of high-high-end picks from designers like Stella McCartney alongside more affordable names like Adam and Lauren Moffatt. The Copley Square branch wins points for convenience and a gallery-like presentation, but the Wellesley original is bigger and has better sales.
10 Huntington Ave., Back Bay, 617-536-1959; 94 Central St., Wellesley, 781-237-7010

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