Photograph by Ashley Heifner

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Getting Personal – Clayton

Feeling neglected? Make the trip to Clayton, where the theme of your shopping experience will be personalized customer service. Park near Forsyth and Brentwood and walk east on Forsyth until Laurie Solet [1] appears on the horizon. The clothes wink knowingly at high fashion, and the owner makes you feel as if you’ve been friends for years. Labels range from Foley & Corinna, offering dressier date-night pieces, to Tag and Taverniti denim and tees and tanks by LA Made.

Now head west to the brick sidewalks and green awnings of the shops along Maryland just west of Brentwood. At one end there’s Joy Tribout Interiors [2], famous for vibrant, artful pillows—many designed by Tribout and made in Belleville—and stylized accessories. Fortified, you can brave Byrd [4], where the staff will never let you walk out the door with something you later convince yourself that you bought because of the fluorescent lighting in the dressing room. From throw-on clothes by Velvet and Seaton to hand-beaded pieces by When I Was 5 and cashmere by Cake Couture, Byrd carries pieces with wide appeal, especially for twentysomethings and young mothers who refuse to look like soccer moms. Next door at Su-Ellen [5], shoppers are trying on updated classics, the only Origami in the St. Louis area and custom-designed knits by J.S.S. for those chilly fall nights. Tami’s Trousseau [6] carries one-of-a-kind dresses and is a well-known prewedding stop. Now make your way to Simons Jewelers [7] for that special platinum ring or designer piece or to Barucci Gallery [8] for gorgeous ceramics, vivid serigraphs and handblown glass. Drop by Brilliant Antiques [9] and examine the century-old English serving pieces. Get fitted for lingerie at Margaret’s [10] and pick up a Verena nightgown or a Bed Head unmentionable. Grab a pastrami on rye at the Posh Nosh Deli [11], load up on Cajun shrimp at Almond’s [12], sit outside at Companion Bakehouse [13] or walk over to Brentwood for a latte and crêpe at City Coffee House and Creperie [14].

When you finally venture out of the Clayton Triangle (Forsyth, Brentwood, Maryland), head for Meramec. The Queen Bee [15] maternity boutique is great for the woman who knows that life (and therefore fashion) doesn’t have to stop just because a new life is beginning. Right next door at Lusso [16], Top 40 music sets the tone for small home-accent pieces and fashions by Michael Stars and Paper Denim & Cloth. It’s a scaled-down Anthropologie, the appeal broadened; shop here for the perfect pair of jeans, a book on fondue cooking for a friend, a set of funky glasses for your kitchen. For jewelry that steals everyone’s attention, drive over to David Kodner [17] on Carondelet  or Elleard Heffern on Hanley, next door to J.Buck’s [18]. Don’t want a burger? Order tapas at BARcelona [19], sushi at SanSai Japanese Grill [20] or an egg-salad sandwich and peppermint malt at Jennifer’s Pharmacy and Soda Shop [21], a retro heaven with ’50s toys, wicked-funny cards and herbal remedies. Then drive to Mavrik [22], on Forsyth across from Ivey-Selkirk [23], and browse intricate sterling-silver jewelry by Israeli designers Michal Negrin and Dorit Gornat. Ready for vice? Try JR Cigars [24], Jon’s Pipe Shop [25] or The Wine Merchant [26]; all of the necessities for a night without the kids can be purchased within a few-blocks radius.

On the way home, stop at the Clayton Road Antiques Row, checking the latest English and French finds at Finches [27] and Davis Place [28]. The Designing Block [29] offers fanciful modern and antique decorative pieces for the home. Twigs and Moss [30] explores uncharted territory in floral design, achieving a stunning simplicity with plants and botanicals you won’t immediately recognize. Need a wedding present? You can find the most perfect traditional silver, china and crystal at Byron Cade [31] —but you can also find the kind of eccentric, thoughtful gift a British squire might proffer. Glowing with accomplishment, take home one of the beloved Ladue or Paradise coffeecakes now sold at Lake Forest Confections [32].