Photograph by Katherine Bish

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Downtown

During the last four years, the downtown retail scene has grown from five to 27 shops. The new ones join old favorites, making for some of the best shopping around.

A Taste of Luxurie for Men, 1303 Washington, 314-621-1122. This boutique expanded its chic offerings beyond its female-focused store in the Central West End last September by opening a men’s store on burgeoning Washington Avenue. Guys can find the latest from lines like Smash, English Laundry and France’s Rivaldi (exclusive to this shop in St. Louis).

Atom, 513 Olive, 314-621-4141, atom-designs.com. In addition to collections of contemporary art and furniture, Atom offers shoppers who dare to enter its bright showroom a chance to set their sights on designer handbags and jewelry. Keep an eye out for Italian leather bowler handbags ($365), the store’s hottest item this season.

Beverly’s Hill, 1309 Washington, 314-621-1633, 123underwear.com. Besides its clever name, what we love about the sister store to Boxers is its lingerie and loungewear selection. All of the bright pink boutique’s merchandise is fabulously feminine. The store’s selection of everyday undergarments includes Calvin Klein and Honeydew.

Boxers, 1305 Washington, 314-454-0209, mensunderwearstore.com. Is David Beckham’s new ad campaign for Emporio Armani the driving force behind a sudden surge in men’s skivvies? There’s no way to know for sure, but Boxers continues to do what it’s always done—make men look good with underwear that goes beyond tighty-whities. What makes Boxers different from the nearest department store’s underwear section is its huge selection—including loungewear—with specialty labels like Diesel, D&G, Hugo Boss and 2(x)ist. The only thing you won’t find is Becks himself.

Lee J., 1000 Washington, 314-241-0440, leejfashions.com. With 25 years of retail experience, owner Lee Johnson knows a thing or two about contemporary fashion. The New York native’s spacious downtown store carries men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, with brands that range from French Connection to 7Diamonds.

Luxurie Footwear, 1301 Washington, 314-621-2353. From the same people who brought you A Taste of Luxurie for Men (and right next door), Luxurie Footwear offers shoes from BCBG, Jessica Simpson and Enzo Angiolini. The styles are runway-inspired but affordable, and the selection’s strong.

PaperDolls, 1021 Washington, 314-621-9696, paperdolls-stl.com. This vintage-inspired, eclectic store on Washington—a Kirkwood store opened in early August at 110 E. Jefferson (314-965-3655)—is for grown-up tastes that range far from those old playthings torn from the pages of McCall’s. Every item is carefully selected; you can find Doube, vfish and B.B. Dakota, as well as special items that you won’t find anywhere else. With handmade clothing from Argentine artist Macu and designer jeans like those worn by Eva Longoria, Paperdolls is the perfect place to play dress-up like a grown-up.

Perchelle, 1209 Washington, 314-241-0355. Perchelle O’Boyle had high fashion in mind when she opened her downtown boutique earlier this year. After running a successful shop in Beverly Hills, the 24-year-old St. Louis native wanted to introduce her own hometown to designs from Yana K, Just Cavalli—and, of course, her own men’s line.

Retro 101 & Cherry Bomb Vintage, 2303 Cherokee, 314-762-9722. Retro 101 & Cherry Bomb Vintage is crammed with three floors of all things nostalgic, including retro duds, posh furniture and kitschy kitchenware. Perusing the store’s vast and sometimes strange collection is like taking a trip to yesteryear.

The Time Boutique, 922 Washington, 314-974-8463. The Time has rejected the temptation to fill its racks with supertrendy, just-off-the runway styles, instead favoring high-quality “investment pieces” from emerging New York, Chicago and San Francisco designers. The selection ranges from designers like Orlando Espinoza to Verrieres & Sako and includes classic pieces that will last for years. Besides finding imported dresses, you can order custom jeans cut specifically to fit
your derrière.