Eat Your Heart Out, Newbury Street

Most of the time, I try very hard not to buy too many clothes, but when I do go shopping I prefer small boutiques. It’s not because I’m snobby and care about labels, but I simply have a difficult time picking out clothes and deciphering between cheap chic and doomed dress. Upscale boutiques have taken away the questionable choices and left me to pick from clothes that won’t end up embarrassing me.

That said, it can be expensive to shop that way so I have to avert my eyes at times when walking through the North End. Yes, that’s right, the North End. Although it’s well established as Boston’s Italian enclave and most people only think of chianti and cannoli, it actually has a surprising number of charming boutiques at which to shop. Of course, too many glasses of wine and more than one pastry and you won’t have to worry about spending money on clothes.

Twilight is one of the more upscale women’s clothing stores in the neighborhood and has racks of party dresses — it’s like walking into a dream. The unique dresses are from designers like Nanette Lepore, Nicole Miller, and Betsy Johnson. The ladies that work here are also very sweet and don’t have the attitude that seems to accompany some of the staff on Newbury Street. If you have an event that you need to look fabulous for, go here. If you don’t have the big bucks, the shop carries some surprisingly low-priced accessories that will make any basic cocktail dress pop.

Just a few blocks away and you’re at the door of in-jean-ius, which will make the nightmare of finding the perfect pair of jeans a million times better. The store carries over 30 different brands of jeans and the staff knows their stuff. They’ll be able to assess your body and get you in a pair of pants that flatter your shape from all angles. Again, these are jeans that come with a hefty price tag, but feeling good about how you look is worth it.

Finally, I have to mention Shake the Tree, which is located on Salem Street. Unlike the two stores above, in addition to clothes Shake the Tree also offers some home design products, like serving bowls, dish sets, and table decorations. They carry an incredible selection of accessories and it is hard to walk out without buying a new purse. Also, the store frequently hosts parties where they serve champagne and wine to customers while designers have trunk shows or another special occasion is being celebrated. So if you spend $200 on a purse and a pair of earrings, at least you had a free glass of bubbly to help ease the pain!