Chicago’s expansive young fashion empire, Akira, officially opens its Lakeview store tonight (July 31) with a “Girls Night Out” celebration. In addition to 15 percent off all purchases during the event (5pm-10pm), look for the usual Akira circus:

Makeup consultations and gifts from Stila Cosmetics
Hair styling and consultations, as well as massages by Zazu Salon
Complimentary manicures provided by Nailbar
Threading by The Spot
Hors d’oeuvres catered by Moe’s Cantina and sushi by Kamehachi
Chocolate fountain fondue by The Melting Pot
Summer vodka cocktails and FUZE drinks
A striptease and pole dancing fitness class
Live auction of Chicago Machine lacrosse players

Of course, the merch itself will be the main attraction in this, the largest (6,000 square feet) Akira store so far. Look for the following lines: Betsey Johnson, Greyhound, Salvage, Meiko Mellucci, Nellie, BCBG Max Azria, Citizens of Humanity and Hudson.

643 West Diversey, (773)649-9257

855 W. Belmont, (773)549-1038; 1318 N. Milwaukee, (773)384-8448, belmontarmy.com (6 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)
 Loading ...
Goods: New and vintage clothing and shoes for men and women. Designers: Ben Sherman, BB Dakota, Nice Collective, B. Son, Common Projects, Cheap Monday, Fiber & Fellow, Frye, Nike, Converse, Vans, Gravis, New Balance, Shades of Greige, Schmoove, Insight, Levi’s Capital E, Lifetime Collective. Owners: Chang Yoo, Tae Yoo, Tony Lee and Craig Scholla moved the legendary Belmont store over to the West Side when the Brown Line expansion forced the closing of the original location. They’ve reopened on Belmont as well, near the original spot. Vibe: The upstairs stock is completely new, while the vintage goods are in the basement. The clothing (yes, even the vintage) is neatly arranged and the staff is completely hands-off (unless you need them, of course), which makes for a totally no-pressure shopping experience. Price Range: Inexpensive-Expensive. The Look: Trendy hipster upstairs, thrift-store devotee downstairs. The person who shops on both floors has a personal style that is completely their own, and thrives on blending pieces to create a unique look. Shopper’s Perks: Massive amounts of both new and used clothing in one location. Perfect for fashionable friends with dueling shopping styles.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Lakeview Store

Belmont Army

Wicker Park Store

Belmont Army

3738 N. Southport, (773)549-2876, tulaboutique.com (No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...
Goods: Women’s clothing with some jewelry, bags and accessories. Designers: Jarbo, Organic by John Patrick, Geren Ford, Majestic and Three Dots. Jewelry by Chan Luu, Alexis Bittar, Saundra Messinger and Danielle Welmond. Owner: Laura Westgate opened a Chicago outpost of her mother’s Michigan boutique. Vibe: You’ll feel like you’re stopping by a chic friend’s apartment: Enter the shop through a stairway and small hallway, then land in a well-appointed room housed in a vintage brownstone. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: Perfectly polished with a hint of Parisian chic, and in-the-know about under-the-radar designers.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Tula

3527 N. Southport, (773)248-9866, mboutiquechicago.com (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
 Loading ...
Goods: Accessories for women, bags, gifts. Designers: Latico Leathers and Tano bags; Taolei and Zina Kao jewelry. Owner: Melissa Nelson, an accessories addict, formerly owned M Boutique on Armitage Avenue. She opened M2 in 2006. Vibe: A long and narrow, white-walled accessories haven. Items are organized by color, so it’s a cinch to find something to match with any outfit. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: The M2 girl can pull together any outfit by slinging a bag over her shoulder or clasping a bracelet around her wrist—she is clued into the power of a good accessory. Shopper’s Perks: Customers can walk out with a necklace, bracelet and earrings without breaking a $100.

M2 is opening M4men, a men’s accessories store, right next store in mid-November.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

M2 Boutique

3458 N. Southport, (773)248-1967, kristak.com (3 votes, average: 2.00 out of 5)
 Loading ...
Goods: Women’s clothing and accessories. Designers: Rebecca Taylor, Tibi, MINT by jodi arnold, Haute Hippie, Helmut Lang, Current/Elliott, William Rast, jeans by Citizens of Humanity. Owner: Drawing on her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management—and her considerable experience with shopping—Krista Kaur Meyers opened her boutique in 2002. Vibe: This two-story, window-lined boutique carries fully stocked floors, an approachable staff and plenty of catch-your-breath seating. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: Take these crisp, sophisticated and full-of-feminine-charm pieces from a holiday party to an evening of ten-dollar martinis. Shopper’s Perks: With an oversized leather couch, a basket of kid’s toys and a stack of magazines, this shop is well-equipped to occupy antsy family members. Each January and July, the Shop Around the Clock sale allows shoppers to score an additional fifty percent off already-reduced items for the first hour.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Krista K. Boutique

3744 N. Broadway, (773)975-8199, kreativesoulsbypilar.com (No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...
Goods: Shoes, tops, dresses and skirts for women; jeans for both men and women; vintage and handcrafted jewelry. Designers: Most of the clothing is vintage, and the jewelry comes from owner Pilar Audain-Reed’s own line. Owner: Audain-Reed walked away from her career as an epidemiologist to open this store and design jewelry. Vibe: Not a spot in this store is empty, but instead of feeling cluttered, it’s as though you’re being embraced by the universe. Price Range: Inexpensive-Moderate. The Look: Chunky amber necklaces. Sheer blouses with sequined spider webs. T-shirts with positive life messages. Mellow and gorgeous. You could hang out any place across the globe and be the hippest person there. Shopper’s Perks: Pilar handcrafts jewelry for her clients while they wait; she also dispenses life-wisdom that will give you goose bumps.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Kreative Soul

3309 N. Clark, (773)477-1414, hubbahubbachicago.com (No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...
Goods: Women’s clothing and accessories. Designers: Tops by Michael Stars, jeans by Red Engine and Level 99, jackets and sweaters by Tulle, sweaters by Free People and dresses by Hype, Voom, Weston Wear, JWLA, Lily and Bailey 44. Not to mention purses by Big Buddha, Deux Lux, Maruca and Chinese Laundry; and jewelry by La Vie Parisienne and Liquid Metal. Owner: Julie Schneider opened Hubba Hubba in 1988, with the aim of creating a unique atmosphere filled with romantic outfits. Vibe: A sunny, dress-heavy boutique, bursting with ribbons. The fragrance from loose rose potpourri travels throughout the shop. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: Classy-romantic, headed to a high-school reunion or friend’s wedding. Shopper’s Perks: Shoppers sign up on their Web site and receive a loyalty card, which entitles the bearer to ten-percent off all the time. Even better–with your card, get twenty-percent off during your birthday month.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Hubba Hubba

3941 N. Sheridan, (773)477-4007, facebook.com/encorechicago (2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)
 Loading ...
Goods: Sneakers for men and women. Designers: Nike, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, Creative Recreation and several labels from Germany and Japan. Owner: Percy Gibson became the sole owner of this streetwear shop. Vibe: A pulsing, high-energy room with bright lights and hip-hop beats to accompany your shoe shopping. No shoe racks here; each sneaker is given its own display space, making it easy to marvel. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: The Encore client may seem laidback and sporty, but don’t be fooled. This shopper is going to sidestep even the smallest puddle, as they think of their shoes as works of art. Shopper’s Perks: Encore carries hard-to-find shoes and Gibson only stocks a few in each size, which means these are more than shoes—they’re collector’s items. You can also get one-of-a-kind sneakers customized.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Encore

2918 N. Clark, (773)296-6630, myspace.com/clothesoptionalchicago (No Ratings Yet)
 Loading ...
Goods: This vintage resale shop features goods from the 1950s-1980s, including clothing for men, women and children alongside home goods. Designers: Polyester disco shirts, Levi’s bell-bottoms, Members Only jackets, “plaid anything and everything.” Local designers are included on a rotating basis. Owner: Jamie Owens owns up to an “obsession” with items from the fifties through the eighties and opened the boutique over six years ago to “create a nostalgic flashback into time.” Vibe: Swag lights and disco balls hang from the ceiling, dangling over well worn mannequins, while oldies waft from the speakers.Owls—the store’s signature motif—show up everywhere. Price Range: Inexpensive-Moderate. The Look: Casual, funky and retro-flavored. Shopper’s Perks: Originality, of course. Be the only person at the party with a Twiggy-esque mod shift dress, or an old- school Donna Reed shirt dress.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Clothes Optional

3512 N. Southport, (773)244-1300, perchanceboutique.com (1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
 Loading ...
Goods: Clothing, accessories and shoes for women. Designers: Clothing by Diane Von Furstenberg, Cynthia Steffe, Alice + Olivia, Qi Cashmere, Blake Standard, Adam, Mackage; shoes by Bettye Muller, La Canadienne, Anyi Lu, Attilio Giusti; bags by MZ Wallace. Owner: Upon graduating from Northwestern’s graduate school of business, Mary Liz Lehman pursued her longtime dream of opening up her own boutique. Vibe: Vintage glam all the way. The black-and-white décor, green accents and large black chandeliers evoke a classic feel, while photos of style icons such as Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Faye Dunaway are a nod to old-school Hollywood glamour (as well as style inspirations). Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: The Perchance girl looks good from top to bottom, whether she’s running to Target or to dinner at Takashi. The stock caters to the economic range, providing affordable outfits for the college crew headed to the Hidden Shamrock, or the more established folks for a dinner date at Sepia. Shopper’s Perks: Perchance is one of the standard signature stores for the Blake Standard brand.

UPDATED OCTOBER 2009

Perchance