855 W. Belmont, (773)549-1038; 1318 N. Milwaukee, (773)384-8448, belmontarmy.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: New and vintage clothing and shoes for men and women. Designers: Clothing by Ben Sherman, BB Dakota, Paul Frank and Bobi; shoes by Vans, Camper, Converse, Gravis and New Balance. Owners: Chang Yoo, Tae Yoo, Tony Lee and Craig Scholla moved the legendary Belmont store over to the West Side early last year. 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-Moderate. 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. The Thing for Spring: Belmont Army recently opened back up on Belmont, just doors down from the original location. Staffers are excited about the new collection of Vans, which are simple, comfortable, and all-around phat.

Lakeview Store

Belmont Army

Wicker Park Store

Belmont Army

1740 W. Division, (773)227-6225, shopandina.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s purses, belts, shoes, scarves and jewelry, all imported from Argentina. Owner: Argentina native Gonzolo Barenas’ boutique was inspired by the street fairs and bazaars in Buenos Aires. Vibe: Posters of Argentina dot the walls, while Argentinean music plays overhead. Plants decorate the displays, and the goods provide punches of color in an otherwise black and wood room. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: From the office to Lumen, spice up any outfit with buttery leather or rich suede bags and belts, then shine it up with some sterling silver jewelry. Shopper’s Perks: Shopping at Andina will give you a distinctly unique look—you can’t find these accessories at H&M.

Andina Buenos Aires

1733 W. Chicago, (312)226-0152, alcalas.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Boots, hats and Western garb for men, women and cowboys—and cowgirls-in-training. Designers: Boots are by Frye, Lucchese and Durango; hats are by Stetson and Shady Brady. Owner: Luis Alcala founded the store in 1972. Luis’ son Richard and family manage the store. Vibe: A lit-up, braying pony beckons shoppers to one of the largest retailers of Western wear this side of Texas. Inside, there’s a dizzying array of cowboy gear including everything from boots to lassos. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: A beer-swigging, line-dancing, red-blooded American. Shopper’s Perks: The store offers free alterations, hat-shaping and on-site boot repair.

Alcala’s Western Wear

900 N. Michigan, (312)266-1545, alternativeshoes.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Men’s and women’s shoes and accessories. Designers: Most of the shop’s stock is its own label, but the store prides itself on carrying a few other designers that they are sure you’ve never heard of, all from a variety of small Italian factories. Owner: Sandro Ciurcina left Florence to be with his wife, a native Chicagoan. Using knowledge he gained from his father’s shoe factory in Tuscany, Ciurcina has kept Chicago customers happy for the last twenty years. Vibe: This longtime inhabitant of Rush Street moved into the 900 Shops complex last year, and uses a bright red carpet to stand out from the other stores. Price Range: Moderate. The Look: Everything from super-pointy stilettos to peep-toe heels are represented, but only the fashion forward will have what it takes to pull off these looks, which have a decidedly quirky flair. Shopper’s Perks: Because of Ciurcina’s close relationship with the designers and manufacturers of his shoes, conversations with customers often show up in the next season’s line.

Alternatives

1421 W. 18th, (312)226-4040, zapatillasinc.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Shoes and accessories for women. Designers: Chinese Laundry, Steven, Bamboo, Anne Michelle, Me Too, Nine West; bags by Latico and Franco Sarto. Owner: After a retail-filled career, Sylvia Rocha opened up her shoe shop in her native Pilsen neighborhood, aiming to bring style and value to the community. Zapatilla means “slipper” in Spanish. Vibe: Stylishly low-maintenance. The ambiance is attractive yet no-frills, and shoppers here can get in and get out easily, as neatly stacked boxes full of shoes line the walls below their corresponding displays. Price Range: Inexpensive. The Look: For the comfortable shoe fetishist, Zapatillas stocks footwear that keeps up with both the latest trends and classic looks, yet at the core remains easy to wear. Perfect for the many commuters of Pilsen. Shopper’s Perks: Realizing that Chicago women will undoubtedly don a bridesmaid dress at some point, Rocha stocks a wide selection of Nina dye-able shoes in styles that are modern, stylish and, yes, flawlessly dyeable.

Zapatillas

934 W. Armitage, (773)929-3600, shoparteffect.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Clothing for women, jewelry, hair accessories, shoes, belts, purses, wallets, home accents, bath and body products and toys. Designers: Orla Kiely, Hannoh, Michael Stars, jewelry by Alexis Bittar, Jeanine Payer and Saundra Messinger. Owner: Esther Fishman opened Art Effect twenty-three years ago as an outpost for “wearable art.” Vibe: The shop has evolved into a modern-day general store, selling everything from jeans and cowboy boots to espresso machines and knitting kits. Price Range: Expensive. The Look: All dressed up with lots of trendy places to go. Shopper’s Perks: Special orders are available for almost anything, free gift-wrapping. The Thing for Spring: Art Effect is going green! Look for plenty of eco-friendly clothing and housewares.

Art Effect

1543 N. Wells, (312)337-1800, oneyellowshoe.com (1 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
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Goods: Shoes and accessories for women. Designers: Shoes from oh…DEER!, Dollhouse, Me Too, Joseph Griffin, Aerosoles, Blowfish, Bos. & Co. Owner: Old Town resident Tammy Brody, a former commercial producer, grew tired of traveling for her job. So she opened a shoe shop in her own backyard. Vibe: Tammy enlisted a set-decorator friend to bring a Shabby Chic vibe to her garden-level shop. Mismatched crystal chandeliers hang from white pipes; flowers sit in the windowsills, old black-and-white photographs are framed on the walls and old bluesy tunes spill out of the speakers. The Look: This shopper is expert at accessorizing on a budget, and she expertly pulls outfits together with a splash of color. Price Range: Inexpensive-Moderate. Shopper’s Perks: Almost nothing in the shop costs more than $100. The Thing for Spring: Metallic footwear and stacked heels.

One Yellow Shoe

1021 W. Lake, (312)633-4000 (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Men’s and women’s footwear; baseball caps, zip-up hoodies and tees. Designers: Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Timberland shoes; LRG, Artful Dodger, Adidas, Rock & Republic clothing. Owner: Percy Gibson helms this West Side boutique in addition to his North Side sneaker shop, Encore. Price Range: Expensive-Luxury. Vibe: The store is tricked-out bachelor pad meets upscale boutique. The front is filled with high-end footwear displayed like art, a big-screen TV, couches and a well-kept bar waits in back. The Look: Sneaker-head heaven—the walls are even decked out in autographed hip-hop photos. Shopper’s Perks: The store is open until midnight on the weekends, and a party vibe permeates the shop as the night goes on. Also, Self-Conscious is one of five stores in the Midwest to have a quick strike account with Nike, meaning that highly coveted shoes show up out of nowhere.

Self-Conscious

1019 W. Lake, (312)738-0155, korosartandstyle.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Clothing, shoes and accessories for women, bath and body products. Designers: Hoss, Strenesse, Ports 1961, denim by Jean Shop NYC and 192 Doves, stylish separates by Iro, belts by Justice Bodan, jewelry by Aris Geldis and local designer Tracey Mayer. Owner: Former model and current stylist Kristen Skordilis stocks her shop with handpicked confections from New York, Paris and London. Vibe: Hardwood floors, exposed-brick walls and vintage chandeliers fill the spacious boutique. Antique furnishings include washbasins from a nineteenth-century convent (which Kristen uses to store accessories) and a 200-year-old church altar that’s used as a cash wrap. Price Range: Expensive-Luxury. The Look: Creative, innovative and edgy. Always stands out in a room. A gallery-hopper and upscale-lounge dweller. Shopper’s Perks: Kristen has a passion for undiscovered lines with limited distribution and constantly updates the store’s selection. A rotating art display features painting and photography by local artists; an in-house espresso bar keeps customers energized. The Thing for Spring: The raw yet refined pieces from Gary Graham, Ifeanyi Chuku

Koros

1237 S. Michigan, (312)834-0909 (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Shoes and accessories for women. Designers: Shoes by Chie Mihara, Corso Como, CYDWOQ, Camper and Paco Gill; handbags by Cate Adair; candles by Seda France. Owner: Tiffany Bullock ditched a fifteen-year career in finance to open a shop devoted to her true passion. Vibe: Uncluttered, organized and full of joy. Bullock’s enthusiasm and knowledge make this a fun, easy shopping experience. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: Shoes from this collection are for the gal who wants to rock the current trends, but isn’t willing to sacrifice comfort. Luckily, the naked eye can’t see bonuses like the extra padding near the toe of a Corso Como heel. Shopper’s Perks: Bullock makes a point to stock shoes that will flatter all types of feet, so both wide-soled and narrow-footed shoe lovers can find something that looks and feels great. The Thing for Spring: Bullock is excited about the collections from Gee WaWa, Sinela and Calleen Cordero.

House of Sole