2027 N. Damen, (773)292-1120, hunnyjewelry.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Clothing, accessories and jewelry for women. Owners: Charyl Witz of Hunny jewelry hooked up with Karen and Jen Nielson of SheShe clothing to open this all-in-one shop. “We like fashion and we like to work together,” says Witz. Designers: Clothing from Sir Alistar Rai, J Brand, Velvet, Fashion Spy, Rebecca Taylor, Alice + Olivia; jewelry from Lulu Frost and Lana. Vibe: The exterior black-and-white sign is a nod to the interior’s elegance. Inside the neutrally decorated shop, jewelry is housed in sophisticated armoires, chandeliers radiate glamor and displays feature combined clothing and jewelry for ensemble inspiration.  Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: A gal who has her act together, she effortlessly combines current trends with classic pieces. Head to Juicy Wine Company for a glass of vino, then Piccolo Sogno for Italian. Shopper’s Perks: Witz and the Nielson girls are abreast of the latest Hollywood trends—many of the items in their shop are regularly seen on celebrity fashion icons.

Hunny/SheShe

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2008

2104 W. Roscoe, (773)281-2466, cinnamonboutique.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s clothing and accessories. Designers: Jeans by Mavi, Red Engine and J Brand; dresses by Liquid, pieces from Free People and Original Penguin. Owner: A former school social worker, Emily Helfrich dreamt of opening her own boutique for years before finally taking the plunge. Vibe: Amidst the deep pink walls and sea of wooden hangers, you’ll find plenty of classy staple pieces and enough colorful creativity to keep your heart rate up. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: These sleek and stylish basics will let you head straight from the office to a meal at Green Zebra. Shopper’s Perks: Cinnamon features four local jewelry designers, including Dana Wadas and Ulia Carella. The Thing for Spring: Printed trench coats from Penguin and mod shift dresses from Liquid.

Cinnamon Boutique

2128 N. Halsted (773)929-6101, guisestyle.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Men and women’s clothing and accessories. Salon carries high-end beauty/body products. Designers: Fillipa K, Oliver Spencer, Theory, IRO and J Brand jeans. Owners: Original owner of the all-male boutique Guise, Brad Habansky teamed up with two new owners, Jodi Immel and Heidi Taylor, to create a new fashion one-stop-shop that includes women’s clothing and a salon. Vibe: Urban rustic, with exposed-brick walls and barn-wood garnishes. Screen-printed and painted artwork adorns the walls. Hardwood floors throughout and glowing futuristic-looking salon in the back. The space oozes with an organic-modern essence. Price Range: Moderate-Expensive. The Look: Polished. Casual. Urban meets yachter-preppy. Shopper’s Perks: Professionals at your disposal. These people will tell you what looks good because they know what’s good. The Thing for Spring: Burgundy and fantastic outerwear are going to thrive.

Guise | Chic

1361 N. Wells, (312)573-0750, Grayboutique.com (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s clothing and accessories. Designers: Jewelry by 2SisterDesigns; jeans from Serfontaine, Anlo, J Brand; women’s clothing from Hale Bob, Cynthia Steffe, Lily McNeal, Julie Brown and Poleci. Owner: Laura Schoch, an English-composition major (she’s writing an e-book on the store’s Web site!) and owner of Gray’s two suburban locations. Vibe: Decor is sophisticated and subtle. The walls are splashed in the store’s signature hue and spruced up with arched mirrors and modern light fixtures dangle from the ceilings. The Look: Contemporary and right-on-trend. Laura says that Gray strikes the ideal balance between urban and suburban chic. Shopper’s Perks: Preferred customers are privy to bonuses like private sales. The Thing for Spring: Gray is heavily supporting local Chicago talent by featuring two local designers a month.

Gray

1206 W. Webster, (773)935-7467 (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s clothing and accessories. Designers: Trina Turk, Bailey 44, denim by Joe’s Jeans and J Brand, select pieces by owner Kate Krause Prange, jewelry by Ulia Carella. Owner: Well before boutiques were a Chicago sidewalk staple, Kate Krause Prange founded ShopGirl to bring designer clothes and good customer service to the North Side. Vibe: Chic brown and pink walls, and fashion-forward sales associates make ShopGirl the place to bring out your inner pretty woman. Heck, Julia Roberts herself has shopped here. Price Range: Expensive. The Look: Bohemian fabulous. A stateside Sienna Miller. Shopper’s Perks: Personal shoppers, in-store bachelorette parties and charity events, and—listen up, hubby—beer for the patiently waiting men.

ShopGirl

34 E. Oak, (312)944-0885 (No Ratings Yet)
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Goods: Women’s clothing and accessories. Designers: Organic, Michael Stars, Ella Moss, James Perse, jeans by James and J Brand. Owners: Husband-and-wife duo Jeffrey and Leslie Gersten opened this Gold Coast staple thirty-three years ago. Vibe: Techno beats pulse in the background of this bright and cheery storefront. The sales staff is knowledgeable yet unobtrusive, and the racks of clothing are neatly organized, making it easy to spot your favorite fall sweater from across the room. Price Range: Expensive. The Look: Classic pieces with a trendy edge. Run errands all day, meet your guy at Avenue M and look classy, fresh and fabulous all the while. Shopper’s Perks: The Gerstens’ priority is educated service—they’re constantly ensuring their staff is in-the-know by educating them on the best designer for each body type. The Thing for Spring: Bright t-shirts from a variety of designers.

Sugar Magnolia

1719 N. Damen, (773)772-0505 (1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Goods: Women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. Designers: Cloak & Dagger, James Coviello, Tibi New York, Serfontaine, J Brand and Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent. Owner: Lori Mandarino opened the boutique over ten years ago. With no fashion experience, only a knack for style, she started the successful business “from scratch.” Vibe: A giant antique bar with intricately carved flowers serves as the cash register. Racks are punctuated with sinuous, metal branches. Price Range: Expensive. The Look: World traveler with exquisite taste (and beyond-a-backpacker’s budget). This shopper scours outdoor markets for antique charms and ethnic jewelry. Obsessed with color and sophisticated prints. Shopper’s Perks: A sale section in back is constantly stocked with bargains.

Tangerine