Shopping - Chicago 2005 - page 230

Chic Boutiques

In the not-so-distant past, local fashion addicts fled to the coasts to shop
for cutting-edge designer duds. Those days are over. Chicago has come
into its own fashion-wise as a new generation of boutiques has sprung
up, offering a fresh array of unique accouterments. These are some of
the best.
The cozy, minimalist Chasalla boutique, 70 E. Oak St. ( & 312/640-1940 ),
specializes in men's and women's clothing from designers' younger,
slightly more-affordable labels, including Versace's Versus, D&G, Hugo Red
Label, and Cinque.
Just around the corner from chic Oak Street is the newest fashionista
haven, Ikram, 873 Rush St. ( & 312/587-1000 ). Run by Ikram Goldman, a
former saleswoman at well-known women's clothing store Ultimo, the
shop stocks all the big names, from Valentino to Yves St. Laurent—and
whatever else Vogue has declared “hot” for the season. But tucked
among the high-priced pieces are jewelry, stationery, and decorative
accessories that give the place a personal touch.
In River North , Clever Alice, 750 N. Franklin St. ( & 312-587-8693 ),
attracts a clientele of stylish professional women who want polished
looks. While the clothes here are body-conscious (including a good
selection of hard-to-find European lines), the staff takes the time to
help shoppers find pieces that fit and flatter.
You'll find a number of cool boutiques aimed at the younger crowd
clustered along Damen Avenue in Bucktown. The reigning champ is
p45, 1643 N. Damen Ave. ( & 773/862-4523 ), a gold mine of urbane and
cutting-edge women's fashion. The dark, minimalist space is filled with
a unique mix of hip national labels (Michelle Mason, Susana Monaco,
Lauren Moffat) and local designers you've never heard of, which has
made p45 one of the city's most cutting-edge boutiques.
The selection is a little more sophisticated at Jolie Joli, 1623 N. Damen
Ave. ( &

773/342-7272 ), which stocks white-hot designers including

All the latest men's (and some women's) fashion styles—from names such as
Fresh Jive, Fuct, and Diesel—can be found under the same roof at the multi-
room building housing the Aero and Untitled shops, 2707 N. Clark St.
( & 773/404-9225 ). Whether you're into tight, fitted fashion or the layered,
droopy-pants look, it's here. Tragically Hip, a storefront women's boutique at
931 W. Belmont Ave. ( & 773/549-1500 ), next to the Belmont El train stop,
has outlasted many other similar purveyors of cutting-edge women's apparel.
Or, you can get plugged into what the kids are reading at Chicago Comics,
3244 N. Clark St. ( & 773/528-1983 ), the industry's 1998 pick for best comics
shop in the country. Besides the usual superhero titles, you'll find lots of Euro-
pean and Japanese comics, along with underground books and 'zines.
SOUTHPORT AVENUE Another strip worth a stroll is the gentrified retail
row along Southport Avenue, a few blocks west of Wrigley Field. With the Music
Box Theater at 3733 N. Southport Ave., north of Addison Street, as its anchor,
the area has an interesting mix of quirky and artsy merchants and restaurateurs.