Updated 2008-09-11 07:11
| Club gear |
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| The Achilles Project You usually have a certain outfit you wear when you go out, but here you can actually buy that outfit, and go out. The front of the house — the boutique, Achilles — carries exclusive fashion lines like Chloë Sevigny for Opening Ceremony, unavailable elsewhere in Boston, and after hours, the ingenious clothing shelving system slides out of the way to make room for lounging on benches amidst fashion while playing Wii or Ms. Pacman. Basically, if you spill on yourself while eating here, you can buy a new pair of pants. ‘283 Summer Street, Boston. MBTA: Red Line to South Station. Mon-Wed: 11:30 a.m.- 8 p.m.; Thu-Fri: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat: noon - 9 p.m. 617.423.2257. |
| Hootenanny Harvard Square used to be famous for its goth/punk kids and although they’re harder to find these days, Hootenanny still sells marketing savvy versions of their style. In the Garage, Harvard Square, Cambridge. MBTA: Red Line to Harvard. Mon-Thu 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun noon-8 p.m. 617.864.6623. |
| H&M The crowds can be overwhelming, but there’s a reason why this Swedish super-store is always packed with broke students and “frugal” professionals. Because its designer-inspired clothes are so damn cheap! 350 Washington St., Boston. MBTA: Red, Orange Line to Downtown Crossing. Mon-Sat, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 617-482-7001. |
| Vintage clothes |
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| Garment District This thrifty niche was always known for being a great resource for Halloween costumes, so it made sense when Boston Costume moved into their digs to share space. The GD is one of the most well-stocked consignment shops in the area. Clothes are organized by color, so if you have an outfit in mind beforehand, chances are you’re going to find what you want. If not, you can always dig through the giant pile downstairs, where garments go for $1.50 per pound. 200 Broadway, Cambridge. MBTA: Red Line to Kendall. Mon, Tue, Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Wed-Fri 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat 9 a.m.-7 p.m. 617.876.5230. |
| Café Society If you really want the vintage advantage, you have to visit Café Society. Handbags, hatboxes, bellbottoms, and butterfly collars are just some of their ever-rotating retro inventory. Most of the inventory is women’s, but there’s quite a few duds for dudes, too. 131 Cypress St Brookline. MBTA: Green Line to Brookline Hills. Mon, Tue 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; Wed-Fri noon-6 p.m.; Sat 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 617.738.7186. |
| Davis Square Good Will Come all ye zombie nurses, devil fairies and white-trash brides. Halloween is the Christmas season at this thrift shop, where Tufts kids flock to find costumes. The manager also does up the store in a throwback inside-of-the-glass. 230 Elm St., Somerville. MBTA: Red Line to Davis. Mon-Sat 10 a.m-7 p.m.; Sun noon-6 p.m. 617.628.3618. |
| BU vicinity Goodwill A B.U. dorm is about the size of a toddler’s shoe box, so what do over-packed freshmen at one of the richest private schools in the country do with all their extra Belanciaga bags and X-Box 360s? Donate them to the Goodwill behind their dorm building of course. This place is never a miss, and be sure to hit it up early this month and in May — a students’ spring cleaning could mean a new Northface parka for you. 965 Comm. Ave., Boston Hours: Mon-Sat: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sun: noon to 6 p.m. MBTA: Green B Line to Pleasant Street. 617.254.0112. |
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Poor Little Rich Girl Don’t let the name deceive you. This Davis Square den of discard could be called “Rich Little Poor Girl” for the variety of secondhand women’s wear at dirt cheap prices. 255 Elm St., Somerville. Mon-Wed noon to 7 p.m.; Thu-Sat noon-9 p.m.; Sun noon-6 p.m. MBTA: Red Line to Davis. 617.684.0157. |
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Second Time Around Let’s face it. Your crappy job, if you have one, barely covers your pizza/beer/shopping habit. You can’t afford retail. Luckily, other people could and then decided they didn’t need what they bought. Second Time Around specializes in high-end consignment, which means you can find some retail gems. They also have an online wishlist! 176 Newbury St., Boston. MBTA: Green Line to Hynes/ICA. Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun 12-6 p.m. 617.247.3504. 8 Eliot St., Cambridge. MBTA: Red Line to Harvard. Mon-Fri 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun noon-6 p.m. 617.491.7185. |
| 40 South Street This emporium for geek chic used to be called Gumshoe. Now they have a new name, and all the same old stuff. And we are talking real old stuff. You’ll dig the cowboy shirts, nerdy sweater vests, old sports-tees and ceiling-high stack of cords and jeans here. It’s a little hard to get to, but they offer clothes that are even harder to get. 40 South St., Jamaica Plain. MBTA: Orange Line to Forest Hills, then take 37/38 bus. Thu: noon -7 p.m.; Fri: noon-6 p.m.; Sat: noon-5 p.m.; Sun: noon-5 p.m. 617.522.5066 |
| Gumshoe Geek chic! It’s still all the rage for indie guys, and if it’s your thing, nerdo, you’ll enjoy the cowboy shirts, old sports-tees and ceiling-high stack of cords and jeans here. It’s a little hard to get to, but they offer clothes that are even harder to get. 40 South St., Jamaica Plain. MBTA: Orange Line to Forest Hills, then take 37/38 bus. Fri 3 p.m.-6 p.m.; Sat and Sun. noon-5p.m. 617.522.5066. |
| Hip hop gear |
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| Bodega Oh, hell naw, that vintage soda machine did not just slide open to reveal a so fresh and so clean sneaker museum and hip-hop hoodie Mecca. Oh, yes it did. Before setting foot on the glimmering wood floor of Bodega’s showroom, customers must make their way through the boutique’s fake convenience store front. If you get confused and think you’re actually in there to buy some ancient Tide (for display only), there’s usually a homie on his laptop blaring the latest Lil Wayne at the cashier’s desk to show you the secret passageway to get in the actual store. 6 Clearway St. MBTA: Green Line to Hynes . Mon-Wed: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thu-Sat: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun: noon-5 p.m. 617.421.1550. |
| Hip Zepi If the brands Rocawear, Enyce and Dedoris don’t mean anything to you, then you probably don’t need to come in here. If they do mean something to you, then Apple Bottoms, Akademiks and Phat Farm also mean something to you. Hip Zepi has got all of these and more. 31 Winter St., Boston. MBTA: Orange or Red Line to Downtown Crossing. Mon-Sat, 9:30 to 7 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 617.350.6870. |
| Manhattan Clothing Pretty much the same cool gear as Hip Zepi, but it’s across the street. So if you are having an even numbered day, instead of an odd-numbered day, go here for Fresh kicks, big jeans, crisp long white T’s. 40 Winter St., Boston. MBTA: Orange or Red Line to Downtown Crossing. Mon-Thu 10 a.m. -7 p.m.; Fri-Sat 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 617.482.3370. |
| EbLens This place also has mad brands, and a slammin’ sneaker collection. If you want to rock one of those T-shirts with a huge graphic on it, here’s where to go. 90 River St., Mattapan. MBTA: Trolley to Mattapan Square. Mon-Sat 9:30 a.m. -9 p.m.; Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 617-696-4313. |
| Preppy chic |
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| Abercrombie & Fitch The Cambridgeside Galleria’s Abercrombie is just like the one you had at home — dance music blasting through the wood-floored mountain cabin-turned-store. Its wares are big with the high school crowd, but nothing says fraternity like svelte pecs and homoerotic models. 100 Cambridgeside Pl., Cambridgeside Galleria. MBTA: Green Line to Lechmere. Mon-Sat, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 617.494.1338. |
| J. Press Why do all these preppy stores put the initial J. in front of their names? We don’t know, but we do know that J. Press (a classier J. Crew) is the place to go for wool sweaters, fancy tweed jackets and belts with whales on them. 82 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge. MBTA: Red Line to Harvard. Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 617.547.9886. |
| Designer duds |
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| Betsey Johnson This hot-pink Newbury boutique is for the fearless few who never gave up on the idea that clothing should be fun. Johnson cart-wheeled her way into fashion in the ’60s and never grew up. Cardigans embellished with ostrich feathers ($194) and frilly cocktail dresses ($250 and up) will make outrageous impressions. 201 Newbury St., Boston. MBTA: Green Line to Copley. Mon-Sat 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun noon-6 p.m. 617-236-7072. |
| Jasmine Sola Attn. girlie girls: If sparkle and frills are permanent fixtures in your closet, stop by this New England chain. From Miss Sixty to Juicy Couture, Jasmine Sola stocks clothes for the Legally Blonde in all of us. They have five local locations, so check their site for hours and directions. 29 Brattle St., Cambridge. 617.576.0031. 800 Boylston St., Boston. 617.578.0550 329 and 344 Newbury St., Boston. 617.437.8465 and 617.867.4636. 965 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. 617.562.0004 |
| Shop 344 The tears that every female college student with a trust fund shed after Jasmine Sola closed were in vain, because in its place is the exact same store under a different name. They couldn’t even get a new owner. The same guido-enabling designer jeans are up for grabs here, just without the scandal that came along with Jasmine. We were wondering where Ed Hardy would be supplying his studded crop tops with splattered paint on them. 344 Newbury St., Boston MBTA: Green Line to Hynes. Mon-Fri: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Sat: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sun: 11a.m.- 6 p.m. 617.262.0400. |
| LF Based in California, this store purposely looks like your friend’s messy but well-stocked closet, maximizing LF’s mix-and-match approach to dressing. Their look is eclectic and bright, featuring up and coming designers from Europe along with trends plucked from the streets of L.A. We want more people to wear their famously large ponytail holders, especially the one where the skull looks like he’s regurgitating your hair. 353 Newbury St., Boston. MBTA: Hynes/ICA. Mon-Thu 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 617.236.1213. |
| Marc Jacobs Jacobs has a powerful presence in the world of fashion, not to mention celebrity closets. This two-floor boutique has high-end stuff upstairs, and slightly more affordable stuff downstairs. Surely Daddy was thinking of Marc’s O.C.C. Glitter Studs bag when he said the credit card was for emergencies only. 81 Newbury St., Boston. MBTA: Green Line to Copley. Mon-Sat 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun noon- 6 p.m. 617.425.0404. |