Top of the Town 2015: Shopping

Shopping

Costume Jewelry

Editors’ Choice
Fancy Tiger Clothing
Sometimes, the necklace completes the outfit; other times, a piece of jewelry inspires a whole new ensemble. Fancy Tiger’s statement-making collection, refreshingly displayed with plenty of space between items, falls into the latter category. All the jewelry is handmade (around 70 percent by local artisans), and many pieces have an earthy aesthetic, incorporating materials such as feathers, crystals, and hammered copper. Although the selection is small, inventory turns over every few weeks—which is why we couldn’t leave a pair of real Icelandic fish leather earrings ($28), made by a Fancy Tiger employee, behind on our last visit. 55 Broadway, 303-282-6590

Readers’ Choice
Jewelius 2405 W. 32nd Ave., 303-975-6745

Wedding Gowns

Editors’ Choice
A&bé Bridal Shop
If Anna Bé is the elegant, accomplished, proper eldest child, A&bé is her free-spirited, wild beauty of a little sister. The nearly two-year-old offshoot of LoHi’s perennial bridal favorite is located a handful of blocks north of the original and eschews more traditional styles and household names in favor of boho-chic lace, intricate beading, contemporary silhouettes, and up-and-coming designers (we’re ready to say “I do” to Rebecca Schoneveld’s romantic vintage-inspired gowns). The price tags are easier for those on a budget, too; most dresses are between $1,000 and $3,000. Consider this the best kind of sibling rivalry. 1955 W. 35th Ave., 720-627-5760

Readers’ Choice
Little White Dress Bridal Shop 3420 W. 32nd Ave., 303-814-8972

Women’s Clothing

Editors’ Choice
Rebel
Our favorite clothing store is the one that never lets us down. And Rebel, located in a south Denver suburban strip mall, is as consistent as they come. The unassuming shop is neatly packed with contemporary clothing and accessories—brands such as Splendid, Vince, and Parker are among our go-tos—and staffed by salespeople who are (refreshingly) quick to call their valued customers when a special or specific item comes in. Twentysomethings will dig the shop’s affinity for color—perfect for summer— while ladies in their 30s and 40s will be impressed by the selection of versatile dresses, silk tops, and tailored jackets that can easily move from the office to dinner and beyond. “Reliable” has never looked so good. 5910 S. University Blvd., Greenwood Village, 720-283-1004

Readers’ Choice
Hailee Grace 1423 Larimer St., Suite 090, 303-698-2323

Men’s Clothing

Editors’ Choice
Ratio Clothing
The purpose of wearing business professional attire is to appear, well, professional—and no guy looks ready for a job interview (or date night) in a button-down that blouses out around his waist. Say sayonara to that problem with Ratio Clothing, a four-year-old custom shirt company founded in the Mile High City that makes buying proper dress shirts as easy as tying your wingtips. After a 30-minute fitting session in the LoHi showroom—they have whiskey on-site if you’re thirsty—you’ll have all the measurements you need to order a perfectly sized made-in-America shirt (starting at $98). You’ll also have a say in all the details (including collars, cuffs, pockets, and more) that accentuate your personal style. And that’s just the top. As of May, Ratio can outfit you head to toe, thanks to a new line of suits. 2559 16th St., 303-477-5631

Readers’ Choice
Armitage and Mcmillan 1550 Platte St., Suite D, 303-284-6222

Local Jewelry Designer

Editors’ Choice
Bloom Jewelry
Jewelry is all about the details—an interesting gem or unexpected shape is all it takes to transform a standard bauble into a conversation piece. Lindsay Bloom, owner and head of design for Denver-based Bloom Jewelry, understands this. Her impeccable craftsmanship and eye for selecting unique materials, from gemstones and leathers to canvas and cables, result in necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings that complement daytime outfits or glam up evening looks. Add in the reasonable prices (her jewelry ranges from $40 to $300), and it’s easy to see why the 10-year-old company has garnered a national following. In fact, Bloom has more than doubled the number of venues that carry her pieces over the past year—one more Colorado export to be proud of. 3389 W. 29th Ave., 303-941-2562

Readers’ Choice
(TIE) MKaltenbach 484-905-1090; and John Atencio multiple locations

Baby/Kids Boutique

Editors’ Choice
Right Start
Registering for a baby at a big-box store can be summed up in a single word: overwhelming. Instead of mindlessly scanning bar codes (you really don’t need slip-proof baby kneepads), head to Right Start in Cherry Creek North, which hosts individualized, after-hours appointments so you can relax and curate a useful registry stress-free. The Denver-based company stocks everything you’ll need for your new addition, including plenty of goodies from Colorado companies such as Boppy, Boba, Lillebaby, and Toofeze. Plus, for every $500 purchased off a registry, the parents receive a $50 gift card to spend in the store—so you can go back and get whatever you forgot the first time around. 3000 E. Third Ave., Suite 15, 303-320-8312

Readers’ Choice
Real Baby 3616 W. 32nd Ave., 303-477-2229

Gift Boutique

Editors’ Choice
Ironwood
Even after a January shout-out in the New York Times, walking through Ironwood’s hard-to-spot front door still feels like stumbling into a secret home-decor treasure trove. Pottery from Park Hill’s Jorgensen Stoneware; a collection of aluminum letters salvaged from a Commerce City school; incense pyres from Washington state’s Blackbird: It would be virtually impossible to select a gift here that didn’t qualify as “cool.” And, refreshingly, prices range from friend of a friend ($5) to wife on your wedding anniversary ($500). For a safe bet, choose from a variety of air plants and succulents, which are appropriate for nearly any age, gender, and relationship. 14 S. Broadway, 720-458-0015

Readers’ Choice
Unlisted: An Artisan and Boutique Market 8262 S. University Blvd., Suite 120, Centennial, 303-770-7030

Home Furnishings

Editors’ Choice
Room & Board
We’re well aware that Denver is chock-full of distinctive home-decor stores and designer showrooms, but we couldn’t overlook the big news coming out of this Cherry Creek North (and, admittedly, pseudo big-box) store. When it’s completed later this year, a stunning 8,000-square-foot expansion—by local firm Roth Sheppard Architects—will provide ample new space for us to view the store’s modern wares. Our favorite addition is a fantastic roof deck that will showcase R&B’s line of outdoor furniture—meaning we can actually get a feel for what that $1,999 reclaimed lumber Mesa Table might look like in the afternoon sun in our own backyards. 222 Detroit St., 303-322-6462

Readers’ Choice
HW Home multiple locations

Cocktail Dress

Editors’ Choice
Melrose & Madison
Without fail, when wedding season arrives each summer, we find ourselves scrambling to locate a cocktail dress (or three). A trip to the airy Melrose & Madison on Platt Park’s boutique row (Old South Pearl Street) always solves our I-have-nothing-to-wear dilemma. Whether it’s a flowery backless maxi by Charlie Jade ($196) or a Myne above-the-knee dress ($252), the mother-and-daughter-owned shop has something for every get-dolled-up occasion. And with two sale racks and regular specials with even deeper discounts, it’s got something for every budget, too. Just consider yourself warned: The expertly curated collection of casual wearables means you might walk out the door with an everyday outfit too. 1500 S. Pearl St., 303-777-7515

Readers’ Choice
Nordstrom multiple locations

Fine Jewelry

Editors’ Choice
Fifth Avenue Designs
It’s not every day that a person looks to create a family heirloom, but if that time comes, there’s comfort in knowing the person doing the making understands how important your trinket is. For us, that person is Lannette Lampert at Fifth Avenue Designs in Cherry Creek North. With precious objects in hand (in this case, two family wedding bands), we ventured into the jewelry store with little idea of what exactly we wanted. Lampert immediately got it, asked a bunch of what’s-your-metal-preference, what’s-your-price-range kinds of questions, and went to work helping us design a two-toned necklace that, in the end, was exactly what we didn’t know we had been looking for all along. 150 Steele St., 303-394-2020

Readers’ Choice
Shane Co. 9790 E. Arapahoe Road, Greenwood Village, 303-799-4700; 6550 W. 104th Ave., Westminster, 303-460-8200

Consignment Store

Editors’ Choice
Ali’s Closet Consignment Boutique
We have long been devoted to Ali’s better-than-average selection of dresses, shoes, and stylish tees, many of which ring in under $100. (Walking away with Burberry wedges marked down to $120 has a tendency to make one a regular.) But news that the 20-year-old store is doubling in size this fall—and adding children’s clothing—has us seriously concerned for our paychecks. Thankfully, the 40 percent off section is staying put. Not only do our wallets get a break, but all the proceeds benefit local charities nominated by customers each month. 1610 E. Girard Place, Suite K, Englewood, 303-843-9956

Readers’ Choice
Design Repeats 8200 S. Colorado Blvd., Centennial, 303-670-2900

Fashion Designer

Editors’ Choice
Esarsi
Esarsi’s beginnings are an entrepreneurial cliché (the company began on a cocktail napkin). The shoes, though, are anything but. Designed by Denver mother-daughter duo Rosalie and Stacey Cooper, Esarsi’s high-fashion footwear mixes fabrics and textures and incorporates funky metalwork to create masterpieces for your feet. We particularly love the Celia ($1,125), with its snakeskin strip and gold-cutout heel, and the Ava ($995, pictured), an edgy, distressed copper–bedecked high-heel take on the gladiator sandal. Since the pair debuted their line in 2012, Esarsi has been featured in Vogue and on The Daily Buzz and picked up by LA’s Fred Segal and, locally, A Line Boutique. Stacey, a University of Colorado Boulder and London College of Fashion alum, now lives in Milan, where she oversees production of the handmade shoes, but her mom still finds inspiration in Colorado.

Readers’ Choice
Stephanie O.

Suits

Editors’ Choice
Andrisen Morton
Forget the dreaded hours-long shopping trip for an appropriate suit. Within five minutes (seriously) of walking in the door of this tony Cherry Creek store, our salesman had found the perfect size, cut, and color for our occasion (a wedding) and discovered an undiagnosed dip in our right shoulder—three-eighths of an inch—that made the jacket hang strangely. (No problem; the in-house tailor simply added a bit of padding.) Andrisen Morton has been at the top of Denver’s suit-selling game—think brands such as Cucinelli, Zegna, and Brioni—for nearly four decades. And in September the store will cement its status as a men’s mecca with the unveiling of an expansion and remodel that will create room for 40 percent more inventory. That means more sizes, colors, and styles for every type of shopper—though the lopsided among us will still require a tailor. 270 Saint Paul St., 303-377-8488

Readers’ Choice
Nordstrom multiple locations

Antiques

Editors’ Choice
Eron Johnson Antiques
You’ve got to take a slight detour from well-trodden South Broadway to uncover Eron Johnson Antiques, but you’ll be glad you did. The two-story, 30,000-square-foot warehouse is a veritable emporium of everything, well, old and interesting. (A recent trip uncovered painted carousel horses, 18th-century oil works, and 17th-century Dutch tiles.) This isn’t the kind of place where you’ll be digging through quasi-antiques—like dusty mason jars—to find the good stuff, either. Everything on the main floor has undergone Johnson’s rigorous inspection, a skill he’s honed during more than three decades of antique dealing (he started his first shop at age 22). That means there’s not a lot under the $100 mark, but bargain hunters can head for the estate-sale room for more affordable finds. 389 S. Lipan St., 303-777-8700

Readers’ Choice
Dwell Antiques & Home 5910 S. University Blvd., Unit C12, Greenwood Village, 303-795-3454

Accessories

Editors’ Choice
Inspyre Boutique
The key to building a solid accessory collection is mixing and matching statement pieces with ones that only look expensive. Enter Denver native Britni Jensen’s charming boutiques (a third Inspyre location, in Lone Tree, opened in October). The varied selection—including leather Journey clutches, soft floral scarves, and necklaces made by the nonprofit Shine Project—blends sophistication with fun while remaining wallet-friendly; most accessories ring in at $50 or less. At checkout, follow the store on Instagram for a $5 (one-time) discount. Multiple locations

Readers’ Choice
Hailee Grace1423 Larimer St., Suite 090, 303-698-2323

Jeans

Editors’ Choice
Garbarini
Jean styles change as often as Colorado’s spring weather (is high-waist denim in or out?), which is why we look to Garbarini—the three-decade-old Cherry Creek North stalwart—to stay on-trend. The 9,000-square-foot store is brimming with denim from more than 20 designers, including name brands such as AG Jeans, 7 For All Mankind, and Genetic. (Don’t worry, the knowledgeable staff will help you wade through the stacks to find the look that best fits your, umm, assets.) Plus, this month is the best time to invest in a new pair; the 45th annual Cherry Creek North Sidewalk Sale, with almost 80 shops selling discounted wares, runs July 16 to 19. 239 Detroit St., 303-333-8686

Readers’ Choice
The Garment District 2595 S. Colorado Blvd., 303-757-3371

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_{—Images courtesy of Carlo Branz, Eron Johnson Antiques, and Kristina Lynn Photography}