Unisex

A techno-powered emporium inside a classy old museum building, Louis Boston (234 Berkeley St., 617/262-6100, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Mon.–Wed.; 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Thurs.–Sat.; closed Sun., www.louisboston.com) is where “proper Bostonians” shop for Loro Piano cashmere and clubbers stay abreast of the latest European fashions.

The pages of Vogue and GQ leap into the retail world at Alan Bilzerian (34 Newbury St., 617/536-1001, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Sun., www.alanbilzerian.com), Boston’s supplier of the most of-the-moment labels.

Women’s

Emerging urban designers spruce up the rack at Turtle (619 Tremont St., 617/266-2610, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Tues.–Fri.; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun., closed Mon., www.turtleboston.com), a boutique with all of the style at a fraction of the price.

International flair and old-world elegance meet at Daniela Corte (91 Newbury St., 617/262-2100, www.danielacorte.com, by appointment only), an Argentine clothing designer who constructs one-of-a-kind designs.

Men’s

The Ivy League clothier of choice for over 100 years, J.Press (82 Mt. Auburn St., 617/547-9886, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; www.jpressonline.com) will outfit you with argyle and herringbone worthy of Harvard Yard.

The South End’s Market (558 Tremont St., 617/338-4500, 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Mon.–Sat.) stocks the latest fashions from Dolce & Gabbana and Paul Smith.

Children’s

High-powered moms shop for too-cute-for-words ensembles at The Red Wagon (69 Charles St., 617/523-9402, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun., www.theredwagon.com), which carries both American and European labels.

Tween fashions fill Pixie Stix (131 Charles St., 617/523-3211, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun., www.pixiestixboston.com), a pink-and-aqua emporium of designer jumpsuits, T-shirts, and skirts.

Vintage

Cowboy hats, cocktail dresses, or leather jackets, you’ll find everything you need for Halloween—or just Saturday night—at the closet-sized vintage shop Oona’s (1210 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617/491-2654, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Mon.–Fri.; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sat., noon–5 p.m. Sun.).

The gargantuan Garment District (200 Broadway, Cambridge, 617/876-5230, 11 a.m.–midnight Sun.–Fri.; 9 a.m.–midnight Sat., www.garment-district.com) has threads for every style, whether it’s the Mod Squad or the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Jewelry

The Jenny’s Jewelry (345 Washington St., 617/523-0610, 10 a.m.–9 a.m. Mon.–Fri.; 10 a.m.–7 a.m. Sat.; noon–5 p.m. Sun., www.jewelryexchange.com) is an emporium of gold, pearls, and gemstones, with dozens of discount jewelers vying for your hand.

Modern jewelry as well as a wide selection of estate pieces can be found at E. B. Horn (429 Washington St., 617/542-3902, 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Tues., Wed. and Fri.; 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Mon. and Thurs.; closed Sun., www.ebhorn.com), a downtown jeweler with 165 years of history in the same location.

State-of-the-art timepieces take center stage at Ross-Simmons (800 Boylston St., 617/236-3100, www.ross-simons.com).

© Michael Blanding and Alexandra Hall from Moon New England, 2nd Edition