With its crush of cute retail stores—from antiques and jam stores to art galleries and clothiers—Nantucket has made shopping a major local sport. There are the old standbys such as Murrays Toggery (62 Main St., 508/228-0437, www.nantucketreds.com, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Mon.–Sat., 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun. June–Oct.; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily Nov.–May), a local institution that has been selling fragrances, shoes, and sporty duds (including the iconic “Nantucket Reds”—the faded twills synonymous with the island) for men and women since 1945.

Then there are the cutting-edge ready-to-wear shops, represented on the high-fashion end by Gypsy (20 Federal St., 508/228-4404, www.gypsyusa.com, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily June–Dec.; call for off-season hours), with its beautiful big-ticket women’s clothing with labels like Catherine Malandrino, True Religion, and Chloe.

Francophiles find bliss among the shelves of L’Ile de France (8 India St., 508/228-3686, www.frenchgeneralstore.com, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily June–Dec.; closed Jan.–March). The friendly French owner imports an impressive sweep of items, including authentic nautical sweaters, Provençal paintings, and weekly deliveries of the beloved Poilane bread.