There’s one in every city.  You know, those great quirky second-hand shops with racks and racks of “OMG!!  I had a pair of those!” to tables of knick knacks that keep you entertained for longer than the 15min left on your meter.  Yea, those.

We think Chicago has one of the best of those second-hand shops, Hollywood Mirror on Belmont bt Halsted and Clark.  In a styling pinch, Hollywood Mirror can solve anything….

Hats?  Check.  Sunglasses in every color for every occasion?  Check.

belts in every pattern and style imaginable?  Check.

all this stuff in a perfectly merchandised store….hard to believe, but CHECK!

While you’re there, run to Ragstock upstairs (around the corner & down the alley) for the cutest $20 plaid shirtdresses you will ever come across!  $20!

Huge thanks to our friend and amazing stylist, Bernstein!!, for the stylist tip 

Hollywood Mirror is located at 812 W Belmont Ave Chicago, IL 60657

And, no, we’re not talking about Blake Lively. We’re referring to one of the greatest fashion traditions in Chicago. Owned and operated by Marilyn Blaszka and Dominic Marcheschi, Blake has been a fashion-lover’s destination for 25 years.  The couple have an uncanny eye and a deep love of and appreciation for the artistry of fashion. You will not see any pictures of their amazing store and you cannot shop online –this is a store that you truly have to visit (what a great excuse to come check out our awesome city!) Among the racks in their impeccably merchandised store, you will find the very best of Dries, Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester, Roland Mouret, Marni, Chloe and 6267. While we cannot show you the pieces as they would merchandise them, we can at least give you a taste of their fabulous assortment. And the accessories are just the tip of the iceberg..

Dries Van Noten…

Maison Martin Margiela…

Ann Demeulemeester. This necklace was my favorite thing in the whole store. Pictured here on the runway in both black and white, you cannot even believe the drama of this thing in person. Mind-blowingly beautiful. Running it over and over in my head — how can I get my hands on this thing????

And behind all of this brilliance…

Blake is located at 212 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago 60610

with long-standing Chicago Boutique, Clever Alice!!  Now at her new location in Bucktown and into her thirteenth year, owner, Tammy Chaponot, still lays claim to one of the best edited and wonderfully affordable boutiques in town.    We quickly fell in love with Eternal Child, shown above, as well as with her cozy, chic space on Damen.  Great indie lines that are similar in design to Mayle, Vanessa Bruno, Complex Geometries….best deal in town, love the prices!!  Thanks Tammy!!

want more….stop in:

Clever Alice

1920 N Damen

Chicago, IL 60647

Arlene and I were tooling around the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago today and were reminded of one of the main reasons we love our town: the neighborhoods! Broadway on the North side is a very unassuming, off-the-radar, socially neglected, adorable location with a thriving retail scene. We drove in to get soup from one of our all-time favorite lunch joints,Soupbox. (Delish. If you’re ever in town, stop by for a bowl.)

As we were driving down Broadway, we noticed the Threadless store and were ashamed to admit to one another that we had never been in. It’s a pretty fabulous Chicago success story and we love to support our local entrepreneurs. Sooo, after picking up soup to take back to the studio, we decided to head back up the street and check it out. But…

Spare Parts

…we got sidetracked by the serious cuteness of Spare Parts. I was gobsmacked by a leather elephant in the window and we just had to go in. So glad we did! After more than 20 years, this fantastic little shop is better than ever, featuring a variety of goodies in a variety of price points for a variety of customers. Arlene got a piece of artwork and a great tie for her husband, all for under $50! And I am definitely going back for the elephant! 

         artwork by Adam Kaplan                                   Flying Fish necktie by Josh Bach  

So, back on our quest to visit Threadless. The quick 411 on them: it’s a t-shirt company that started as an online competition — the winner had their shirt produced and sold. And now… it’s HUGE.

The first floor is all t-shirts, each with its own video screen displaying a close-up of the shirt’s design as well as shots of it on both men and women. Super cute. And as if that wasn’t enough, we ventured up to the 2nd level expecting more of the same, but instead what did we find? An ART GALLERY. Seriously? Those guys are insane. And some very cool stuff, as well…

So, back to the car, to soup, to work.

Passed this along the way…

I’m sure I’d appreciate it even more if I actually did anything physical, like biking. 

Also passed this along the way…

Well not exactly, but we did indeed get flashed. That’s right. A lovely homeless man wearing an old-school plain grey sweatsuit lumbered uncomfortably close to us and then proceeded to lower his pants and show us his penis. Never thought I would utter that sentence in my life!

All in all, a pretty interesting day.

On a side note, I’d like to give a big THANK YOU to Crystal of Plush Palate for featuring us on her blog. She did a lovely story, so please be sure to check it out here. Thanks, Crystal!! We’re so flattered!!!