Comparing the personality of a local boutique to the vibe of another city can be like shorthand for well-traveled shoppers. These stylish boutiques have fashionable clothes and accessories that will look great in any city.
Scottsdale closet Pepper, with antler and arrow motifs and gypsy-cowgirl separates, would be at home in the edgy West Texas town of Marfa. Skin-baring, accessory-stacking looks at Tempe’s Here on the Corner could draw crowds on Abbot Kinney in Venice Beach. And localist graphic tees and pendants at Phoenix’s Bunky Boutique would, with obvious modifications, be embraced in indie-strong Portland, Ore.
Other Arizona-original boutiques with fashions that translate well across state lines:
•Amy Inc., blending ahead-of-trend tops and dresses with of-the-moment jewelry
•Objects, a gallery of sportswear and occasion-wear in innovative textiles, at vastly varying price points
•42 Saint, like a rock ’n’ roll dressing room—except neat and clean
•Carine W, featuring career clothing and easy-traveling separates
•Nové, where collectible brands and super-chic emerging designers sell side-by-side
•Kiss Me Kate, a source of arresting handbags in addition to resort-casual and special-occasion clothing
•R&R Surplus, a Phoenix-based brand of varsity- and military-influenced leisurewear for men and women (also sold at the designers’ multi-use venue, The Duce)