I recently collaborated with Holly Wong, owner of the boutique, on a shopping event for the Downtown Networking Association. Along with local luxe brands Sienna Ray Bags and Lisbeth Jewelry, we put on a great evening of shopping while networking – my kind of night.

Some interesting notes on Holly Boutique:

• They owner and her buyers seek out those hard to find brands in Vancouver, giving you lots of new options and looks to try. Brands include La Rok, House of Harlow, Maggie Ward, James Perse, gorgeous Rebecca Minkoff bags, and more.
• I hear owner Holly Wong has a weakness for dresses, so expect lots of beautiful dresses in the store in an array of colours. If you’re looking for a great dress for a summer wedding, go here and get inspiration.
• Lots of inspiration comes from the lines featured on Shop Bop – so if you like what you see there, you’ll love Holly Boutique
• The store takes pricing seriously. They don’t want you to try on their clothes and then buy them online for cheaper. They price things competitively so you’re not going to be charged way more money for the same piece elsewhere.
• And the most important thing – Holly and her staff are great. Friendly, hard working, and creating a truly beautiful store. Worthy of my support any day.

I posted a couple pictures of the store on the Downtown Networking Association blog, here.

Holly Boutique
215 – 332 Water Street – entrance also at Cordova & Homer St.
Vancouver
604.681.8883

It’s hard to explain why, but when you go to Main St, you feel it. It’s a locals neighbourhood with excellent eating and shopping. It used to be the non-mainstream alternative, and it still is, but it’s definitely trendy. I’ll focus primarily on the “SoMa” (South Main) district here. If you are am ambitious, you could hit all the hot shopping spots on Main on one day (walking it all is doable, but long) , but I typically pick one of the following areas each time I’m in the area.

Main Street, between 7th ave and 10th ave

Two stores I make special trips for: Lark and Jonathan & Oliva.

Both stores carry local and international brands, but focus on designers you aren’t going to find in every store. You’ll find many beautiful unique pieces here. Neither of these stores are cheap, but I love looking at the clothes, even if I can only buy something once in a while.

Newer stores in this area:
Recently opened:

• F as in Frank, the Vancouver outpost of a popular Whistler consignment store that a lot of the Vancouver fashion blogs were very excited about.
• Forsya,  a boutique with lovely clothing, bags, and accessories exclusively featuring Canadian designers.

Break time : Gene Coffee Bar on Main & 8th is a great spot for coffee and snack.

Main Street, between 20th-24th ave

Here it is, the creme de la creme of Main Street shopping. For such a small area, you can put a lot of damage on your credit card here. I know from experience You’ll see a theme with these stores – indpendent designers, Canadian designers, and things you’d never find on Robson Street.

My favourites:

(West side of street)

Narcissist Design Co. – A go to emporium of flattering, travel friendly dresses. I went though a phase with this store and have about 14 of their dresses. They are known for the “Pamela” dress, which you can wear in about 12 different ways. I find the “Frenchie” and the “Celeste” are my favourites, with the most flattering cuts. The store sells other brands as well, but I’ve noticed their mark-up is high compared to other stores, so take note of that.

Eugene Choo – One of the first fashion stores to hit Main Street, this store continues to carry lots of independent and Canadian labels and beautiful clothes and shoes for men and women. My last purchase there was actually a plaid wool house coat for my husband.

Hum – Another store specializing in independent and Canadian labels. I’ve noticed they carry lots of Montreal designers as well like Valerie Dumaine and Second Denim Co. , which makes these incredibly comfortable “yoga jeans” at a very fair price (~$100).

Twig and Hottie - This store carries many Canadian designers and sustainable fashion lines as well. Great please for everyday clothes – think Fidelity denim with lots of options for unique tops and accessories.

(east side of the street)

Vancouver Special – Do you all remember our (un)remakrable architectural achievement, the Vancouver Special? Well, this store takes the name (and prints some great t-shirts) from a Vancouver Special, but the similarities end there. This is a design house, with books, furnitures, and housewares that you’ll want in your home.

Chef Claires - Chef Claires is a catering company with a store front. They make fresh and delicious meals and freeze them for people to buy and heat up at home. A gourmet (and healthier) option to the frozen dinner.

Smoking Lily – Smoking Lily originated in Victoria BC and they’re probably known in Victoria for having the smallest store ever! I can’t remember the exact size but it’s like 100 square feet, maybe. The store in Vancouver is a tad bigger, selling casual clothing and accessories. One of their more famous items is a line of t-shirts with Pierre Trudeau’s picture on them. A total conversation starter at parties when you wear this shirt.

Umeboshi Shoes – One of the few stores in town that can rival Gravity Pope for selection. Lots of lovely shoes, boots, and accessories for men and women.

Front & Co – Probably the most well-known fashion consignment store in the city. It’s big and you can get lots of finds at this store.

Regional Assembly of Text – Love stationary? Come to this lovely store, where they specialize in beautiful stationary. They even have a regular letter writing club as well! Snail mail is a celebration here.

Break time: Liberty Bakery and Cafe (3699 Main St – close to Eugene Choo) is a great spot for a light snack or coffee. The black bean soup? Awesome.

Main Street, King Edward Ave (25th) to around 30th

There are lots of good eats and antique shops around here, but one notable mention for…

Voltage – a great store specializing in crazy toys/collectables, accessories,  and funny t-shirts. Come by the store and peruse the t-shirt racks – you’ll find lots of witty prints that you’ll want to wear. People at my office have several shirts from here.

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I will continue to update this post as things open/close, but for now – enjoy Main St. There’s lots to see, eat, and shop.

I usually race around the stores between 8-10pm after work, but it’s best done with friends, spending the whole night going from store to store on the below map. After you’re shopped out, relax in one of Gastown’s many fab restaurants (Consider Chill Winston, Cobre, So.cial, Jules and the Gastown spots I’ve blogged about already).

All the stores at the shop hop offer special discounts and snacks for this one night only, so it’s worth taking advantage.

The next store in my short list: Moulé

2 Vancouver locations: 1994 W. 4th, Vancouver and 2016 Park Royal South, West Vancouver

Why it’s fabulous:

- Amazing clothes, shoes, and accessories. AMAZING! Big range, from denim & tees, to business wear, to high-end gowns. They carry several of my favourite brands: Velvet, Modern Vintage Shoes, and Canadian designer Rachel Mara. Think classic styles, beautiful fabrics, with a few “in the moment” pieces thrown in.

- A great kids section and good service to help you navigate. I don’t have kids, but here were my instructions to the staff this past Christmas: “I have an 8-month old niece and a 5-year old niece and want something constructive or useful.” They hooked me up in 5 minutes at a cost of $40 for both gifts.

- Men’s clothing & grooming. The store features a big men’s section, including watches, cuff links, belts, grooming materials (and clothes of course). My discerning husband likes going to this store with me, which says a lot!

- Sales. If you can’t bring yourself to pay full price (I said the store was amazing, not cheap), then wait for the end of season. Items will go down 30%, 50%, and some eventually 70% off.

Why it’s even more fabulous today and tomorrow:

My eyes seriously bugged out when I read on the Vancouver Sample Sales website that Moulé is having a sample sale this week! Cash only. Here’s the flyer with sale details.  I am having a busy week so the prognosis for me going is not good. I will live vicariously through all your buys instead.

Moulé
1994 W. 4th, Vancouver
2016 Park Royal South, West Vancouver

I wholeheartedly subscribe to this. When I need something, I have a circuit of a 4-6 stores that will have what I need.  Two of these stores are in Gastown and I can count on them for great clothes and service to get my shopping fix done efficiently.

1. One of a few & Two of a few
354 and 365 Water St, Vancouver

- This is technically two stores next to each other, but both are owned by Michelle Rizzardo. I think “One of a few” carries more feminine styles, while “Two  of a few” carries men & womens lines, shoes, and more streetwear.

Why it’s fabulous:
Honestly? The owner, Michelle Rizzardo. I don’t know Michelle well, but she knows how to run a business. She’s warm, friendly, and has an infectious passion for fashion and her stores. She carries a mix of classic, edgy, and trendy styles, which let customers create classic outfits with a twist.

I would never call myself a fashionista, and prefer classic pieces and colours. Michelle and her staff  repeatedly give me classic pieces with an edge while showing me how to wear them well. I’ve done special orders, special sales, and lots of impluse buys at this store.

No, it’s not the cheapest, but it’s not the most expensive either. I will often wait for the Gastown Shop Hop event or similar events, when the store is usually 20% off.

2. The Block
350 West Cordova Street , Vancouver

The Block is a 1-minute jaunt down the road from One of a Few and carries women’s and men’s clothing, accessories, and shoes.

Why it’s fabulous:

Big selection and many exclusive brands. The Block carries a huge range of options, including denim, evening dresses, leisure wear, casual dresses, outerwear, flowy tanks, and these beautifullly expensive Loeffler Randall shoes and boots, which I will one day own. I regularly see costume designers from film sets at this store.

The store also has awesome sales – so check the sale rack. I was there last week and picked up a great bargain: a $450 Theory belted black shirt dress for $150. I must say, it’s fabulous.

A must-buy: Their $20 cotton tights. I don’t know what brand they are, but the store carries these fantastically comfortable cotton tights in various colours and patterns. I lived in these during the fall & winter.

In the Gastown area, there are more and more fantastic stores within shopping distance. Definitely walk around Cordova and Water St. and poke around the shops. Dream, John Fluevog, Obakkai and Dutil Denim are a few more examples.

Have fun! And tell me what you buy.

I live in Kitsilano, so my first go-to shopping street is 4th avenue.

I’ve taken many people shopping on 4th. To me, it’s a must-go place for any shopper – I’d take 4th ave over Robson Street any day.

The main shopping stretch on 4th ave runs starts at Cypress St. and goes westward, ending at Balsam St. There are also a slew of skate & snowboard shops nearby, east of Cypress, but I don’t skate or snowboard, so this tour does not take these into account!

When I shop, it’s all about good kitchenware (I’m a big cook), beautiful clothes, and shoes.

Here’s are my go-to places for shopping on 4th. Make sure you hit the below stores, but also just enjoy the street and wander into any store that looks good…and maybe grab a latte at 49th parallel first.

The best of 4th Ave. Shopping (generally in order from  East to West)

4th & Maple:

Moulé
One of my favourite stores ever. Moulé carries lines for children, men, women, and home decor. Lots of frivolous stuff (ie. a silver plated pig piggybank), but also lots of practical items (ie. Very thoughtful collection of kids toys). They also carry Canadian designer Rachel Mara, who makes some beautiful clothes for women. You can buy anything from jeans and a t-shirt to a full-out gown. Big range, lots of selection, many brands. Not cheap. BUT, they have fantastic sales. I’ve purchased many items at 50-70% off there and wear them often, including 2 pairs of Chie Mihara heels, which are incredibly made & designed, but I bought them for the same price as a pair of Aldo shoes.

Chocolate Arts
Make sure you stop by the front window of Chocolate Arts and admire their chocolate sculpture of the moment. It’s always some beautiful creation. Chocolate Arts carries their own gourmet and organic chocolates, and the store always smells fantastic when you walk in. During Christmas, they also have their famous “lump of coal” chocolates, which I use as stocking stuffers. Again, a higher end place. Go to Purdy’s down the road if you want a cheaper, but still good, chocolate fix.

Spank & Spank Shoes
Spank and their sister store Spank Shoes are both on 4th and both focus mid-priced clothing & shoes, with an emphasis on unique and Canadian design. Spank carries lines like Soia & Kyo, Industry, Mat & Nat, Chulo Pony, and others. Spank shoes i’m less familiar with, but they seem to have a lot of Biviel and Jeffery Campbell. Focus is on funky casual clothes/shoes, outerwear, and dresses.

Beauty Bar
Beauty Bar carries several cosmetic and skincare lines for men and women. I am not a big make-up person, so whenever I visit I just tell the salesperson that I want _____, and they hook me up good. They introduced me to the Kevin Aucoin cosmetic line, which I love.

Lululemon and Oqoqo (Oqoqo now closed)
Once upon a time, Lululemon was one independent shop and 4th ave is where it all began. I don’t buy much lulu now, but I will always remember my lulu phase. Oqoqo is Lulu’s natural & organic clothing line. Very soft fabrics and flattering cuts. Prices have gone up since they first opened, but it’s still a nice store. Lotuswear is also right by Lulu and Oqoqo, so visit them all for a trifecta of yoga stores.

Ming Wo
There are sevearl kitchen stores on 4th – all good – but Ming Wo is probably the best for me in terms of price and selection. I buy my good grips gadgets there (usually marked 20% off).

Fab [June 23 2009 - Note: FAB has now moved to Kerrisdale and is no longer on W. 4th Ave]
Fab is all about premium  ($$$) denim and casual wear. Think Paige, Seven, Citizens, Joes, Rock & Republic, William Rast, James Perse, Velvet, etc. I spend way too much money here.

Gravity Pope Shoes & Gravity Pope Tailored Goods
These are 2 stores, right next to each other. First, Gravity Pope started off as am amazing shoe store in Edmonton & Calgary. They opened in Vancouver a few years ago. The best thing about Gravity Pope is their selection – a HUGE range of shoes, styles, and price points. I can get a pair of Steve Madden shoes there, or I can buy a pair of $1100 Givenchy beauties. Range. And it’s fun to see so many different types of pretty shoes for men and women.  Tailored Goods is the clothing equivalent, but less range in price – it’s all $$$ there.

American Apparel
I always stop by to see the crazy mannequins and colours.

Ethel’s Boutique
Great stop for casual, well-priced clothing and all sorts of selection on hosiery.

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There are SO many more stores, but these are some of the best. Make sure you have an afternoon and have fun!

Quick Takes: If you’re in need of food during the trip go to any of the following for good & quick sustenance:  The Noodle Box, Terra Breads, Capers (go to the deli), Gypsy Rose Crepes, Kits Coffee. I’ll detail eating places in a future post.