Best Boutique 2023 | Frances | Goods & Services | Phoenix
Navigation

Frances again tops our list because the boutique continues to effortlessly curate a selection of goods that are perfect for gifting or shopping for yourself The shop is never too narrow or niche in its offerings and yet manages to maintain a cohesive vibe with its eclectic, retro-leaning collection of wares. Inside Frances you'll find clothing for the entire family and everyday home goods, along with unique gifts for any occasion. Heading to a baby shower and a housewarming party? They've got a cute roadrunner emblazoned-onesie and a set of cactus-shaped shot glasses coming right up — and they'll even handle the gift wrapping for you.

Sure, it's not as swanky as Scottsdale Fashion Square, but this outdoor outlet mall on the Gila River Indian Community has a set of charms all its own. First, it's a mecca for deep discounts on name brands like Hurley, Marc Jacobs and True Religion. The Saks OFF Fifth alone is worth the trip for picking up everything from high-end jeans to superior swimwear to discount Havaianas flip-flops. Also, the mall's handbag and sneaker game is strong, thanks to devoted shops for Coach, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Adidas, Converse, Nike and Puma. If you're a hiker, you'll want to hit the Columbia Factory Store. Everyday wear is a deal with steep sales at places like Banana Republic Factory, Gap Factory, Old Navy Outlet and more, and if you wear makeup, many department store brands can be found for far less at the Cosmetics Company Store. Pretty much, you can find just about anything you need for less than in other malls and have money left over to hit the nearby Wild Horse Pass Casino on your way out.

Stylish, with Western influences and a touch of rock 'n' roll: That's the vibe at Cave + Post Trading Co. The central Phoenix store carries mostly men's clothing and accessories, and it's been one of our faves since it opened in 2021. Owners Patrick and Mary Burch have created one of those stores where you pretty much want to take everything home, from Original Pilot sunglasses and fun graphic T-shirts to jeans by Hiroshi Kato and Filson flannel work shirts. The Burches are music lovers who routinely invite traveling artists to stop in and shop — hey, if it's good enough for country singer Tyler Childers and his band, it's good enough for us.

We love that changing our vibe is as simple as slipping on a new garment. A leather jacket offers toughness, while a cocktail dress imparts glamour. The clothing we buy at Phoenix General, located in Roosevelt Row's monOrchid building, imbues us with an understated, desert-tinged chic. Think classic, well-constructed tanks and T-shirts by Kowtow; bright, airy sundresses by local label Punkwasp; and eye-catching tops by Paloma. We also love the store's house-label items, like a belt bag with the word Howdy on it and luxe sweatpants emblazoned with a cactus. Phoenix General also sells men's clothing and items for the home, which means that everyone can get a style boost by shopping there.

Psychedelic rompers and ultraviolet bell-bottoms, prairie dresses and flowy plaid jumpsuits — a trip to Luxie Vintage, a small vintage shop located on the Scottsdale/Tempe border, will convince you that you need them all, immediately, even if you know secretly you might not ever get the guts to wear them out. There are plenty of vintage shops around metro Phoenix, but Luxie Vintage's selection stands out. Its pieces are all true vintage, some carefully restored by the shop, and with an ever-rotating array of fabrics and colors and old Levis, its offerings are always something more than frumpy costume pieces. While certainly not a spot for true penny-pinchers, Luxie Vintage's prices are good, at least in the vintage clothing world. Plus, the shop occasionally hosts fill-a-bag events and markdowns that prompt gaggles of uber-chic youths to line up outside its storefront. If you, too, want a glorious retro outfit, look no further.

Some band merch is really easy to find — Beatles shirts are sold at Target now, for crying out loud. But for shirts of a more obscure nature, we head to Shirts 'n' Things. Not only is Shirts 'n' Things a locally owned business that's been open for almost 35 years, it's the best place in town to find music-themed shirts representing an enormous number of artists from yes, The Beatles, to obscure metal bands. The store doesn't just sell music merch; it's got a great selection of punk/goth/rock clothing and accessories for men and women, too. Not everything is listed on the website, so we suggest you make a trip to the store to see what's available and experience the great customer service.

We love the simple cool of a vintage T-shirt. Whether it's a '90s Phoenix Suns top or an old band shirt, it has a way of being the conversation piece around which the rest of our outfit revolves. We often find ourselves checking out the goods at Wang's Vintage because the shop is constantly replenishing its stock. Prices are fair, which doesn't necessarily mean cheap — vintage shirts are a hot commodity these days. But if you're looking for bargains, you can dig through the $10 bins for something that catches your eye. You can keep up with what's new at Wang's by following them on Instagram, where they announce when a bunch of new (old) shirts are about to hit the market.

Our Hot Topic days are blessedly long behind us, but every once in a while we still feel like dressing like a goth kid. When that feeling hits, we head to Rocket A Go~Go, a Tempe boutique that sells new and gently used rockabilly, retro, emo, punk, goth, pin-up and rave clothing and accessories for men and women. Owner Stormy Dodge stocks her shop with band T-shirts, tiki dresses, horror-themed earrings and the like. Rocket A Go~Go stocks clothing in sizes 0 to 3X, so cool chicks of all body types will find something they love. The store moved to bigger, slicker digs last year, which made the already delightful Rocket A Go~Go shopping experience that much better.

After this year's debacle, you may not want to go to Burning Man next year. But there are plenty of regional burns, festivals, concerts and parties to attend closer to home, and to look your best, hit up Rave Circus on Mill Avenue. Sexy, shiny clothing for men and women, wild sunglasses, fun hats, eye-catching jewelry — it's all here, plus hoops, poi sticks and other tools of the rave trade. Not really into that scene? Rave Circus also carries things like wall tapestries and incense. Well over half of the merchandise is made by Arizona creators, so you're not just getting ready to slay at the festival — you're supporting local business.

An awesome pair of sneakers is the pièce de résistance of many an outfit. If your kicks wardrobe needs some updating, we suggest a trip to Many Worlds. The sleek, minimalist space holds a dizzying assortment of mid- to high-end sneakers from brands such as Nike and Adidas. But Many Worlds isn't just the place you go to buy your kicks; it's also the place to keep them looking their best. Inside the space is Reshoevn8r, a business that offers shoe-cleaning services and sells products for you to take care of your sneakers at home. Many Worlds also sells a few T-shirts and other clothing items, keeping you looking fresh from head to toe.

Best Of Phoenix®

Best Of