Shopping in Seattle

The Alki Beach boutique boasts a bounty of women's, men's, and children's clothing and swimwear. Familiar beach brands bounce alongside smaller swimwear labels in the cheerful shop. Buy the special gentleman in your life a pair of black-and-white Quicksilver board shorts ($52) for his surf across the fjords of Bergen or suit up in a colorful Billabong Indian paradise bikini ($86) and be prepared for impromptu beach romances or fierce swim-fashion walk-offs. Coastal also has gale-shielding coverups and fashionable footwear to protect delicate soles from harsh granules of sand or ant insurrections (black-and-pink Reef Seaside sandals cost $24).

Every season, the fashion-minded shopkeeps at Peridot Boutique update their inventory with the latest designs from local and indie brands such as Tulle, BB Dakota, Max and Cleo, and Industry. After unpacking the shipments, they examine each garment's feminine details, such as flowing silk, bows, polka dots, and lace. They then arrange inspired outfits—accented with handmade jewelry—on the mannequins populating their store. Whenever possible, they try to highlight locally made items, such as Cindy Hoy's handmade necklaces. The shop also strives to offer eco-friendly options, such as a small section of consignment fashion and organic items by Hawaiian brand Organik and Adam and Eve's fig-leaf intimates collection.

Since 1980, Boston Street Baby Store has filled its Pike Place storefront windowpanes with an eclectic assortment of outfits for babies and toddlers, enticing shoppers in to peruse everything from basics by Cotton Caboodle, a local supplier, to stacks of Rowdy Sprout miniature tees for bands including Kiss, AC/DC, and The Who. Keychains and T-shirts emblazoned with images of Belgian cartoon character Tintin stand out amid piles of whimsical plush toys and bibs.

The purveyors behind Bellevue Art & Frame and The Toy Place have been honing their artistic eyes and skilled craftsmanship since 1962, when they launched Bucket & Brush—their original paint and home-decorating store. Through the transpiring decades, they elevated Bellevue Art & Frame into a full-fledged behemoth of all things artistic and creative, compiling a diverse collection of art supplies including paintbrushes, clay, and stationery. They work alongside skilled frame designers, who enlist high-tech software to help customers to visualize what custom enclosures will look like when filled with a family portrait or Jackson Pollock’s baby bib.

In 2007, Bellevue Art & Frame opened The Toy Place to meet the needs of the budding artists who kept frequenting the children’s arts-and-crafts department. Inside the toy emporium, tots peruse a bevy of specialty toys, books, and games in a kid-centric space that also hosts frequent art workshops for little ones. Craftspeople of all ages can head in for adult classes, during which knowledgeable artists and sentient Mona Lisas divulge wisdom in such techniques as calligraphy and mat cutting. The shop also organizes regular community events, including gallery showcases that spotlight local artists.

Industrial lights illuminate The Clothing Company's racks of weekly rotating designer-label apparel by brands such as William Rast, Splendid, and Level 99. Pushing aside hangers of 7 For All Mankind jeans or Morphine Generation tees, guests search for secret passages to Narnia while snagging armfuls of new overstock, over-manufactured, closeout, and sample threads to try on in private dressing rooms. With selected duds, shoppers can rummage through scarves, leg warmers, and handmade jewelry crafted from recycled or found objects to tie an ensemble together. Above the racks and shelves, local artwork entices visitors' eyes and inspires colorful motifs or a desire to replace clothing with body paint.

Making good on their lifelong dream to run their own stationery store, mother-daughter team Kathy Perkins and Alicia Olsen opened Paper Delights in 2008, filling the tidy shop with charming letters, notes, and wrapping paper for birthdays, baby showers, and nuptials. Notebooks, cards, invitations, and envelopes burst with lively floral prints, lace borders, and sunny pastels, ready to bear messages such as, "Thank you for the generous graduation present," or "Please come to my surprise birthday party." In addition to announcing the arrival of impending weddings, births, and engagements with a plethora of classic and contemporary prints, Paper Delights helps customers organize and accessorize with items such as stylish reusable totes, crystal jewelry, and lustrous nail lacquer.