Boutiques

The moment she spotted the suede purple-and-cobalt heels by Jeffrey Campbell, Lindsay Hall fell in love. When she learned that the shoe was designed in collaboration with Hampden boutique Ma Petite Shoe, the lure of exclusiveness sealed the deal. "I had to buy them," she said about the gem-toned 31/2- inch platform heels. " I wore them out that night, and everyone freaked out. They thought they were amazing. " By teaming up with designers, local boutiques are hoping to capture a glimmer of the magic experienced by national retailers such as Target and H&M , which have had great success with designer lines created exclusively for their stores.

Spring is finally here in Baltimore, and local boutiques are filled to the brim with new clothing for this season. But when picking out new go-to pieces, it's easy to get lost in a sea of mint green, bold stripes and sequins. To get you started, we asked boutique owners about their top picks for spring — and the fashion dos and don'ts that everyone should know about. Lisa Ponzoli, owner of Babe 1716 Aliceanna St., Fells Point 410-244-5114; babeaboutique.com Favorite spring trends: "Sheer fabrics, easy bodies, florals, stripes, layering, skirts and the high-low hem are really strong.

Christie Griffiths left behind her New York City life — working with fashion lines like Diane von Furstenberg, Nanette Lepore and Rag & Bone — and opted to cater to more cost-conscious consumers in Baltimore. She opened Brightside Boutique and Art Studio, a clothing boutique specializing in pieces that cost less than $100. The Federal Hill store, which also contains a tattoo shop, opened in January. Shoppers regularly comb through the boutique, choosing from trendy lines such as Mink Pink and Kensie.

If I had to vote on which food store I would like to see at the Rotunda, I would vote for Graul's Market. My reason is simple: Graul's is a full-service market. Retirement communities and apartment buildings, all inhabited by senior citizens, surround the Rotunda. St. Mary's Roland View Towers is a two-building complex near the intersection of Roland Avenue and 40th Street. Roland Park Place and Keswick Multi-Care are right across from the Rotunda on 40th Street. Many who live and work in those complexes depended on the Giant for groceries until it moved down the hill.

The Junior League of Baltimore hosts its Boutique Warehouse Sale this weekend, with discounted men's, women's and children's fashions from shops around the metropolitan area. You might remember this event from The Sun's 50 ways to spring forward photo gallery , which featured the sale at #8. You can buy a $20 ticket for the "Girls Night Out" preview from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, March 25, or you can wait for the official opening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 26. Either way, the deals from boutiques such as doubledutch , Poppy and Stella and Samuel Parker Clothier will be available in the Timonium Shopping Center, 2135 York Road.

It's beach season! Time for a week, if you are lucky, on the coast to enjoy all that the Maryland and Delaware shores have to offer — including some really great shopping. With a built-in captive audience of second-home owners, the Mid-Atlantic coastal towns offer a variety of home furnishings and accessories boutiques with merchandise that suggests a laid-back lifestyle without being overly beachy. For me, no trip to the shore is complete without stopping into my favorite shops to see what's new. Here are a few that are worth a beach detour: Boxwood Home 39 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del. One of my new favorites, Boxwood Home is perfect for home decorators looking to create a calm, sophisticated look.

Those Barbra Streisand fans who couldn't make it to Tuesday's or tonight's concert at the USAir Arena can buy into the legend at the "Barbra Boutiques" exclusive to Bloomingdale's at Tysons Corner and White Flint.La Streisand has created a range of collectibles and fashion statements including an official concert tour jacket. The baseball-style jacket with wool body and leather sleeves features the Streisand crest, as befitting the reigning queen of this summer's tour circuit. It sells for $400, a lot less than some fans paid for a ticket.

In five years, the District Sample Sale has become the premiere shopping event in the region. The draw of more than 20 of the region's best boutiques selling end-of-season clothes at prices up to 90 percent off regularly attracts 700 shoppers to the twice-annual event. Supermodel Hilary Rhoda, actress Ali Wentworth and New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, have all braved the sea of thrifty fashionistas for a crack at the discounted duds in downtown D.C. "We tell new attendees every year to brace for the chaos," said Barbara Martin, head of the public relations and events firm BrandLinkDC, who founded the event with four other women in 2006.

BEVERLY HILLS -- Rodeo Drive seems every bit the exclusive playground of the rich and famous on a recent Saturday.Ferraris are everywhere; a show of sport and racing models has temporarily blocked every other vehicle from the four-block drive, home to some of the most expensive boutiques in the world: Versace, Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Fred Hayman Beverly Hills, Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Bijan, Ungaro.Here on the drive, ogling the cars, are "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, Olympian infomercial star Bruce Jenner, and actors Perry King and Michael Nouri, along with many who are obviously tourists, and many others done up in exquisite threads who carry themselves in the rarefied manner that says "I belong."

Upscale women's boutique White House Black Market said it is opening at Harbor East next month, two years after it moved its flagship store from downtown Baltimore. The retailer, which specialized in black and white apparel and shoes, is expected to open at the corner of Aliceanna and Harbor East Circle on Apr. 28. White House Black Market opened its first location at Baltimore's Harborplace at the Inner Harbor in 1985. But it closed the store two years ago because it said it wasn't doing as much business as it had liked.

The family owners of The Inn at the Black Olive in Fells Point hope a bankruptcy filing Thursday will give them time to try to attract investors and keep operating the 2-year-old boutique hotel, their bankruptcy attorney said. The Black Olive Development Co. LLC's Chapter 7 filing in Baltimore's U.S. Bankruptcy Court prevented a planned foreclosure auction of the 12-suite luxury inn on South Caroline Street from going forward Thursday morning. Chapter 7 permits an orderly liquidation of assets to repay creditors, but the case could be converted to a Chapter 11 reorganization if the company finds investors.

The Inn at the Black Olive, a 12-suite boutique hotel in Fells Point known for eco-friendly amenities, will be offered for sale at a foreclosure auction Thursday. An auction by Alex Cooper Auctioneers Inc. is slated for 9 a.m. at the South Caroline Street site of the two-year-old inn, which touts features such as organic bedding and towels, harbor-view balconies and spa bathrooms with aqua-therapy tubs. The inn is owned by the Spiliadis family, which operates the Black Olive Restaurant on Bond Street, also in Fells Point.

When Christie Griffiths graduated from Towson University, she found herself going back home to New York City to shop. After working for New York designers, she came back to Baltimore to open a store she had always dreamed of: Brightside. At this "trendy boutique that any girl can afford" in Federal Hill, she brings styles from New York and Los Angeles to town. Brightside also does triple duty as an art studio and tattoo shop. "We have a lot of fashion-forward girls around here," she said.

Even though Halloween has become synonymous with "sexy" and "trashy" - heck, there's even a naughty ladies' "Bert & Ernie" ensemble - you have a choice. And you can choose fashion and sophistication. There are plenty of options that will have you looking runway-ready, while remaining true to the holiday. We combed the racks at some of the region's top clothing boutiques, consignment shops, vintage troves and even a furrier for our "no costumes allowed" photo shoot. We were able to capture period charm from "Downton Abbey," "Boardwalk Empire" and "Mad Men," the futuristic feel of "Hunger Games" and the boho chic of "Girls.

South Carroll High School recently formed a new business partnership with DejaVu Boutique in Mount Airy. Through the agreement, Jamie Sauro, the company's director of operations, and Veronica Cello, general manager, will be business representatives working with the school to provided a speaker for the school's clothing course, and will also participate in mock interviews and set up a booth at sporting events. The company will also co-sponsor a fashion show in January, with proceeds going toward the South Carroll High prom.

Bargains fill the racks at the 45th annual Best Dressed Sale & Boutique this weekend in Baltimore. Every stitch has been donated to this high-end rummage sale that takes place in a cavernous carriage house, and all proceeds benefit Johns Hopkins Hospital. Shoppers could come across a Chanel suit, a Halston tuxedo or a pair of Prada shoes. They could walk away with a full-length mink, a glamorous gown or even a tiara without significantly lightening their wallets. "You will buy so much that you won't want to shop for a month after," said Cressy Spence, one of four co-chairwomen, adding that she speaks from experience.

Some downtown Baltimore retailers will offer bargains and discounts in conjunction with the end of tax season. It's being dubbed as unofficial tax-free shopping during Baltimore Retail Week, April 16-25. Nearly 60 downtown retailers will offer 6 percent or more off purchases. The week is spearheaded by retail marketing firm Epps Consulting and supported by Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. The promotion will include both large national chains and small independent boutiques, including doubledutch boutique, Cupcake, Bratt Decor and South Moon Under.

Whether you prefer big chain stores or smaller boutiques, there is something for every shopper in Harford County. Perhaps the best place to begin your shopping adventure is the town of Bel Air, also known as the “heart of Harford County.” At the intersection of Routes 1 and 24, there are four shopping centers: Harford Mall, Tollgate Marketplace, Bel Air Plaza and Bel Air Town Center. Harford Mall is home to about 80 stores, such as Macy’s, Sears and Old Navy. Recently, the mall underwent a major renovation and remodel, adding a family-friendly outdoor component with new stores and restaurants, including Lane Bryant, Bonefish Grill and Five Guys Burgers and Fries among others.

As "quarterback" of B'more Chix, an online Ravens fan site for women, Krys Renzi knows what her readers want. After all, her site's motto is "Where Fans Huddle in Heels. " "It's: 'Where can I get purple jeans? Or how about a purple necklace? What about a coat?' " she says. "It's so exciting. You go to the tailgate lots, and that's what everyone is looking at. Women like to see what everyone else has on. " Renzi's friend, she adds somewhat conspiratorially, just scored purple cowboy boots.

I am getting married in two and a half weeks, and still don't have my wedding gown.  I ordered it in the beginning of March, and was told I would have it in mid-August. Back in March, that seemed like a lot of time to wait for one dress, but I figured it would still give me a month and a half to try it on, get it hemmed, and figure out which shoes and undergarments to wear. Now that we're half-way through September, I'm starting to panic a little.  The local shop (who shall remain nameless because I'm a worried bride and not a mean one)