Retail Therapy

Chic Boutiques

Shop Till You Drop in the East Bay

    If there’s one thing this city has in spades, it’s clothing shops for Oaklanders of the female persuasion. From College Avenue to Lakeshore Avenue, your options run from Earth shoes to Vera Wang finery and everything in between. Here, we survey some of the more glam ensemble emporiums the East Bay has to offer.

Iniam  
    Walking into this über-feminine Rockridge boutique is a sensory pleasure. The store smells fabulous, with fresh flower arrangements in abundance and Tocca candles (also for sale) scenting the air. The décor is all whites and creams, with a gorgeous chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The clothes are just as sensorially (and sartorially) pleasant, with goods from such now designers as Nanette Lepore, Cynthia Steffe, Tocca, Calypso, Theory and more. This is a great spot to go shopping for something to wear to a special event, be it a wedding or an important party. There’s a slew of somewhat pricey dresses (such as a royal blue Trina Turk dress spotted on a recent visit for $250) just begging to be shown off. Iniam also carries amazing jewelry from gemstone dangles to metallic pendants; some from Bay Area designers, such as San Francisco’s Robindira Unsworth and Berkeley’s Vrinda Bhalla, whose work contains stones from India, 24-karat gold, crushed diamonds and vintage Indian charms. This writer wouldn’t mind seeing Bhalla’s garnet and carnelian necklace ($528) wrapped up on her next birthday. 5902 College Ave., (510) 597-1558, open daily.

Viva Diva   
    Just a block south of Iniam lies Viva Diva, a girly boutique complete with pink walls and trendy, youthful duds. The pricing is a bit lower than Iniam, and the clothes are more casual—and mighty cute—with loads of print dresses, designer jeans and flowing tops on hand. The store carries brands like Ella Moss, Free People (on a recent visit, we eyed a decidedly feminine floral dress from Free People at $116), Plenty by Tracy Reese and Hype. This is a great spot to stock up on T-shirt staples from Velvet and Michael Stars; kicky Friday-night dresses from Laundry, BCBG and T-Bags; and jeans from the likes of True Religion. The boutique loads up on of-the-moment leather belts and some great jewelry, including bronze-plated initial medallions from the United Kingdom’s John Wind—a steal at only $36. 5854 College Ave., (510) 594-8380, www.vivadivaboutique.com, open daily.

Glow  
    This youthful and trendy boutique near Lake Merritt features the type of duds young starlets in L.A. would be comfy sporting, and at great prices to boot. Lining the walls are bright, casual clothes, perfect for nightclubbing. R&B plays in the background, and the store’s brushed-metal racks feature a bounty of jeans—from Grass, Marlow, Freedom of Voice, Born in California and more—for $70–$120, along with cute dresses from Nick & Mo and black tank tops with “Oakland Girl” emblazoned in white gothic lettering across the front ($26). This is a great place to pick up au courant costume jewelry at tiny prices (metal chains at $24; earrings as low as $14), as well as bags, belts and casual Ts.  3261 Lakeshore Ave., (510) 832-4132, open daily.

FIT
    While Iniam is sensual and Viva Diva is flirty, fellow Rockridge shopping spot FIT is simply sophisticated. Geared toward the stylish 35-plus woman who knows quality when she sees it, this shop sparked a style revolution on College Avenue when it opened 4½ years ago. It’s the place to go for everything from sophisticated weekend wear to special-occasion dresses (think black tie), with exquisite catches from Vera Wang’s less-expensive Lavender line (at $500–$600, the quality and craftsmanship is there for less than half the price of Wang’s top-end designs). FIT carries a range of American, European and Japanese designers, including New York’s Diane von Furstenberg, Spanish designer Isabel de Pedro, Japan’s Yoshi Yoshi and shoes from Ted Baker of London (including, on a recent visit, sexy red strappy sandals for a reasonably priced $156). Although the shop doesn’t stock lingerie, it does carry waist- and thigh-whittling Spanx undergarments, a very popular product, as well as flattering Cambio jeans ($180 and up), which are chic yet not so low-slung that everyone can see your undies every time you sit down. Stop by and say hi to Lulu the Chihuahua. 5707 College Ave., (510) 923-0784, open daily.

Red Bird  
    This Claremont-district shop is definitely a bird of another color. The shop packs in a large designer pieces under cool, colorful primitive-esque paintings on raw, unframed canvases. The pieces here are as unique as the store’s art, in luxurious fabrics with amazing detailing and often sporting a hip, deconstructed look. At the main boutique, look for fantastic silk and linen separates by Gary Graham, James Perse “goes-with-everything” rayon-and-linen T-shirts and Elisa Ferare handmade shoes in metallics, velvets and printed fabrics. From Skaen T-shirts with funky graphics for $80 to a gray, gauzy Hanü dress for $550, the prices here are a bit on the high side, but the designs are one of a kind. And if you’re looking for a bargain, head to the back of the courtyard around the corner for the store’s very own outlet boutique.
Red Bird, 2938 Domingo Ave., Berkeley, (510) 644-0294, open daily; Red Bird Outlet, 2918 Domingo Ave., Berkeley, (510) 848-5530, open Thu.–Sun.