With the holidays upon us, it’s getting kind of late to do holiday shopping online. An inventory problem or Fedex snafu might spell disaster.  Instead, get out this weekend and support your local boutiques! If you can, find a walkable shopping neighborhood near you. That way you can burn off the cupcakes you ate at the company holiday party and avoid the parking nightmare at the mall. Here’s a shopping guide for one of our favorite areas of LA – Silverlake, Echo Park, and Highland Park:

CLOVER has a really friendly staff and a fun selection of gifts and coffee table books for all ages, along with women’s clothing and denim.

LAKE is a comfortable, approachable boutique with accessories, gifts, apothecary products and women’s clothing, generally made by small manufacturers. It’s right next to the Silver Lake Reservoir and perfect for a stroll.

After you’re finished at LAKE, head next door to LAMILL Coffee Boutique. The owners are obsessed with coffee, and serve only on the finest beans and the latest brewing techniques. The iced coffee is the best in the city. You can also enjoy a small but excellent menu of snacks and lunch items from chef Michael Cimarusti in a hip, modern dining area.

For the man in your life, swing by GLORY, a great store with a wide selection of jeans, motorcycle gear, vintage tees, and boots.  Some really cool women’s apparel, too.

If that’s too far, there are tons of other walking friendly shopping spots in LA, including Montana Ave. in Santa Monica, Larchmont Village, Abbot Kinney in Venice, 3^rd Street in West Hollywood, and Old Town Pasadena. What’s your favorite area?

If you live in the DFW area and just don’t love shopping online, there are two options for you to get your HABITUAL fix. The first is Rich Hippie on Lovers Lane, a historic street lined with boutiques, restaurants, furniture, and coffee shops. We bought a silk top there that made its way into the lookbook. The second is Elements, a few blocks down the street, which has a great selection and size run of the Ascot Trouser and Geena Bootcut. The also have some decor items, including a sculpture by local artist and metalsmith Larry Whiteley.

Steel Magnolia by Dallas artist Larry Whiteley

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