INSIDER GUIDE: Boutiques/Shopping

By Marylin Johnson, mjohnson@ajc.com and A. Scott Walton, swalton@ajc.com

Marylin Johnson 's Picks

Marylin Johnson has been a fashion fanatic since the age of 2 when she demanded to wear her best dress out to play. A former fashion writer for the Chicago Tribune, she has been covering fashion for the AJC since 1982. "The best part of my job — fashion writing — is getting paid to shop. For me, that's the ultimate perk. While mega stores abound in Atlanta, here are a few of my favorite small places:"

African Pride
Underground Atlanta, 404-523-6520
A huge treasure trove of artifacts, jewelry, paintings, gift items and clothing imported from different countries in Africa. Prices: $1 and up.

Bella Azul
West Midtown, 1011-B Marietta St. N.W. 404-249-9150
It's a fun, lifestyle boutique featuring fashion as well as beauty. Clothing labels include Barbara Bui, Matthew Williamson, Tracy Reese, Anja Flint, Jiwon Park, AG Jeans and Catherine Malandrino. Beauty products by Fresh are sold, including the hard-to-find Index fragrances ($60). Clothing prices: $100 and up.

Bob Ellis Shoes
Phipps Plaza, 404-841-0215
Look for such top names as Christian Louboutin, Gucci, Jil Sander, Manolo Blahnik, Prada, Robert Clergerie, and Stuart Weitzman. in women's sizes 4-12, AAAA through B. Also in stock: kids' Prada footwear. Handbags and hosiery available too. Prices: $125 and up.

Etc. East
Vinings Jubilee Shopping Center, 4300 Paces Ferry Road, Suite 232; 770-434-6360
A fashionable mix of accessories — everything from jewelry and handbags to scarves, sunglasses and wraps. Designer lines include Cathy Waterman, fine jewelry; Stephen Dweck, classic looks in sterling silver and bronze with stones; Carla Mancini, leather handbags and Hervé Chapelier, canvas totes. Prices: $35 and up.

Sage Shopping Co.
Two locations - Buckhead Market Place, 37 W. Paces Ferry Road N.W. 404-233-8280 -and- Brookwood Place, 1745 Peachtree St. N. E. 404-815-0555
Hip fashions and accessories abound in a fun emporium. Lines include: Nissi and Dirty Jeans, Frenzi Varga, Miss Me, Glam. Featured local accesory lines: Genie, K Design, Lauren Elizabeth and Isobel. Prices: Everything is under $100.

A. Scott Walton's Picks

Standard
1841 Peachtree Road NE, 404-350-1410
There's nothing run-of-the-mill about this boutique that keeps late (11 p.m. close weekdays, 1 a.m. close weekends) hours and appeals to the upscale sportswear market. Specializing in imported, limited-edition sneakers and designer athletic looks, Standard's goods are priced in the moderate to high range. Jeans, gadgets, grooming products and girlie clubwear are all included in the merchandise mix.

Shoemakers' Warehouse
500-A Amsterdam Avenue, 404-881-9301
If unique is what you seek and variety is what you crave, this is the shoe shopper's mecca. Discount prices on designer brands is this massive store's claim to fame. Merchandise for men and women rotates from week to week. And it's a self-service establishment where the finders-keepers rules apply.

La Raine's Boutique
1062 St. Charles Avenue, 404-607-7444
Nestled onto a quiet, shadey Virginia Highland sidestreet, this is a must-see for anyone in search of a wedding dress or a youthful assortment of mix-and-match separates; all moderately priced. Lingerie and vintage-inspired jewelry add to the mix of dainty offerings.

Andrew (Men-Women-Home)
Those with discriminating tastes in clothing, giftables and home furnishings should pay this cutting-edge boutique a visit. The merchandise mix is stringently edited down to mainly include the collections of Britain's Paul Smith and fashion-forward designs by Paris-based Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto. Limited edition "knockoffs" of museum quality housewares are an added attraction.

Sandpiper
4300 Paces Ferry Road, 770-433-2989
Infusing the posh Vinings community with dashes of whimsy and feminine wiles, this fun-loving shop caters to label-hounds who don't mind paying top dollar for the trendiest pieces. Dressy sportswear and demure evening ensembles are its stock-in-trade. Offerings are updated on a weekly basis; a testament to management's shop early and shop often state of mind.