Lapel Luxury
Italians do everything better. The food, the wine … and the suits. So Savvy’s thanking her lucky stelle that Wilkes & Riley, a Baltimore-based men’s retailer that specializes in Italian fabrics, has taken its biz from the World Wide Web to a walk-in. Though the company, owned and operated by former Jos. A Bank executive Steve Marshall, will remain online, the new brick-and-mortar at the Shops at Kenilworth is bound to attract a brand new crop of Charm City dandies. “We had plenty of guys that were buying online, but there’s another group of customers that wanted to touch the fabric, to see the quality firsthand,” Marshall says. And with the new store, they can do just that—not to mention consult with W&R’s in-house (and, of course, Italian-born) master tailor. “This is workmanship from 40 to 50 years ago.” 800 Kenilworth Drive, 1-800-593-5221, wilkesandriley.com
That’s Amore
When Savvy walked into Love That in Belvedere Square, her immediate impression was one of comfort: The boutique at first seemed like so many others she’d been in—some dog-shaped throw pillows here, a shelf of soy candles there. Within seconds, though, she realized how wrong she was. A sweep around the store revealed a
curious mix of quirky collectibles (think: animal-shaped earrings, felt birds’ nests and cute aprons) and spiritual materials. Savvy found herself skipping over the pretty-but-standard cuff jewelry and instead thumbing through a book on meditation, then clutching a number of crystals to see if she could feel their powers. The rose quartz was tempting, but Savvy fears her heart chakra stopped working around the same time Shonda killed off McDreamy. 521 E. Belvedere Ave., 667-210-2097, lovethatshop.net
Wild Heart
Since its opening in September, online boutique Whistle & Wild has been blowing up the Baltimore blogosphere—30th & Weldon, craving currently, neverbeenso and more have touted the store’s trendy apparel. Started by Charm City native Amanda Nelson, W&W is a curated collection of clothing and jewelry for women whose vibes range from Coachella-cool to military-chic. Nelson says the small-but-mighty selection is inspired by her travels throughout the United States—her husband’s in the military—and offers a diverse portrait of American style. As for her target demographic? Savvy wasn’t sure she was quite fit for this PYT emporium, but Nelson assured her the W&W look doesn’t discriminate. “If your grandmother wanted to shop here, she could totally find something and rock it,” she says. whistleandwild.com
We Do
Savvy loves a winter wedding (and a fur bolero) … but she’s not daft enough to think that any December/January bride has yet to secure dresses for her ladies-in-waiting. Spring or summer chickens, though, might consider Francesca’s Atelier—the delightful dress store recently relocated to Green Spring Station. Bridesmaid-dedicated designs from the Dessy Group (boasting brands like After Six, Jenny Yoo and Studio Designs) are on hand, but Francesca’s also carries heavy hitter Hayley Paige and brand-new Theia Bridesmaids. And though the assortment is limited—“more of an exclusive selection,” according to marketing manager Victoria Ripple—the Atelier offers more unique options than the typical satin or chiffon. 10751 Falls Road, 443-841-7057, francescasatelier.com
