Joanna Topor

The Department Store: Bloomingdales, 900 N. Michigan, (312)440-4460
Bloomingdales' denim section is well organized and easy to navigate and their dressing rooms are lit with white lights, instead of those fluorescent things that highlight your every imperfection. The salespeople were only moderately helpful, although one was quick to suggest skipping meals if it meant fitting into a smaller size, but overall the extended selection, which included Chip & Pepper, Paper Denim, Antik, Second Skin, Blue Cult and Duark, more than made up for it.

The Flagship Brand-Name Store: Diesel, 923 N. Rush, (312)255-0157
With each pair out for display it was easy to pick through and select styles. The jeans that caught my eye were medium blue, slightly distressed with cute embroidered stars near the hip pockets. The sales associate quickly found my size and they fit like a glove. And although I had promised myself that I wasn't going to buy anything until I had covered all the stores I could think of, I was tempted to cheat. That is until I looked at the price tag. The jeans on the display rack seemed to average around $165, but these beauties were $250, which made it easier to put them back on the rack.

The Gold Coast Boutique: Etre, 1361 N. Wells, (312)266-8101
This Wells Street destination sets itself apart by offering a jean-club card. Your fifth pair is half off, not a bad deal if you're trying to work your way up to that $250 number. They have a comprehensive collection of denim and carry as many as thirteen different styles. A gaggle of dolled-up denim-clad girls ran into the store as we were browsing and proceeded to rip apart the denim selection screeching, "These are so cute!"

The Wicker Park Boutique: p.45, 1643 N. Damen, (773)862-4523
As I stood in front of the denim selection, I was pleasantly surprised by a salesperson asking, "What did you have in mind?" Up until now I had been shown to "most popular brands" and "best sellers" and no one had bothered to ask me what I wanted. For icing on the cake she also offered me heels to try with my jeans. P.45 carries Chip & Pepper along with Carbon 6 and I found a great pair of dark wash stretch jeans here.

The Southport Boutique: Krista K, 3458 N. Southport, (773)248-1967
Krista K is inviting and the open denim section even features a clipped magazine article about the different pairs they carry, which include Citizens of Humanity and 7s. Although the staff tends toward a wide-eyed "that's sooo cute" expression over anything more constructive, the dressing rooms are huge and the relaxed environment is open to numerous visits back to the display rack.

(2005-03-15)

Also by Joanna Topor

The Beauty Bunch
Spa parties are what Carolyn Brundage does best, from blowout charity events to smaller pamper-oriented soirées
(2005-01-04)

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Looking at him, you'd never guess that Augusten Burroughs has had the most surreal life imaginable
(2004-10-06)

I want candy
After reading the first few chapters of his book, "Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America," I was convinced that I was related to Steve Almond in some capacity
(2004-06-02)

The glowing horse and carriage
In the last decade, television shows like "Friends" and "Sex and the City" have tried to inundate us with the idea that you don't have to settle down to get the best of the coupling world
(2004-02-11)

What's in a name
(2003-09-10)

A stab through the heart
(2003-04-09)

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