pcg ..'s Profile

Hmm, I don't know why there aren't a ton of reviews for this store already. If I lived in LA I'd probably be here every week.

I first found out about this store through their e-shop, and was really impressed by the buyer's picks. If you are into clothes that are "cute" rather than conventionally "sexy", and you have an off-kilter sense of humor then this store is for you.  Major bonus points that they carry a great selection of Isabel Marant clothes, which are apparently hard to find in the US.

Since I live on the East Coast, I've only been able to visit the brick-and-mortar store just once. Anyway, the store is art gallery-style, with white walls/floors, racks of colorful clothes and shoes fanned out on the floor. When I went in the salesgirls were hanging out in the back of the store unpacking merchandise. They were laidback and friendly, which can be rare considering some of the prices of the clothes. Not intimidating at all. If I had more money, I definitely would have bought something because I pretty much wanted everything in sight.

If you're into stylish, artful clothes without the pretentious attitude then this store is worth checking out.

I don't really care that the salespeople aren't friendly to me, because I think it's kind of refreshing that they're not typically aggressive. However, it does bother me that every time I go here they're always too busy chatting to help me out. Sorry to interrupt your conversation about what kind of pizza you want to order for lunch, but can I try this on?

Salespeople aside, if you're not rich but still want to buy stuff, this place is only worth going to twice a year: January and July for their 50% off sale. A couple days ago I checked out a pair of silk printed shorts on sale for $325. Crazy for a pair of shorts, but hey, you won't find Dries Van Noten or Marni anywhere else in Boston. The prices are high, but I think that has more to do with how the designer sets his/her prices, not the store itself.

They actually DO carry more affordable lines. I was just in there this week and saw Opening Ceremony, F-Troupe, Rag and Bone to name a few. All these lines offer items that are $300 or less. Get to the store for the 50% off sale and it's really not that bad.

I definitely don't need to shop here, but it's fun to see clothes from the runway in real life. I'd rather spend my money at Barney's, as it's more my style, and at least there the sales associates do a good job pretending like they're working.

I signed up for this thing just so that I could write a review for this place, and so maybe others who've passed by it several times might stop in. That's how strongly I feel about the store.

I'm so glad that Stel's exists. Boston has a pretty lame reputation as far as shopping goes, and it's not entirely undeserved, but Stel's gives me hope for the future. It's not like any other store I've been to here; the aesthetic is completely different from the usual cheap, trendy stuff--it's hip and edgy. It really is an independent store that carries unique and cool labels such as Alexandre Herchcovitch, Mina Stone, and my personal favorite, A.P.C. You'll also find artful clothes made by unknown designers.

I bought an A.P.C top a while back, and I found one of the owners, Tina, to be so helpful and friendly. She wrapped my top really nicely, and even said she'd e-mail when new A.P.C stuff came in. A few days later she even sent me a postcard thanking me for my purchase!

If you take fashion seriously and  like to support indie stores and upcoming designers, you should venture down the steps to this subterranean store on Newbury Street.

A note: I'm sort of afraid of salespeople, so the first time walking into this place was pretty intimidating, as there are never too many shoppers there at one time, and I felt like a target. But, the people weren't pushy at all; they were really casual, and provided the sort of customer service you can only get from a small boutique.