Best Eye Candy
Framed Ewe
Moscot is a super fun, old-school brand of eyeglasses famously sold on the Lower East Side of New York City, which is why we were surprised to find them – among other high-end eyewear brands – in Central Phoenix at Framed Ewe. The shop is small and the inventory’s highly curated – which is to say, there’s not much, but you’ll still find the perfect pair of frames, maybe even a second pair for sunglasses. 5538 N. Seventh St., Phoenix, 602-283-4503, framedewe.com
Best Place to Find Locally Made T-Shirts
Highjinks Apparel
A crew-neck with the old Legend City logo. A Mogollon Rim Sasquatch Club tee. A crop top printed with the slogan “Phoenix is for Love Birds.” You can’t make this stuff up – but Highjinks can and does. Locally owned and operated, this little-cotton-press-that-could certainly does make up a lot of neatly designed, tongue-in-desert-cheek cotton couture. highjinksapparel.com
Best Vintage Co-Op
Nash Vintage Collective
It’s no surprise that NVC owner Heather Nash, who routinely stole her dad’s 1970s shirts as a vintage-loving high schooler, would eventually make a career of trafficking in stylishly dated threads. Starting in the mid-2000s on Etsy, she finally moved into a brick-and-mortar space last year, offering both vintage and indie clothes, plus handmade apothecary, candles, jewelry and fun knickknacks that make splendid gifts. nvcollective.com
Best Socks
Voyce Threads
Each pair of intentionally mismatched – complementary, darling! – socks designed by this Phoenix brand is created in partnership with a nonprofit or cause, which receives a portion of the proceeds. We love the purple and black cityscape and the interlinking characters in the Circle the City socks, which benefits the org that serves people experiencing homelessness. 7000 N. 16th St., Phoenix, voycethreads.com
Best Cowboy Boots
Espinoza Boot Maker
When self-taught sandal maker David Espinoza wanted to hone his talents, he sought out the tutelage of master bootmaker Jesse Bogle, who agreed to teach Espinoza the art of boot making – and the rest is five decades of boot history. Using ostrich, alligator and cow hides, Espinoza offers handmade boots in a range of colors and styles, including The Arizona Flag boot, which graced the cover of PHOENIX in December 2018. 4409 N. 16th St., Phoenix, 602-263-8164,
espinozabootmaker.com
