EXCLUSIVE | Paris: What to See & Do Part Two

Shopping continued...

For great men's boutiques, check out S.D. Spontini (12 rue St. Croix de la Bretonnerie, 4e; +33-1-49-27-06-36) for great fancy button-down shirts that somehow don't break the bank; Jo (47 rue d'Orsel, 18e; +33-1-55-79-99-16) for beautiful sweaters and slacks by Emile Lafaurie; gay-owned Jacenko (38 rue de Poitou, 3e; +33-1-42-71-80-38) stocks fancy but wonderful-quality cotton clothes; but your final stop is going to Heaven (16 rue du Pont Louis Philippe, 4e; +33-1-42-77-38-89; also a bigger location at 83 rue des Martyrs, 18e; +33-1-44-92-92-92), where co-owner and menswear designer Jean-Christopher Peyrieux will guide you in perfect English toward stylish and comfortable casual wear. This is the boutique store you've been looking for your whole life!

What's a fancy suit without a great hat and shoes to go with it? Anthony Peto (56 rue Tiquetonne, 2e; +33-1-40-26-60-68) has been in his location for 22 years and creates hats that range from classic and chic to outrageous and wonderful. For shoes, check out the newly opened Edouard de Seine with two locations (55 rue Meslay and 119 rue de Turenne, 3e; +33-1-44-54-03-85 and +33-1-48-87-31-01 respectively). Some the shoes are made by the owner and others are selected from other collections, but all are very stylish.

Espace Kiliwatch (64 rue Tiquetonne, 2e; +33-1-42-21-17-37) has lots of vintage and secondhand clothes from the '60s-'90s. With nearly 6,500 square feet to browse, you'll feel like you're in a vintage store in Brooklyn. If you're looking for haute couture at less than haute prices, check out some of the city's discount and consignment shops. Madelios (23 Bld de la Madeleine, 1er; +33-1-53-45-00-00) has 53,000 square feet of men's shops. For big discounts on new clothes (mostly last season's styles), try Le Mouton ? Cinq Pattes (8-10, 14-18 and 48 rue St. Placide, 6e; +33-1-45-48-86-26 and 15, rue Vieille du Temple, 4e; +33-1-42-71-86-30). For label menswear, check out Fabienne (77 bis, rue Boileau, 16e; +33-1-45-25-64-26), R?ciproque -- the city's largest and most exclusive swapshop (88-101, rue de la Pompe, 16e; +33-1-47-04-30-28) -- D?pot-Vente de Passy (14, rue de la Tour, 16e; +33-1-45-20-95-21) for new clothes, and L'Occaserie (19, rue de la Pompe, 16e (and four other locations); +33-1-45-03-17-99) for previously worn bargains.

If you're looking to bring some Philippe Starck style back home, you can pick up his fanciful housewares at Edifice (27bis, boulevard Raspail, 7e; +33-1-45-48-53-60). For some furniture that isn't as pricey as Philippe Starck's, check out gay-owned OneNineSixOne (135 rue Vieille du Temple, 3e; +33-1-42-72-50-84) for contemporary furniture.

TTBM (16, rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie, 4e; +33-1/48-04-80-88) is probably the best sex-shop in Le Marais. IEM (4 locations -- Marais: 16, rue Ste Croix de la Bretonnerie, 4e; +33-1-42-74-01-61) is another place to pick up gay literature, as well as harder stuff like porn videos, leather clothing, dildos of all kinds, vibrators, and other fun accessories. Rex (42 rue de Poitou, 3e; +33-1-42-77-58-57) has lots of clothing and accessories made of leather, latex, chain, and rubber, all apparently made by the store owners. There's a small porn section in the back.

For pharmacological needs, head to Les Pharmaciens du Village (46, rue du Temple, 4e; +33-1-42-72-60-72).

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four

Related Articles:
Paris: Introduction
Paris: Where to Stay
Paris: Where to Eat
Paris: Where to Meet/Play
Paris: Resources