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Seattleites are sometimes scorned for their fashion sense (polar fleece, sport sandals, and socks—oh my!), but as the city has grown and enough money has percolated through the ranks of retail, the city's style barometer has made a steady creep upward. Bibliophiles, foodies, wine aficionados, and design-centrists will also find plenty of shopping opportunities—Seattle is a hotbed of unique, independent shops stocking one-of-a-kind treasures.
Shopping in Seattle is something best done gradually. Don't expect to find it all in one or two days worth of blitz shopping tours. Downtown is the only area that allows for easy daylong shopping excursions. Within a few blocks along 4th and 5th Avenues, you'll find the standard chains (The Gap, Urban Outfitters, H&M, Anthropologie, Sephora, Old Navy), along with Nike's flagship store, and a few more glamorous high-end stores, some featuring well-known designers like Gucci . Downtown is also where you'll find department stores like Nordstrom, Macy's, and Barneys New York. Belltown and Pioneer Square are also easy areas to patrol—most stores of note are within a few blocks.
To find many of the stores that are truly special to Seattle—such as boutiques featuring handmade frocks from local designers, independent record stores run by encyclopedic-minded music geeks, cozy used-book shops that smell of paper and worn wood shelves—you'll have to branch out to Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and northern neighborhoods like Ballard. Shopping these areas will give you a better feel for the character of the city and its quirky inhabitants, all while you score that new dress or nab gifts for your friends.
And don’t forget about Seattle’s culinary bounty, which includes the stalls at Pike Place Market; the flagship Sur La Table, which stocks every kitchen gadget known to man; and the city’s various weekly farmers' markets, where you’ll find enough locally made, artisanal offerings to fill a suitcase or two.
The store's name means "by hand," and that ethos of handmade, high-quality craftsmanship seems soaked into the very (exposed brick) walls of this charming shop. A small selection of shoes from all over the world, along with some jewelry and handbags from local designers can be found here—all of it lovingly selected and much of it unique.
You'll find the store's own brand of fun and funky boots, chunky leather shoes, and urbanized wooden sandals here in men's and women's styles.
With designers ranging from Mihara Yasuhiro to Nike, this sneaker store has an extensive brand selection that's perfect for the eclectic Capitol Hill neighborhood. With its emphasis on "less is more," the clean white space creates the illusion of art gallery rather than shoe retailer. They also have a wide variety of apparel and bags.
One of the best shoe stores in town, Market Street stocks so many styles and brands that you're likely to find something. Shoes for men, women, and children prioritize comfort, so you'll see sensible picks from Dansko, Hoka One One, and Blundstone, but there are plenty of fun options by Eric Michael, Pendleton, and Bueno, as well.
Stocking cool but comfortable shoes from Karhu, Clae, Miz Mooz, and the like, this hip space offers a small selection of crazy fashionable boots, shoes, sneaks, and high heels. In keeping with the "little bit of everything" trend so popular with Seattle boutiques, re-souL also sells great jewelry pieces. They carry both men's and women's shoes, some clothes, and accessories. Everything is a bit pricey, but not excessively so, and the service earns the price tag.
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