I went window shopping in Old Town Alexandria last week after work and found one of the cutest boutiques ever. Hidden in a row of restaurants and law firms on King Street is a boutique called American in Paris, a women’s clothing boutique owned by Joelle, a cute, stylish Parisian woman. Upon entering the store, Joelle gave me the one minute schpeel on clothing perusing etiquette. She instructed each new vistor to touch the clothes by the hanger and gentle feel the fabric, which meant the clothes were all in mint condition…GENIOUS, I thought.

I felt like I was in my closet. Clothes were neatly organized on hangers, some were drapped over chairs in front of a big mirror, and shoes were neatly arranged on shelves. The boutique serves the DC fashionista who wants to spend money on a great quality piece. You get nothing but the best designers at this boutique. I found incredibly unique pieces like a Milly dress, a British style checkered high waisted skirt Black Halo, tons of Nicole Miller, Cynthia Steffe, David Meister, Camileon and many many more. This boutique is a real treat and a treasure trove of goodies.

On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the absolute very best:
Price: $$$ (If you are a Neiman’s or Saks girl then this is your store. For all others who cannot spend $200 on a shirt I still urge you to visit the store for great clothes for that special occasion.)
Selection: 5 (great selection of designers and styles. If you can’t make it to Neiman’s or Saks, this is the next best thing.)
Neatness: 3.5 (The clothes were neat and organized by style; however, I wish there was room to showcase more of the clothing instead of all of them being crammed onto the racks.)
Helpfulness: 5 (she knew the latest fashions and she knows exactly what will work for your body type)
Location: 4 (The boutique is located about three blocks from the King Street metro station so if you don’t have a car, you can still metro and walk or even hop on the DASH bus.)

Boutique: American In Paris, 1225 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314.
Style: Contemporary designs by American and European designers. Gowns, dresses, bridesmaid attire, suits, tops, jeans, handbags and jewelry.
Hours: Open Mon.-Sat. 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m.