Aspen Shops

Aspen is a picky shopper’s paradise. There are no so-so options, only beautifully merchandized boutiques, all the sporty brands you need in a mountain town (hello, Lululemon), and the best edits from pricier luxury design houses. A few standouts include the gorgeous Ralph Lauren store and Moncler for padded, functional ski gear that’s outrageously stylish. You can’t beat the giant Gucci and Dior locations which have (we think) the best curation anywhere. Keep one afternoon open to wander around town to dip in and out of all the stores on Hyman Avenue—there are several vintage gems hidden amongst the heavy hitters. Image courtesy of The Little Nell.

One goop editor and Aspen regular is obsessed with this gorgeous concept store. Meticulously curated, Marcus’s mix includes Fendi baguettes, super soft knits, delicate jewelry, and a substantial library of coffee-table tomes. Just try leaving empty-handed.

Forget something? The Art of the Cozy has comfort sorted. Shearling coats, chic ski suits, thermal leggings, candles, CBD drops—really anything and everything you need to feel prepared in the mountains. A beaded necklace from Lizzie Fortunato, an elegant suede weekender from Métier, or a sweet onesie for the little in your life can all be found in one cute place. Spend some time browsing the beautifully curated shelves and prepare to carve out some suitcase space to get your haul home. Images courtesy of Alexis Ahrling.

This charming indie bookstore is the kind of place you go for a vacation read and end up walking out with a stack of historical novels, detective stories, and hard-to-find biographies. They also host a children's storytime (a great rainy-day or après-ski activity), as well as a range of literary events for adults—from author readings to a writer's open mic night. If you get hungry while browsing, or after an event, head upstairs to their Pyramid Bistro, which is also open late.

The J.Crew outpost in Aspen is legendary for consistently carrying the best edit of the brand’s classic-with-a-twist apparel and accessories (the shoe edit is especially impressive). It’s a small space—nowhere near as sprawling as the average mall location—but the minimal build-out makes it easy to grab what you want and go.

This little boutique across from the Little Nell is an automatic go-to for denim (they carry tons of brands) and other basics, like cozy cashmere sweaters, oversized scarves, and mid-priced accessories. Basically, it's the kind of place that becomes an invaluable resource when a critical piece of clothing didn't make it into the suitcase, or when you need to shop for a last-minute gift. Fair warning: They're closed until 1pm on powder days.

With a sleek wooden interior and a roster of hard-to-find European ski brands, Performance Ski is a far cry from your typical ski and snowboard shop. In addition to some seriously gorgeous casual wear (including stacks of Elder Statesman cashmere), they carry every imaginable piece of equipment, from long johns and ski pants to helmets, mittens, goggles, boots, and skis.

Max Martinez and his eponymous stores (there are also locations in Boulder and Denver) are really the cream of the Colorado fashion crop. An early buyer of now-household name brands like Isabel Marant, Martinez's boutiques always carry a mix of name-brand classics and little-known newcomers. It's probably the most luxurious of Aspen's boutiques, so go for investment pieces like Nili Lotan sweaters, Céline bags, and Pierre Hardy boots. If you can, try to stop in when Max is in the store—in addition to being the warmest host imaginable, he has an amazing eye for pieces that flatter specific people.

The clientele in Aspen is famously flashy, so it's no surprise that this upscale, exquisitely curated consignment shop is home to some serious gems. It's ideal for picking up things that are fun to wear in Aspen but too impractical to buy full-price, like faux-fur snow boots, Gucci ski goggles, or turquoise-studded belts.

From the shelves of cowboy boots on the left to the endless array of western hats hanging from the ceiling (you can actually have them branded with your initials), Kemosabe is as close as you can get to a one-stop-shop for Western wear. And while it's certainly a no-brainer for the classic touristy stuff, the collection of Pendleton blankets and displays of vintage turquoise jewelry are also powerful draws.