Crush On This...

Valentine's Day may still be a month away, but it's never to early to start crushing. Especially when the crush in question is Crush Boutique, a coveted Charles Street fashion destination. When I first stumbled upon the garden level boutique after it opened in 2007, I felt as though I had discovered a hidden gem (literally--as it's partially hidden from the street). The cozy store is home to bold designs, bright colors, and boho/blinged out accessories that you'd be foolish not to crush on.

Like my personal style, my track record at Crush is all over the place, with past purchases ranging from chunky bracelets, to a preppy plaid dress, a hippie chic red peasant top, and dash of designer denim... However, on my most recent shopping excursion, I fell for a more subtle item: a ridiculously soft, burn-out tee in a grey-green that could've been custom made for me (it wasn't). Chatting with store co-owner Rebecca Penner, I learned that Crush had recently received their own branding, and said tee-shirt was just one example. Let me assure you, these girls know their stuff! The tee-shirt had me at hello, but I wasn't in the mood to try it on so Rebecca explained the fit and sizing of their line and suggested wearing my tee under a boyfriend blazer with a pair of heels to dress it up. Priced around $40, it was too versatile (and too soft!!) to turn down. Oh, and did I mention the customer service?

By now, you may be tempted to venture out into the elements in search of your own crush-worthy purchase, but with nearly two feet of snow slamming Boston today, there's no need to go all kamikaze snow bunny! Rather, the girls at Crush have made it easy to stay warm and fashionable with Crush online, their online store that boasts "one-of a kind accessories and unique pieces" that can be yours with the mere click of a mouse. But whenever the snow does finally stop, make some room in your schedule for a Charles Street fashion outing. After all, Valentine's Day is just a month away, and you'll want to be sure that you're looking crush-worthy too...

Images thanks to Crush (www.shopcrushboutique.com).