As the Denver fashion scene starts to grow it’s becoming increasingly harder to stand out from the crowd. Shops such as H&M and Gap are only offering fashions we see on the mainstream media. Bloggers and “trend” casters are setting up boundaries in the way we style ourselves. It’s easy to mimic a look we’ve seen before, but that also means another girl down the street might look just like you.

So why not shop at local stores to make sure you look unique while still supporting local businesses? Below we’ve complied a list of our top five local indie boutiques to let you stay true to your style.

Goldyn

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Photos by Elisha Knight

A cool shop for the girl who loves designer labels, Goldyn is located in the Highlands. Founded in 2007, this shop carries fashion forward looks that make us dream of New York and Los Angeles. The shop started as an e-commerce website based out of Denver. Founder Vanessa Barcus’ intention was to “make apparel and accessories by more independent, forward-thinking designers accessible to everyone.”

She spent years working in the city of LA, and returned to Denver only to find a lack of cool, upscale boutiques for locals. She saw the limited choices here in Denver and hence, Goldyn was born. A few of our favorite designers you can find at Goldyn include Uzi, Pamela Love and Andrea Li.

Strut

courtesy of the Strut Facebook page

courtesy of the Strut Facebook page

Another shop located in the hip neighborhood of the Highlands, Strut is an accessories shop full of shoes, bags and more. It carries styles for just about everyone from basic staples to show-stopping pieces for your wardrobe. We chose this shop as one of our top five indie shops for the selection of hats and boots.

Wide brimed fedoras come in just about every color and style over at Strut. A huge selection of boots will make you swoon upon visiting. Founded in 2005, this boutique is still going strong. Elyse Burja, owner of Strut, “was determined to offer Denver’s women fashionable shoes and jewelry that previously could only be found in other major cities. ”

Fancy Tiger

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Photo by Kiddest Metaferia

A great place to find cool local printed T-shirts alongside more stylish pieces for your wardrobe, Fancy Tiger is a great in-between where just about everyone can find something. Located in the South Broadway neighborhood, Fancy Tiger is indie-cool at its finest.

For one, we love the great selection of Colorado themed T’s. With text reading, “Colo-fkng-rad” and “bears and sh*t,” what’s not to love? Dress them up with a leather jacket and moto boots for a night out. Or keep it cool with a denim jacket and old, tattered jeans.

Not into T-shirts? Don’t worry–Fancy Tiger also offers up statement pieces for both men and women. Cool jackets, leather boots and chunky jewelry are just a few things you’ll find here to polish up your wardrobe. We especially love the selection of cool rings that help any look pop. But keep in mind, this boutique is for the girls and guys that love a classic, clean look with some edge.

Buffalo Exchange

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Image Courtesy of Buffalo Exchange

Our favorite Denver spot for shopping on a budget, Buffalo Exchange is located in SoBo and Boulder, and lets you pile up the shopping cart without the sticker shock. This second-hand store is far from a Goodwill or ARC thrift store. In-house it has expert buyers inspecting garments and bringing in only the coolest styles.

A great place for the eccentric dresser, Buffalo Exchange carries just about everything from easy blue jeans to a hot pink sequined blazer. Buffalo Exchange  is also a great place to get rid of your unwanted garments and trade them in for something better. It offers a 30% buyout or 50% in store trade, making your money last that much longer.

Two Sole Sisters

courtesy of Two Sole Sisters' Facebook page

courtesy of Two Sole Sisters’ Facebook page

With two locations, in Boulder and Denver, Two Sole Sisters is a must stop shop for any shoe lover. Unlike other shops in the area, it offers up stylish footwear that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. While there are still great staples to be found at this shop, owners Laurel and Lindsey Tate really make an effort to offer cool and unique styles to local customers.

“The Tate sisters hand-pick styles for their eclectic, yet wearable inventory. They know that comfort and fashion can go hand-in-hand.”

At Two Sole Sisters you’ll find brands such as Fly London, Salpy and AGL, just to name a few. Not only does it offer everything from heels to sneakers, you’ll also find a great selection of unique handbags and jewelry all in one place