A Girly Day Out in Glen Ellyn

Women with artsy tastes love AliKat for Bohemian-style clothing. Knickers of Glen Ellyn carries luxe lingerie and stylish sleepwear. M and Em's sells ribbon-trimmed baby-girl outfits, along with women's sportswear, while Paisley on Main specializes in gifts, jewelry, home accessories and Vera Bradley goods.

Culinary tabletop shop Marcel's Culinary Experience opened in 2011, featuring cookware, specialty foods and cooking classes. Swap Shop Resale Boutique offers a good mix of designers and sizes that run up to 16. Ten Thousand Villages sells fair-trade artsy gifts and home-decor items. The Bookstore (yes, that's its name, and it promotes local authors) stands next to crafty-cool String Theory Yarn Company, a treasure trove of artisanal, fair-trade and Earth-friendly yarns.

The owners of Sign of the Whale Antiques delight in sharing how history—and human touch—shaped their well-edited selection of Early American antiques. Cabernet and Company stocks nearly 1,000 bottles of global wines (running from $5 to $400), and tiny Glen Ellyn Sweet Shoppe sells throwback 5-cent candies, as well as popcorn.

Pictured: Moms and daughters alike enjoy AliKat, a fashion boutique with a cool mural of a French alley on the wall. (630) 469-5760; alikatboutique.com