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No one can look chic without access to the best fashion boutiques the country has to offer — and Chicago’s got them all. In addition to a wealth of Chicago luxury condos, the Gold Coast neighborhood boasts just about every designer boutique you could want: the like of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch and Escada grace Michigan Avenue and Oak and Rush Streets.

And just as you can get more for your money in Chicago real estate, you can also find truly exceptional shopping experiences here. Michelle Obama could shop anywhere, but instead she chose to have her inaugural wardrobe styled exclusively by Chicago’s own Ikram Goldman, owner of the Gold Coast boutique Ikram, according to a recent New York Times article. The boutique carries a long list of the fashion world’s biggest names, including Azzedine Alaia, Narciso Rodriquez, Balmain, Lanvin and Alexander McQueen.

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While it’s easy to think that great design only comes out of places like New York and Milan, Michelle’s wardrobe has proven that Chicago’s got its very own fashion talent. One of the first lady’s most celebrated outfits was a purple dress by Chicago designer Maria Pinto. Residents of Chicago luxury homes can find Pinto’s work in her West Loop boutique at 135 N. Jefferson Street. During a shopping trip, they might run into Oprah – another one of Pinto’s well-known fashion disciples.

From top design to shopping bliss, it’s not just Chicago luxury homes for sale that put the “chic” in Chicago.