126 Best Shopping in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Don't let the drab storefront put you off: you're as likely to find a trouser suit in floral-print suede as a staid handbag for grandma at this two-part shopping spot. The right-hand store (No. 658) has totes in chestnut- and chocolate-color leather, as well as classic jackets. More unusual fare—including fur sacks with wool fringe, black cowhide baguettes, and tangerine purses—are sold next door at No. 640.

For foxier-than-thou footwear that's kicking up storms on milonga floors worldwide, head to Comme Il Faut; dedicated dancers love its combination of top-notch quality and gorgeous, show-stopping colors like teal or plum, usually with metallic trims. Animal-print suede, fake snakeskin, and glittering ruby take-me-home-to-Kansas numbers are some of the wilder options.

Whether it's a Panama hat for the blazing sun or a flat cap complete with ear flaps for a rough winter, this store has your headwear needs covered. For an authentic Argentine touch, get the urban gaucho look with a tartan boina.

Complot. "Ready to Rock!" screams Complot's labels, and the clothes live up to the claim. Teenage rebels and older festivalgoers flock here for the signature T-shirts with lyrics or photos of Bowie, Sid Vicious, Blondie, or Radiohead. There are skinny jeans, animal-print leggings, and denim microminis to (mis)match them with. The anoraks are a porteño fashion must come winter.

Veined pinky-red rhodochrosite (Argentina's national stone) comes both in classic settings and as diminutive sculptures at this second-generation goldsmith's shop. Cousiño's sculptures of birds in flight are also exhibited in the National Museum of Decorative Arts.

A heady mix of coconut and board wax fills the air in this surfwear store: they don't care that the beach is hundreds of miles away, so why should you? Look for Brazilian-made gear from Billabong and Quiksilver, plus local surf brands like Y Tú Quique? Skaters and snow boarders will find their spiritual home here, too.

Set up like the 19th-century home it once was, Cualquier Verdura gives the otherwise antiques-dominated neighborhood a much-needed kitsch injection. Check out furniture designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell, fun animal-shaped placemats, vinyl records, glow-in-the-dark toys, old-yet-functioning kitchen implements, and books by local photographers and artists calling out for a coffee table.

Known to regulars as the DUC, this artsy spot combines a terrace café and a tiny music venue with a terrific bookstore. Browse the ground floor for artistic tomes and local literature while tapping your toes to some live jazz.

Quirky prints are the standout feature at DAM, a small boutique led by designer Carola Bessasso. Stylewise, you can expect feminine cuts and 1950s flair (the halter dresses are especially flattering); best of all, since Bessasso mixes unconventional materials with vintage finds, every piece is truly one of a kind.

Check out this popular women's wear brand for light and airy shirts, dresses, and tees. The well-cut jeans are merciful on the wallet—and on the hips (they're available up to a size 12, that's an Argentine 5).

An imposing theater dating from 1919 provides a fabulous backdrop for this bookshop. The former foyer holds a small selection of CDs and DVDs; the orchestra seating area has art books and fiction (including some English works); specialist subjects are arrayed in the circle; and you pay at the box office. Argentine cookbooks, illustrated gaucho classics, and coffee-table tomes are some of the weighty souvenirs. There are similar offerings at the less dramatic store on Florida.

From natty suits to slick leather jackets, the togs here appeal to thoroughly modern men who appreciate a touch of old-school class. The polos are a smart buy, as are the tailored cotton shirts; pair them with chinos in the traditional palette or more outrageously hued ones that seem geared to the golf course.

Keep it casual at El CID, a men’s store that covers most bases, from well-cut linen trousers to attractive button-down shirts. Hipster gentlemen will love the animal print pants, floral bowties, and flamboyant cotton scarves.

Mannequins and merchandise are displays for mere mortals: at Etiqueta Negra, owner Federico Álvarez Castillo's vintage racing cars take pride of place. If you can't afford such a vehicle, chances are you can't afford the clothes either. But the classic suits and Italian-cotton shirts ooze old-school Hollywood glamour and the beautiful finishes are worth breaking the bank for.

This small boutique has enough accessories to make the rest of your outfit a mere formality. Berry-size beads go into chunky but affordable necklaces, which take flora and fauna as their inspiration, while all manner of handbags line the back wall. Need a royal seal of approval? Argentina-born Queen Máxima of the Netherlands has been photographed wearing their fun, oversize earrings.

There's no love lost between Argentina and its neighbors, but when this Chilean department store opened, the affordable prices soon had locals swallowing their pride. The busy corner store's ground floor contains accessories, perfumes, and cosmetics such as MAC and Lancôme. Falabella also has three clothing lines: Sybila does low-cost (and low-quality) street wear; University Club is preppier and harder-wearing; Basement includes better-quality casual and work clothes. The overworked staff at both Falabella and its nearby home-wares branch, Falabella Hogar, don't give much guidance, but the prices make up for it. Avoid lunchtime, when it is packed with office workers looking for retail diversion.

A block away from Falabella (the excellent Chilean department store) is its home-ware branch, Falabella Hogar. It does a roaring trade in cheap 'n stylish crockery, kitchenware, and textiles, mostly imported from China and India. The store is crowded with office workers from noon to 2:30.

Some of the finest tango shoes in town—including classic spats, 1920s T-bar designs, and glitzier numbers for men and women—are all handmade and custom fitted at Flabella.

It makes perfect scents to visit Fueguia's perfume and candle-making laboratory to create your own eau de. Named after the nine-year-old native Patagonian girl who was abducted by HMS Beagle captain Robert FitzRoy, Fueguia has more than 100 fragrances to choose from, including Uruguayan jasmines, Tucumán lemons, and Neuquén roses.

This small handicraft shop is run by a non-profit organization that trades fairly with more than two-dozen indigenous communities in Argentina. The shop smells like the aromatic palo santo wood used to make the trays, platters, cutting boards, and hair combs they carry. Other offerings include carnival masks, handwoven textiles, beaten tin ornaments, and alpaca jewelry. Prices, though higher than in markets, are reasonable; quality is excellent (hence the name, meaning "the best" in the Wichi Indian language); and you know your money is going to the artisans. There's also a store in Belgrano at Vuelta de Obligado 1933.

Gabriel's good taste means 50-year-old Louis Vuitton trunks don't look out of place beside wooden church statues or scale-model ships with canvas sails. Ceramic rubber-glove molds, one of his specialties, are some of the more accessible conversation pieces. The flagship store takes up a sizable patch of the Plaza Dorrego shop front; there's a second shop at Libertad 1214 in Recoleta. 

This is a preferred address for skaters, clubbers, and alternative-minded teens. The stores downstairs sell club wear, punky T-shirts, and band pins, while those on the top floor have slightly classier offerings from local designers who aren't big enough to set up in Palermo. If you're in the mood for a tattoo, you can take your pick from a large selection of ground-floor studios.

Vintage vultures should swing by Galería Quinta Avenida, which has a host of dusty boutiques ideal for a few hours of rack-roaming. There's a particularly good selection of leather jackets, as well as accessories like specs from the 1950s and '60s. Keep an eye out for irregular ferias americanas, impromptu flea market sales.

Upscale shops line the three levels of this beautiful building, designed during the city's turn-of-the-20th-century golden age. Stores are organized along four glass-roofed passages, which branch out in a cross from the central stairwell; the cupola above it is decorated by five Argentine greats, including muralist Antonio Berni. Top local, polo-inspired, menswear brands Etiqueta Negra and La Martina have large stores, while Jazmín Chebar, Ona Saez, and Vitamina's collections are aimed at younger women. Check out Janet Wise and Las Oreiro for more sophisticated looks among international brands such as Chanel and Christian Lacroix. For a respite from the retail, head down to the basement’s bustling food court or up to the second floor, where the Centro Cultural Borges stages tango shows and hosts small art exhibitions that feature international stars like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí.

Rubén Troilo and Constanza von Niederhäusern’s innovative, well-constructed ready-to-wear has been exciting fans since their brand launched in 2010. Combining exciting textures, colors, and prints, Garza Lobos makes great use of leather, silk, and cashmere. Look for the capsule collection of purses made in collaboration with Lázaro.

Sequined flapper dresses, dashing white-linen suits, and creamy lace wedding veils are some of the items you might stumble across in this casa chorizo, a typical multiroom property that stretches back to the next block. Period accessories include Castilian hair combs and lacy fans that beg you to bat your lashes from behind them.

Pick up polo shirts, sweaters, and loose-cut trousers from übercool British sportswear label Gola. You'll also find a small, incongruous selection of posh Etiqueta Negra clothing, the brand responsible for making Gola garments locally.

Savvy staff, some trained as sommeliers, will guide you through Grand Cru's peerless selection; the vast range is dominated by high-end wines from small wineries.

In Argentina loafers mean Guido, whose retro-looking logo has been the hallmark of quality footwear since 1952. Try on timeless handmade Oxfords and wing tips; there are also fun items like a tomato-red handbag or a cow-skin tote. Accessories include simple belts and suede wallets.