It’s getting hot in here, Shanghai — time to break out your shortie-shorts, dresses, and tanks. And with so many fun spring trends to indulge in this season from sport-leisure to ‘80s glam, the time to shop is now. Embroidered denim, sunglasses, and silk tops. All of the things. These three boutiques all located super close to each other, because you know; so many stores so little time.

8 Seconds

Lots of fanfare (and huge lines) when this Korean brand by Samsung opened their massive new flagship store on Huaihai Lu late last year. With that particularly Korean style, 8 Seconds (8”) covers the basics to business casual, and houses both the ordinary and the zany in one store. The store itself feels like H&M and Uniqlo had a love child…and raised it in Seoul. On the first floor: Tons of cute spring dresses, in bold colors and patterns, all running from 150rmb to 400rmb. Blouses run between 99rmb-150rmb and all the basics you might need for spring are covered: tanks at 50rmb, shorts at 100-250rmb, and sandals at 200rmb. They’ve even hit some spring trends you can snag without exhausting your budget. So yeah, get those embroidered denim shorts, wear them a few times, but don’t feel overly committed. For the fellas, 8 Seconds is all about a range in style from basic to curated. There are tables on tables of basic t-shirts costing about 59rmb in every color you could ever want. Same with shorts, lot’s of options, basic and cut-offs costing about 200rmb. There’s also a section with a handsome collection of light cotton dress shirts for those spring nights (169rmb). For the budding fashinisto there are some flashier options from cool graphic tees to army print. For both guys and gals there’s a new summer collection inspired by G-Dragon, from the Korean boyband, Big Bang. This line, which you can find on the second floor, has got that sport leisure thing going on with its straight leg sweatpants, over-sized graphic tees, and sweatshirts. Good for: A men’s and women’s alternative to H&M at the same price levels. Korean zaniness.

Gentle Monster

Calling Gentle Monster a sunglass store feels like a bit of a disservice, ‘cause this ain’t no Sunglass Hut. This place is intensely cool. And that's their thing. All of Gentle Monster’s stores from Korea, to the States, and to now China are heavily curated all under a unique theme. Their Shanghai flagship is dubbed “The Artisan”. It opened at the end of 2016 in an industrial looking space that could easily be confused with a mod-ish, dead-tec modern art gallery. On the first floor a wall reads: “The Artisan illustrates the mind and emotions of a master artisan…wood and steel, sound and matter, the space captures the magical harmony hidden within contrast.” I know, I know, it’s a bit much. But the product lives up to it’s over-the-top presentation. These glasses are super on trend, lots of over-sized frames, lots of blue and yellow tinted lenses. Gentle Monster. But vicious prices. It is not cheap, with items running from 1,200rmb to 2,500rmb. Selections from Henrik Vibskov and Hood by Air top out at about 3,000rmb. If you head up the stairs to the second floor, you’ll find a bigger selection, with rows of sunglasses as well as reading glasses. Good for: Complete your summer outfit with shades from Gentle Monster, like the cherry on top of any look you got going on. A gold-plated, diamond-encrusted, ruby-centered cherry that probably could have paid your rent…

TTU

TTU’s slogan is “you can do anything here.” Ain’t that the truth. At TTU’s new boutique on Julu Lu, opened just two weeks ago, they’ve got a tea-and-cakes cafe, a full bar, and a changing room big enough for Marie Antoinette, in addition to some eye-catching spring and summer styles. The coffee and clothes hybrid is a treat, but TTU could stand on its own without the conjoined cafe. What caught my eye initially were the floral silk spaghetti strap tops flaunted in the shop’s window. Inside there are also plain options in soft colors for a more delicate look in the same cut. The silk products at TTU are more expensive than the rest, but not over the top, with silk tanks costing around 300rmb. And keep in mind they are oh so incredibly soft. TTU also carries jeans, shorts, graphic tees, and cotton dresses. Prices range from 300rmb for a dress to about 3,000rmb, so there’s a little something for everyone. And I haven't even gotten to the best part yet. This boutique has two dressing rooms, one relatively standard, the other a VIP room fit for Marie Antoinette. It’s large and lavish, so large I don’t even know what you do with all of the space. Cartwheel test the clothing? Regardless, you’ll feel like a celebrity in this room, which is free to hang out in—no reservation needed. If you would like to book in advance you can, you can even rent the entire boutique out for a private party if you so desire. Check it out. Good for: A nice range of affordable-to-not summer wear. Having cake. And letting them eat it too.