If you catch yourself along the canal in the Nine Streets area, then you are definitely in Amsterdam’s quirkiest neighborhood. A quick jaunt from the Royal Palace and many other historical landmarks, the district is a hot spot for fashionistas of all stripes. Hallmark clothing and accessories shops, such as Van Ravenstein, are evidence of the couture cloth from which this consumer haven is cut.

Hailed by Harper’s and Queen’s as a globally-superior designer boutique, Van Ravenstein’s collection includes fresh classics from some of Holland’s and Belgium’s top fashion houses. Come here to plump up your wardrobe with vital, enviable mainstays, like a fine-cut, high-heel leather boot by Thimister, or also to wantonly splurge on old-favorite labels, such as Balenciaga and Givenchy.