It's no wonder Recycled's stock is always a book fetishist's dream come true. Both the University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University are nearby, so students sell their texts and private collections in order to pay bills and get their drink on, and professors trade in their research materials for different materials and to get their drink on. Plus the nearest Half Price Books is 20 minutes away in Lewisville. That means weird finds such as 20-year-old first-edition British punk rock histories and three copies of every Nick Hornby novel. Top that, HP! The collection is sorted across three floors and many rooms (some almost hidden) and spans children's literature to self-help to modern literature. There's an especially well-stocked mystery section, and the store brags about its collection of 16,000 CDs. It's like catching fish in a barrel.

Stuck in between a Kroger food store and a Mama's Pizza, the adventurous can pick up a little Armani sweater for a fraction of the original price. Sometimes, the garment hasn't even been worn. The owners of this place have a good eye. They arrange sleek threads in a way that even the not particularly skillful shopper can spot a tailored deal.

Let's get right to the point. You will find no Escada here. For those of us who have tired of that Dallas (think Highland Park) look--brightly colored suit, big hair--we want to commend any retailer who has tried to inject some style into the Dallas fashionista's mindset. At the 8,000-square-foot store, about one quarter of which is devoted to women's designer ready-to-wear lines, you'll find garments produced by Marc Jacobs, Viktor and Rolf, Joseph and Helmut Lang. The financially unendowed can pick up a T-shirt for $30, while those whose fortunes remain intact can find cashmere coats for more than a grand. The store is expanding its shoe selections but right now carries Alaia.

Walk into this 6,000-square-foot mecca to good men's design with no particular longing to keep your billfold intact. For $1,600, you can get yourself in head-to-toe (we're talking shoes, too) Ermenegildo Zegna, the store's top-of-the line Italian designer who is based in Milan. For the younger man without so much cash on hand, the store has off-the-rack merchandise starting at $600. Either way, you'll walk out a better-dressed and (with the store's tailor who boasts 20 years' experience) better-fitted man than you went in.

Tuxedo, blazer, golf pants, formal to casual, this is the place for timeless quality clothing that will serve you well from Calcutta to Connecticut. Prices run the gamut: A typical rack of sport coats will go from $350 to $1,500. Keep your eye peeled for their sales: This store puts on some great ones a few times a year. The rest of the time, this is the place to shop if you're willing to put down a few bucks in order to make sure you're right. Helpful, mature salespeople, great tailoring. Nobody ever walks out looking goofy.

Readers' Pick

Banana Republic

Various locations

One client calls it "a party every time you go." This hip salon, which recently moved to a new location, offers a calm, relaxing atmosphere and never a bad haircut. The stylists work with long- and short-haired patrons to get the best fit even if you don't want to go with the most extreme look of the day.

As a teenager, when we wanted to decorate our room with skulls, skeletons and other death images, our parents thought we were overly morbid and took away our black eyeliner. As an adult, we learned it's OK to decorate with symbols of mortality as long as they're peppy and colorful like those at Casa Mexicana. The modern mourner can find all her Dia de los Muertos (which we celebrate year-round) supplies at Casa Mexicana--sugar skulls, skeleton jewelry, La Catrina-themed items and many other whimsical reminders of death.

Forget the $45 styling jobs. The $12-$22 cuts at this Park Cities mainstay are sharp enough for the Perots, Hunts and Meyersons, so why not for the junior exec who needs a weekly trim, or out-of-work dotcommer who needs a real job? In business since 1972, the shop's 15 barbers offer a dry clipper cut for $12, a layered cut for $18 or a shampoo and cut for $22. "Doctors, lawyers, real estate people, we have a variety," says barber Keith Gibson. As with shops of old, they have the revolving pole, but alas, no straight-razor shaves. Culwell's staff hung up the straight razor in the '80s for health reasons. These days they do it with injector blades.

Finding a good bra is harder than it seems. It's more than going to Target and buying a $10 cotton contraption. The hunt amounts to far more than flipping through the Victoria's Secret catalog and finding a sexy tit-sling to show off. Generally, the best support, the most comfort and the right look are achieved when someone else is involved. Sounds shady, but we're serious. The experience may seem disconcerting at first, but the outcome is worth it. The women at the Maddox Shop take their task seriously, measuring and assessing a woman's needs before returning seconds later with the perfect bra. The ladies of the Maddox Shop instruct a girl on how to "place herself" correctly in the cups, and they are incapable of being embarrassed by errant nipples or flashing, so even the most modest person is suddenly at ease with a stranger in her dressing room. As for post-mastectomy bras, the shop has an amazing selection, and the saleswomen have the know-how to make a woman look as natural and feel as comfortable as possible after a traumatic loss. They don't gawk or judge, and they can fit difficult sizes as well as perform in-house alterations. It's all about feeling good, feeling attractive. And ladies know a good bra can unleash amazing confidence.

Ducky Bob's has been in the business of renting equipment for parties and events in the metroplex for almost 30 years. It simply provides the best amenities for a throwdown. From simple requests for tables, chairs, and large-scale outdoor tents, to full-scale kitchens and supplies, this longtime Dallas institution (which recently purchased former rival Cannonball Party Rentals) is able to satisfy many of the best event planners in Dallas and Fort Worth. Call them for an estimate, and send us an invitation.