BODY O SOUL - Made With Men in Mind

New Belmont Shore Boutique Review
by April @ Boutiquing.com

Boutiques that cater to all the stylish and successful men out there are few and far between, proven by the amount of times we are asked, where are all the great men's boutiques? Body O Soul on 2nd Street is in the right place at the right time. This large cornerstone of the Belmont Shore boutiques has dedicated it's buying dollars to an unrivaled collection of designer men's apparel that had me dying to do a major husband overhaul.

The racks are perfectly lined with camp style button downs by Kanji, long sleeve and actually unique looking dress shirts by Howe, and a collection of new denim by 7 Diamonds - this company obviously knows how to dress a man. Meticulously folded tees by Rag & Thread cover the entry table and give a nod to the attention to detail found in this stylish boutique. Any man who follows a trend would have gone as crazy as I did for a Howe tuxedo style jacket with a built in vest. I desperately tried to make it work in a "stolen from my husband" kind of way, to no avail. You know the men's clothes are great when a woman is trying to wear them herself!

A surprise was waiting around the corner, another equally large boutique dedicated to the women...although still seeming to have the men in mind. Body O Soul has been specializing in lingerie imported from France and Italy. I remember being on my honeymoon in France, and one of the guide books I followed recommended buying lingerie in France as one of the best things to take away from the area...so true! My French lingerie is still the most beautiful I own, and I was instantly reminded of this as I admired the major collection in this shop. The beautiful lingerie at Body O Soul is by Aubade, and was all discounted when I was there, get in there soon to add some incredible unparalleled items to your drawers. Not to mention that this is beautiful lingerie for ANY size...up to DD!

The women's side seemed to be transitioning back to carrying clothing and I am looking forward to heading back in when the switch is complete. It is apparent that this boutique isn't looking to blend in, and is searching internationally for lines that are hard to find elsewhere. I loved the line Dept. out of Sweden, what they are doing with pattern mixing and multiple ways to wear is inspiring and in my opinion a sign of the trends to come.

Body O Soul has a really great little selection of jewelry at the counter, earrings with swingy chains and chunky rings are kept under glass, but there are few pieces more than $20...and high end looking sunglasses for $12! In this case I can say "glass is good"! Another great aspect to the boutique experience is the confident and outgoing sales staff. It was a pleasure to not only be greeted by every single person working, but they actually engaged us in conversation, knew everything about the lines they were selling, and didn't shrink behind the counter and wait to ring us up...we were thrilled! Not to mention the fact that there wasn't a cell phone in sight, this store certainly caters to it's shoppers and values the experience of every person who walks in their wide open doors.

Body O Soul
5223 E 2nd St
Long Beach, CA 90803
562.856.1600

Hours:
10-9
Seven Days a Week