New York fashion plate marries small-town Florida charmer: this may sound like a headline ripped from the newspaper's Weddings & Celebrations page, but it's also shorthand for the union of big-city fashions and homegrown flavor that characterizes the Palm Beach shopping scene. Since the 1920s, when the exclusive Everglades Club held weekly fashion shows that helped launch the likes of Valentino and Elizabeth Arden, the town's sleepy shopping vias (alleyways) have intersected with haute couture runways. The result is that shopping is one of the best parts of the Palm Beach experience–you'll find a bounty of high-end luxury goods conveniently concentrated in a small, charming setting, and your purchases could easily take you from the beach at The Breakers to the summer streets of Manhattan.

You'll probably want to begin your shopping engagement at center-of-the-action Worth Avenue. The downtown district is "anchored" (fittingly) by New York transplant Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, but both of these department store branches are scaled-down versions of what you'd find in most major cities. It's a case of smaller is better–the manageable size means well-curated collections appropriate to Palm Beach (think lots of summer and resort wear) to help you look the part. Though native boutiques add local color, the main drag is primarily populated by international designers from the venerable Chanel and Louis Vuitton to younger labels like Tory Burch and Juicy Couture. Have your Gold Card at the ready.

For some of the most distinctive finds, though, step off Worth Avenue and explore the boutiques along the off-shooting flower-covered vias, where you'll find tasteful island chic fashions to outfit you from head to toe (emphasis on the toe). Calypso St. Barth is one of our favorite choices for laidback but on-trend resort wear in flattering designs and calm colors. Snag a light cashmere wrap or pair of irresistible French Sole flats at Cashmere Beach, or show off your pedicure in a pair of sparkly, handcrafted T-strap sandals from il Sandalo. Some of the classic no-socks slip-ons from Stubbs & Wootton (especially popular with the gents) are stylish enough for eveningwear–we have friends that have worn them with their wedding tuxes!

Speaking again of marriage...the story of how iconic local fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer got her start is like a Palm Beach parable. At 21, the New Yorker eloped with a Palm Beach orange farmer, and the juice stains on her clothes ended up inspiring her designs for citrus-colored shift dresses worn by the likes of Jackie O. Today, you'll find a wide selection of her ever-bright and cheery pieces at C. Orrico, which hawks a variety of beachy brands in its boutique on South County Road–a more low-key alternative to Worth Avenue. Also notable among this clutch of gift shops and surf shops is Rapunzel's Closet, featuring trendy brands like Ella Moss and Free People, great jeans, and fun accessories, all of which work equally well at the beach club or the nightclub.

For those on the bridal registry circuit, or those seeking something to lavishly feather their nests, head back to Worth Avenue and visit Mary Mahoney for unique crystal, china, and silver, along with bespoke furniture and fabric (should you be settling down in Palm Beach for the long haul). Also worth a visit on the home décor front is Leta Austin Foster Boutique for last-a-lifetime linens (with lines favored by royalty) and elegant, Old World-style pieces (note to honeymooners and wedding gift seekers: pretty much anything here can be monogrammed). Don't forget to crown your home creation with a museum-worthy masterpiece from one of the top-quality local Art Galleries like Edward and Deborah Pollack Fine Art (old Florida paintings) or Galeria of Sculpture (glass art).

And though there's nothing particularly "homegrown" about the mall staples such as Gap, Banana Republic, and Anthropologie at over-the-bridge shopping center CityPlace, the West Palm Beach outdoor mall is still a good bet for cute casuals and an outing complete with dining and nightlife. With its Med-inspired architecture, pretty fountains and plazas (or should that be piazzas?), and Euro-style sidewalk cafés and shops, it's just one more instance of worldliness wedded to this small-town community.

Photo of Worth Avenue