Nov 26, 2009 - 04:30 AM

By Melissa Mancini

WHITBY -- Women who need a new wardrobe or a different gift for a girlfriend don't need to go to the mall or a chain store.

There's a place where, if you don't find a dress for that big event or a new pair of jeans in one shop, all you need to do is cross the street.

The downtown intersection of Brock Road and Dundas Street and nearby Pearson Lanes has a variety of places catering to women's dressing needs from lingerie to coats and hats to high heels.

Lafontaine, on the southeast side of the four corners, features six Canadian clothing lines, European duds, accessories, shoes and trendy home decor pieces. The shop has been a fixture in the core for a long time; the store is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. It's got a reputation for having great, very personalized service, said Bernadette Simms, the owner's sister.

But the boutique has also gotten the unwarranted rep of being too expensive, she said.

"Yes, you can spend a lot here, but you don't have to," Ms. Simms said.

Customer service doesn't begin when a customer walks into the store when shopping at a boutique setting. Kelly Golby, owner of Dezire, a women's clothier in Pearson Lanes, recently headed to Fashion Week in Toronto to make sure she would hit the mark with her loyal customers when she presents her spring collection.

She thinks she got it right, she said.

Dezire offers a little bit of gala wear, but mostly it's stuff that is wearable daily, she said. That's because Ms. Golby said she's been noticing society doesn't dress up as often anymore, so she tries to offer nice things, like higher-end jeans, so women can look good without being overdressed.

She loves the location of her shop in the row of buildings attached by a long porch on Mary Street near Brock Street. She said she chose the area because of the style of boutiques already there.

"I like the intimacy of downtown, you get more time with the consultant," she said.

Beyond clothing, Audrey Jane's Fine Lingerie and Fashions, located in Pearson Lanes, is known for its bra fittings and has the underpinnings for any outfit, regardless of size. The store carries up to J cup.

And an ensemble isn't complete without a pair of shoes. Hanley's Shoe Shoppe, just a few steps from Audrey Jane, has been open for eight years, fitting women with shoes and accessories.

Owner Martha Hanley Orton said those who haven't checked out Pearson Lanes should do so soon.

"It's a beautiful little boardwalk," she said.

To see a map of women's apparel stores downtown has to offer and get a 360-degree tour of Dezire, Lafontaine, Audrey Jane and Hanley's, visit www.newsdurhamregion.com.