Head first to the recently revitalized 2nd Street District. For high-end, custom-made boots or studded belts, drop into Cowboy Cool. Just down the street, Mercury Design Studio offers chic pillows, home accessories, and gorgeous coffee-table books on everything from travel to design.

Imagine an antiques store on a caffeine buzz from three espressos, and you have Uncommon Objects. The oddities lining the shelves in this SoCo staple will entertain, perplex, and possibly inspire. And a few blocks down, Vivid racks some of the hottest designs in Austin fashion.

above, left: Vivid, a designer clothing store, kicks off a strip of eclectic shops in SoCo.