International Relations: A Cheat Sheet for Online Shopping

Between gas prices, the sinking dollar and airline mishaps, the idea of taking a summer vacation abroad might seem a tad overwhelming—or just out of reach. But that doesn't mean you have to give up the cachet of saying "I got it in (insert foreign city here)," especially with the range of international shopping destinations available online. After all, they don't call it the worldwide web for nothing.

Northern Stars
Still can't get enough Swedish fashion? Dying for a little more Denmark in your wardrobe? Then take a virtual visit to Ashtray and Très Bien. Ashtray operates a brick-and-mortar boutique in Orebro, a mid-sized city in the heart of Sweden. While it might be in the middle of the country, its fashions are definitely ahead of the curve. In addition to knowns like Henrik Vibskov, Ashtray's online store stocks smaller labels like Permanent Vacation and Wester. Larger in size and inventory is Très Bien, a multi-brand shop with physical locations in Malmo and Helsingborg, and talk of a Copenhagen branch. Northern names include Peter Jensen's patchwork shorts and unisex cardigans, as well as funky tees from Soulland and It's Our Thing. Also worth checking out are the Our Legacy shop-in-shop, which includes the entire range of this worth-watching menswear line, and more men's pieces from onetime tailor and former Vivienne Westwood designer, Rickard Lindqvist.
www.ashtray.se
www.tresbienshop.net

Wizards of Oz
There's no shortage of pieces from Aussie and Kiwi designers available for the taking—and the buying—Karen Walker, Josh Goot, Alice McCall and Lover are just a few that have become household names. But the list of talented designers coming out of the area is endless, and oftentimes the only way to snap up these smart-looking clothes is via Oz-based sites like MyCatwalk and Frockshop. Both boutiques carry a variety of international brands but err on the side of Aussie. At MyCatwalk, we found our fave basic brand Bassike alongside Life with Bird and Kate Hurst, while Frockshop has its fair share of, well, frocks, including those by Ginger & Smart, Zimmerman and Jayson Brundson.
www.mycatwalk.com
www.frockshop.com.au

By the Pound
While you likely haven't been able to afford shopping in the U.K. for quite some time now, looking online doesn't hurt. No One is an East London boutique that carries both established and emerging talents. Current highlights include summery pieces from Central St. Martin's grad and filmmaker Makin Jan Ma as well as select jewelry from Anastasia Kolos, an Eastern European designer who made her way to London via Toronto. On the other side of the coin is Browns, the South Molton shop that has been dressing London's elite since 1970. While most of the labels are familiar, the shop is a good source for hard-to-find pieces from a popular collection. Browns Focus is the more affordable section, where you can purchase a Rika star bag or a beautiful baguette from Belen Enchandia.
www.no-one.co.uk
www.brownsfashion.com

—Meredith Fisher