Spring’s almost here. It’s time to shed your heavy coat and get excited about the latest fashions. I’ll walk around today to my favorite stores at GINZA SIX.

I go first to l’héritage martinique on the fourth floor. This is the big sister version of the original martinique, a boutique that won many fans for its classy tastes. Distinctive, high-quality items that meet adult demands appear in open and spacious arrangements—for me, spaciousness is a key point. The boutique carries only clothing and accessories, both originals and imports, carefully selected from the “l’héritage” standpoint. That’s a good thing, and the atmosphere here is great. The boutique’s world view is clearly defined. It really feels the way a mixed-label boutique should.

I find a stand-up collar blouse (29,000 yen; all prices given are before tax), a trend this spring, and it’s a l’héritage martinique original. It appears simple at first blush, but the unobtrusive details are carefully well considered, including the collar transition and fly-front buttons.

Next, I try on a pair of khaki cargo pants (29,000 yen), another original. Cargo pants tend to be too casual or too stiff—as you get older, you tend to stop wearing them, but these would work great for an adult! I find myself smiling in satisfaction. The thick cotton has a refined, lustrous texture, and the side tape and tapering techniques are effective. The pants are at once casual and elegantly high fashion. It’s a balance that tickles a grownup’s fashion sense.

The select lineup of accessories is also refined and classy, meaning very l’héritage. The bag on the right (35,000 yen) is from the Italian brand Gianni Chiarini. A small bag with a chain strap is a wonder drug for raising the style quotient of an adult woman. The shoes to the left (45,000 yen) are from LAURENCE, a Japanese brand recently in the spotlight. It’s always convenient to have one pair of python print shoes. They easily go with a wide range of styles and create just the right impact.

Combining this bag and these shoes with the white blouse and khaki cargo pants introduced above would be…yes, quite lovely! It’s a complete ensemble for an adult who appreciates a fine balance between refined and casual, high quality, and high fashion.

The interior of l’héritage, including the displays, is also wonderful and definitely deserving of your attention.

I next visit Beams House Women Ginza, also on the fourth floor. Within the well-known Beams franchise, Beams House is especially well known for its luxury selections, but this is the first of the stores dedicated exclusively to women.

The store entrance exudes an atmosphere of Ginza luxury. Dresses and coordinated outfits for parties and other occasions are on display in the front racks just as you enter, which is exactly what you’d expect in Ginza.

Both of the items I hold in my hands are blouses with smoothly draping fabrics (right: 23,000 yen; left: 25,000 yen), and both are from the chain’s original brand EFFE BEAMS. The feminine charm generated by the elegant luster, drape, bowtie, and other details create a refined and beautiful impression. These blouses are just the ticket for occasional outings where wearing a knit would be too casual. For my part, I mostly wore cotton shirts into my 30s, but once I got into my 40s, I realized that just doesn’t offer the glamor suitable for an adult. I always make sure I have feminine blouses with a bit of luster in my closet.

This is a Bagutta shirt dress (32,000 yen). Bagutta is a long-established Italian shirt maker. Known for its high-quality fabrics and exquisite tailoring, the brand has a classical image, but as with these items, with their loose shoulders and long hemlines, it also offers trend-conscious designs. Discoveries like this are part and parcel of the joy of going to a mixed-label boutique. Even within the boundaries of its conservative aesthetic, Beams House’s trend-conscious selections are just perfect. Refinement and trendiness are important for career-oriented adults, so I very much understand the popularity of Beams House within that segment.

Whenever I’m at this boutique, I look forward to checking out Fruits jolie, a Japanese jewelry brand that uses colorful gemstones. Rings with colored stones tend to look a bit gaudy or exude a strange grande dame style, but this brand sets them nonchalantly, even the larger varieties, which is perfect. The rounded stones and matte gold combine to create a modern look. The metal part of the ring is coated in 24-carat gold. The small varieties start at around 10,000 yen, a price point that makes them easy to buy, which is another delight. I have two gray stone rings in a different size. Wearing them on the same finger is a possibility.

Beams House always has Pellico shoes on display, an absolute favorite of mine, so for me, this is another strong plus. I’m 158 cm tall but wear a shoe size of 38 (size 25 cm in Japan). Perhaps due to this unexpected combination, I struggled for a long time to find shoes that wouldn’t hurt my feet. Pellico shoes are the only shoes that fit my foot shape perfectly. I can walk in the brand’s high heels for long hours, after which, oddly, my feet don’t hurt at all. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tended to opt for flats over heels because they’re easier to walk in. But thanks to this brand, I can proudly say you simply can’t neglect the feminine aura generated by wearing heels. (laughter)

I remain on the fourth floor and visit ebure, a new brand for adult women that debuted in 2017. Its first directly managed boutique is right here at GINZA SIX. Not many stores anywhere in Tokyo carry the brand, so it’s a must-visit when you come to Ginza.

The items with lace have already become the brand’s signature. The wide-flaring flared skirts, gathered dresses, and other feminine items are the first to catch my eye. They quietly produce a sophisticated adult mood without the saccharine.

Actually, the pleated pants I bought here last year create the most beautiful silhouette of any bottoms I’ve owned in my 40s. There’s a clear understanding here of how the body changes with age, and the waist position, the hips, and the legs are all adjusted sharply and beautifully. The pattern is meticulously calculated. The materials, chosen to maximize the features of the pattern, are of the finest quality. Today, I discovered that these same pants are now available in a spring fabric. I was so delighted I nearly jumped for joy. The navy-blue pants I’m trying on in the photo above are these very same pants (32,000 yen). Pants that accentuate your body type beautifully confers a special confidence in your style from day to day. The white blouse I’m wearing here (32,000 yen) is also fabulous. Wearing this blouse by itself will make your waist seem higher, creating a gorgeous and sophisticated look. ebure isn’t necessarily priced to be light on the wallet, but I can declare that the value here goes beyond the price. These clothes confer an adequate extraordinariness and confidence to an adult’s style.

Incidentally, entering GINZA SIX from the Ginza Station entrance and going up to the second floor on the elevator, you’ll see a glass case right in front that I always check every time I come. The displays are developed and integrated with the season, and the refined sensibility never lets me down. Today, it’s a Valentine’s Day theme, with black dogs and chocolate.

Just past the display is SIXIÈME GINZA, a concept store featuring general merchandise for adult women that’s been independently produced by Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores. The products on display here are selected from Japanese and overseas sources.

I was especially struck to find that the store carries Orrefors glassware from Sweden. It’s a bold, hip decision that reflects a connoisseur’s outlook. I’d prefer Orrefors of Scandinavia over any so-called major luxury brand. I gave the Metropol wineglasses in the photo as a gift to a professional stylist friend of mine who married recently, much to her delight. I recommend them as gifts for people with a connoisseur’s eye.

The Linen & Décor initialed pouches make perfect casual gifts for female friends. When you’re in a rush to get gifts before a girl’s night out in Ginza, you can’t go wrong by dashing to SIXIÈME GINZA.

SIXIÈME GINZA also offers a large selection of higher-grade perfumes and fragrances, all lined up next to each other, including a perfume line from Cire Trudon, France’s oldest candlemaker. I’m someone who prefers perfumes from fragrance specialists over perfumes from fashion brands. The next time I’m here, I’m going to take my time and find the fragrance that, at that moment, calls my name.

As I wander around GINZA SIX, what I sense is that the fashions and merchandise for adult women are very carefully segmented. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to think good style is more than simply wearing the clothes you like. Having a lot of clothes isn’t necessarily a good thing. The key to good style is pursuing comfort that matches your age. I’m in my mid-40s, so for me, refined and beautiful is the ideal. Each time I go to GINZA SIX, I’m stimulated and, at the same time, completely at ease, a happy sensation indeed.

With apologizes for the self-promotion, I’d lastly like to note the recent release of my book, “My Basic Note II: Looking Refined: How to Select Adult Clothing” (Shogakukan). It’s the second volume in a series, a compilation of my personal rules for good style now that I’m over 40. I’d be delighted if this book helped anyone at something of a loss as they grow older—who feel somehow that the clothes they’ve always worn don’t always look quite the way they did once before.

Text：Naho Mihirogi　Photos：Yoko Nakata　Edit：Yuka Okada