Face it, villains always have more fun. And dress better. Honestly, what was Luke Skywalker's off-white tunic compared to Darth Vadar's chic black ensemble, complete with a matching cape and helmet? Boring, that's what. Always rooting for the bad guy, Crooks and Castles is a recently opened menswear boutique on Melrose's hippest block (Fred Segal and A Bathing Ape are also in the neighborhood), dishing out a much needed dose of guy-grit in a retail sea of stylists and leggings.

Crooks and Castles founders Dennis Calvero and Robert Panlilio have brought their philosophy that "behind every castle, lies a crook" back to the streets of L.A., where both they and their brand were born and raised. Returning to the gang-riddled L.A. of their youth in the '80s and '90s for inspiration, the clothes are a hip-hop skater fusion with purple and red graphic print jackets, a great selection of T-shirts and even a few accessories (think baseball caps and messenger bags).  Imagine Pharrell Williams using the graffiti along the L.A. River as his inspiration. Imagine those mysteriously dangerous—yet hot—dudes in high school who always ditched and tagged with Sharpies on their backpack and binders. A multi-level store, the first floor, for the general public, is black-and-white marble and dark wood, while the upstairs remains reserved for VIP customers, including the occasional celebrity or two, like Kayne West and Jay-Z. Crooks and Castles' logo, a demented Medusa with wings at her temples, welcomes you into the brotherhood. Make sure to check out their Melrose exclusives. —Philip Harris