I think I've got a new favourite shop. I'm such a sucker for anything cute, kitsch and quirky and…read morethat's exactly what this shop is. Brand new to K Road, this store embodies everything I love about the area. I think their selection of necklaces is actually even nicer than the similar ones in Monster Threads just down the road, and I looove those! It's clear the owners of this store really think about what they're selling and who they're trying to sell it to. This is only a tiny little store but everything in here is covetable, from the tea sets to books to the array of vintage-inspired sunnies and dresses. It's out of the ordinary, beautiful clothing, jewellery and homewares. I've got my eye on a necklace and the super-cute stick-on animal wall decorations.

This store has a cute, vintage image to it with a tumblr/pinterest style- they sell witty cards…read more(like a card with a penguin drawing on it saying "i'm a little blue without you"), very cute sunglasses, nifty books and journals (my favorites are the bucket list, do sh*t, and the notebook range from FRANK.) some room decorations (similar to typo) such as golden print posters, childrens clothing, a small skincare selection, gem jewelry and other accessories, and a small range of well picked vintage clothing and some other very cute "bits and bobs"/items The only downsides to this store is: - the prices are slightly high ($30 for sunglasses, etc.) - there are so many cute/nifty items it makes it hard to pick the ones you really want to buy!

As a blogger I come across different blogs from around the world. On twitter I have met fellow…read morebloggers and the majority of them are in Australia. I always saw cute pieces from Colette by Colette Hayman and after doing some googling I learnt that there wasn't a store in Auckland or New Zealand. No surprise there. So when I went to Sylvia Park with my friend to look for his mum's present and saw the Colette by Colette Hayman store I started screaming. I said oh heeelll naaw walked back and walked again to show that it was real. I walked in and it felt good. It got better that the prices were so affordable. Rings were around $8-14 and earrings starting from $4. I walked around, tried half the rings in the shop and left with two big rings and two pairs of earrings.

My girlfriend bought a travel bag from here, the zip broke about the third time she used it, before…read moreshe had had a chance to travel with it. I went with her to get a refund or replacement. What an ordeal! I must of heard the phrase "But our store policy is {insert policy that fails to meet the consumer guarantees act}" at least five times. After 20 minutes of haggling and the apparent violation of every clause in their "store Policy" they finally complied with the CGA and gave the refund. What a joke. It's a wonder sellers can still get away with having "store policies" that openly flout the CGA. I hate to imagine how many less assertive customers they've swindled out of meeting their CGA legal obligations with.

My mom offered to make a quilt to celebrate the birth of my son, and we were going to incorporate…read morefamily photos on the quilt, so we needed the correct materials for the whole process. We stopped by at Smart Dress Fabrics, and we hoped to get all our quilting goods, and they appeared to stock everything we needed. In fact they appeared to stock almost everything in New Zealand. What a painful shopping experience, not because the service was bad or the products poor, in fact it was quite the contrary. There was just too much, I couldn't get my mother to leave. Next time, I'll go the the pub, and I'll let my mom shop at her own leisure...

If you want fabric, whatever texture, colour, or size I am pretty sure these guys will have it!…read moreThey have filled every nook and cranny with rolls and rolls of fabric possible in such a little store (although I say 'little' it is actually bigger than it looks from the outside). I have been into a few fabric shops lately and although the famous Newmarket Centrepoint Fabrics boast to be the largest around, I think this one would do sufficiently for anyone living West of Auckland, plus parking would be far less of a hassle and free! Smart Dress Fabrics also have some patterns available that I noticed some nearby women going through (I have only just bought myself a machine, so I haven't quite got to that stage yet, soon!).

Seeking a decent purse that won't break in a jiffy can be a hard feat when you don't have the…read moredollars. What I appreciate about Strandbags, as they not only do sales on a regular basis, but they have a variety of different purses, bags and suitcases that suit anyone's pocket book. I bought a purse here at the Sylvia Park branch quite a number of years ago, and it's still in really good condition. (under $25) I always pop in to check out their sales when I'm buying for someone's birthday, and the shop assistants are generally very chirpy and helpful.

Every time I walk past Mischief shoes on Broadway in Newmarket it kills me. The shoes in the window…read moreare literally so beautiful it hurts. Though I've never actually bought anything from the store, I've tried on numerous pairs of shoes there over the years, and have always been really impressed by the quality of the shoes as well as the wide selection. The staff at Mischief are really helpful, and don't mind you trying on half the store (something I've done quite a few times!), as they too are shoe lovers and understand how important it is to find not only the perfect fit but also the perfect style for you. Stocking popular, fashionable and quality brands like Nude, Soles, Clarks, Chaos and Harmony and Paolo Vandini, Mischief caters to both men and women aged about 16 years onward. A little pricey is ol Mischief, but this an example of the whole 'what you get is what you pay for' scenario. Every pair of shoes in this store is made from excellent quality materials and is on trend with the latest European fashions. If you're in Newmarket and feel the need to treat yourself, take a peek in Mischief - it's well named - you never know what you'll be leaving the store with!

Really beautiful quality shoes! Every pair seems to be made of supreme quality and is just dazzling…read moreto look at. If I had a never ending budget I would be able to buy almost every pair. When i last wondered in here, my nephew (4) was really taken with some of the shoes! He would pick out the fanciest, shiniest, most sparkly high heel and bring it over to me and ask if I'd like to try it on. I was starting to worry about his love of shoes but thought he could obviously just appreciate quality as much as I can. I noticed down the back there are a few shoes on sale. This is a pretty important thing for me because most of the prices are well above my price range and so sale items are unfortunately my only option.

Auckland is having a rather rainy spell and I (unfortunately) forgot my rain coat. I thought with a…read morestore named Kathmandu that I'd be able to find a replacement and I wasn't disappointed. Upon entering, I was asked if I needed help and let the sales rep know that I was looking for a raincoat for hiking and general walking around the city. He checked to see if there were any deals on any items (unfortunately, no). He then showed me a couple of models at different price points. I bought a nice model in a beautiful magenta color. It will be perfect for the trip. Loved the assistance I received. The quality of the item is high (got to test it out as we got rained on only 30 min after leaving the store). Very happy with my purchase.

In A Nutshell: -So…read morehappy to have discovered New Zealand's Kathmandu store. -As a wannabe outdoor adventurer you can feel the difference in quality. -Back home in the USA we have North Face, Columbia, Under Armour, Nike, etc... -With a name like Katmandu, it's expected that the gear has been validated to withstand nature's elements. -Had to buy some boots & jacket for an upcoming trip to Iceland. Overall, if they pass that test, I will purchase more gear for the not-to-distant-future, Mount Everest (Himalayas) trek.

Vintage doesn't get any better than Tango…read more The best thing about Tango is that there quite literally isn't a single thing in the shop that hasn't been hand picked because it's beautiful and high quality. There's a definite aesthetic to the stock - a sort of campy, tongue-in-cheek take on glamour - that you'll most likely love if you're into vintage. Tango is hands down the best place in town to get your hands on designer and name-brand vintage that's in top condition, but there are also less expensive items, like costume jewellery and handbags. Not to be overlooked, the service at Tango is perfect - it's always a comfortable browsing experience, but the guy who works there is really knowledgeable about clothes and is very helpful if you're looking for something in particular. In short: Tango should be your first destination for impressive vintage dresses and accessories.

This is the sort of place where I can imagine Greta Garbo just chilling out on a chaise lounge,…read moreclassily smoking a ciggarette and blowing smoke rings into unsuspecting customers eyes. You can see why this store is known as one of Aucklands best vintage stores, because the stuff sold here is actually vintage. Not just ugly stuff people dont want anymore. It is a veritable treasure trove of antique things I instantly craved. Court shoes, fur stoles, dresses so authentic they look like they could even have mothholes (they dont, dont worry) Though the guy working there could probably take a lesson in customer service, I was just taking a photo and he near about booted me out. How rude.

If you're looking for a bargain and a great day of shopping then Dressmart is the place for you!…read more Dressmart is a mall that houses over 100 stores and offers up to 70% off the normal retail price, all year round. No need to wait for end of season sales to be able to spend up large! My last trip to Dressmart I was looking for work clothes and ended up buying three dresses, a blouse, and a singlet top for $60 - a feat that just wouldn't happen anywhere else. However, my real find of the trip was the chunky wedge sandals I found in Glassons. Down from $59.99, I ended up purchasing them for $10, and when I took them to the counter found out accessories were buy one get one free, so ended up walking away with a great black flower hairclip for free as well! Talk about a happy shopper! Though predominantly a clothing outlet, Dressmart also houses eateries, sports shops, shoe shops, health and beauty stores and book stores. The only thing that is missing is a jewellery store, but when you're saving so much money on everything else I guess paying full price for jewellery isn't so bad! Located near Auckland transport stations and with lots of customer parking and a free shuttle service operating Monday-Friday between the mall and Auckland CBD, despite being in Onehunga Dressmart is easily accessible.

You can get some real bargains here I've found. I love my Nike running shoes and shorts which I…read moregot from the Nike shop. The shorts were about $30 and the shoes, I think were not much over $100 and are so comfortable. Since I've had them, I've kept up regular running which is an achievement! My flatmate also got a really good new outfit for a wedding at Working Style and saved a lot of money on good quality clothes. The service here was also excellent. Also Dress smart Onehunga is home to the only outlet shop for Peter Alexander in New Zealand! Dress Mart really is the place to visit if you want to save money on branded items. It gets really busy on weekends though, so either be prepared, or come early. Sometimes I find myself getting a bit disoriented inside trying to find a particular shop, but that might just be me!