Christmas 2010: just welcomed my second child into the world one month after relocating to a new…read morecity. Dilemma: wanting to find the perfect gift for my supportive and loving husband on less than a shoestring budget. Solution: Bonaman! Feeling tired, frustrated and stupidly emotional at not being able to find an affordable, awesome gift for my babe I almost walked straight passed Bonaman. Feeling confident in my knowledge of quality, stylish threads it didn't enter my mind that this men's store would have anything affordable within my $50 budget. Then I glanced at one of the sales signs and was ecstatic to see printed tees, dress tops, denim shorts and other style items all for under $25 each. If your man is keen on the styles seen in Jeans West or Just Jeans he'll be just as impressed, and so will you be, by Bonaman. For $50 I snagged two tanks, one tee, two dress shirts and four different styles of shorts. Granted, prices were cheaper than normal at the time given it was Christmas, and because I purchased so much that good old fashioned service I love so much came into play and a further discount was offered. But I've also since bought him a faux fur lined winter jacket for $15, and apart from the labels on the inside of the clothes you honestly can't tell these clothes are cheap alternatives to brands like Politics or Man to Man. My husband was rapt at his updated wardrobe and I am impressed by how good I was able to make him look!

I went in here to buy a pair of jeans. It is not fancy or trendy but it is not down market either…read more It is the kind of no fuss menswear shop where you can find what you are looking for. They have everything from business to casual clothes. The sales staff are not pushy but helpful, they are used to dealing with men like me for whom shopping for clothes is a necessity and not a hobby.

Much, much more than just ok, OK OK are a boutique fashion store catering to the laid-back but…read morestyle-conscious urban dresser with a social conscience. Halfway down a gorgeous, little walkway that always makes me feel like I'm on holiday when I walk along it, OK OK stands out in all its pure whiteness. You might also be drawn in by a rack of clothes placed just outside the store, very enticing indeed. The OK OK look is relaxed, sportswear-inspired pieces teamed with a basics range, all made Melbourne, and mixed with international design-directed pieces. Strictly speaking, boys' stuff is upstairs and girls' stuff downstairs, but the styles are deliberately unisex so its worth checking out the whole shop.

OK OK is an Melbourne based fashion label founded in 2007, with the aim to create Australian-made…read morebasics. The retail space is the extension of le internets and web store. The old wives tale about the label is that the stockings and hosiery is made in Brunswick close by, from what also runs as a compression bandage factory! Absolute madness aside, every attempt is made to keep the goods' origin south of the equator. The space itself is a two floor masterpiece. found in the quaint pedestrian lane named Sparta, the shop appears rather quietly in black and white. When you open the door the first thing you notice is the shallow nature of it. You can see the back wall easily, and your eyes are drawn to the staircase off to one side. Upstairs the le mens, downstairs is le womens. Many of the fits are unisex, so don't feel precious about checking out the whole store. The quality of goods is amazing - tops and bottoms aplenty with accessories and shoes in the mix as well. Those found behind the counter are delightfully helpful in talking about the pieces and helping chose (and helping you walk away with less money than you began with), and if the conversation lasts long enough will offer some insight into the nightlife of Brunswick and Melbourne. They're so nice they helped us book accommodation with a friend of theirs in Tasmania! Best shoe shopping trip EVER!

A hip Northcote shop selling a range of stock by a whole slew of Australian designers, I Dream a…read moreHighway is a friendly boutique with the admirable aim of supporting local talent, and providing interesting and affordable designs to buyers. As well as selling a range of womens and mens clothes, accessories and jewellery, I Dream a Highway does a fine line in interesting home decor items such as horse shaped wall hangings made out of vintage wallpapers and the like. And with I Dream a Highway's founders arranging events such as the upcoming Northcote Independent Fashion Festival at the neighbouring Northcote Social Club, you can support I Dream a Highway's admirable ambitions even if their garb isn't quite your style.

I'd been hearing about this place and their famed sub-$50 jeans for a while and really didn't…read morebelieve the hype. I'm now more than happy to report every amazing thing I'd heard about this place was true and I'm now the proud owner/wearer of two pairs (and subsequently my new two favourite pairs) of jeans. They just do jeans (unlike Just Jeans strangely), nothing else. They therefore know their shit. They make them on site and the bloke and lady who make them will also sell them to you. It was funny, mine fit perfect first time (though they did need to take them up, which they did for free on the spot), but my gf was having trouble. Enter the Dejour guy. He made her go for the smaller size, insisting the denim would stretch and soften to her arse. He then told her how amazing they looked (which they did) and told her she looked like a teenager again (which she did). He just knew what she needed, and he forced her to let go of any size preconceptions and boldly try for some hot fitting jeans that she now loves so much, she's going back to buy more next weekend. And they're only $40! $40. Do it before you're dead.

Located on Sydney Road in Brunswick, you could be forgiven for walking past Dejour Jeans and not…read moregiving it a second look. But you would have missed out on some pretty killer jeans. It's another place definitely in the hidden gem category. I find jean shopping to be an absolute bitch. I don't consider myself to have an abnormal body shape but wherever I go I'll have to try on about ten pairs of jeans before I get one that fits. And even then I'm not sure if I like them. In Dejour however, I tried on three different pairs of jeans and every single pair fitted like a glove. At $40 each I was tempted to buy all three but ended up just plumping for two of the pairs. The Vietnamese guy who runs the store - who is a really easy-going and fun character - even shortened the legs slightly for me so they fit perfect. I've pointed friends in the direction of Dejour since and they say just how amazing the jeans fit too. The guy also has the latest fashions, cuts and colours in as he pretty much conducts market research on you as you get tailored. I challenge you to go here and not come back with at least one pair!

The over-busy window displays of this double shop front should give you a clue as to what's to…read morecome, and I don't mean all the different brand signs stuck up. Yes, you'll find products by Lee, Bonds, Hard Yakka and there'll be a suit sale too, but I'm referring to the sheer quantity of stuff. The racks are completely rammed, chock full of stock. The shelves are piled high, and there doesn't appear to be a space that the owner hasn't used for merchandise. The first half of the shop is girls' stuff - vest tops, t-shirts, little fleecy shorts, pink polo tops, and jeans. In the next room is the change rooms and stuff for guys. I came here with my man and he found some good trackie pants and shorts. Not exactly cheap but not too pricey either, and infinitely more interesting than shopping at KMart. I believe they also offer tailoring services, but I don't really know anything about that.

says woman's clothing but has men's gear to. And guys he has a great selection of really good…read morejeans. I found it just because he had a wrangler sign out front. And he is always heaps cheaper than anyone else.