Want authentically designer vintage sunglasses by brands such as Ted Lapidus Paris and hip hop…read morefavourite Cazal? Or cute party dresses by Marc Jacobs or Givenchy? Head to Curve Vintage. Domiciled on Gertrude Street, my favourite little strip for vintage clothing in Melbourne bar none, Curve Vintage sells an incredible range of vintage clothing and accessories with a good smattering of vintage designer and contemporary second hand pieces thrown in for good measure. My one Curve Vintage qualm? It feels as if the place is never open. But InStyle - which ranks it amongst Victoria's best vintage boutiques - assures me that this is because Curve is open for the abbreviated hours of midday until 6pm from Tuesday to Saturday much like many of the exclusive little boutiques dotted along Gertrude. If you're serious about your vintage you will seriously love Curve. Prices are attendantly pretty steep but as most vintage afficionados know, a great vintage find is priceless.

Curve is in my top five places to buy vintage in Melbourne - it has everything: women's clothing,…read moremen's clothing, sunglasses, shoes, belts, bags, a kickass store, great staff and a great range of stock. I come here with my partner because he likes to check out the men's racks and try on vintage jackets and shirts. I have to say that Curve's collection of men's wear is phenomenal and they cater for a lot of different styles: there are wacky and lurid shirts, and reserved and classic dinner jackets. I spend most of my time on the other side of the store buried amongst the women's wear. During the winter months I would stock up on boots and the warmer dresses that I could easily wear with tights. When I visited last time there were some gorgeous summer dresses and shorts perfect for the hot weather. The prices are quite high but I honestly don't mind paying. The clothes and accessories are fantastic and the service is always great.

The Villa Maria Op Shop in Wantirna Mall is really good. It is good because the people who work…read morehere are so friendly and personable. A lot of people come here to socialise and to have a decent conversation. There is a lot of bric-a-brac here and there are plenty of good home decor items up for grabs. Photo frames are only a $1 or so. The clothing here isn't amazing but I did find a couple of vintage items. These were marked up slightly higher than the other clothes but they were great quality so I didn't feel cheated. There are also a lot of kids toys and accessories like handbags and shoes here. Prices are on the wall and are: Dresses: $7 Skirts: $5 Shirts/Blouses: $5 Trousers/Pants: $5 T-Shirts: $4 Singlets: $4 Jumpers: $7 Windcheaters: $5 Shorts and Track Pants: $3 Jackets: $10 Children's Clothes: from $2 Pretty decent don't you think?

Hello Gorgeous is a unique women's clothing store, tehy have a great range of fashionable dresses,…read moreskirts, blouses and coats. Their range is very girly and feminine lots of soft, dusky colours, flowy material and sweetly patterned garments. The store is set up well making it very easy to browse through the entire collections, the garments are usually separated into colours and arranged accordingly. Hello Gorgeous also has a range of quirky shoes and accessories that are all very unique in appearance allowing the shop to have a real boutique and chic kind of feel. The staff here are also very friendly they don't harass you like some clothing stores, but are happy to help you out or offer suggestions.

This is vintage with a difference. Don't come here expecting floaty hipster dresses and quirky…read moreflannel shirts, but instead stereotypical American clothing that you can imagine the head cheerleader and quarterback would be wearing on any given day. There are a lot of American football-sytle tees for both girls and boys, classic Daisy Duke cutoff denims and a LOT of cowboy boots (like, seriously, a lot.) There also seems to be an inordinate amount of Disney characters on shirts and cutie-pie overalls. The staff are helpful but generally leave you alone most of the time. So be sure to give them a shout-out if you need a hand. This is not a style for everyone and the items can be quite pricey (especially the shoes) but it's a great destination if you are looking for something different that no one else will have.

I was walking down towards this area to go buy a used bike for the rest of my time in Melbourne and…read morejust had to stop in this store. After trying on a good 15 pairs of high waisted levi's cutoff's, I gave up and rummaged through the rest of their goods. I was happy to find a bunch of Wrangler clothing price marked down to only 15- 35 dollars (more than 50% off) I bought a set of bathers and a halter top for all under 50 dollars.. SCORE! Definitely keen to go back soon with some mates to find the right pair of cutoffs and explore the store a bit more. Of course the American is a fan of AMERICAN VINTAGE ;)

Know how you know an op shop is First Class? When you're fighting off consignment store owners for…read morethe best pickings! I live just down the street from this op shop, and I've probably been in no fewer than 50 times in the last year. It's a bold statement, but... this is the best op shop I have found in Melbourne! And trust when I say, I know second hand. This store is a treasure. Something about the grit of Grey St and the snob of St K come together in a beautifully affordable syncretism that is a new-with-tags French Connection dress or a stunning 1950s painted bureau. The staff here are always wonderfully friendly, working hard to add new stock in daily. The store itself is not much on looks, but the racks and stacks of donated goods are well worth a dig. A word of advice: If you see it once, you won't see it twice. This shop is top pickings for the acquainted, so if you think you might want something you'd better snag it while you can.

Bags of bargains to be had here! There is always something handy or funky at the Sacred Heart Op…read moreShops. They're not overpriced like some op shops, but be quick, the turnover is high! I like them even more for the work they do in the St Kilda community.

A smaller outpost of the excellent Shag Vintage boutique, the Shag Vintage shop within the…read moreCenterway Arcade just near Flinders is arguably the best clothing-wise. Sure, Shag's Brunswick Street shop may stock the most dizzying range of the shop's signature modern costume jewellery and nothing really beats the Fitzroy store's legendary window displays, but the Centerway Arcade store has some of the choicest bits of vintage clothing I've seen yet in a Shag boutique. From vintage Valentino suit jackets to seventies Chanel shirts, old sixties opera coats to just the prettiest vintage silk kimonos, Shag is a vintage store for people who love real vintage. Not for Shag the generic poly garbage that runs amok in so many of Melbourne's other vintage boutiques, this place stocks only the best fashions of yesteryear. Granted, Shag may be tiny but stock turnover is seemingly high, making a regular visit obligatory and impulsive vintage shopping a must. As if you needed another excuse.

Staff are weird and cold. However the pieces are excellent and interesting. The place is definitely…read moreworth a browse. Their window displays are lovely too.

I was unsurprised to hear a vintage loving gal asserting her right to spend as long as she ruddy…read morewell wanted in this incredible vintage emporium to her meathead boyfriend, with a quite forceful "This is for all of the times you've made me watch AFL!" Because for vintage lovers, an afternoon in Dizzy Miss Lizzy is worth losing your boyfriend over. A cavernous vintage boutique on the Collingwood side of Smith Street, Dizzy Miss Lizzy stocks an incredible array of women's clothes, accessories and jewellery alongside homeware and miscellany from a plethora of eras. Incredible finds such as mint condition vintage Christian Dior demi parures and sets of impeccable vintage Scandinavian glasses abound and literally every time I visit this unparalleled vintage emporium I find something I want. Or have to have. The front of the shop is home to more recent vintage - 60s though 80s - while out back you'll find a tiny, boudoir-ish space housing older vintage stock from the 30s, 40s and 50s. Always in impeccable condition; always beautiful. Dizzy Miss Lizzy really is a rare vintage find: a boutique that exclusively stocks vintage in exceptional condition that is all GENUINELY vintage and with nary a second-hand high street piece in sight. All things considered I am giddy about Dizzy Miss Lizzy.

Sheila Vintage has an enormous range of clothes, bags, shoes, belts and accessories, from the 50s…read moreto 80s. When I first discovered the store I bought a red leather satchel for $30 and a pair of black suede boots for $70. It was a bargain, and I was happy. Since then I've found skirts, dresses, coats and jackets. There's a great collection for men including some excellent (if a little pricey) leather jackets. Two years have gone by and Sheila is trading well. The store is generally packed and if you want to try something on then be prepared to wait. The service is okay, not overly friendly and on occasion, a little pushy. It is worth remembering that this stuff will sell out fairly quickly, but remember that you are after a bargain. The prices range from very reasonable to inflated so hunt around and keep your eyes open but be prepared to walk away as its unlikely the price will be dropped down. Sheila Vintage is a place where it's great to rummage every now and then; you can find a bargain some days, and others you need to keep walking.

I'm a big fan of Sheila Vintage, but am still yet to buy anything. They stock some gorgeous stuff;…read moreleather belts, 50's style shoes, and some very colourful swimwear but I am yet to find anything that suits me. However the rockabillies of Melbourne will be attracted to this store with it's ladylike dresses with just a hint of sexiness, and their well-to-do woolie cardigans. But the most attractive thing about this shop are the prices. The $10 rack has tempted me more than once. I have found genuine studded leather jackets and long, trench-style coats so if you're up for a bargain you should definitely trawl through the back room. I am definitely have more of a daggy 80's style to my fashion, rather than 50's/60's, and although Sheila does stock outfits from all the decades, I have found it focuses on those earlier ones. So pop in for a squiz if that's your flavour.