Came here to treat myself with a work bonus received here recently. Brought a gold crystal bracelet…read more($140) with a Pandora style strap. It is difficult to out on by yourself, yet if I wear the item more, I'll get used to that. Great service, as I joined their loyalty program with a mirror inspired card. I don't know if I'll be using that much. Come to think of it, I have more jewellery than I ever need or care to wear at the moment. Still an elegant store though.

I dropped by here sometimes such as when I needed to get something for someone who gave me a nice…read morependant and when I was looking for the secret Santa gift. All look very nice and attractive and I feel like to getting some for myself! However, I have more than enough pendants and earrings, also even I want to buy some, I am not allowed to wear bracelets during work so not worthwhile getting bracelets for myself. Prices are affordable but not many choices. Shop assistants are very nice, friendly and helpful.

Usually when I walk into Sass and Bide I automatically feel that I don't belong and feel a sense of…read morejudgement from everyone, including the mannequin. The other day when I visited the Paddington boutique however, I was pleasantly surprised by how lovely the sales assistants were. They were genuinely friendly, happy and all around chatty. Sass and Bide have always been at the forefront of Australian design with their unique colour palette, prints and cuts. I'm currently loving their new collection 'The Winning Day' which uses beautiful silk materials, fun colours and flowy cuts all in time for summer. What I'm not loving is the price tag. $390 for a skirt? I don't think so. So until I win the lottery and deem it appropriate to spend this kind of money on one item of clothing, I will appreciate the beauty from afar.

I like Nina and Risa because it's full of things you haven't seen at every other clone shop in…read moreSydney. They have patchwork loose fitting pants and skirts that are very Janis Joplin, but in a newer, Thai'er way. Yep, this shop is full of Thai handicraft imports. That means there's a good balance of figurines and toys that are both cute and atrociously tacky at the same time. There are a lot of cat sculptures with long, skinny pins for necks. I enjoyed the kid's cotton t-shirts with animals that pop out e.g. a printed elephant with floppy ears. If you're in the market for some silver jewelry, the designs are intricate and the prices are low. Come to think of it, the prices are low on everything. Much of the clothing was 15% off on the day I stopped in.

Stocking a range of Thai Handicrafts from the tacky to the elegant, Nina and Risa is a bit of a…read morelovable hodgpodge. There's some gorgeous silver Muco jewellery - earrings of tiny handmade flowers balanced on long, thin wires - and some horrible ceramic animal-headed things. No, no idea. The clothes are the same, from dreadful hippy-reject stuff to simple cotton pieces. I did spy a lovely Hmong-fabric bag, there were toys and a rack of $10 silk scarves at the front. The staff were all smiles and so was I, despite the appalling Barbara-Streisand-terminally-ill warbling on the stereo.

Like many clothing stores in Manly, Attik is not a chain, but a little one-off. Unlike many of…read morethese boutique-y type places, shopping at Attik will not cost you a month's rent. The shop is filled with funky and reasonably priced threads - I'm personally a big fan of most of their dresses. Beware though - a lot that I've tried on haven't fitted as well as a size 8 normally does on me, or look a bit different to what I'd expect. Definitely try before you buy! I'm not the only fan on the Northern Beaches, that's for sure - Attik is always heaving with women looking for a cute dress for lunch on Saturday, a funky tee for a festival or that perfect pair of denim shorts. The service is smiley and friendly, but not overly attentive. The store itself is packed with clothes from an impressive range of brands, with a range often coming in a heap of different colours - I love that! Don't fancy it in pink? Go yellow! The quality isn't fantastic, but for less than $60 for a dress and less than $40 for a top, it's not exactly shocking. If you're after an outfit for a particular event - I'm talking one-off occasions here - then Attik is a great choice for you.

Dangerfield has a couple different stores around the Sydney area. While they are all created pretty…read moremuch equal, I do prefer the Oxford Street Bondi Junction location. Why? The selection is large and the staff is helpful. I popped in the other day as I was killing time and had a nice little chat with the girl behind the counter as I was trying on rings. They have a lot of those big ones that go on multiple fingers at once. Roses, guns, skulls... and the like. The clothing certainly caters to a certain "type." Punk, emo, goth, or rockabilly peeps will have a field day in here. But not exclusively. I enjoy the accessories immensely and I don't really fall into any of those categories. One doesn't need to be totally punk rock to rock a polka dotted scarf or a pair of studded earrings. If you're looking for a swing dress, they have the same style over and over again in different colors and prints. Most are A-line and fit for sitting on an old Thunderbird, wearing bright red lipstick and drinking a malted milkshake. The dresses are all around $80, which feels steep for the quality, so I usually steer myself away.

I don't know about Dangerfield, I assume it is a good hang out for Emos, but clothing wise it does…read morecater to a wider crowd than that. I called into the Bondi Junction store to have a look see. The problem is although they often have some clothes, which I like, for the level of quality they offer their clothes are way overpriced. I look after my clothes and if I buy something I like then I want it to last. Whenever I go to Dangerfield I think to myself why bother as I am only setting myself up for disappointment. Many of the clothes they sell, seem to be virtually disposable and if they were really cheap I would be okay with this, but that is not the case. What they do have going for them is accessories, which are here, there and everywhere throughout the shop, and some of them are really cool and more enticing than the clothes, So I would be more inclined to shop there for something to accompany my outfit rather than the outfit itself.

I like this woman's clothing store a lot as long as you can turn one blind (just one because…read moreotherwise you're not going to be able to see) eye to the price. The clothes are smart, structured and fit for a woman. They have silk and cotton tops, skirts, dresses, trousers, and scarves as well as sunglasses and they will suit if you are a conservative or a classic dresser. I have a beautiful cream cotton and silk top with black stripes that I bought here which I love. I also bought some great dark blue straight-leg trouser pants here which have served me really well. So yes, the prices are more on the expensive side but there's no need to empty out the store - a couple of pieces from here will benefit your wardrobe nicely. Also, if you think you've seen this store before take note that it's the more cool-casual twin of Max Mara which looks and feel more corporate.

Clothes at Max & Co suit my style and preference for quality and I don't want to stretch my budget…read moreto shop at Chanel even though I'm tempted. I shop at the Sydney Chifley Square store and with the help of "my stylist" also known as the store manager (Pam ?? ) I walk away with a divine mix of clothes that I never could have put together myself. Initially I think "that's not me" but I'm asked to try on a few pieces and to my surprise they make me feel that I would be at home in Paris or Milan. Ok, Ok, my friends at least tell me I look chic, I guess it's the confidence that is inspired by "my stylist" and the suggestions of which classic pieces that I could add and also accessories that Max & Co may not sell. This limits my impulse buying of clothes that I regret and may not even wear. I should add that you may not initially appreciate that being told "that does not suit you" or "try this size" but at the end of the day you are not told that you look "great" in something that does not suit you or fit you properly. Get a "stylist" or use mine at Chifley Plaza, I call it "no regret" shopping and is cheaper in the long run.

Premium quality mens' suits…read more I went in in early January to take advantage of some big sales they had on, effectively buy one suit get another free. Big range, the quality was good. Every suit comes with two pairs of trousers. George, who served me, was a smooth, fast talker, and a consummate salesman, but not overbearing. Go in knowing what you want, don't be afraid to strike a deal, and you'll get quality. They told me outright: it's repeat business they want.

If you're looking for a swimming costume for the upcoming summer, then look no further than The Big…read moreSwim. Unlike so many surf shops, I really like that The Big Swim stocks classy swimwear that can be worn for more than one season. In fact, if I hadn't eaten my way around Europe for seven months, I'd still be rockin' the bikini that my eighteen year old self proudly purchased there as a post-HSC present to myself. The Big Swim does offer trendy swimmers - last season's crochet look was readily available there this time last year, but it doesn't let itself fall into the trap that so many swimwear stockists do - offering kitschy patterned numbers and nothing else. Your sixteen year old cousin probably wouldn't shop at The Big Swim; but that's a good thing. It offers slightly more expensive - and much more beautiful - items from the giants in Australian swimwear. Seafolly, Jets and an assortment of other classy brands can be found here. There's no two ways about it - The Big Swim is expensive, particularly when examined on the amount of fabric to cost ratio. However, it's also of a good quality. I rarely find that my swimwear from here has gone pilly, stretched before its time or faded. As we previously discussed, it's also not trendy enough for teeny boppers, so the garments on offer tend to remain stylish after one season of wear and tear