I feel a bit sorry for my son that he wasn't born to rich parents. We're not poor by any means, but…read morehe wears clothes that were gifts, hand me downs and maybe something we bought at Tots and Teens. Not even a Pumpkin Patch shirt in sight. I was hobnobbing with the rich and famous on Jarvious Road, and saw this delightful little baby shop called Peppin Boutique, it is a must visit for all parents. I browsed around a bit and saw the coolest little outfits, unfortunately they all came at a king's ransom. But there is a reason for this inflated price; items are designed by owner Kathleen Waite, and kitting your young one out with these outfits will give them the individuality they deserve. I recommend that everyone should buy one outfit here, even if it is only worn to family photo shoots. At least that way it will last forever.

As a little girl the Fairy Shop was my all-time favourite place. Wands, tutus, glitter, mushroom…read morestools, candles - it was a dream come true. I don't know how many birthday parties I went to at the Fairy Shop, and each time my stomach would be churning with excitement and wonder. Though I am now in my twenties, I still feel that same rush of excitement whenever I pass the Shop. And no, I'm not embarrassed to admit it. The fairy Shop may have moved location - it's a little further down Ponsonby Road than it used to be, however the amazing costumes and fantastical supplies you can buy there have only improved. If you want good quality, beautiful outfits that will make your child feel like a feel fairy princess then this is the one-stop shop for you! The new Fairy Shop still hosts birthday parties, so ring and book in advance and be prepared to rock your little girls' world. A new addition to the Shop is a fairy themed cafe, so parents you can relax over a delicious cup of coffee while your children marvel at the wonder that is the Fairy Shop. Bonus: You don't have to have kids to enjoy a sweet treat from the cafe and oggle at the delightfully beautiful, glittery costumes. I do it frequently!

If you have a toddler and are thinking about visiting the fairy shop just for an afternoon out or…read moresomething to do, I'd say skip it. The staff made me feel so nervous, watching everything we were doing. Although my 2 year old was well behaved she still is 2 years old and I didn't feel very welcome. I'm sure this would be a better venue for older girls. We had some of their cafe items, including a marshmallow on a stick. As we were about to leave, and making a sizable purchase, the uneaten marshmallow fell off the stick. Seeing that we had not eaten any of it AND we were making a nice purchase, I thought it would have been a nice gesture if they had offered another one. When I asked about it, the rude cashier said, "You may purchase another one. I don't really see why we would give you another one." In response I said, "well because it fell of the stick." In the end she did give us another one but was not happy about it. If had she offered, I would be writing about what a wonderful experience i had had. The merchandise is over priced and can be found elsewhere for much less but if you are looking for fairy ideas, it's a good place to go to see what's available.

It gets really cold in winter and sometimes you have to forgo appearances for warmth and so I turn…read moreto Peter Alexander for my pajamas. Why pay full price when you don't have to? You will find sleepwear for both men, women and kids, boxers for guys and girls, knickers, slippers and a range of gift items. Perfect for teenagers. The prices here are fantastic and if you like prints and colour then you will find something here for at least 30% off. Most of the time the discounted product has additional discount on it. I once got a $80 pajama set for $25. The prices here are incredible. The sleepwear is good quality and there is a huge range of product in store always. The staff are very helpful and sometimes the manager actually wears pajamas to work. I suppose she can get away with it because these pajamas often border on the line of what is called 'lounge wear' and she is promoting product in store. Either that or can't be bothered getting dressed for work. Her service is exceptional though.

'Pumpkin Patch' cater for 0-12yr old children & maternity wear, from head to toe. Over the years I…read morehave shopped here sporadically. Previously I used to find the clothing unfashionable: embellished with dinosaurs, cartoon characters, teddy bears or chipmunks on the front of many t-shirts or hoodies - however now things have changed for the better. Recently I purchased the aforementioned clothing without hesitation: stylish, muted coloured garments and extremely reasonably priced. They have regular sales, reduced clothing from $10 which is brilliant. The sales staff are fantastic, attentive, friendly without being pushy. I really enjoyed my shopping experience at 'Pumpkin Patch' and look forward to returning for more staple pieces soon. Also a NZ brand - just saying.

I go through tights like they are disposable plates and therefore hate paying too much for them…read more Usually I stick to Countdown as the last two pairs I managed to ravage after one wear, it doesn't matter how much I pay for them. So when I finally decided to have a look in this shop I was more than pleased to see that there was an entire back wall dedicated to tights, leg wear, hosiery or what ever you want to call it. This is how cheap, $25 tights original retail then discounted to $12, then take 40% off that, amazing! There were others for around $4 and at these prices who cares if you only wear them once. This outlet stocks Bonds, Voodoo, Holeproof, Jockey, Berlei and the like for men, women and kids. If you had a small child it would be a good place to come for cheap kids clothes. And socks! you can never have too many socks, they get misplaced or one will go astray or the right colours are in the wash. At $3 a pair you could have a months supply and need not worry. Great store to pick up basics.

I don't have children so when I'm buying for younger cousins, I'd happily drop a few more dollars…read morefor something I thought was really cool and cute. On my recent venture for more gift clothing for family, I came across Charlie & Me. Its a great little kids store that caters for newborns to 10 years olds and the best part about it is that its affordable. The prices are great and their sale items are such good value especially for new season clothes. Charlie & Me have great muck-around clothes for everyday wear as well as some fancy, out-for-dinner clothes for little ones too. I went there when they had a sale on during a late night and it was really busy, so I can't comment on the service as staff were rushing around, understandably. The selection of sizes in sale items was great too, unless it was just my lucky day! Charlie & Me do seriously cute clothes and footwear for kids. And at such great prices, it a must-stop for parents and relatives for some awesome bargains too.

Charlie & Me boutique is one amazing experience. Not only are all of the products beautifully and…read morestylish, but the owner and her dog Charlie are super wonderful! We keep coming back with our pup for more beautiful products and the experience! Love love Ingrid

Right on Queen Street beautiful Christmas windows & The only ones we saw in Auckland. They were…read morebeautifully done, music played at the puppets moment. The store was closed. We went inside looking for luggage and passed beautiful clothing and housewares. Santa was keeping Children busy. Luggage was around $1,000 so we moved onward

This was a wonderful find! I was in desperate need of socks, ha ha! My brother was looking for a…read moresweater and they were very helpful in pointing out where they were. There were several reasonably priced ones. Everyone was so kind and helpful.

This is one of my go to stores if I visit Sylvia Park. Great for work, or casual clothes. The…read moreclothes are quality on the whole too.

I didn't like the way the sales assistant spoke with me. Very rude and unpleasant…read more The worst is when the message is said in the intercom reminding customers the store will be closed!!! I hated the experience in store it is so hard to find things as all over the place !!!! Disorganised and the assistant know nothing not helpful!!!! Not coming back to this store!!!

There's this bright pink sign catching your attention on Cascades Road, which immediately signals…read morethis is no mechanic shop along a busy industrial district. What a Girl Wants is a second hand store, but packed with top quality bits and pieces. There are bags, clothes, shoes, books, furniture and ornaments, all geared towards the classy women of East Auckland. I thoroughly enjoyed having a browse, and picked up a nice singlet for a whopping $2! It's next to a coffee place and also an antique store, so your vintage tastes can be quenched, along with a nice spot of coffee afterwards. You can just park on the gravel outside, which is really handy. The shop assistant was friendly enough, and the way things are set out is really eye catching. It's awesome to see some creative thought going into the layout of a thrift store, considering most of the time, you have to rummage to find anything particularly useful. Here, it's all on display, in order of size and product. Good stuff.

What a Girl Wants would be a solid four star shop if it weren't for the staff…read more The two times I've been in I've wanted to stay longer, they have some amazing bargains and a very well organised shop, and overall the quality of their stock is excellent. The problem is, the two ladies who work there were very, very loudly talking politics both times I went in. As there's a dance school directly above them, it's fair enough that they need to raise their voices a little to be heard. But maybe don't stand on opposite sides of the shop? Or don't go on loudly about how much you dislike beneficiary bludgers who just sit around all day doing nothing. I mean, you're running a second hand shop, people...perhaps put two and two together and come up with four?