This is quite an odd store that I found while searching in vain for a Christmas present for the men…read morein my family. Really, why must they be so difficult? I suppose this is not the appropriate place for my tantrum, so let's move on. This store comes across as a little of a disorganised jumble, but once you get past that you realise that it actually stocks a lot of well-known brands. Basically any form of men's clothing you are after, you can find here. There is work wear, formal wear and casual wear, along with lots of the most popular surfing brands. When I was there it was busy, full of men of different ages attempting to withhold the right to choose their entire wardrobe from their wives. Even though I didn't particularly like the setup, the staff were courteous and helpful, and there's no denying there was a lot of good stuff to choose from.

I first went to David's Mensland years ago, because it was near my then work. I'm a bit on the…read morecheap side and don't usually wander into shops unless there's a sale on and I have to say I've picked up some great bargains for my Dad and partner there at times - like a couple of Italian dress shirts at about 75 percent off for under $30 each; golf shirts, jeans... there's always something on the racks outside. That's the grown up side of the shop. then there's Cylinder Surf Cleveland, a more recent addition to the store. They are adjoined, so you walk from one section to the other internally, but what a difference. Cylinder Surf is for guys and girls, and is on the corner of Bloomfield Arcade, so long windows on two sides are filled with cool surf gear. I like the summer and winter sales, when I've picked up some great Roxy gear, boots, bags, jumpers, tops, at really good prices. The range of stock is good for a relatively small store.

This is one of those boutiques that sell some truly beautiful stuff, as well as some things that…read moreare downright weird. Negotiating my way through the tightly packed racks I came across some beautiful dresses and tops which piqued my interest, but in between I found tie-dyed genie-type pants and billowing jumpsuits. These things may suit the fashion forward among us, but I'm a little less courageous. Regardless of my opinion of the clothes, it is a nice store with a lovely layout and a relaxed atmosphere which doesn't often come with these sorts of designer stores. The long and varied list of designers they stock is impressive as well.

'Chasing Bow' is such an adorable little boutique and if I had the expendable income, I surely…read morewould love to take a few of the items they sell home. They seem to sell garments by designers that you would not necessarily find elsewhere. Not many items of each design are on display so you would feel like you have purchased something unique. Every time I have been here, I have been greeted by a lovely lady who I gather (after reading Meg W's review) to be the owner of the store. This is a store for the fashion conscious as some of the garments can be pretty avant grade looking, but there are some more simple designs that could accommodate the more demure types. There is a large emphasis on Australian designers which is always nice to see. Even though I have never bought anything and feel a little bit poor every time I visit, I really like coming in for a quick peak at all the designs. The lady who works here never seems to mind either and is very welcoming. So if you are after some unique clothes and have some cash to burn or are looking for something to wear for a special occasion, check out 'Chasing Bow'.

I love a good rummage around a secondhand clothes store. You never know what gems you will find…read more Unfortunately, the few times I have been into the tiny Revamp Fashions I have never found any of these gems. The store is full of second hand clothes all in good condition and the service was OK, although not all too friendly or helpful. The worst thing about the shop was the prices. Asking $80 for a second hand pretty plain looking sportscraft dress is a bit much if you ask me. Every piece in the store seemed to suffer the same overpriced fate. There was not anything there that I would actually buy for the price they were asking. Still, I will probably keep going in just in case that hidden gem unearths itself. After all there is no harm in browsing.

You must come and have a look if you love labels, fashion history and second hand. They specialize…read morein buying labels and have them neatly assembled in this awfully cute and tiny store. The owner herself reminds me of Meryl Streep. Here I have found Leona Edmiston, Moschino, Calvin Klein, Jag, Diane von Furstenberg, Alannah Hill, Chloe... They have shoes, bags and clothes. And when you are done, go opposite to the upmarket Lifeline shop. Being your big wallet. We're not talking $10 frocks here.

I think this shop is great, I only wish I had more money to spend in there! It's a bit on the…read morepricey side, but I think it provides a great alternative, particularly for women, to the fashion produced by chains like Sportsgirl and Myer. Scotch and Soda is a little bit boho, a little bit tomboy and a little bit country, meaning delicate florals and plaids in lovely light cotton. I also like their range of chinos for women and their bags made of tan leather and canvas. I didn't know until recently that Scotch and Soda actually have an upstairs component of their Brisbane store selling mostly menswear and some womenswear, a good deal of which is on sale. Access the upstairs part via the escalators in the Brisbane Arcade.

Growing up I'd give anything to emulate that Slick and…read moreclassic cool of our european cousins. Sadly not being born in Amsterdam I've missed out on having cool stores like Scotch and Soda in my vicinity. Being an adult (and with the necessary cash monies) I decided to pop into this store and appease the 14 year old in me. This adelaide st store is well laid out and is brimming with classic woman's and men's fashion. (Think striped shirts, blazers, button-downs and gingham dresses.) Although my style isn't as distinctly preppy, I can still appreciate the quality and timelessness of their designs. (Checkered shirts and leather jackets are forever cool.) And while the prices are a bit too steep for my liking, The friendly sales staff were super cool about my listless perusing and made shopping a bit more enjoyable. Be sure to pop by to suss out their latest collection, (or more easily check out their website.)

Cinderella's Closet is one of Brisbane's few and far between second hand designer stores. It…read moredoesn't really house any huge names in fashion, but it does have some seriously nice threads from locally and nationally known brands. Hello Maiocchi, Kerrie Craig and Cooper Street. You wouldn't guess that Cinderella's Closet was a second hand store unless they advertised it. The store is prim and proper, everything in it's right place. The displays of accessories are simply charming, darling. The clothes are well categorised and the store is easy to browse through. If you'd like help looking for a particular item, ask the staff, or as they like to refer to themselves- 'fashion consultants'. They'll find you the right shoes for that dress, and the perfect accessories to wear with that bag, sweetie puff. They have clothes for all seasons here. Shoes, accessories and jewellery are all taken care of too. The clothes seem fairly priced- most of the items I picked up were around the $60 mark. A Maiocchi dress for $55? Snap. You won't pay less for such good quality. This is a great place to come if you're looking for something special but don't have the big bucks to go spending in town at the real stores. Cindarella's Closet has quite the collection and I'm sure you'd find something to your liking. You'll probably have a ball being fussed over too. It's all part of the service, peach.

This menswear shop manages to pull off a bit of 'discount outlet' vibe while still managing to feel…read morehigh end (well, at least to me). They stock all the conventional standbys in business wear as well as some cool variations on the traditional which will appeal to the fashion forward corporate types. I went there to buy a couple of new shirts before a job interview a few years ago and came away with two shiny new additions to my wardrobe and surprisingly, change from $100. One of the finds, a fine white cotton number with a small collar and buttons down to the navel, has become one of my favourites for its casual yet stylish look and comfortable feel. Oh and yes, I got the job.

We walked in not needing a Thing. But what we Found was the…read moremost beautiful, quality menswear. My son fell in love with suit pants and the were tailored to him on the spot. The women (yes, three women) who waited on us, were so warm and lovely! We will definitely be back! Thank you for a terrific shopping experience!

Oasis Fashion does not look like much from the outside. Located in the Blocksidge & Ferguson Arcade…read moreoff Adelaide Street, this little shop offers a range of women's clothing and has been around for longer than I can remember but I had never really gone inside until the other day. What drew me into it on this fine day was a stunning, vintage-inspired dress in the shop window. It was so pretty it practically called to me and I had to go in for a closer look. Unfortunately, they did not have it in my size but the friendly staff promised me they would get similar ones in again soon. The shop was very affordable with very pretty dresses from around $40 and up, practically unheard of these days. They had a great range of funky and vintage-inspired stuff as well as ladies hand bags to choose from. From the outside this shop does not look like much, with its outdated signage and off street location. But I am telling you to go in for a look and you will be surprised by the quality and the price of what is on offer.

I just stumbled across this quaint little fashion place walking around the city with my family the…read moreother day and thought I'd go in. There was a lot of vintage jewellery and outfits in the window of the arcade and I thought it was very pretty personally. Upon entering, with prices around the mid $50 range on average, it is hard to believe you can enter this store with the intent on finding some sort of vintage party dress and not leave with one. The prices are very good, the quality is comparable to that of David Jones or Myer where you would pay close to $200. Why would you do that after finding this place? Some of the dresses are very very beautiful and much care has been taken to preserve them and keep them in good condition here. A lot of care has been taken in making them and it's always good to steer away from the classic brands and delve into something a little bit more magnificent.

The only thing I like about Dotti are the hair accesories and hair ties. Everything else is for…read moresomeone 10 years younger than me or someone with a mid-life crisis. Nothing covers my bum here, if you're tiny then it will. Tights are also in here, there is quite a range so if you're into tights as pants, this is your it place to get them. Prices aren't the cheapest and the quality of the clothes are so-so, meaning teenagers would love them. Lately they have brought a more professional feel to the clothes in the back of this store and I have been able to put on a skirt or two which I find astounding, so it's good that they are trying to appeal to a wider demographic over the size 8 area. The kids running the shop are pretty helpful with fashion tips and advice, not that you'd want them to advise you if you're like me (in my 30s) but it's always good to know maybe refresh myself about what's 'in' these days. Always full of colour, always full of funky little things, every now and then you can find something that looks pretty damn stylish, even if you have to layer.

If that's a skirt, then what's a thong? I cringed as the thoughts formed in my brain. I sounded…read morelike my mother after she saw my latest teenage splurge at Dotti. Is it possible that fifteen years ago Dotti was my favourite clothes store and I often wore their label out in public? Either times have changed or I have. Dotti is definitely the go-to place if you're a perky nineteen year old looking for a clubbing dress. They still do a good impersonation of high street fashion. Prices have gone up considerably though, as has skirt lengths. To make up for it, neck lines are lower. This shop would definitely be a favourite amongst teenagers but for me, I think it's time to cover up.