On a brief trip in town the other day I popped back into Memphis Belle, drawn in beyond temptation…read moreby the beautiful 50s dress outside. The lady, as ever, was a delight to talk to and I explained that although I did have an event to attend I had simply been longing for one of their dresses for sometime so wanted to try one on. The dresses inside are all rather fabulous, some in very bodacious cupcake prints, others in a more delicate rose print. Although there are a few with slightly different features to the design (some with more frilly adornments, others a little more standard) all have been lovingly made by Memphis Belle - something I'd not known previously! Essentially, the majority of items not in a packet have been made by these guys, which endears me even more to this gorgeous shop. The 50s style dresses really are stunning, with slightly sweetheart necklines, high waists and flowing skirts they're utterly flattering and I'm sure would suit all different shapes. After trying a number of different ones on, with lots of advice, I eventually chose one that we thought suited my skin tone best. (Being pale as death can be a real drawback.) They also sell the underskirts if you wish to make the dress more 'poofy', which I couldn't resist, so I came away delighted with a new outfit! For every aspect of retail this place is fabulous - from great products to customer service. I realise it's an entirely 'girly' shop, but if you're even a little tempted by glamming up I suggest you pop in and have a natter with the lovely lady who works here! There are all sorts of retro and burlesque style bits to choose from, or even simply some outrageous eyelashes...

Memphis Belle is really eye catching, perched neatly on the corner of the Leeds/Kirkgate Market…read more It's main items of sale are dramatic dresses, mostly varying around the 50's era and burlesque ilk with some more gothic. The windows outside are also decorated with mannequins legs flirtatiously portraying various colourful tights and high heeled shoes that are all wacky and wonderful. They also stock a wide variety of fancy dress type stock such as those packaged witch outfits or nurses attire, plus a load of jewellery, fake eye lashes, silly string and the like. I really enjoy having a look around in here, it is very busy on the eye and always draws me in and conjures up images of me dressed as a burlesque 50's lady at a party or just strutting around in some garish colourful tights. A huge amount fun to be had with this place, however is really quite small so navigating inside is hard to say the least when it's busy, and also wouldn't be the most wheelchair friendly.

To me Tunnel seems an odd mix of rather tacky and rather interesting clothes. The range on offer is…read morequite varied, so everyone should be able to find something that appeals to them. There are bold and bright be-sequined going out clothes as well as some simpler, more classic tops and cardigans. They also sell a range of unusual shoes and jewellery. If ball-gown shopping head downstairs! Among more casual options there is a rack of eye-popping ball gowns in shimmering silks with sequins, lace and bows galore. If you're looking for something that packs a visual punch you will find it here. Though expensive, the dresses are quite unusual, and clearly intended for special occasions.

Skip the expensive, run-of-the-mill knitwear and knee length skirts on the ground floor of this…read moretiny boutique and head straight downstairs, where there always seems to be a sale on fabulous, extravagant dresses. Some of the more elaborate (think feathers, sequins and beautiful shimmering fabrics) come with an eye-poppingly large price tag attached, but they're beautiful to look at and some of the other dresses are very affordable and, in my view, just as pretty. This shop isn't for shrinking violets - the stock here leans heavily towards the short and tight, with body-con dresses, corsets and tiny tutu-style skirts all featuring in a variety of loud colours. They also do shoes, bags and jewellery, and when the sale's in full swing it can often be cheaper than Topshop.

This lovely ladies-wear shop situated just five minutes or so from the Cross Gates arcade shopping…read morecentre. I discovered it on a recent outing to Cross Gates, having heard about the arcade here I decided to check it out. I had some time to wander around and so stumbled across this little store. As soon as I wandered in I realised that the clothes weren't particularly suited to me, but this isn't a criticism. It's just that the fashion inside is very much suited to a more mature lady. They had some lovely dresses and jackets to make up the perfect 'mother-of-the-bride' style outfits, all priced in the region of £150, and lots of accessories. They had some Radley bags, lovely knit cardigans, little shrugs, vintage rose style clutch purses and much more! There was even a very reasonable £10 and under sale rack which had quite a lot of items on it. One of the best bits about this lovely shop however is the welcome. As soon as I wandered in the two ladies who were serving greeted me with some really friendly banter - one of the ladies asked me about my camera which was hanging from my neck. She asked me what I liked to photograph and so I told her I liked taking portraits, to which she responded - "I've a friend who likes photographing the ups vans." I smiled, not knowing what 'ups' was, and she explained - "You know, the parcel delivery guys - ups vans!" I smiled, getting it and said, "Oh! You mean the UPS vans! I see. How strange!" She agreed with the classic - "Well, you know what they say, there's nowt as queer as folk!" And we had a right laugh about her friend and her ups/UPS obsession. They didn't once go for any kind of hard sell, it was completely relaxed and friendly, and a totally lovely experience. I didn't buy anything, of course, but I shall certainly be recommending it to any friends/colleagues who are in need of something nice and occasional. Lovely!

I 1st visited Joans's last year, when searching for an outfit for a special party. Although I…read morefound many of the items in the shop over my budget, I managed to find 1 dress which was reduced to just £20. I am very conscious about my 'slightly larger' size so didn't feel too confident about buying however, both my sister who was with me at the time & the assistant commented it really suited me. I bought the dress (a very ritzy style) as I love glamourous dressing!. at the party I received so many positive comments on how amazing I looked. That was the 1st time for years I have worn a dress so 'thank you' Joan's for boosting my confidence. It will now be my regular shop when I am in need of a special outfit. I have actually seen another dress there this week, for a very bargain price of £10!!! I am aiming to go back for it.

Purchased 3 mugs for gifts and one unfortunately arrived cracked however despite me noticing…read moreseveral months later, once my sister opened her gift, a replacement was sent to me and arrived within 24 hours. Thank you so much . Will definitely purchase from Silk Sisters again!

This cute little shop is just one cute little shop in a sea of cute little shops in Otley. As you…read morego inside you are completely surrounded by gifts and trinkets, to the point of being overwhelmed really. There is just so much to see! It definitely falls somewhere between the category of women's fashion and gifts as there were so many things that could go both ways. There were hoards of jewellery items, mostly costume, which had a lovely vintage vibe to them - there were some with great chunky faux gems and a few with vintage metal roses as part of the design. A recurring theme was Betty Boop - her form appeared to be following me around the shop it seemed as she cropped up all over the place! As well as jewellery there were a number of handbags, gorgeous scarves and a large rail of clothing. The garments appeared to be quite funky and glittery 80s style cocktail dresses, amongst other items, and certainly all seemed to fall under the 'going out' category. They even had some very fabulous full length gloves! A shop that seems to take its class and debonair shine from it's most featured icon - Betty Boop! Everything you might need to posh it up for the evening, or simply purchase a few shiny gifts.

I recently returned a pair of boots to Schuh (order ref: 2881883101). The return was rejected…read morebecause the soles were said to be "worn." I explained that I had only tested the boots briefly on my motorcycle foot pegs to check fit and function, which caused minimal marks. What has disappointed me most is the customer service and lack of transparency: * I first asked for photographic evidence on 4 August, but Schuh did not provide these until much later, despite multiple emails. * The parcel was sent back while I was out; my neighbour refused delivery and I was not given any proactive tracking information until I chased repeatedly. * The customer service and complaints team were not helpful, often repeating policy but not answering specific questions or offering solutions. * When I asked for details of how their inspection or testing process works, no specific information was provided beyond saying the team is trained. * When I asked about independent escalation, I was told Schuh has no ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) membership and that any escalation would have to be done by me through Trading Standards or my bank. Customers should be aware that even minimal signs of testing footwear may lead to returns being refused, and there is no independent review of decisions.

A really jolly place to visit. We ordered online and had our shoes delivered to store. The time…read moretaken to delivery was miniscule. The staff are friendly, the store is neatly arranged and there is enough space for you to be able to browse around. They have a good stock and a good variety of shoes with over 2 floors of footware to pack the point The staff are more than willing to help if you are a bit confused with what suits you best and will give you all the things you need to be able to decide. A must-visit for every shoe lover

I don't know why but I wasn't really expecting to like Oaks...it just looked as though it might be…read morea little trendy for my tastes, however I was definitely pleasantly surprised. The clothes are unusual and creatively designed, with unexpected added details or special touches which give them character. There's something here to suit every taste with everything from long, baggy jumpers to short sequined ice-skater style dresses. They also have many vintage-inspired dresses - one that caught my eye was a grey woolen long-sleeved dress with gold buttons and there were also dresses reminiscent of Victoria Beckham's designs, with fitted bodices and added pelmets. They also sell a small selection of jewellery and shoes. The fact that all the clothes here are by local independent designers makes me appreciate this shop much more, as it is supporting small businesses, showcasing local talent and providing a unique shopping experience.

I've gone past this shop so many times on the bus that I finally decided to pay them a visit. Oh…read morewow. The layout is open and inviting and styled more like a classy lounge than a shop floor. Bordering the room are rails and rails of quirky, individual and classy items, which, to my delight, I discovered are all by independent local designers. The girls working there were clearly passionate about the clothes, not only since they were dressed head to toe in them, but they went on to explain to me that the shop had been there for around 30 years and so was well established as an independent boutique. They also informed me that they only buy one of each size in so that any item purchased is virtually a one-off - I love one-offs! For this you do have to pay a little more than your average high street brands, but the point is that when you go out in one of their dresses/skirts/tops you know that you are likely to be the only one in Leeds wearing it. Even the scarf selection oozed class and design. It was very exciting, and as Christmas is creeping ever closer, I suggest you go in and and have a search. But not if I get there first...

Brantano Footware is situated on the new out of town shopping complex just off Bawtry Road. There…read moreis a large free car park and stores closes most evening about 6pm. Brantano Footware is a large branch of the famous chain and I think it has been there for about 5 years now. The store is laid out in the traditional method of girls, boys, ladies and men's shoes but that is when the tradition ends. Instead of one or two brand names Brantano Footware offers all the top names is shoes. Names like: Sketcher's, Clark's, Kickers, Hush Puppies and running and sports shoes such as Nike and Adidas. There are loads more but they are just the few we have brought. All shoes are laid out by size and in pairs, which makes it so much easier to firstly find your size and then actually try them on! All shoes are cheaper than the company that actually makes them, and catch the sales and you really find a good bargain. There is a fitting service for children so there's no worry about buying the wrong size. There is also a little play area for little ones too.

These boots were made for walking and shopping and maybe more shopping. Oh yes boots, shoes and…read moremore shoes. What's a girl not to love about that. So all rejoice to the wonder of Kurt Geiger. We are talking top end spending money but that is what you get here. So if that's not a problem, then the Victorian Quarter is the place to head. It's a compact shop but the displays are nice and very enticing. You can get the latest collections under one roof and a good look at what foot attire is bang on trend for the upcoming seasons. It does get pretty busy on a Saturday and it's not the most roomy place, but the staff are helpful when you do get served. My advice is to leave the bored boyfriend outside to free up more space for us girls to shop at will. Classy products, nice displays, good service and shoes. All round winner then.

If you've never heard of Kurt Geiger before, where the heck have you been?…read moreThis has to be one of the most stylish places to adorn your feet since Harvey Nichols and Harrods...They stock a brilliant selection of shoes from their own KG collection to Carvela, Nicole Farhu, Nine West and the ever present on Leeds streets, UGG Australia. Friendly, polished staff are always on hand to offer advice and have a little chat whilst browsing. Obviously, this is a shop for those of us blessed enough to own a secret money tree but as I always say, the quality shines through the wall I put up after looking at the price. THE KG Alice shoe is simply divine but will set you back £120. If you can afford it, go get it. Now!