Such a brilliant shop for all your underwear, socks and essential items. They might not always have…read moreevery item in your size but they have a great range of top brands on sale all the time. The new layout is also much better with plenty more space and a easier shopping experience.

A mother-daughter trip to West End is never complete without a visit to this place - my mum…read moreabsolutely loves it. Don't stop reading! She actually has pretty funky taste in shoes. I've never seen so many Doc Martens anywhere else (my mum does not wear Doc Martens). They have plenty of other big brands like Birkenstock, Florsheim and Sketchers. There's a lot of great stuff here; quality shoes that look stylish and unique but also look like they would be comfortable. There's heaps of stuff for men as well, with the place seeming to be equally popular between the sexes.

Shays Shoes was established in 1901! How crazy is that? My friend's Mum was telling me about how…read morewhen she used to work in West End in the early 70s, she'd go to Shays Shoes after work and gaze longingly at their range of shoes and wait until she'd earned enough money to go and blow some of her paycheck there. I love that Shays Shoes has been around for so long and is still selling many of the brands that they sold back in the 70s. They still sell a big range range of Dr. Martens, Birkenstocks, and Hush Puppies. Maybe one of the reasons that Shays Shoes has been around for so long is that they manage to cater for everyone. Whether you're a youth wanting a pair of floral-patterned docs, a Mum wanting some Birkenstocks, or a Grandma after some comfy Hush Puppies, Shays has always been the place to find a treat for your feet. I bought Docs here a few years back and they were so helpful and lovely and I still enjoy browsing their new stock when I'm in the area. Some things are built to last and Shays Shoes is one of them.

From the minute you spot this shop there is little doubt in your mind that it is one of the…read moregirliest shoe stores you'll ever step your peep toes in. The store name is splashed across a banner above the doorway, with a pink and white background emphasising the painted giant, black stiletto heeled shoe adorning the sign. Out the front were a bargain 'bin' and a rack of sale items, almost all of which were high heels. Inside you'll find racks of shoes, again mainly high heels. I get the feeling the shop is owned and run by Carrie Bradshaw's cousin, who shares the passion for height boosting footwear but at more affordable prices. Most of the shoes I saw were office-type shoes with a twist, it's not a place I would go to find something to complement my latest Saturday night outfit.

The samples here are often size 10. What I like about samples is that they're usually original and…read moreinteresting designs. The Veronica Maine 10s are a true size 12. It's not an enormous store, but I've come home with some gorgeous pieces that intrigue me to wear.

All the staff members at this store are amazing but I have to give a special shout out to Taara who…read morewent above and beyond to help me today when I called. I could tell from the noise in the background that it was frantically busy and chaotic as it's nearly Xmas and the shops are packed but even still she was so helpful, friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. Taara managed to resolve my issue quickly and restored my faith in customer service staff. Great shoes and even better customer service

Oh how I rejoiced when a decent, affordable shoe shop came to town. For so long, Brisbane has…read morelanguished in footwear purgatory - shoes are either so cheap and nasty you get chronic foot odour just from standing near them, let alone putting them on; or so expensive you want to keep them in a glass case at home and just stare at them. So thank God for Novo which ticks all my boxes. Most shoes are around $79; they take note of the trends (my current faves are the sky-high, colour block, suede wedges in pink and red) and even the fash pack rate them (there's rarely an issue of a glossy mag that doesn't feature at least one pair of Novo pretties). And they don't mind if you mess up their shop either. I got a little giddy at the site of a heavily sequinned tote bag ($69.99) and left it all, including the cardboard inserts and plastic stand, sitting on top of a pair of shoes as I couldn't be bothered putting it away (naughty, I know). But the lovely manager just swept it all away with a smile, saying "lovely bag huh?" without even a hint of annoyance at the fact I'd messed up her shoe display. Novo, you are indeed the Patron Saint of heavenly high street shoe shops.

What an experience I had shopping for jeans the other day! I've never been to Jeanswest that I can…read morerecall which made this a pleasant surprise. The staff members are all young at heart, fun and they make it their mission to solve your problem of not getting something that fits. In other shops I would walk out if they don't have my size, but here there was enough knowledgeable staff on the floor to attend to all the customers. I was helped by a lady recommending which cut would work well for me and another bringing more to try on, but only one pair didn't fit well. This turned out to be the shortest shopping expedition in history and in a few minutes, I got what I was hoping for: very comfy jeans that fits well too! On top of this, they had a special and I bought 4 pairs at an absolute steal! When making payment, a friendly lad told me about their guarantee, which is superb. I walked out of there and felt absolutely delighted! Yeah! Nobody will be able to keep me away from this shop now!

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!

If the UK's Topshop had an Australian cousin, it'd Sportsgirl. Stylish, a little bit cool, and…read morevery on trend (if not occasionally a wee bit overpriced). Even though I'm a bit too old (sob!) to be their target customer now, I'll always have a soft spot for it - because in the dark ages when I was a Brisbane teenager, it was one of about three decent fashion stores in what was then a very style-starved city. It saved me from fashion Siberia on many an occasion. Even though the brand is almost pension age now (the first store opened in Melbourne in 1948) Sportsgirl is still shit-hot at adapting a catwalk trend. In a (mostly) affordable way. Want an example? The red, lace 50s style dress they did recently (which I saw on the sale rack today for a mere $89.99) could almost be the iconic Erdem Margot dress (as seen on everyone from Alexa Chung to Michelle Williams). My eye was also caught by a delicious emerald green silk maxi dress recently. And, as this happens to be one of the colours for next season, buy it now, and wear it with a jacket and opaques then. I do love a piece that's trans-seasonal. If you're wondering why I chose Sportsgirl's Carindale store over the big, flagship one in the Queen Street Mall, that's simple. It's a lot quieter. You don't have to fight your way through a three-deep "wall" of 15 year olds to get to the feathered necklace you want. And frankly, it'll be a cold day in hell before I'll allow myself to be beaten to a statement accessory by a schoolie.