H&M is to the British what Tim Tams are to the Aussies in that everyone loves em. H&M has landed to…read moreAustralia and Macquarie Centre places host. The store isn't as big as the Melbourne one though but still offers two levels. One level is the ladies clothing and the second level is split between kids and men's. They aren't offering homewares like the Melbourne store does. They have some good options for men and the quality is better then what you are going to get for a similar price in the likes of Cotton On. I stocked up on some much needed items to get me through the winter months. Overall the store is a miniature version of what H&M offers and they are due to have a CBD store at the end of 2015 which will be a similar size to the Melbourne GPO store.

So here's the thing: I'm a big ol' H&M fan. A big one. Whenever I go overseas I hoard and pillage,…read moreI drop plastic like it's poison and rack up debt like the housing bubble never happened. Maybe I've just been spoiled by the giant flagship San Fransisco store which has the world's biggest mens section (men: the forgotten sex, who get about 1/10th the fashion women normally do), and there's some pretty schweet new athletic range, but what I really wanted was the experimental range, the avant-garde stuff with long asymmetrical T's, zips in weird places, stretched necks, all that kind of thing. And the nicer suit-y garb, the wool jackets and cream suits and such. But most of it is like a glorified Cotton On, sadly. And where's the big homewares section that Melbourne gets?! It's super cheap though, which is great. I'm holding out for the CBD store. That has to have all the cool stuff, surely.

Very smart clothing for the more conservative and mature male. You will not find jeans with the…read morecrouch at the knees at this store. Caress the shiny Italian leather shoes feel the pure soft woollen jumpers (sweaters... For my American friends) touch the designer shirts that won't see you coming! Cuff links, ties and belts are also available. Yes this is my kind of store. The salesman was extremely helpful and I tried a variety of jackets on for a semi formal function. I wanted something smart that could be dressed down later after the event. The fellow brought out several jackets and we matched several shirts that were on sale. He was so helpful that I bought the items and wore them that night. Now would you believe I was only on the left side of the shop. On the right side was ladies wear. I love a clothing place that the salesmen are really interested in helping you. I also value when they know their clothing and talk about the sizes of shirts, trousers, jackets both in metric and imperial measurements.

Honestly, I was so excited about Forever 21 coming to Australia. More excited than about H&M…read more I finally dragged myself up to North Ryde and it was quite frankly a dud trip. Same Forever 21 quality (low to mediocre at best), but Australian prices. So for things you would pay $20 - $25 for in the US, you pay $60 here. Where's the fun in that? What do I need that for? I already have overpriced Aussie stores. But with much more edgy and refined looks and better quality for the price point. Hello. And even when I lived in the US, I always said, if you shop at Forever 21 and you have a good eye, you can walk away with some real bargains and look like a million bucks. Or you can look like a complete trash bag. It was the perfect place for buying that fashion victim item that is trendy for 5 minutes and you know you'll never wear it ever again after you put it on once or twice this season... But the prices in the Australian version are far from great. And the range is pretty drab. I'm never going to be bothered to come back and I'm not going to go out of my way to check them out when they open up in the city either. So underwhelmed, omg.

Terrible. Very overpriced. My teenage daughter took me there as it is a popular store in America…read moreyet even she was disappointed with the poor and "childish" (as she said it) items in the store. Most of the items you can buy at Sportsgirl or H&M with it being better quality and lower price.

When I'm overseas, UNIQLO is the shop I turn to for an emergency jumper, shorts or whatever else…read moreI've forgotten to bring or when I'm unprepared for a turn in the weather. It's always affordable but good quality so that I keep it and get memories of my travels each time I pull it on back home. And now it's here in a proper, permanent shop! UNIQLO glows red and white at the end of the new section of Macquarie Centre, drawing many a shopper into its cavernous depths. Seriously, I thought I had gotten to the end of the shop but then turned a corner and bam, more clothes! While the clothes here aren't quite as cheap as if you bought them in Asia or the States, they're still a bargain by Australian standards eg $15 for their custom print tees, $30 for a pair of jeans. Same price for a similar item would get you a significantly inferior product in other shops. I have a feeling that I'll be coming here for more than just emergencies.

Oh what a find today! Now I took a non shopper today and he walked out with two linen shirts that…read morewere $49 each, he was very pleased. Don't you hate it when you go shopping with someone who hates shopping and they look better than you by the end of the trip. I was looking for that light feather down vest for travelling in very cold climates...a bit of o/s travelling at the end of the year ..and Wow found them on special. The sizes were generous and I didn't feel awkward trying on the clothes. The sales assistants were young, pleasant and very helpful. I know I will be back in the near future.