The Sassafras Wool Store is an amazing collection of all things woolen and warm. Located in the…read moreSassafras main strip of shops it is a fun shop to explore. They stock both international and Australian wool as well as antiques, vintage items, jewellery, soap and of course, knitting needles. The store has a great range of woolen clothing and hats although it was a bit pricey for my liking. It was fun to walk around the balls of wool and be able to feel the textures. They have a great range and a lot of variety so there will definitely be something to suit your next knitting project. There was a lot of items in stock with some old and some new as well as some really cool auto memorabilia which was quite random to find in a wool shop but still pretty interesting. At least it gives any guys accompanying you to the shop something to look at! The store is open seven days a week from 10am-5pm.

I really do like Macpac. They have some great, classic active wear that doesn't look too obnoxious…read moreand they have great sales, so make sure you sign up to their email alerts. Honestly their thermals have been a savior during Melbourne winters. Make sure you walk around the corner into Rankins Lane to check out the back half of the shop.

Whenever I am in need of a new dress, the first place I think of is Leona Edmiston and thankfully…read morefor me (and all the other women in Melbourne who love her dresses), the clearance boutique on High Street is like a true God-send! Choose from a wide range of stylish dresses guaranteed to impress for that special date, formal dinner or office cocktail party. As always all Leona Edmiston dresses come in a variety of fabrics from signature sleek jersey to soft, luxurious silks and crisp, cool cotton - perfect for the summery weather we're about to embrace. Find past season's collections and samples at a fraction of the costs and bits and bobs to complete your wardrobe with. I remember the first time I bought a dress here, I had tried it on in another store and wasn't willing to part with the $400 but a few months later, I found it by chance at the clearance boutique so naturally it became mine for just $150.

This shop has some fun, quirky and silly gifts and novelty items…read more Worth popping into! You'll find things you won't see anywhere else in the arcade. The shop is small- but a decent selection. Most items are pretty affordable.

Every woman loves jewellery - whether they want to admit it or not. And I often eagerly profess my…read morelove for this wearable art form(especially around my birthday and at Christmas). One of my favourite contemporary jewellery stores that I often drop hints about is Ingot on Brunswick Street. Filled with a treasure trove of distinctly modern pieces with a good mix of precious stones and innovative materials such as silver, titanium, platinum, enamel, plastics, silk, gold and even paper. I love how going through the generous display cabinets, while examining the inspiration behind some of the most talented jewellery designers. Check out the intricate pieces by Kathryn Wardill, Nicola Bannerman, Jennifer Braithwaite, Linda Hues and Jin Ah Jo. You won't find traditional jewellery here though so if that's what you're looking for - keep looking. But if you're in the market for wearable art that just seems to sit well on your neck, earlobes, wrists and fingers, this is the shop for you.

I dropped off my Seiko SK007 to have a new crystal fitted. I received an email when it was ready to…read morebe picked up. I responded to same advising I would pick it up a few days later. I drove the 40 mins to pick it up only to be told it wasn't ready! When I queried this , I was told it was a generic email. What's generic about ' Your watch repair is complete, please come and collect it' ? It then took a few more weeks until I queried where things were at with it. I was told that the crystal was still some weeks off. I picked it up to take it away and returned it for repair on my return. The crystal was replaced by AWIT and two weeks later it cracked despite having received no knocks. I emailed back in April requesting this to be rectified and to date have not received a reply. Sorry K and F , I could not recommend AWIT. Pete G

This is an old fashion store with old fashion service that is rarely available elsewhere....Staff…read moreare fantastic and only to willing to go that extra bit to help. I have a watch that 3 major jewelers said was unrepairable yet these guys managed to fix it without any drama. Fantastic service.

Walking past Lucrezia De Sade, it's difficult to resist ducking inside to see what kinds of bizarre…read moretoys and equiptment they have available. The window display shows a number of seriously intense looking leather gimp masks (some of them with horns and animal faces as part of their design). That stuff normally gives me the heebie-jeebies, but on this particular day, it seemed strangely charming (costumie in a fun way, rather than creepy), so I went inside to investigate further. Lucrezia De Sade is no tacky sex shop. I mean, it does sell lots of the stuff that you would imagine to find in a sex shop, but this stuff is next level. It's for, shall I say...'serious connoisseurs'? What really surprised me about the place was the combination of the completely mental looking sex equipment and the sweet, soft spoken store man who offered his assistance as if he were working at JB Hifi or something. The place strangely has a really casual, even upbeat atmosphere that you wouldn't expect from a store that sells butt plugs the size of your head. There's a definite S&M bent to the majority of stuff at Lucrezia (lots of leather and stainless steel), but there is also an extensive selection of instructional books and even some "art". If nothing else, it's quite an eye opener, so worth a drop in for that reason alone if you're walking past.

Far up the end of Fitzroy on Brunswick is this tiny little pandora's box haha…read more You know that hens or bucks night that you just went to, and someone brought a far cooler (and kinkier) gift for the Dead Man/Woman Walking...I mean, Bride/Groom to be? The gift-giver most likely found that perfect, naughty whatever-it-was at Lucrezia & Desade. This little shoebox of a store is packed to the rafters (literally) with all kinds of stuff. My favorites? The pink fuzzy handcuffs! Ask for help finding a gift, or explore for yourself. They even have naughty greeting cards, clothing, gag gifts. The whole lot! And the guys that run this place are just so pleasant and love helping you find the perfect gift (or self-indulgence...)!

One of those sort of magical places you wish there were more of. Everyone working there is friendly…read moreand knows their onions. They've got quite a backlog of work to do so it can be a couple of months between dropping off a clock and collecting it again but, well, if you're impatient then mechanical clocks probably aren't for you anyway.