This is a nice spacious shop with plenty of parking and a cafe next door! Perfect…read more This shop sells awesome clothing - it has a whole stack of the Federation range (today I discovered a tshirt in a colour that wasn't even listed on their own online store; and which I now can't stop thinking about). Today I discovered they even stock that super cool label Wild Fox here. Lush. One day when I have heaps of money I'm gonna buy heaps of that and wear it to Coachella. I found the staff friendly and they put a clothing item I was wanting to try on in the changing room for me while I continued to browse. I did spot an amazing cat sweater for sale too (brand was Mr Gugu and Miss Go). Basically if you are after some awesome clothing , chances are you'll find something at Laundromat.

This store is a very recent discovery for me and I'm worried that now I've found it, I'm going to…read moreend up spending all of my money in here. They just have everything I've been looking for. Grey sweater: check. Doc Martens: check. Nice colours of Vans: check. They stock labels like Federation and Wildfox that I haven't seen in many other stores around the city, so you know you're almost guaranteed to be the only person wearing anything you buy in here. It's by no means a cheap store but all of the clothes are really well made and they're really different to items you'd find in chain stores. The store itself has a whole warehouse vibe to it and is really spacious with exposed brick walls and concrete floors. I love the fact that it's got a kids section, they've got some really cool printed tees and dresses that I kind of want for myself! Really must try to keep myself out of this place.

Scotties is an iconic Auckland women's fashion shop, showcasing a selection of some of the most…read moreexquisite, and expensive, fashion in town. Everything in there is beautiful. It's also the place where the staff give you good look up and down when you walk in (if they bother to look at you at all), and then perhaps, if you're lucky, throw in a purely rhetorical "Can I help you?", delivered in the same tone as you might say "Please drag your sorry, poor arse out of my sight". Okay, perhaps I'm exaggerating just a weeny bit, but it's hardly a welcoming atmosphere. If you want to shop here, either be very rich and well-dressed, or, save up a month's wages, spend it all on an outfit from another upmarket boutique, and then walk proudly into Scotties, head held high. I love the idea of saving up for a special occasion and splurging on something amazing and classic from Scottie's, but I really wish they'd make it a little friendlier. That way I might be tempted to browse more often, and perhaps even head there for a big purchase. For now I think I'll settle for pressing my face lovingly up against the glass of their window display. So if you see lipsticky kiss marks on the panes, you'll know I was particularly taken with the frock on show that week.

I have a few Ruby pieces in my closet, which take pride of place over everything else in there. I…read moreguess my other clothing must feel pretty neglected sometimes, the way I take care of my Ruby stuff! No floordrobe for these items! My little sister originally put me onto this boutique, as she's an edgy little hipster who has her clothes bought for her by my sucker of a mother, for those of us who actually have to save up and buy a ruby piece ourselves. It is worth every cent. The clothing is New Zealand made and is truly unique, you can be guaranteed that you won't be looking like every other girl who shops at glassons, though now the secret has been let out of the bag there may be slightly more Ruby aficionado sightings around town!

Ruby is one of my favourite more recently established New Zealand brands. The collection is always…read moreconsistently beautiful and unique, with fabrics such as silk and wool frequently dispersed throughout all the seasons. Ruby Newmarket stocks a range of other tasteful brands, including Tallulah and Cameo, and also Ruby's recently emerged sister brand, Liam. You will also find Ruby's footwear and jewellery lines stocked here too. All the shop attendants I have met at Ruby Newmarket have been quite helpful and chatty, always knowing quite a lot about the garments and making tasteful style recommendations. Although not cheap, Ruby is a classy alternative to the typical dark and black New Zealand design aesthetic you tend to see in some of the more established New Zealand designer stores.

October Reign in Newmarket is a stunning little store located on the fashion forward Osborne…read moreStreet. Here you can be sure to find the perfect outfit for most occasions. Although they have quite a few items on the expensive side, there are still quite a few garments that are reasonably priced. At October Reign they not only sell beautiful woman's clothing but they also have shoes, jewellery and belts. At the end of last year I went a little crazy and purchased the most beautiful Camilla dress from their store. 100% silk with hand stitched crystals, the dress is phenomenal. There is no parking available on Osborne Street however parking is easy enough on Teed Street.

I was pulled into this store by the defiant pops of color I could see from the street itself, so…read moreeven though I was running late for an appointment I had to go in and take a quick look. I kinda both wish I had and hadn't, if I hadn't I wouldn't have discovered such an awesome design aesthetic but now that I have I wouldn't still be sitting here craving everything in the store. When you buy from Pia, you can guarantee that you will be only one of a few fashionistas Auckland wide with the same piece. The clothes in these shops are irreverently fun. And the prints mad, but in a totally good way. I have to give props to the cute male shop assistant who set me up in a the changing room and picked out a few different peices for me, who was just chatty and friendly and well dressed himself. Get in here girls, now!

Finally seeing her name up in lights, Pia is putting her graphic design degree to use alongside her…read morepassion for fashion. What started off as an online business eventually made it to the suave streets of Parnell. Located next door to the Chocolate Boutique, this gorgeous store is not hard to find. With one of a kind garment's, Pia has made the effort to make her works of art truly unique. From coming up with the beautiful patterns, to printing them onto fabric and assembling the garment, this beautiful, feminine clothing line is all New Zealand made. I came here the day Pia Boutique opened their store and purchased one of her stunning Neon Aztec Frill Dresses. Florescent orange, back with a funky black and white pattern at the front, I just know this dress is going to be perfect for both summer and winter seasons to come. I cannot recommend coming into Pia Boutique enough. The store is glamorous, the garments are stunning and Pia herself is absolutely lovely! The entire Pia experience is one of a kind. Its young designers like this that will remain on the fashion scene for years to come. Pop on down to Parnell and start supporting this fresh New Zealand designer!

I have a total soft spot for Juliette Hogan. I find her collections incredibly versatile - It's…read moredefinitely my number one stop when I need a special occasion outfit but I'm also a huge fan of her more casual weekend attire, luxuriously soft knits and beautifully tailored pants and blazers. Hands down the best thing about her designs though is that they can easily be dressed up or down for work or weekend. I will admit, it's expensive but what NZ designer isn't and when you are get as much wear out of each garment as I do...it's worth it! I have been going to the Ponsonby store for years but recently ventured down to their new-ish Britomart store. It's absolutely gorgeous - light and airy with beautiful big orchids on the center table. There is also a v.cool light feature in the display window made up of oversized lightbulbs suspended at different heights. Another huge plus is that the staff at both stores are fantastic - not at all pretentious, they smile and say hi when you walk in and are very approachable. It's so refreshing to have consistently good service at a retail store. Love it!

If you're looking for classic and pretty womenswear, Juliette Hogan is the place to go. The…read morecollections are always very wearable - the colours and styles suit most and are very clean and minimalistic. The fabrics are always of high quality. Juliette championed that beautiful full length pleated sheer silk skirt that everyone seemed to have a while ago. She does really lovely dresses, go here if you need something for a wedding or special occasion that could be worn again. The knitwear is also very good. I once got a tweed dress from her, and years later I still get people asking me where it's from. Juliette also has a popular bridesmaid service, so if you need pretty gowns for a bunch of girls, definitely check her out.

Parnell is the oldest and one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Auckland - dating back to the…read more1840s - and it ended up being one of our fave spots we visited! We wandered around the tree lined streets and enjoyed views of the harbor in search of some lunch after exploring one of its magnificent historic cathedrals. Quaint cobblestone paths lead into hidden courtyards with cute bridges and statues. There are boutique shops and eateries around every corner and even in the basements and up beautiful winding staircases. The buildings all appear to be glorious Queen Anne style with their cute gingerbread wood trim accents - one of my fave aesthetics! Our lunch here at the Java room was one of the best meals of our trip - highly recommend!! And the pavlova with the passionfruit sauce at the Chocolate Boutique is a must. We were staying in the CBD which is a couple of miles away so we arrived via Uber which was very affordable. This is a great place for shopping and just meandering and I truly wish we had more time to explore on our trip.

Parnell Village is so charming. Filled with restaurants, boutiques and history, it was the first…read moresuburb in Auckland established in 1841. Although most of the galleries were closed due to Auckland Day, we were able to buy a couple of delicious lamb pies from a bakery and munch happily as we walked down the road enjoying the sunny summer afternoon. Tip: Take the Explorer Bus to the Cathedral at stop #6 and then walk to stop #7 to pick up another bus.

I usually head to the Loaded on High Street in the city, but decided to pop into this branch whilst…read moreI was out in Newmarket the other day. I have to say, I think I prefer it. It's all on one floor, making it feel smaller and more compact, but the selection of clothing and footwear they have is just as good. The guy in there was really nice and had a long chat with my partner and I and ended up selling us a hat for $60 instead of the $70 on the price tag. He also gave us a reward card each that means when you spend $250 in store, you get a $25 voucher and double points next time we spend in there. Judging by the amount of super cool New Era hats and Nike and Supra trainers they have in the store at the moment, that spend will be pretty soon. Hello new Liberty print Nike dunks.

This place just seems terminally unnecessary to me. Why do suburbs have malls? To collect all the…read morechain branches they need in one place so people can do their shopping without having to go to town. What suburb doesn't need that? Town. Queen Street is just one long mall already, why would you bother to put another one at the bottom of it? And not even a good mall. Tiny, crowded, it feels like there wasn't enough room for it to lie flat so they sort of piled it on top of itself. With the possible exception of the Warehouse (and it'd rank low on a list of Warehouse branches, ordered by range and quality), there is nothing here that you can't get at multiple other places in town. And town has sunlight, which very few malls can boast, especially not this one.