Abigail's was the first gift-store I ever knew..we used to go and spend our pocket money on the…read morelucky dip bags they had then spend the rest of the day squabbling over the booty. They also used to have flowers and a little outdoor courtyard with plants and even an upstairs! However none of that is relevant now (sorry) because it has now moved premises and somewhat downgraded..or maybe just simplified. Nowadays you'll find a small, tidy, upmarket giftstore where everything is nice but nothing is too stand-out. The most useful thing for me personally is they seem to have branched out into baby wear and gifts - very helpful when every second person you know is having baby every second day. Oh and their gift-wrapping is exquisite!

I think I've got a new favourite shop. I'm such a sucker for anything cute, kitsch and quirky and…read morethat's exactly what this shop is. Brand new to K Road, this store embodies everything I love about the area. I think their selection of necklaces is actually even nicer than the similar ones in Monster Threads just down the road, and I looove those! It's clear the owners of this store really think about what they're selling and who they're trying to sell it to. This is only a tiny little store but everything in here is covetable, from the tea sets to books to the array of vintage-inspired sunnies and dresses. It's out of the ordinary, beautiful clothing, jewellery and homewares. I've got my eye on a necklace and the super-cute stick-on animal wall decorations.

Everything in this store is scrumptious. You know the kind of stuff that you could just eat up…read more These girls know what's good out there and now they've got it for us to buy. There's everything from clothes, to candles, to sunnies, and little knick-knacks that you probably don't need, but must have. It's the perfect place to go if you're trying to buy a present for someone who has everything. My favourite product they stock is the ceramic crinkle cups. They're so cute and everyone who sees them thinks they're so awesome. Having just moved from their old store the Bread and Butter Letter is looking seriously suave. I love the new branding and the light boxes out the outside of the store. Best thing about the new place is that you can now buy a cup tea there too. Love it.

Ike's Emporium has been my go-to for many years when a dress-up party, Halloween, or random craft…read morething pops up. It's got sooooo much stuff. There is everything you need to get crafty, from the basics to fancy little extras, and stuff you didn't even know existed. Then there are the costumes. Kids and adults are catered to. The costumes are the usual weird ones, with the expected ghouls and ghosts thrown in for good measure. But that isn't all - head down the back and you'll find yourself in a fabric store. It's jam-packed with fabrics off all different kinds and for all different purposes. It's really cheap here which is great obviously. The service is so good, just people who have been there forever and know pretty much everyone who walks in. Whether you know what you want or need some inspiration - this is the place. And if Devonport is a bit far away for you, look them up, there's a few around Auckland.

This is a brilliant shop for dress up parties. But it does have so much more - whether you are…read moreafter a rubber chicken or supplies for your next crafternoon, Ike's will likely have it and at reasonable prices. As a relative newcomer to Auckland, I am pretty jealous a shop like this didn't exist in my hometown. It would have made dress up parties so much easier! Ike's is great for a fun look around, and for a funny quick photo opp (get a photo of yourself wearing the Fred Flinstone hat for Instagram)?! #dressup Their stock is ever changing so you never know what you may find at Ike's!

Gorgeous women's clothing! This place would be great to spend ample time just trying on the ample…read morerange of cocktail dresses and designer threads made to impress. There are some really fabulous items here. If you have a daughter, or are that daughter, needing a formal gown, or want to look your best on that special date somewhere romantic, then let this be the place to for you to shop. There is also a selection of sophisticated hats available if the races are your thing. The mature lady at the counter was helpful and friendly when I went in, polite and ready to help if needed. I didn't have much time to fully engage myself in all the wonderful stock, however I will be sure to keep it in mind for future reference and will recommend it to friends. Please note that the range is made up of designer samples, seconds and end of line items. Serendipity is open 7 days week, no website unfortunately.

I have been a regular at Serendipity for over 10 years now and would have to say this is my all…read moretime favorite shop! I love their ever changing range of designer overseas samples and I regularly buy the Sabatini at a fraction of the normal retail price. Great friendly staff with excellent prices. I highly recommend this shop for discounted designer clothing.

Vintage doesn't get any better than Tango…read more The best thing about Tango is that there quite literally isn't a single thing in the shop that hasn't been hand picked because it's beautiful and high quality. There's a definite aesthetic to the stock - a sort of campy, tongue-in-cheek take on glamour - that you'll most likely love if you're into vintage. Tango is hands down the best place in town to get your hands on designer and name-brand vintage that's in top condition, but there are also less expensive items, like costume jewellery and handbags. Not to be overlooked, the service at Tango is perfect - it's always a comfortable browsing experience, but the guy who works there is really knowledgeable about clothes and is very helpful if you're looking for something in particular. In short: Tango should be your first destination for impressive vintage dresses and accessories.

Do you like old and kind of misc. stuff? Do you like dresses…read moreand pants and all that kind of crap? Do you like archaic suitcases? Do you like to pretend you're way way cooler than you actually are? Do you think you should have lived during the roaring twenties or something dumb like that? Do you have heaps of disposable income? Do you like to impress people by showing them how your suit has some discernable amount of horse hair in it? Do you like dumb hats which cost a lot of money? Do you enjoy wearing fur which has been pulled from the carcasses of murdered animals? Go to this place if you say "Yes" to any of that stuff.

Queen Streets Rip Curl store is better than most inner city surf stores. They don't take themselves…read moreas serious as some other stores, who think street wear is high fashion. Also, unlike some other brands, Rip Curl actually stock boards and wetsuits aside from their clothing label. While this might not be super important on Queen St, it's nice to see a surf store that is more than a label. The front half of the store usually stocks the latest fashion and current sales, then the store bottlenecks at the counter and sunglasses section. Upstairs houses the majority of the surf related paraphernalia. Staff tend to be quite clued up and friendly. A great spot to pick up some cheap but sturdy jandals during summer or look at the latest big production surf video.

I love Aimai! Otay? The little 'Chanel'esque boucle shorts…read moresuit in the window at the moment should tell you all you need to know about this store on High Street. It's pricy but oh so divine. I literally melt whenever I am in here. It's really an upmarket Asian clothing store, where a lot of the items are actually homemade (like a lot of the boucle jackets etc in at the moment) so that is probably the reason for the hefty price tags on these items, either that or it's just because their the most beautiful things in the world. Besides clothing they also do a lot of accessories, like felt floppy hats which are a big trend at the moment, shoes, and some oh do delicately delicious headgear. I recently purchased a navy oversized felt flower on a headband thing, and I am so looking forward to wearing it with some of my autumn/winter wardrobe.

I am satisfied with the service and my partner was very happy with the top I got for her birthday.read more

This place has recently opened, and it's part of a secret little alley of gorgeous little shops…read morethat are so friggin' cute I think I am going to die. Colourful triangular necklaces, tea cups and teapots with crossbones all over them, sugar skull necklaces, plates with pictures etched into the porcelain, nautical things for miles - it's this little corner of things that I would fill my house with if I had the money. I recommend you visit Ahoy Cutie and its two shopfriends Hunter Gatherer and Frost + Dinkie - these places are so tucked away inside the Cross Street walkway overpass that I'm scared they'll close up before anyone gets to experience their cuteness.

Fabric is one of my most loved stores in Auckland, if not my favourite. It's a boutique clothing…read morestore, that also sells accessories and fragrances and shoes, amongst other things. It's very fashion, and so are the prices. It's justified, though - they stock brands from all over the world, and often, exclusively within Auckland and sometimes within New Zealand. You want Isabel Marant? Easy. Commes des Garcons Shirt? Comme Play? Visvim? A.P.C collaborations? Junya Watanabe? Margaret Howell? Kenzo? Engineered Garments? Sunspel? J Brand? Look no further. This is the kind of thing I'm talking about. It is New Zealand's answer to Paris' Colette. The place can be a little intimidating but once you're amongst the racks it's all good. Most of the staff are nice and friendly, especially Leon. I hope he sees this. Hi Leon.

Do you ever find yourself doing mental arithmetic when you enter expensive stores...? "So, if I…read moredon't buy any food, walk for two hours to get to work every day so I don't have to buy petrol and sit in darkness every night, in precisely three months, I'll be able to buy that handbag!" Well, that is what I found myself doing when I entered Fabric. It's only a small store but it's just full of gorgeous products that are almost (almost) worth not eating for. I love the fact that they have Comme des Garcons (the only store I've seen in NZ that stocks the label) And those Isabel Marant wedges high tops I've been in love with for months. It's a typical High Street store, aspirational but ever so unattainable. I kind of wonder how this store stays up and running as I don't know anyone who actually shops in here. Possibly if i did, the sales assistants wouldn't have been so cold towards me. And I'm still not exactly sure why the floor at the front looks like a swimming pool either.