I suspect that I've annoyed the staff here a few too many times by going and playing dress ups with…read moreall the lovely lovely clothes. Corsets, imports, fetishwear, shoes (oh, the shoes), makeup and beautiful jewellery. Yes, it is a bit more expensive to buy from here than from the individual stockists, but there really is something to be said for instant gratification. To be perfectly honest the sizing those sites provide seems random at best, and so the opportunity to actually try on those skinny, skinny side-laced black jeans before you buy is definitely a plus. Also, dress ups.

So nice. The staffs are really patient and they do give me al lot of good advice. Finally I got the…read more suitable clothing for the Halloween weekend.

Lingerie can be a bit hit and miss. Sure, you want to look smokin' hot, but you don't want to look…read morelike a complete tart. So where do you find a happy medium? Dawn Thornton Lingerie of course! This shop stocks the perfect lingerie for those looking for something slightly more modest, ladylike and for 'women of a certain age' (I mean that in the nicest way obviously.) Stunning colours but nothing to brassy, and very flattering bras and underwear for all shapes and sizes. They also stock sleepwear that is both comfortable and flattering, and simple, elegant singlets which can be worn alone or underneath clothing - they're my favourite! Ms Thornton is located in Kew Junction on the up and coming shopping strip, so after you've had your latte and been a 'lady that lunches', get yourself some ladylike undies too!

Catalog Clothing in The Pines Shopping Centre is a store I would frequent often if I lived closer…read moreto Doncaster. The shop is bright, clean and modern with on-trend items for any fashion conscious female. I would recommend the store for younger women, say older teenagers through to women in their late twenties. The sizes here are also quite small and the shop caters best to people from sizes six to twelve. The shop assistants in here are really nice and are good at helping style outfits. They welcome you when you walk near them and seem genuinely friendly rather than wanting to push you into a sale. Catalog has a great variety of pretty dresses, nice tops and stylish jackets, which are suited towards nightlife rather than the everyday. In saying that, some people obviously wear more formal clothing daily so it could suit everyday occasions.

Valentine is the perfect place to find elegant fashions for the more mature lady…read more My mum freaked recently when she was invited to a garden wedding. As most of her formal wear is in basic black, she felt the need to find something more appropriately suited to the setting. So a few weekends ago we ventured out to Broady shopping centre together. Not expecting much mainly because we didn't know if we'd even find a store suitable for my mums age (50ish), we were happy enough to just start wondering around enjoying the special mother daughter time. And then we came across Valentine. A cross between Sussan and Katie's, Valentine stocks a range of work/office apparel, casual wear and more formal outfits for ladies of a certain age. I was really impressed by the age appropriate styles that still managed to pick up on fashion forward trends, which is sometimes difficult for that age group. My mum eventually found a gorgeous floral, knee length dress with thick, slightly frilly straps to give it a real feminine feel. And as my mum is the sort of woman who would never buy a dress to wear only once or only on certain occassions, this was perfect; dressy and formal enough for a garden wedding or dinner out, but casual enough to wear as a nice outing dress for lunch or coffee with the girls. A lovely find and I'm sure my mum and I will take advantage of the opportunity to spend some girly time together again at Valentine.

Not my usual style of store, but I was dragged in here by a friend…read more First thing I notice was how uncomfortable I feel being in here being a bigger girl, but I expected that going into a lingerie store in Armadale. As a bigger girl, I do not recommend. The staff weren't rude to me, but I felt a bit of that 'what are you doing in here' vibe. I will say the lingerie they have is very very nice. And it would want to be for the price. Some of the garments cost more than I would spend on my groceries for a month! Basically, if you are smaller than a size 12 with lots of money to throw around, this might just be heaven for you. If your not, well, avoid.

This fashion boutique is at odds with the fast food options and local shopping strip staples…read more However it somehow fits in perfectly. This is the place to head if your after a South Yarra flavoured shopping experience but more down to earth and local. The Four Wicked Women clearly represent a range of sizes as sizes 8 to 18 are stocked here. This spacious and colourful shop entices you in for 'just a look' and then you happily leave arms adorned with bags! The staff are friendly and take the time to find exactly what your looking for. Four Wicked Women is no chain store and naturally the prices reflect this. This is the ideal place to visit if your after a beautiful dress for a wedding or the races, a unique clutch, well made bag or a stylish casual ensemble. Four Wicked Women has women's fashion in Macleod all sewn up!

Sacs is a great little shop for getting a new dress and experimenting a little bit. You know when…read moreyou buy something that you are not sure if you will wear often but it is different and unique so you take a chance? Yep, this is the best place to buy those. The main reason is that they are pretty cheap. The other reason is that the service here is tops. The service staff are always super duper friendly and helpful. The store itself is a little crowded but there is always plenty of crowded sale racks to make you forget how cramped you feel. My favourite items in this store are the colourful maxi dresses - only around in summer or nearing a warm period of the year. They are very unique and light - perfect for summer.

Sexy, hourglass silhouette inspired designs are the lifeblood of Vicious Venus. The joint venture…read moreof Australian designers Joy Liakis and Natalie Fowler, the shop is a tribute to the feminine contours celebrated in years gone by, fused with a funky post-feminist contemporary attitude. Cartoon characters, bright floral patterns, lace and other cutesy and occasionally aggressive motifs grace the fabrics of the dresses, along with a few staple black, block coloured and textured varieties. Perusing the shelves is like getting your hands on the Mad Men wardrobe department, were the show filming an episode about a female punk group. Though the designs are apparently centred around the more voluptuous side of the female form, I have had difficulty finding dresses flattering to my particular proportions when actually worn. This is perplexing, as my figure is well within the target size range and actual type for this kind of frock. Perhaps I just haven't tried on the right dress yet, as I see enough women wearing their designs around town and looking fabulous. There's a modest range of accessories available, including some gorgeous patterned tights and funky high heels. According to the website, they also do custom handmade wedding dresses. The prices are what you'd expect for a local designer, and therefore the clothes are more of an investment purchase for most women.