There are some surprisingly nice clothes available from this little North Laine shop…read more One of many independent, fairly cheap boutique type places in the area, this is I think one of the better ones. They tend to stock more unusual clothes, with skull-patterned dresses, brightly coloured jumpers and unusual t-shirts. I bought one of my favourite t-shirts here, which depicts two giraffes kissing. Aaah. They also seem to have a constant sale rail, which does often include a lot of duff items, but occassional gems can be found here - I bought a couple of lovely £5 dresses here over the summer.

When I walked into Sassy's, I assumed I'd do a once around and walk out. The front of the shop is…read morevery goth-centric, with black ballerina dresses and skull-themed accessories. But it's a bit of a mix and match shop really, and I was surprised to find a long, grey sweater that I liked enough to try on. Unfortunately, it was one of those styles that looks much nicer hanging on the rack. So, I'd consider this a clothing shop with a twist, if that category were an option.

Cute and quaint little shop this located on Preston Road selling an array of new and second hand…read moreclothes and accessories. Owner Jacquelina describes her merchandise as 'alternative clothing' which I think is great compared to all the awful Top Shop and Gap rubbish. If you're looking for something completely original then this is the place to head to. They also sell wigs, top-hats and a good deal of gothic and retro wear and claim that making made-to-measure corsets are their speciality!

Lulu Rose is Yoma's sister shop located in Kensington Gardens. Whereas Yoma is marketed at women in…read moretheir twenties and thirties, Lulu Rose is aimed at a younger demographic. The shop is packed with vibrant, youthful clothing and many of the same bags and accessories you'll find at Yoma. This store is much larger than Yoma and can get quite crowded with teenagers at the weekend. The selection of stock is impressive- it doesn't particularly wow me, but I'm probably 10 years older than their average customer! (wow, that's depressing...) The bag selection is great and very up-to-the minute with lots of tote bags and holdalls. I distinctly remember Lulu Rose being one of the first places I saw metallic bags and purses (before they were everywhere), so it's probably a good place to go if you want to jump on board with the latest fashion and accessory trends. In the past I have always thought the clothing was kind off the mark, but lately I've seen a couple of good old body-con dresses (who isn't selling them, seriously, they're everywhere?!) and some pretty cardigans in the window. I prefer Lulu Rose to Yoma, because I don't feel its masquerading as something more upmarket...what you see is what you get.

This is a relatively good independent woman's fashion shop in the middle of Brighton's North Lanes…read more I only came here by chance, desparate to find some kind of present for my house mate. After much searching elsewhere, Lulu Rose was among my last options. Thankfully I managed to source a bag that was in the sale, reduced for £35 down to £16. There were perhaps half a dozen items that I considered buying, which is certainly better than the previous shops I had tried. Some of the clothes were a bit average, looking like Top Shop inspired items from 3 months previous. Still, I was able to find a good quality bag for a cheaper price than I would have expected.

One of the flagship anchor stores of Churchill Square, Debenhams in Brighton is a pretty decent…read moresized store, although pretty much average for the chain it is located in. It is located fairly close to Apple, up to a steep gradient in the mall floor. The store isn't as modern as one would expect from an anchor store of a mall, but still pretty much does the job when it is open with a satisfactory selection. The store like most branches of Debenhams is pricier than the overall feel of the store implies on the first impression. Average, generic Debenhams store with poor opening times (unstructured, closing early on most days but this is the same as the entire mall) - A useful brand for the city but not really a great store within that brand. 2*

Debenhams is like a time capsule…read more Every time I offer to take my mum shopping and we've done every other store in the city from M&S to Wallis, she swears she just wants to 'Pop in Debenhams for 5 minutes.' And of course, we always emerge weighed down by bags one or two hours later. This particular branch is tiny compared to the Manchester and London stores but they still manage to squeeze a lot of stock in. The ground floor is mainly occupied by accessories, shoes, perfume and make-up counters from Clarins to Benefit whilst the first floor has a strong selection of bed, bath, kitchen and dining room goodies. There's also a small childrens-wear department. The reason my mum loves this store however, is for the womens wear in the basement. There's air conditioning, three changing room areas and small subsidiaries of Wallis, Red Herring, Jane Norman, Warehouse, Top Shop, Oasis, Coast and Red Herring amongst others. Right now, there's also a Blue Cross sale on - which means 70% off for card-holders. Hang on, I think my mobile's ringing...

I loved everything about this shop...I could have stayed all afternoon. The name was a bit…read moremisleading (I was thinking New York...found something closer to India.) The outfits were really unique and lovely to look through - some were plain, others made with intricate patterns, and most looked flow-y and comfortable. Prices were very reasonable, with tops usually around £20; sweaters and coats between £30 - £40. Greenwich Village also has a wide range of accessories - scarves, headbands, jewellery, shoes...and there's a home-ware section near the back. I was drawn to the large wood carvings - though these were a bit out of my price range - and the decorative cushions. There were many staff members around the store, all friendly and ready to offer assistance if needed. I recommend this shop for a unique and leisurely shopping experience.

Greenwich Village doesn't really remind me of its New York namesake. It is an indoor mini bazaar,…read morewith various 'stalls' (more like cubbyholes) selling all sorts of ethnic crafts, clothing and material. Its a feast for the eyes; everywhere you look, beautiful, bright clothing and curtains and bags are draped around. This is a really great place to buy gifts, with things like ethnic jewellery, scarves and woolly sock slippers dotted all over the shop. Prices aren't too bad either, you can pick up a really colourful scarf for as little as £6! Towards the back of the shop, there is a larger room that is home to all sorts of interesting bits and bobs- again, great for pressies. Dig around in little pots of earrings and sift through the trinkets, purses and key rings to see if anything takes your fancy. In this second room there is also larger items such as mirrors and small items of furniture. There is also rails of clothing to peruse. Greenwich Village is a shop I love to wander around- although much of the clothing is too loud for my personal taste, the materials are really beautiful and I just like to admire other people's amazing handiwork!

Impulse has combined regular and costume-type make-up in their shop, which is interesting. Perhaps…read morethey want people to question why some types of 'dressing-up' are more socially acceptable than others. Or, perhaps they just sell more stuff this way. The eyeshadow, mascara and other 'normal' make-ups are down the centre of the shop, surrounded by tins of face paint, costumes and accessories (pirate eye patches, crowns, wings, parrots, masks, wigs) are along the outside walls. There's also some party favours and gift ideas (lots for stag and hen parties): silly string, fake boobs, plastic snakes ... a weird mix. I'd recommend checking it out for a fancy dress party, but the day-to-day make-up didn't seem to be very high quality.

The owners of this shop have got their tongues firmly planted in their cheeks and I love it! I'm in…read morehere practically once a fortnight just to browse around or give myself a little lift when I'm feeling glum. There's always some fascinating artifact or relic that I hadn't seen before because there is just SO much of it. Chinese lanterns, Mounted deers' heads, US license plates, antique cameras, walls covered in masks and racquets, crockery, glassware, hats, old potions, an impressive collection of owls and the odd bit of taxidermy... Having said all that, much of this chintz is surplus to requirement. Some may say that the point of most antiques is that they're surplus to requirement but I'm afraid I'm a little bit more of a utilitarian than to need a stuffed mongoose. The books and accessories however just keep me coming back for more.

Corner Shop Collectables is the most interesting antique shop I've been in, with several items I…read morehaven't seen anywhere else. A full size skeleton is one of the first things that comes to mind. (He was dressed up in a hat, though, to take away any scariness.) Other cool stuff included mannequins (full and a few pairs of JUST THE HANDS), plants displayed in bed pans, teeny tiny figurines, hair pins in the shape of hats, antique cameras and rotary telephones. There was also all the usual stuff: books, dishware vases, jewellery, less tiny figurines (mostly in animal shapes), paper lanterns and some sewing patterns. I'm probably forgetting a bunch - there was a lot to look at. In summary, it's worth the mini-hike up St. James to check it out.

Owned by the same peeps as Igigi General Store and Cafe a few doors away, this lovely boutique…read morespecialises in elegant and stylish womenswear. Refreshingly, they stock sizes 8 to 18 and their niche seems to be classic dresses, skirts, trousers, shirts, blouses, jumpers and dresses made from beautiful and ethical materials. Turning it into a one-stop destination for shoppers in a hurry, they also sell shoes, bags and accessories. Designers include Beyond Skin, Sam Ubhi, Ally Capellino, Best Behavior, Hartford, Anna Nygards and Anouk. If you see something you like and it doesn't quite fit, they also provide alterations and styling advice. If they could make me a size smaller, I'd buy my whole wardrobe from there!

As with the I Gigi general store a few doors down, their women's boutique leaves me in two minds. I…read morelove some of the labels they stock- most with ethical stances, great mixes of classic and avant-garde, particularly Humanoid, Beyond Skin, Fillipa K- admittedly expensive brands. The women's boutique has a harder edge to the decor which is welcome after the crisp clean neutrals of the homestore, yet ultimately, combined with the stiff staff, comes across as snooty.

The Mole is one of a handful of boutiques around the North Laines that sells both street and…read moresportswear. Their window display draws you in with dozens of pairs of cool sunglasses and wicked headphones. Once you step inside, you'll find there's also a large selection of sneakers, training shoes, sweatshirts, hoodies, tee-shirts and jeans. Labels include Vans, DC, Etnies, Nixon, Von Zipper & Emerica. All you need to complete the look is a skateboard - which you can pick up next door at Oddballs! Review to follow once I've done a few tricks on my BMX. :-)

The Mole annoys me... Not the rodent of course, which is perfectly lovely and surprisingly small…read more.. No, I mean the store. It doesn't matter how much I tell myself that you can create your own "look" on a low budget, and look everybit as well presented as someone forking out four times as much three times as often... Places like this always come along and show off some of the most awesome versions of my clothes... and charge £55 them... £55 feels like the standard... Whether its the ludicrously soft and well fitting hoodies with their gorgeous designs, or the series of gut wrenchingly bad ass trainers....... Gah! There aren't many brands here, with a strong loyalty towards the three or so on offer. In addition to the usual jeans, trainers, jackets shirts and hoodies, The Mole also boasts a strong offering of very sexy accessories. Be they the stylish wallets, trendy shades or somewhat (in my opinion) tacky headphones to match your clothes, The Mole has got colours and styles to impress... Not great value, but offering exceptional quality, The Mole is a place to treat yourself, or to blow that big bonus (not that I've ever had one to wield).