Somewhat slipped into a decline, has Circus. Still has the best changerooms ever (and for anyone…read morewho's wrestled curtains that don't cover the entire doorway, lack of mirrors and uplighting will know how important that is). Think Venetian glass mirrors, posh armchairs and lush patchworked curtains. 'Free gift with any Metalicus purchase over $250!' the sign screamed in the window. Oh dear, I know times are hard. And yes, free gifts are always good. And yet, this boutique is not looking in its prime. The lovely cream coloured floorboards still feel kind of shabby cool, the pinks of the decorations not too, well, pink. But something's missing. Where you used to be able to walk in and find a range of interesting women's clothing suitable for a range of ages and styles, most of what they had in the other day seemed geared to the middle-aged 'I've given up and retreated into violent florals' crowd. Which wasn't Leura, I would have thought. Even some ridiculous feathery hats suitable for drunken matrons at the races. I'm sad, this used to be a favourite place to browse, and I've bought some great stuff here in the past including a recycled material totebag with cowgirl/dominatrix overtones. Bring that vibe back, please!

Foot of the Mountains is a women's shoe shop of the higher end variety, stocking a small but well…read morechosen range, including a bunch of European brands hard to find elsewhere. They also have a selection of handbags, hats, jewellery and hosiery. The staff are helpful but not pushy (a rare and wonderful combination) and they always have a sale table out the front where you can pick up some real bargains. Got my eye on some fab purple strappy ankle boot things at the moment that actually fit and are comfortable! But alas, a little out of my price range for now. But they're purple... sigh...

Tiny, but full of bursting bright colour. Currently, they've got a display of vibrant parasols in…read morethe window and hanging from the ceiling. Maharani sells women's clothing, mostly with an eco bent and often by Australian designers. Have my eye on this fab grey pinstripe skirt reminiscent of a bustle at the moment. Lots of jewellery too, some of the tribal kind (love it), as well as a smattering of accessories and gifts. A friend bought a great brown leather messenger bag (Billy Goat designs) from here, and I rarely see them apart. They have that great leather smell as well, so, on second thoughts, not the best place to bring a vegan. I haven't had much luck trying on the super-uncomfortable felt clog shoe things. Eek. But their range of clothing is great and not super pricey, the staff nice. It's obviously aimed at a slightly younger market (ie: under 50) than some of the other boutiques in Leura. Bustle skirt or fab chartreuse green stripy one?

There's not nearly enough gorgeous boutiques named after Ancient Roman Orators…read more Sigh. My favorite boutique ever. I have expensive taste, and not the budget to match it. But with frequent sales and very often a sale rack, I've bought the odd drop dead stunning designer concoction here. There's a red dressing-table like long couch for your shopping companions to sit upon while giving the requisite thumbs-up or -down response as you parade something you never want to take off. Staff are fantastic, one went to a great deal of trouble once to try and source me a replacement for a red winter coat after an accident with City Rail, rain, no signage and floor paint. Don't ask. They stock Lazybones (great cotton vintage inspired Australian designs) although the staffer the other day tells me they're getting harder to source, Katherine and Odd Molly. Amongst others. A few groovy shoes and handbags too. Desperately want an Odd Molly piece with not-really-making-sense writing all over it and Scandinavian embroidery. Sigh, one day.

I have a vivid image of Mrs Peel. If she were a person, that is. Cat's eye 50's sunglasses…read more Ponytail. Bright red lips. Bobby sox and saddle shoes because she's sensible. Poodle jewellery. Killer vintage wardrobe mixed with modern designer pieces. Doesn't mind attracting a bit of attention, and saving up a total sequin overload cocktail sheath for when she wants to arrive in a room with a bang. Sarcastic barbs have a way of just falling from her lips. I think we'd be friends. This fab store used to be hidden down the back of another Leura arcade, but is now front and centre, windows full of modern, quirkily designed jewellery and vintage clothing for women and men. Inside is even better. I instantly swooped on a piece from a designer I used to love from my days in Newtown, who no longer seems to exist. Lovely lady staffer and I chatted about Japanese fabric-using designers while I was breaking my no unnatural fibre rule with my purchase. Almost air-tight, but a woman's allowed exceptions for vintage, right? Prices are pretty good, especially for Leura, the modern designer stuff is a bit steep, but that's what you'd expect. Staff are lovely, and the offer gift vouchers too, which I'm thinking would beat a Myer GV hands down in the Christmas pressie stakes. Newly glammed, I'm off to scour the cafes for someone in cat's eye sunglasses. I'm sure she's around somewhere.

A very sweet and mostly reasonably priced vintage shop particularly for a store in Leura. There are…read moresome truly gorgeous little jewellery pieces, cute retro bags and a good mix of new and vintage clothing pieces. It is a little cramped but they have made good use of the space they have been given. A few pieces here and there were a little too expensive for what they were but generally prices were fair. The staff are friendly and personable and I will certainly be back again when shopping in Leura.

I hate shoes. Blessed with feet designed for sitting and not actually anything ambulatory, finding…read moreshoes that fit is a nightmare. I wandered up the stairs with a friend here to lend shoe shopping moral support. The ceiling slopes in, and you do feel like you're in an attic. Displays of (mostly expensive) shoes, handbags, scarves, hosiery etc. I barely even looked as a sale table boasting $350 'sale' shoes was a little out of my budget. My friend, bless her, picked up a shoe, found it a bargain, and asked to try it on. Nice staffer found the other for her, and she put it on, it fit, purchase finalised. No-one noticed me going blue in the face having a jealous fit in the corner, gobsmacked that anyone can just buy shoes like that. I'm off to try on 65 pairs, none of which fit. Again.

I LOVE shoes in the attic. True - they aren't cheap - but YEARS later, anything I buy there still…read morelooks terrific. And they DON'T stock shoes made in China - shoes that would not past tests for either longevity or stylishness. I love the bargain shelf - you wind up buying shoes that you don't need, but how can you resist - and years later, you are glad you didn't.

It looks almost like a high-end store out of the 1950's. Immaculate décor, tidy shelves and…read moredisplays, and a fairly stuck up sales lady. The shop sells gifts, furniture, women's clothing and homewares, all very reminiscent of the 'old times'. Tablecloths with pretty floral patterns, A-line dresses, white ceramic trinkets, doilies, for the love of god. It's actually really cute. The colour schemes are great, I love the patterns they have, and they have some truly unique furniture pieces, the kind that you wouldn't expect to be factory-made. Intricate little vanities, white, ornate chests of drawers... that kind of thing. While any of this would look terribly out of my place in my living area, there are plenty who enjoy home décor of this sort, so if you're one of them, give it a look.

Loganberry Lane (which sounds like the street address for a character from Anne of Green Gables to…read moreme) is a lovely gift shop chock full of a huge range of clothing, accessories and homeware. While a little heavy on the scented candles for my taste, there's a whole room of babies clothes, toys and gifts for kids, and a smaller one out the back which has a range of women's cotton nightwear of the white and floaty variety. There's also some women's clothing, also mostly of cotton, including some brands like Boom Shankar that I have seen priced much more expensively elsewhere. There's the odd real bargain hiding in here, as well as a few local and handmade items, including a small range of locally produced fudge locked away in a coolbox.

I love this place, and I don't even do patchwork. The shop is long, and you can enter from either…read moreend, the main entrance taking you past a few token crockery and decorative items and sewing machines for sale. Then you get to the vast array of beautiful materials lined up against the walls, and past the big tables used for classes and get togethers. I know you probably think patchwork - mmm, daggy 70's cotton handbags in pastel colours - but this shop carries some truly lovely materials including a big range of Japanese fabrics which I use for all kinds of things. The colours are beautiful and the prices here are really good, they always seem to have some sort of sale going on. The staff are very helpful and the shop clearly serves as a major stopping point for lots of local women. You see, while I'm trawling the bins for cheap fat eighths (sewing term, really) I overload on the gossip. This place is Gossip Central. Even if there isn't a class going on (and they have lots of them, call in and ask) there's always a bunch of women having a chat. I adore it. As an inveterate Student of the Human Condition (some may say eavesdropper) the conversations swirling around are fantastic. 'I won't have him in the house, I said.' 'And that was after I left my second husband...' Love it. Quilting as socially cohesive force. Truly.

The patchwork/quilting shops in the nearby Blue Mountains are so poorly run I find myself…read moretravelling to Penrith to this customer-friendly shop with great stock.