ONE WORD: SKULLS. I…read morefelt like I had stepped into heaven when I entered Holy Kitsch! (Mainly because I'm obsessed with skulls!) Skull heads, skull glasses, skull bags, sugar skulls, skull art, skull figurines...... plus Frida Kahlo everything! This shop is amazing! Okay, yes, it is very expensive, but where else would you find quality Mexican skulls and Day of the Dead gifts??? (Definitely nothing like this in Auckland). Only bought two skull shot glasses, but next time I'm in Sydney, I will definitely spend a bit extra and get a massive skull! Not sure how it's going to fit in my suitcase though :S

Holy Kitsch! Great name, Great Store…read more Brimming with quirky, kitschy, one-off pieces that are bound to delight lovers of fun, funky homewares. I'm a HUGE fan of this store. Their window displays are colourful and fun and all the pieces are just damn cool. Here's a summary of what you can expect to find at Holy Kitsch: "Sugar Skulls and candelabras inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead "Dia de los Muertos", hand painted mirrors evoking the life of Frida Kahlo, Sailor Jerry bamboo curtains, really cool antique and vintage wares, ephemera, curios and a whole lot more." Beneath the fun Holy Kitsch is a serious store with a conscience and a mission. All of the products are Fair Trade and ethically sourced, where possible, as part of the owners mission to present an alternative to mass production. Given all things Latin American and Mexican are completely in fashion I imagine this store is going gangbusters. See for yourself.

Perfect for Newtown, Tree of Life is stocked with hippy dippy fashion, homeware and accessories -…read morein a good way! I LOVE that stuff! Everything in the store is colourful, sequiny or bright; the clothes are similar to what you'd find at a market, but are of a good quality and a reasonable price. If you're looking for a summer dress with a difference, a pretty pillow for a housewarming gift or a heap of incense, this is your best bet. However, this is no flea market legitimised through incorporation - the stock is clearly carefully selected, and very rarely ventures into kitsch and tacky territory. It's boho chic, not hobo chic! It's also suitably westernised for our fashion tastes - although India and Asia are clearly the inspiration for the range, it's not so overwhelming that it can only be worn in Newtown.

Tree of life is more a shop for women, selling women's clothing and Jewellery, however they do also…read moresell home wares. But if you are not a woman but are looking to buy a present for a woman then Tree of Life is a worthwhile venture. They have a wide range of jewellery and the pricing is reasonable considering the quality. The products on sale many are Indian style jewellery and are generally quite exotic, yet tasteful and the great thing is the business employs fair trade practices in the acquirement of their stock, so it's nice to know there are some ethics behind the purchase you are making. So anyway I found a great gift of a woven beaded necklace & I grabbed myself some woven wristbands at the counter.

I first discovered Monster Threads' clothing at their stall at Glebe Markets, a stall which I…read moresought out every weekend to check out their new designs and to see how many shirts/singlets I could afford that week (sadly, it was more often none than some). Discovering the Monster Threads shop in Newtown was fantastic - now I didn't have to refine my Monster shopping days to Saturdays! Their t-shirt, singlet and hoodie designs are intelligent, quirky and artistic, illustrated by artists from Europe, USA, Asia and Australia. Their jewellery is unique, quirky and affordable, my current favourite being a bendy limbed and tarnished Pinocchio hanging like a puppet from a long chain. You can buy Monster Threads products online, but a trip to their Newtown store is much more fun as you can completely immerse yourself in the world of Monster Threads, with pencil cases, wallets, plates, mugs, prints, toys, cards and wallets. Monster Threads now has five stores in Australia and New Zealand, which must mean that my love for them is not as original as their designs, but also that my options extend beyond Glebe markets.

Monster Threads is possibly my favourite clothing shop ever. With exception to the Women's clothes…read moreI seriously want everything in the shop. The style would not be to everyone's taste, but if you want cool, cute, crazy, arty clothes and stuff then Monster Threads is the shop for you. Some of the jackets and pants on sale are truly bizarre. I love them, but don't think I could wear them. I cannot stop buying the t-shirts though, they are fantastic, featuring fantastic designs of elephants, bears, aliens creatures, an array of cute monsters and all kinds of other innovative design. The level of imagination present in the stock at Monster Threads is truly impressive. Other than clothes they sell accessories, which are just as crazy and creative and home-wares like very weird mugs and all kinds of other beyond belief items. I hope Monster Threads is a great success as I will always be their customer.

Never shop in this s@#t place !!! I paid for an item which…read morethe staff at QVB confirmed it would be 'refunded' but I didn't get it after the staff called her boss !!! It was still in its original packing with the docket after 3 days in Burwood !!!

I simply had to stop to explore this latest edition to Newtown's alternative streets. Kaboodle's…read morepeppermint striped shop façade gives an indication of what they sell. It is gloriously girly and brimming with nic-naks. Little trinkets and necklaces are displayed on Parisian style cream furniture, of the sort that most girls would dream to have in their own rooms. They sell pretty silk scarfs, beautiful leather handbags, note pads wrapped in flowery material, jewellery stands, clocks, purses, belts and ornaments that can only be described as random. But chic-random, rather than random-random. Racks crammed with pretty greeting cards and wrapping paper means that Kaboodle stocks everything needed for last-minute-present-buying-panic. If you're looking for a present for a friend's birthday, or need some stocking fillers or mini-gift ideas, then Kaboodle will definitely have something that both you and the recipient will love. In fact, you might find it hard to give it away.

I like Nina and Risa because it's full of things you haven't seen at every other clone shop in…read moreSydney. They have patchwork loose fitting pants and skirts that are very Janis Joplin, but in a newer, Thai'er way. Yep, this shop is full of Thai handicraft imports. That means there's a good balance of figurines and toys that are both cute and atrociously tacky at the same time. There are a lot of cat sculptures with long, skinny pins for necks. I enjoyed the kid's cotton t-shirts with animals that pop out e.g. a printed elephant with floppy ears. If you're in the market for some silver jewelry, the designs are intricate and the prices are low. Come to think of it, the prices are low on everything. Much of the clothing was 15% off on the day I stopped in.

Stocking a range of Thai Handicrafts from the tacky to the elegant, Nina and Risa is a bit of a…read morelovable hodgpodge. There's some gorgeous silver Muco jewellery - earrings of tiny handmade flowers balanced on long, thin wires - and some horrible ceramic animal-headed things. No, no idea. The clothes are the same, from dreadful hippy-reject stuff to simple cotton pieces. I did spy a lovely Hmong-fabric bag, there were toys and a rack of $10 silk scarves at the front. The staff were all smiles and so was I, despite the appalling Barbara-Streisand-terminally-ill warbling on the stereo.