Rohan is a specialist in highly functional clothing for all climates and weather. The clothing has…read morea simple, under-stated style and doesn't shout about its careful design and technical prowess. Rohan also sells plenty of travel accessories from medical packs and luggage to insect repellent and water purifiers. This is the kind of shop you might imagine Ray Mears would visit to prepare for an expedition. Prices aren't low but this reflects the careful design and technically high-performance fabrics that are used in their products. The products at Rohan aren't fashionable or beautiful, but that's not the point... the point is that they are highly functional and durable and their simplistic design means that they will not end up looking dated, thus increasing their lifespan. From Rohan's website they seem to take environmental and social responsibility seriously. They are members of the Ethical Trading Initiative, which, though not a gold standard for ethics, at least means that their progress on implementing improvements in their factories is being monitored and they are ensuring a basic level of acceptable working conditions - more peace of mind for customers than is provided by the majority of the high street.

It's silly I know but whenever I think of this place, or walk past and see the name, it conjures up…read moreimages for me of the Riders of Rohan. It also reminded me of the game a friend and I used to play, imaginatively dubbed "The Riders of Rohan", which involved simply trotting home at full speed when drunk. Warning: this may cause broken little fingers, especially when icy. Play with caution! Anyway. I mostly think of Lord of the Rings when I see the name. Being transported away to a magical, exciting place would always make the reality seem a little less exciting, but in my opinion this isn't the only reason I found Rohan dull. I wandered in on the ever more difficult Christmas shopping expedition, tasked with trying to out do last year's gifts. A nice jumper? No. Rohan is filled with, I suppose, nice jumpers, and other outdoorsy style clothings but here is the problem. Not only are the clothes pretty grey - colour wise and excitement level wise, but they are very expensive. I can't justify buying a simple jumper, with no real oomph about it, if it costs in excess of £60. According to their website they are award winning outdoors clothes specialists. Perhaps it is my lazy-bum way of life that deprives me of the special understanding of what makes their clothes worth the buy, but I just can't see it. For now we could blame my ignorance, and say, 3 stars as the chap was particularly friendly to me. But that was it really. Good for high end outdoors style (perhaps more style over hardwearing?) clothes and shoes.

An exciting new addition to the independent label scene in Leeds, Each To their Own have opened a…read morebranch on Duncan Street, following their success of their Sheffield based flagship store. A better job could not have been done in creating an attractive decor. Exposed brickwork, boldly patterned wallpaper and dramatic baroque mirrors suggests an underlying confidence in the quality of their clothes. Catering for both men and women, the garments are mainly designed by Alex, the owner of the shop. He speaks animatedly about his passion for fashion, the love and attention he puts into making the clothes is evident. They have a funky style. There are some lovely dresses with gathered hems next to dressy racer back t-shirts; some sheer, floral camis for bed, next to some knee-skimming low crouched trousers. Originality created by independent designers does slightly increase the price of the garments, but that is an inevitable consequence. Let us unite to support local talent such as this, against the constant onslaught of chain shop mediocrity.

This little boutiquey shop is probably in a slightly unfortunate place as I have a feeling not many…read morepeople frequent that side of Duncan Street (opposite the big Oxfam). I noticed it pop up relatively recently...probably less than a year ago (though I have a poor sense of time!). It is uber fashioney and would appeal to people who like to dress in unusual and striking clothing with a unique look. It's a small shop selling both women's and men's clobber. Men's stuff seems to specialise in giant collars and unusual fastenings as well as low-crotch trousers with long ties knotted around the ankles. Women's wear features similar trousers, some in vintage-style hound's tooth and cheques (which I love) and I like this slightly unisex edge to their offering. There are also quirky little waistcoats for women featuring leather buckle fastening as well as cute freeform tartan dresses and long confusing tops that you'd have to try on to figure out. Prices are understandably higher than average high street as the shop features underground labels and fashion-forward pieces...with trousers around £80. There is a lot of attention to detail in Each To Their Own as well as a love of unusual design and eccentricity, which unfortunately is often lacking in the often brand-name centric offering of many Leeds' clothing shops.

I stumbled across Pop Boutique after visiting the haberdashery right next to it. I was surprised to…read moresay the least. Cute little woollen skirts and check shirts seemed to be the running trend. Along with lots of lurex and sparkles! A lot of the clothes here are recycled, hence their motto - recyclable fashion! The fitting rooms are plastered with cool band photos and pin ups advertising burlesque evenings. I bought a shirt and a skirt from here and can't wait to wear them. Different and affordable with lovely, polite staff. 5 stars from me!

Pop Boutique is one of that strange breed of shop that seems to market itself as a 'vintage' yet…read morestocks entirely new clothing, cut from new textiles in designs vaguely inspired by vintage clothing. There are a few genuine vintage finds in here, but they seem to be getting fewer and farther between as the stock leans more and more towards the new. Put aside any qualms over the label 'vintage', however, and you'll find that Pop Boutique is a fine addition to the pile of central Leeds clothes shops, and while its cute tea dresses and floral skirts may not be originals from the 1950s they're still different - and cheaper - than anything you might find on the high street.

I was introduced to this place recently and I think it's going to solve a lot of problems for me…read more Outwardly, it's a gorgeous little stall in the market that hosts a number of beautifully tailored items. Hand made dresses in a number of prom styles, gorgeous fabric, beautiful detailing and wonderful beading. The stall is reasonably large, so there's plenty of lovely girly items to browse, and my magpie eyes are always open to such temptation, and there's no end to the sparkle in this lovely space. But, the interesting detail for me is that the lady who runs the stall apparently has a lot of tailoring talent. I mean, that's evident from the items on display alone. But my friend, who showed me the stall, mentioned that someone she knew had given the stall owner a dress that she wanted to save and the stall owner managed to craft a perfect replica! Now, this is obviously not something I've yet to test out myself, but being one with a plethora of unfinished projects, I intend to try this out. I've so many items that need taking in, old clothes that are too far gone to save but could be made using the original as a blueprint, that I will be back... And hopefully with a whole new wardrobe!

I love this shop! The hand painted sign describes its wares as 'African and European designs'. It…read moresells a small range of clothing with a loud and colourful style. Long dresses, tops and skirts have striking prints and are embellished with lacy edges or embroidery. They also sell amazing fabrics with vibrant African prints at £20 for about 6 metres. And they have a range of rather flamboyant shoes - brightly coloured heels with long sharply-pointed toes and men's shoes which include blue snakeskin effect brogues also with long pointed toes. They also sell bags, scarves and other bits and bobs. The woman running the shop, presumably Rita, was very friendly and helpful, making me feel welcome to have a browse and answering any queries I had. This is the kind of shop that makes the market such an amazing, vibrant place full of so many different cultures and unexpected treasures!

Finding this kind of speciality store really makes me happy, especially when it's tucked out of the…read moreway, down one of the passages in the market. Unlike many of the stores, Rita's has a market and sells something you would not be able to find anywhere else in the market: African clothing and fabrics. they also sell shoes and other items of clothing, but without a doubt, my favourite part was looking at the bright colours and patterns on the african fabrics. At reasonable prices, Rita also seems lovely and helpful.

I have got literally no idea why this stall is called 'Around A Pound', as nothing is any nearer to…read morea pound in price than you'd expect it to be in a shop with a variety of different products at a variety of prices! Bizarre! But despite the illogical and clumsy name which may lead to disappointment when spying a bargainous ring only to find that it is £4.99 I think this shop manages to redeem itself! It is quite large for a shop in the market and sells a vast range of jewellery and trinkets at a reasonable if not pound-proximate price. The jewellery here is very much magpie-material with endless, jewel encrusted twinkling rings and 'statement' necklaces on display. They also sell some extremely blinging fancy dress style 'ice' with pendants including dollar signs covered in plastic gems. On top of the array of jewellery they sell cute home decorations such as Chinese lanterns and wall hangings and large butterflies made from feathers. Other wares include charming little wicker baskets and a selection of scarves in a range of colours and designs. Around A Pound is a great place to come for an affordable gift for any friends or girlfriends partial to a bit of glitz, or to find pretty bits and pieces to pimp a dull-looking room!

My Gran is one my favourite people in the Universe. Her requests put to my Mam and I about what…read moreclothes to look out for, is in turn one of the worst things in the Universe. Slightly picky would be an understated description. Let me paint the picture. The tops that she favours are not too thick, but not thin material either. The sleeves must not be too long but she hates shorter ones too. The neck must not be too far down because "the chest area is awful to see on an older person" she explains. However, high necks are out as she despises the feeling of being suffocated and the garment should never show off her bust very much. My Gran loves a bit of beading but must never have anything that daddles. I did not even know that 'daddles' wasn't a bona fide word until I moved away from home, such was the frequency of its use in such matters! I will save you the details of skirts, trousers, jackets and everything else in between. You get the picture. Myers Cardigan Shop is our new saviour. The massive list of specifications gets a proud, emerald green tick next to each one! Succinctly, if you too have a relative of the older persuasion who is a challenge to buy for, the friendly guy who runs Myers Cardigan Shop will happily guide you to present giving success.

Established over 50 years ago, this adorably quaint little shop sells mainly cardigans, with a few…read moredresses and blouses thrown in for good measure. I have a penchant for vintage clothing and I'll happily admit to being quite a fan of the 'granny look' that has recently found a bit of a following among vintage shoppers. Though not actually vintage, this shop does the 'granny look' with panache and I always find that something catches my eye whenever I walk past. With many a cutely embroidered cardie, vintage-look belted dress and beaded blouse, it would definitely appeal to ladies with a love of the vintage look. Prices at The Cardigan Shop are those you would expect in a market - cheaper than your average high street shop. Supporting an independent shop gives you a much more feel-good shopping experience than buying imitation-vintage at a high street chain...and despite not actually being vintage you get the feeling that, rather than attempting to emulate vintage fashions Myers The Cardigan Shop is genuinely stuck in the past, which is actually very endearing!

Ooooh! Bags!! Purses!!! Shiny pretty things!!!!…read more Some of you may already know that I'm a bit of a bags and accessories addict. I am trying very hard to be good and resist the temptation of splurging on new pretty things but places like Love Forever make this *really* difficult. Why? Three words. Fabulous. Inexpensive. Bags. They have a lovely range of products in the shop, from cutesy Hello Kitty purses to sparkly dressy clutch bags. They have nice bracelets, necklaces, earrings and hairbands. When it was my work's New Year Ball back in January I kitted myself out with a gorgeous silver bag and some beautiful sparkly 'silver' jewellery with lovely turquoise stones in that matched my dress perfectly. I felt like the belle of the ball and I got lots of lovely comments about it. And the best bit? It's so cheap! There always seems to be a sale on and some of the accessories are on buy-one-get-one-free so it feels like a total guilt-free treat! Well.... almost guilt free.... In fact yelping about it now has made me want to nip in after work and see what lovelies they have on offer. Shhh! No-one tell Mr MacDoo......

Whoa. It's like a magpie's dream in this wee shop. The minute you walk by, the light will refract…read moreoff a multitude of glittery, sparkly surfaces, and right into your eyes. The most obvious assortment of adornments is their varied jewellery items, which includes the gamut of bracelets, earrings, rings, brooches, hair clips, and more. I particularly loved the cuff-like bracelets, that came in all manner of colours, helpfully arranged by tone. The red display is very delightful. In amongst these cabinets of gems, all of which seemed to be incredibly reasonably priced -- if not on sale, are a variety of beautiful bags and purses to boot. Now, I'm not usually one for too much glitz (don't laugh, I have a style but it's not super super sparkly) but this spot has gotten me tempted. It was a brief venture, but an inspirational one, since even if I don't treat myself someone else is likely to be gifted. After all, dare I say it, Christmas is coming on quick... Folks - this one's worth a look.