To the Max, while a ridiculous name, is a fantastic destination for ladies looking for a dress to…read morethe races, something to wear to the formal or just a trendy dress for Saturday night dancing. However, they also stock leather jacket, blouses and casual skirts. Yes, it is quite expensive, but you're getting really good quality labels like Sass & Bide. However the service is fairly shocking. Expect to wait around quite a while until someone offers you help. I've never been lucky enough to find anything here, but perhaps it just isn't my style. It is very trendy-wear but a touch too expensive for my liking.

Once you get past the lame name (sorry guys) this shop is pretty good. It's the only non-chain…read morewomen's fashion store on Lygon that is pitched at the younger market, and has a well-chosen selection of casual and dressy clothes and accessories. I go in the store regularly to check out the new stock - they carry a lot of the same brands you'll find in the young fashion department at David Jones, but it's a calmer environment, with helpful staff and a lot closer to home. They carry a good range of jeans - Nobody, True Religion and Mavi, and all of the dresses, tops and trousers are arranged by colour rather than brand. I find this a really easy way of picking out pieces to try on together - it's obviously a clever attempt to get you to buy more and I admit it sometimes works on me! Don't miss the jewellery in the glass counter as it's super-cute, and they've got some brands I haven't seen elsewhere.

Presence on Puckle is a delightful giftshop/variety store, with plenty to tempt you, and not just…read morefor purchasing presents!! At the moment they've a major emphasis on the spring racing carnival, with the largest range of fascinators I've seen in the North, as well as jewellery and other accessories. And if you're looking at sprucing up your kitchenware range, Presence on Puckle has you covered, with brands including Maxwell and Williams and Bacarrat. Not your usual junky giftshop, they have a spattering of almost everything gifty, but only if its of high quality. The perfect place to purchase presents for people you like, or to spoil yourself!

Melody Nelson is a great little nook of surprises, full of things you didn't realise you wanted…read moreuntil you saw that it existed. Full of little knick-knacks, thing-a-ma-bobs and trinkets, it's an especially good place to visit if you're gift shopping (particularly as it bills itself as a gift shop). The goods are sourced locally and from Europe, and range from leather gloves, dresses, fancy hats, scarves and cushions through to brightly coloured and chunky potato peelers, rainbow water glasses and cute little tea sets. It's the sort of shop where you go around making little noises of approval as you browse. It's not cheap, but also not all that expensive and the things are nice. It's always worthwhile to drop in if you're in the area.

The service is great there always happy and ready to help there selection is so good I'm really…read moreinto caligraphy and they have everything I need, there value is amazing and now it's my favorite shop thank you daiso.

I had never heard of this place until some friends at work recommended that I check it out for some…read morecheap stuff for a function at work. They mentioned the place, but I pretty quickly forgot the name. However, after wandering around the QV markets for about five minutes I finally came upon this bright pink shop, and stared at it wandering whether it was actually the discount variety store they were talking about (it looked more like a huge beauty saloon). Well, it turned out that it is, and it also turns out that these places are literally everywhere. Now that I know they exist I seem to pass one every day. Anyway, they had a pretty decent variety of things for your every day needs, however they all have this real Japanese flavour - which certainly adds to the character of this place. I definitely got to come back some time, even if only to buy some useless stuff for my house.

Every suburb needs a knick-knack/gift store that isn't naff. For Port Melbourne, Mister White is…read moreit. This designer homewares store offers the usual suspects of small furniture items, mantelpiece adornments, scarves, bags, cushions, giftcards, saltwater sandals, happy socks. If you've seen one, you've seen them all, but that doesn't mean that Mister White is not worth the trip in - it means there's a good chance if you know the type of gift or item you're after, you know that you'll find it here. Nice layout, quality products and good range across price ranges makes Mister White a cut above the competition on Bay St.

Mister White has a really lovely range of gifts and homewares and I used to shop here whenever I…read morehad to find a unique birthday present. I purchased a homeware product for myself though and when I got it home it just wasn't right for the space. I had spoken with the assistant when I was purchasing and she had said that I could bring it back if it wasn't right. I returned the product the next day, expecting that I could get a refund. I was told however that they won't refund any products - only a store credit. Whilst the woman I spoke to when I purchased it did not specifically say I could have a refund, it definitely wasn't made clear that it would only be a store credit. The assistant I spoke to when I was trying to return the product was also quite rude during our entire interaction. Given they are a homewares store and that some of their products really need to be placed in situ to see if they are really right, their store policy seems quite unfair. In any case, if that is the store policy they wish to enforce then they could make it a lot clearer before purchase. A small sign near the register doesn't really suffice. For this reason I won't personally be shopping there again as it's a deal breaker for me. It is a real shame though as they have the potential to be great.

This sweet little women's clothing store is worth ducking in to if you're looking for a new dress…read moreor outfit that is new but vintage inspired. Each rack is colour coordinated - great for if, like me, you realise that waaay too much of your wardrobe is navy blue and perhaps you should check a different section! The store is very pretty and whimsical in style. In addition to clothes, there's lots of little gifts, jewellery and home decorations.

Such a great concept store with amazing selection of goodies. Highly recommend visiting…read moreTheSuperCool.

Previously a pop-up shop appearing at all good hipster design markets, The Super Cool has taken up…read morepermanent residence in the SO:ME space at South Melbourne Market. It's a good place to find gifts, with an interesting selection of books, home wares, baby gifts, candles, crockery etc. If you've been looking at Pinterest boards of hipster weddings, they can sort you out here too with dedicated wares like wedding sign posts and mason jar glasses. Some will find it overpriced and tragic, but it's all in good fun and the staff are lovely. Worth a sticky beak if you're at the market.

Tucked in the very corner of Hamilton Place, one wonders how it can have been going for so long? I…read moreguess op-shops stay, even if by sheer will alone. It's hard to spot this one, at the very end of a strip of shops that flew off the side of the square. And it's so tiny that everything has been crammed in. Best thing? The 30 cent book basket out the front. Thirty Cents. Everything is cheap, good place to go for an emergency jumper or raincoat or creative gift. Last time I was there I saw a really beautiful mobile for only a few dollars. Put some effort into looking and you might just be surprised!