I love a good rummage around a secondhand clothes store. You never know what gems you will find…read more Unfortunately, the few times I have been into the tiny Revamp Fashions I have never found any of these gems. The store is full of second hand clothes all in good condition and the service was OK, although not all too friendly or helpful. The worst thing about the shop was the prices. Asking $80 for a second hand pretty plain looking sportscraft dress is a bit much if you ask me. Every piece in the store seemed to suffer the same overpriced fate. There was not anything there that I would actually buy for the price they were asking. Still, I will probably keep going in just in case that hidden gem unearths itself. After all there is no harm in browsing.

You must come and have a look if you love labels, fashion history and second hand. They specialize…read morein buying labels and have them neatly assembled in this awfully cute and tiny store. The owner herself reminds me of Meryl Streep. Here I have found Leona Edmiston, Moschino, Calvin Klein, Jag, Diane von Furstenberg, Alannah Hill, Chloe... They have shoes, bags and clothes. And when you are done, go opposite to the upmarket Lifeline shop. Being your big wallet. We're not talking $10 frocks here.

What do you get for people who have everything? If you're not sure and you have some coffers to…read moresling hit up Renaissance Luxury Collections at Chermside Shopping Centre. The have all types of classic European designs from lamps to doll, from frames to pen sets. It's a store that has a class about it without being too demanding on the hip pocket. My parents who love this place and recommended me to go there when I was unsure of what for family friend's birthday. Looking around I had no idea of what to get but the sales manager Hao was a great help. She asked me about the person I was buying for and the money I had, tried to get me thinking on what my friend liked as collectables. Then finally we found a beautiful ink pen set with quill and pot. When he opened his present we was amazed and thankful and told me it was one of the most original gifts he had ever received.

This is a pretty crazy, quirky gift store that has a pretty even mix of stuff I love and stuff I…read morehate. I do love the stationary, the pens and some of the lamps. I hate the statues and find the dolls pretty freaky. A little hit and miss but the staff are lovely and they often have good sales, so definitely worth a look.

When I need some small implement for the kitchen like a spatula or vegetable peeler, I always look…read morein Homes Mart before going into Coles as it's bound to be far cheaper. Of course, if I'm looking for something that I want to be good quality, I avoid both and go to a proper kitchen shop. But Homes Mart does the trick when it's just something small you need. It's also a good place to look for fancy dress and craft items like crepe paper, pipe cleaners, glitter, sequins etc. It's a discount store, not a place to shop for good quality long-lasting things, but it's handy to have in this shopping centre with Coles. It's always kept pretty tidy and staff are eager to help you find what you're looking for.

I know this place may look a bit dubious to some, but coming…read morehere so often has given it an endearing quality in my eyes. This place is like the miscellaneous drawer in your kitchen, if you need it it will most likely be lurking in here. Growing up with a great love of discount stores and $2 shops means I also find it very hard to part with my cash if I know I can get a good bargain elsewhere. So! whenever party times are looming or I need a Halloween mask in February, I boycott the evil clutches of Coles and come to Homesmart. These guys seriously have it all novelty cigarette lighters, streamers, pipe cleaners, rain ponchos laundry baskets, gift boxes, spatulas, greeting cards and a buttload more. Next time you are in need of a vegetable peeler or an inflatable party hammer, I recommend giving these guys a go.

LARGE souvenir shop on Queen Street…read more Tacky? Yes. Postcards? Yes. Boomerangs? Yes. T-shirts, magnets, stuffed kangaroos and koalas? Yes, yes, yes and yes. Obligatory UGG boots? Of course. Plus dozens and dozens of other items you never knew you needed or wanted. Staff was friendly. Location was convenient.

I went shopping with a friend from overseas. We stopped by Tourist House to have a look. As I…read morewandered around while my friend tried UGG boots on, I noticed they sold Golliwogs (aka golly dolls, golly), the dark skinned doll, with clown-like red lips and frizzy black hair. There was a collection of them sitting in a woven basket by the entrance. It is rare to find places that sell this type of doll these days and I thought it looked a little out of place in this souvenir shop. Or was it? Despite this odd encounter with a doll popular in the 60's, we found the store useful and my friend successfully purchased a whole heap of things. One of which, includes her beloved UGG Australia boots which she praises for being half the price here, compared to overseas. An insightful souvenir shopping trip.

When I was young, my seamstress mother took me to Lincraft all the time. While she would pick up…read morebits and pieces, I would unravel beautiful lengths of cloth and artistically drape them over my lanky body into a sophisticated toga. Chiffon, Georgette, Satin, Silks. Back in those days, Lincraft had the best and most beautiful range of fabrics. Sadly, those days are gone. These days they resemble Riot Art and Craft with a fabric section. While the adult crafts such as quilting, knitting and embroidery are still catered for, there's been a definite push for kids craft lines. There are beads, stickers, paint-by-number kits, you name it. Sadly, it seems to be just a case of meeting the changing market which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It seems aspiring seamstresses will just have to broaden their repertoire to include bead jewellery and painting.

Lincraft for me has always been one of those art and craft shops that you know you can get a good…read morerange of products of a good quality. At the moment my creativeness is leaning to knitting which means I'm loving the bargin bins of balls of wool and the wide range of textures, materials and price levels. They also have a great range of patterns. When my creativity takes me in different directions I can explore this two story store and choose from fabrics, embroidary, quilting, clothes patterns, curtains, art materials... the list is endless. I don't find Lincraft to be the cheapest option out there but they are reasonably priced and stock a great range of brands. My only other criticism is that I find the service to be patchy and often wait up to 10 minutes for service just to pay for something. It doesn't bother me too much as I'm not a regular visitor and I know that its lunch in the city, but for speedy service I would recommend going outside the the middle of the day.

Go to Nook on a day that your resolve is as strong as steel. Don't risk a visit to this shop on a…read moreday that you're feeling remotely vulnerable - your wallet will regret it later. Michelle, the owner of Nook, has for a number of years expertly gathered a refined selection of home wares, 'knick-knacks', clothes, bags, handmade arts and paper goods in this West End abode. I want to resist this comparison, BUT, to give you context, if you're in any way interested in Etsy, Frankie Magazine, one-of-a-kinds or twee anything, Nook is and will be a delight to visit. This is my go-to store for gifts for myself, cards for special occasions, notebooks and my new favourite nail polishes by Kester Black. Be sure to say hello to the shop cat, Pedro, if you get the chance! zß

A contained delight, Nook is the quintessential cute gal on…read morethe bloc. The owners have searched high and low and stocked this little shop with a killer selection of art cards, fancy twine, cake tins, bear cufflinks, stationary spectaculars and more. Come with some greens as you'll find it hard to leave without some Paper Boat Press ornaments (or ALL the nifty Pannikin goodies on display.) A veritable feast for the eyes, It's the perfect little nook to get your cute fix.

Just like supermarkets in foreign lands, dollar shops are an endless source of fascination; gadgets…read moreyou didn't think you needed until you saw it dangling in front of you for shrapnel and other randomness that can only be found in the depths of these types of stores. As a Yelp CM planning events for y'all, a dollar shop is a gal's best friend and with a shopping list with 'Feather Boas' at the top, Direct Savings in Stones Corner came up trumps. I grabbed one in every colour of the rainbow. They've extended their premises since I was last here but that's just more room for wonderment. Most things are $10 and under and from kitchen gadgets, stationery, party costumes and party decor you're every cheap-ass need is covered here. Heck, I even picked up a $5 iPhone case that screams - I just don't give a damn what my iPhone case says about me anymore. Walk in for a gander and come out loaded with cheep and cheerful treasures!

Well its one of the most useful shops around theses days. From sunnies to party stationery homes…read morewares . I normally grab a coffee from and pop in there for a short visit . Friendly service. Also the iphone cables works wonderful for around $5.99 , same as the quality you get from the professional stores . Cards and bags are plenty. Hardware are the best range within the area. Hooks sticky ones perfect for the house. Although the front doesn't look big. Inside is huge.

I walked into The Trading Circle with trepidation. It's immediately evident from the store signage…read morethat this shop, established by a non-profit company to support women in poverty, has the potential to be quite expensive. I can't think of a better reason than charity for supporting Paddington's higher prices when it comes to non-essential shopping, but I was surprised to note that merchandise here was far from overpriced. Not only were the prices reasonable, the merchandise spans a large range of trinkets, gifts, toys, clothing and jewellery - the perfect place to pick up a gift or a treat for yourself. I bought a beautiful blue beaded bracelet for $4.50 - the packaging contained a picture of the child who made this particular bracelet, her name and other personal information. Such jewellery is made by children suffering from AIDS or are exposed to conditions of poverty where AIDS flourishes. All of the hand-made goods here are ridiculously gorgeous and well-crafted. One section of the store reminded me of a hippy store, with colourful knapsack-style bags, purses and pillow cases lining the aisles. (However, the quality was clearly much, much better than your standard hippy store.) Another section, featuring hand-made soft toys such as clowns, clocks and other critters reminded me of a toy shop. Yet another part had me drawn in for a good ten minutes - the jewellery selection. Here are some absolutely gorgeous earrings, totally unique and respectable in price (around $25 a pair and sturdily made). The store also sells cards, home ware and coffee, tea and chocolates. The staff are friendly but not pushy - the perfect combination. There is also a free gift-wrapping service as an Xmas bonus. This is one of the best places to shop in Paddington. I have to admit I was very surprised by how much there was to see here, how unique the merchandise was and how perfectly the Good Shepherd Sisters have pulled together this store. I'll be coming back again soon for some last-minute Xmas shopping, for sure. And it certainly won't be the last time I'll be coming here.

The Trading Circle is a fantastic initiative set up by the Good Shepherd Sisters. Their mandate is…read morehelping women trade out of poverty and they do this by focussing on helping women in poverty stricken areas set up micro enterprises, usually with a community focus. So what does this mean for you? In this one spot you can find a wealth of unique, quirky items that not only feel good to own, but feel good to buy. This store is particularly good for anyone buying for kids (think beautifully crafted toys and clothes), however it's also a great shop for homewares and gifts. The items you buy at this store are not only beautifully crafted, they are also helping women across the world AND have the added benefit of novelty. Your gift will not be the same as anyone else's and you can feel a wee bit smug that your money went to a good cause instead of feeding big corporations. They also have a great range of Christmas decorations, and during December are open from 10am - 2pm on Sundays to help with the demand.