One of the many things I love about Gloucester Rd is the huge range of independent shops and…read morebusinesses. There are few other parts of Bristol where you can see fresh local talent really shouldering its way in. Just over a year or so ago now two local lads Sam and Logan started up their very own clothing label. Focussing on the growing styles of snowboard and skate clothing they've come on in leaps and bounds. A lot of the clothing designs have deep roots with local graffiti artists and as a result the prices can be a little steep. Rest assured however that this money is paying for quality and shelf life, and the money is going back to the kids that deserve it, not some fat cat corporation. As big supporters of local up and coming 'urban' music Avalaan get about, getting involved with nights out and local festivals. This is a great shop to pick up some original bits of clothing but you really get the feeling that this goes beyond just a clothes shop - it's a lifestyle.

Avalaan may specialise in sports and ski wear but they're also a great place to stock up with…read morewinter essentials. Heavy duty gloves, woollen gloves and scarves are in abundance here, and it's the perfect shop to protect yourself from the cold. This flagship store also has a great range of t-shirts, posters, shoes and jump suits. The prices are fair for the quality of the clothes, and the shop assistants always smile when you walk through their doors. A lovely shopping experience - better for boys than girls.

Cooshti is an awesome shop on Park Street that sells some really cool clothes and ranges that you…read morewon't find anywhere else in Bristol. It is probably the last really cool clothing shop left on Park Street. The style and clientele Cooshti caters for is definitely more urban that many high streets shops in Bristol. You'll find baggy jeans and some over sized t-shirts and shirts - quite unlike most shops nowadays. They also sell some seriously cool trainers which again, you'll struggle to find elsewhere in Bristol. I rarely buy stuff from Cooshti, but thats because its not really my style and unfortunately park Street doesn't have the appeal it used to for fashion/. But when I'm in the area I'll always go in and check out what they've got. It will be a sad day if Cooshti ever dropped off Park Street.

I first new Cooshti on Park Street as the best place to pick up Don't Panic packs, helicon magazine…read moreand free club flyers. It took at least three visits before discovering that there was a women's department in the back of the shop! There's many labels on display here; Nike, Levis and Diesel to name but a few, all accompanied by a designer tag. The men and women who work here all look fantastically cool and wear their stock to the best of their ability. There's a great mix of footwear, dresses, t-shirts and hoodies with the odd one-off. Sizes are fairly small (nothing above a 14) which is disappointing, and I would say it's better for boys than it is for girls. Bit too label loving for my blood, but worth a look if street wear is your bag.

This shop exists quite discreetly in a lane off Park Street. Seeing as Park Street has many…read moreclothing shops which are quite popular, every time I try to explain where Seven is, I draw blank looks. When I say, it's right next to The Woods, people usually nod and say 'Yeah, we know The Woods, but I didn't know there was anything next to it..' Well there is! A shop just bursting with flavour, style and individuality. The next time you're shopping up Park Street, or drinking at The Woods, keep your eye out for this graffiti laden shop and enter its grotto of awesome tees, caps, shoes and posters; some produced by the designers at Seven, others by independent Bristol designers and also a handpicked selection of other imports. This is just a really cool shop - small but everything in there is ace.

This place is cool…read more This shop reminds me of the little vintage/independant boutiques I used to rummage through during my time in East Berlin. You access it by walking down the stairs from the front door into a small shop area. There's pretty cool music playing and a small selection of clothes which isn't too confusing to navigate. Check out the little suitcase of vintage items right by the stairs, definitely a few cool finds in there, all for £10, and above that there are some awesome trainers. If you're looking for a designer tee, they print their own, for RRP of £25 but you can find sale ones for as little a tenner. It's a very low-fi shop; they don't even have a till, but appreciate any custom they get and are really grateful and friendly.

Dutty is an interesting new(ish) shop on Cheltenham Road. Its primarily a clothing shop and aims to…read moremix art, music and fashion, with ranges of exclusive handmade garments, hand-printed T-shirts and hoodies. They also stock a good selection of spray paints. The fashion is a little 'out there' but if you are looking for something a bit different and unique then Dutty is definitely worth a visit. The shop currently lists over 25 local designers, so if you are interested in getting some of your designs sold then get in contact with the owners. The owners (who I am guessing were art students) were pretty knowledgeable when we visited to get some spray paint. They sold a can for roughly £4 which isn't bad.

This shop always looks closed! It might be the abundance of stickers and drawings on the windows…read moreand the fact that the door is always closed, but the next time you walk by, make sure you check the sign on the door (they are mostly open most of the time!) and head on in. I really love their stock in here; they sell vintage clothes, reworked vintage, and local designer duds, and boy are they good. Prices are really affordable too; especially if they are having sales! They have a great selection of jewelery, half of what's there is handmade by the owner sitting in the store, behind the counter with a sewing machine in front of her, working on clothes and other bits throughout the day. They stock graffiti markers and spray paints too. A lovely, lovely shop that's awesome.

What do you buy for the man who has everything? This is the question I asked myself repeatedly…read morebefore my Dad's 60th birthday. Now I'm not saying my dad is Alan Sugar - he doesn't have a Rolls Royce or a monkey, but he has everything that he wants. So, there I was, traipsing around Bristol like a lost child looking for her mum when all of a sudden I saw the word "Boss" shining like a beacon of hope. What my dad needs is... another tie! Now, having not gone shopping in men's fashion stores often I didn't realise that this is where Bristol seems to keep all the handsome, helpful men. This shopping experience was certainly looking up. It was an absolute joy to have a flirt with the sexy shop assistant while looking at sophisticated ties. The prices were steep, at around £50 for a tie, but you are paying for quality and style - I opted for a classic black slim tie. They also have classic shirts, coats and accessories to make any man look fashionable and well put together.

Dulay offers a wide range of both men and women's clothes at very reasonable prices. More often…read morethat not they've got a sale on, so whatever time of year there's likely to be a bargain available. There's a large denim section on the ground floor, along with the ladieswear, whilst upstairs there's a large mens section, offering both a range of smart clothing and suits, as well as casual wear and accessories, with watches and belts at particularly reasonable prices. Denim is their main focus, and Dulay is one of the largest denim retailers in the south west. They stock all the main brands like Levi and Wrangler, but cheaper than you're likely to find elsewhere. A good team of staff (which is quite large - there's always someone available to assist) complete the package for a very good shop.

I'm not big on clothes shopping in general, not when I can save my money up for new gadgets and…read moresuch, but on occasion I find myself in desperate need of some new jeans/jumpers/socks and find myself with no option but to venture into the jungle that is high street fashion. Dulay isn't a place I'd even considered before, to be perfectly honest, but as I found myself walking past I decided to go in and check it out. They do a good range of jeans - although I couldn't find any baggy enough for my preference, there's plenty to choose from if you're into average leg widths. The staff are friendly, but not overbearing as they can be in other places and the prices aren't bad either. I didn't pick anything up this time, but I'm sure I'll head back at some point in the future.

This men's clothes shop, just on the edge of Cabot Circus, has a pretty minimal style to it, with…read moreonly a few rails of shirts, jeans and cardigans dotted about the place. A jacket here will set you back something in the region of £100 and if you're looking for a polo shirt, that'll be £50. All of the clothing is emblazoned with a small copy of the Luke 1977 logo - a British lion-type design, presumably so that everyone can know just how much money you've got. Oh and, just to be clear, the style of this place is something that I can only describe as "chav chic". Hideously auto-tuned music blares out over the shop floor and you're sure to find yourself surrounded by a bunch of guys wearing unfeasibly white trainers. No place for the likes of me.

This men,s clothes shop, just on the edge of Cabot Circus, has a pretty magnificent style to it,…read morewith only a few, we'll only one chap who obviously knows nothing about men's fashion or the history of a successful British Menswear Brand born from hard work, a great family friendship and it's loyal and ever increasing customers. Great to see a British brand being so successful and I have to say Craig's talking a load of Bull. I highly recommend Luke menswear and like 1000's of others its my first port of call when I'm after some threads. Rock on All @ Luke Love ya work.

Wandering with the 80s lycra masses is all very well, but what if you don't want to look like a…read morecomplete high street clone?? I was intrigued by this lil' vintage shop, stuffed to the gills with alternative, retro and hippy clothes and sporting a rather lovely hand painted sign. Inside, psychedelic patterns and velvet fabrics took over my brain. Denim, leather, gorgeous 60s flat boots, strappy sandals and rows of handbags. The thing they do best is hats (though not strictly a miliners). There are loads of different types from sun visors to full on Bogart hats - get the distinguished look! The guy behind the counter will give you his opinion on which one looks good, if you should so wish! What I didn't expect was the selection of retro velvet curtains on offer (I thought it was a fashion shop!!) which they'll alter on site. They come in every colour and smell a tiny bit musty - but I guess that's part of the appeal. I ended my visit with an obligatory look through the super rummageable bargain bin full of material and random clothes/tights/beaded necklaces. Needless to say, my wallet did not leave unscathed.

Up the top end of Gloucester road and well away from much other competition from vintage clothing…read moreboutiques, Billie Jean Clothes offers a dedicated service of providing clean presentable vintage clothes. The inside of the shop is pretty small, but I've always managed to find the odd vintage shirt or t-shirt in here. A lot of my female friends rave about this shop too. They're forever picking up scarves and bags here and I've managed to find the odd present after quite a lot of rifling through. If you're looking for something in particular though, make sure to ask, as the staff are really helpful and know exactly what they have in store. This is definitely a great alternative if you have exhausted the city centre vintage shops such as Uncle Sam's and Re-psycho.

An international shop which keeps on trend and often courts controversy with its t-shirt slogans…read moreand kitsch household items (for example "Go Green - xxxx a Vegetarian") - and nothing makes you cooler than being sued by the horrified establishment. Clothing style is casual and on trend, not the cheapest with t-shirts about £30, but more individual than other shops aimed at teens to twenty-somethings. Downstairs is also a selection of kitsch homewares, some rude cards and wrapping paper which is where I go to buy for certain friends, and most importantly to me the company are highly supportive of film photography. Here you will find lots of unusual frames, Diana and Blackbird, Fly lomography cameras and speciality lomo film. The company also put their considerable weight behind the campaign to bring back instant cameras with Saved Polaroid. You can also pick up coffee table books and cooler-than-thou CDs and vinyl making it a browsable shop of high proportions. You would think such a place would be staffed by hyper-cool snobs, but the girls who staff downstairs in this store are perky and smiley... as well as hyper-cool. Find the shop on the corner of Cabot Circus and the Horsefair, near the McDonald's.

Urban Outfitter is a chain that I've loved ever since stepping inside their Oxford Street store. I…read moreinstantly fell under their quirky spell with their on-trend designs and unique accessories. Now, after being open for just over a year, Cabot's Circus' branch is by far and away my favourite. Downstairs is where I tend to head (being a girl, and that being where the girl's department is) where you'll find their household accessories, women's fashions, books and cameras. They also stock a wonderful range of birthday card and wrapping paper which are sure to make even the dullest gifts look sexy. Accessorize used to be my go-to place for birthday presents when I was a teen, now it's always Urban Outfitters. Their regular seasonal sales are worth looking out for as they're filled with good stuff and there are bargains to be had.

Uncle Sam's has been here for as long as I can remember, and I do quite like it, but despite saying…read morethat, I haven't actually bought anything from here. It is a fairly small shop, a beacon to vintage lovers on Park Street. They sell records, leather wallets, jackets, 80s dresses, cut off levis.. anything vintage that pops in your head, they do have it here. You do have to dig abit to find things though, which just adds to the fun. This is somewhere I always pop by to have a browse, always expecting to find something awesome, but never really do. Maybe that is because the prices are quite steep; rising with the rise of the love of vintage fashion these days.

From the outside it looks as though Uncle Sam's is going to be the best offering that Park Street…read morehas. A classic American vintage sign, a window full of Levis and checked flannel shirts, but it's best not to judge a book by its cover. (Or a vintage clothes store by its window!) I love a bit of a rummage through piles of retro clothing, but the interesting finds here are so few are far between that it doesn't make your wait worth-while. On the whole, I find that men do better here than women with some fantastic leather jackets and belts to be had. Just be prepared to pay a hefty price for some of the better pieces. It's worth a look for die-hard vintage clothes fans, but personally I prefer to save my pennies and go rooting around Bristol's fabulous charity shops. Cheaper, with added feel good factor!