I was walking past Boston in Randwick and in the window I saw the bag I had to have, I know I sound…read morelike such a girl, but I really did need one. It was a crease textured grey satchel, very stylish. Boston offers an eclectic mix of men's casual and formal wear ranging including suits, ties cufflinks, leather shoes to Sneakers, T shirts and Jeans. I really liked some of the t shirts particularly the Botteva (a brand with which I am unfamiliar) shirt in the window featuring a dark reddish apple and the work "temptation", but unfortunately $69 is more than I wanted to spend on a shirt today. The shop has an interesting set up too, rather than having the typical cash register counter, they have an Italian leather lounge at the entrance of the shop with a computer sitting on leather- lined chest. I probably shouldn't have bought the bag, but I like it.

I think it's really hard to find a good bootmaker these days - seems as if it is a dying trade. The…read moreexception to this is Master Shoe Repairs in Northbridge. If you have a pair of shoes that need a new life then this is the place to take them. I usually take my new shoes here to get a sole which is always done with such precision. I also have a pair of boots which have been rescued more than a couple times by these guys meaning I've got now three winters instead of one out of them. Their craft isn't necessarily limited to shoes either - I had a tired leather bag that I got dyed which brought it back to life for another season. The service is always friendly here - they'll go out of their way to try and do something to a specific time frame if you need it. Overall it is a pleasure to do business with these guys - I highly recommend them.

Palm Beach Shoes is like a candy store for me. See all the delicious pretty colours! It's one of…read morethose "permanent sale" stores that one can always wander in and find a serious bargain at. Balancing my proper use of the "one" pronoun by ending my sentence with a preposition? Yeah I roll like that... anyway back to shoe candy... Palm Beach gets packed with bargain hunters from the Paddington Markets across the road on Saturdays, as do all the shops on this strip, so it can be a little hard to find a spot to try on whatever delight you've picked up, but if Saturday is the only day you can get here it is still well worth a look in, even just to marvel at how they fit so many shoes into a pretty tiny shop- the window display says it all.

There are times in life when you come across somewhere that's so special, all you want to do is…read moreshare it with the world! Helllooo Yelp! Yes, Palm Beach shoes is truly the mecca of shoes. I don't know how they've managed it but they've got pretty much one of every shoe that's in fashion right now. Sandals, pumps, wedges, heels, boots in every size colour and shape. My friends and I literally went mad. And what's more...not many of them were over $100. Absolute bargain. My only criticism would be that the shop is absolutely tiny! We found it a bit of a scrum, and I tripped over people far more times than is socially acceptable!

We came for rain boots and couldn't find any. Inquiry let us know that they do have boots, but we…read morewould have to wait our turn. It's a very busy place that could use more employees. It is a great place for kid's shoes of all other kinds. Great set up for fitting shoes. Kids sit on high steps against the wall so a staff member can measure them and fit the shoes. Kinda like Best Buy in the States-- you have to make an appointment. Unfortunately, due to heavy rains here in Australia for the last two weeks, there were no boots left in the size we needed. On to the next store!

We recently purchased a pair of tap shoes for my daughter. We were able to customize the shoe with…read moredouble soles and our choice of taps at a price that is less than the price for customized shoes in the US. The quality and workmanship on these shoes is amazing! It is difficult to find a high quality product in our day and age and these tap shoes show a fine craftsmanship that you just don't see anymore. I live in the US and Salvio's is in Australia but their customer service was outstanding! I communicated regularly with "Cathy" about my order and she was very responsive and helpful. I am so unaccustomed to actually receiving quality customer service from an actual person and not an automated service or a call center located off in some distant land. It was great! I highly recommend this company and product.

Salvio's is old school in the truest sense. A family run business since 1881, the Salvio's have…read morebeen manufacturing dance shoes for generations. The shoes are simple and hand made of impeccable quality. The business started off in Melbourne and I the twenties moved to Sydney. Their humble store doesn't look like it has changed much since then, but it is not the décor that makes this business successful. It is the calibre that they adhere to that makes the shoes special. It probably helps that in the last couple of years, the Ballet Flat has made a comeback. I purchased a couple of pairs and I still want that list to grow. Their website states that they have too many colours to list! They do a Toe Capped Ballet Flat in two tones. Also, a lace up shoe in suede or patent or plain leather. There are a million decisions to be made in Salvio's each of which will define your very own bespoke shoe. This truly is a store from a bygone era where stuff was made of quality and craftsmanship.

H&M is to the British what Tim Tams are to the Aussies in that everyone loves em. H&M has landed to…read moreAustralia and Macquarie Centre places host. The store isn't as big as the Melbourne one though but still offers two levels. One level is the ladies clothing and the second level is split between kids and men's. They aren't offering homewares like the Melbourne store does. They have some good options for men and the quality is better then what you are going to get for a similar price in the likes of Cotton On. I stocked up on some much needed items to get me through the winter months. Overall the store is a miniature version of what H&M offers and they are due to have a CBD store at the end of 2015 which will be a similar size to the Melbourne GPO store.

So here's the thing: I'm a big ol' H&M fan. A big one. Whenever I go overseas I hoard and pillage,…read moreI drop plastic like it's poison and rack up debt like the housing bubble never happened. Maybe I've just been spoiled by the giant flagship San Fransisco store which has the world's biggest mens section (men: the forgotten sex, who get about 1/10th the fashion women normally do), and there's some pretty schweet new athletic range, but what I really wanted was the experimental range, the avant-garde stuff with long asymmetrical T's, zips in weird places, stretched necks, all that kind of thing. And the nicer suit-y garb, the wool jackets and cream suits and such. But most of it is like a glorified Cotton On, sadly. And where's the big homewares section that Melbourne gets?! It's super cheap though, which is great. I'm holding out for the CBD store. That has to have all the cool stuff, surely.

One rainy afternoon in Newtown I was trying to pull myself away from the shops and get my little…read morebroke self home. Try as I might to beeline past Kisu, however, I found myself lured inside by the patterns and colors, like a mosquito to a nudist colony. Admittedly, I grow tired of seeing the same exact stuff in all the shops around the city. We all know there is no shortage of flowy mono-colored blouses or faux fur jackets. It is much more rare to find a shop that has unique inventory. Kisu, though it might not suit everyone, is certainly unique. Eccentric patchwork and embroidered garments are the norm here, and the owner designs mostly everything. There is a strong Asian influence, with some frocks that resemble kimonos. I tried on an electric green dress with an A-line hem and a sequin toucan on one side. I found it to drape strangely on me, which made me wonder if focus might be more on design than on fit. However, with most prices reduced about 50%, you can probably afford to go out on a limb and nab that statement piece that will truly have people talking.

I happened upon this shop after a quick rain in Sydney this past August. I don't know about you but…read moreif I get caught in the rain without the right clothing my senses start working overtime and easily pick up on each window dressing that comes into focus. As I approached KISU a dark blue coat was in the doorway. The color was stunning but more than that was the execution. This was a well crafted coat! it was also a brave article with small embellishments like hand made buttons and topstitching to name a few that let anyone that cares about these things say "someone took their time with this!". When I then looked at the price I was flabbergasted. It was practically a give away. Log story short, I bough the jacket. The sales person was lovely and said that there were extra buttons that went with the coat but she didn't know where they were. I told her I was around and could come back tomorrow. Fast forward to showing up at the store and meeting one of the two owners - Adrien. He was very accommodating and got the buttons from a slew of buttons he and his wife had made. While he was gathering the right buttons, I found myself finding more reasons to shop more than leave. So, 10 items later I found 2 skirts and a dress that are now making my coat from the previous day part of a KISU family. Each item was unique and I was so pleased with the way the clothes fit me. I love these clothes. Wearing something that is well made makes me feel loved. From my conversation, I am not sure how long the storefront will remain where it is but I know they will continue to make thoughtful pieces of clothing. Check it out if you are in the neighborhood... you won't regret it.

If you're in the market for some $200 trainers or an $80 t-shirt, this is your huckleberry…read more How kids these days afford clothes is beyond me, but then again I've recently made the transition from club rat to curmudgeon so my understanding of the world I left is pretty much null and void. It's pricey, there's no getting around it, but there's some pretty sweet gear here if you're in the market for new kicks or some bad-ass jeans. They've got all the usual suspects - Converse, Lee, Wrangler, Nike Air, Henleys (WHY Glue WHY, Henley's couldn't design their way out of a wet t-shirt contest, it demeans your whole brand). Pro tip: wait for their quarterly sales, drop some plastic and save mad bucks.

I bought some shoes there and everyone there was very nice and helpful. They was also quite patient…read morewhen I was deciding if I wanted them or not.