If you're big on accessories and love to carry the latest fashion bits on your body, then…read moreAccessorize is one of the best places to visit in town to seek exactly what you desire. There are actually two of these branches in the city centre, with the other in Liverpool One - both of which aren't too dissimilar. This shop sells everything you could imagine such as affordable jewellery, scarves and bags. It is a mecca for young girls as one would generally expect and is almost like walking into a sweet shop because everything is appealing, shiny and colourful with no shortage of any particular item. The window displays feature enough to tempt the young at heart! Accessorize is a well stocked and up-to-date shop that is ideal for buying little feminine treats.

I'm not really into fashion jewellery but if when I want something a bit different then I go to…read moreAccessorize. They have a huge range of jewellery which is displayed clearly in sections of themes and colours, making it easy to find the perfect item. They have an excellent range of items for the holidays such as sunglasses, sarongs, hats and bags. They are not the cheapest you will find in the city centre but they are of a good quality and will last longer than cheaper alternatives. The staff are friendly, welcoming and very helpful. They are more than happy to suggest something for you if you are a bit lost in the massive choice available here.

This place seems far too tacky for its location and I was shocked really by the poor quality of…read morewhat was on offer. Rather than being a classy accessories shop Annabel's resembled a bric a brac store with tat everywhere and really odd items such as ladies bras right next to all of the jewellery. This place certainly isn't expensive and I can see why, the quality is poor and people simply wouldn't pay high prices for the stuff they are pushing. The decor here is poor and tacky also and this really embodies everything about this place. I went here with my girlfriend and she too was not impressed by the large selection of cheap jewellery they had on offer. The staff are average and do nothing to want to make you return here and I would suggest that you do not visit this establishment.

The shop has the logo 'your husband called, he said to buy anything you want'. When I spoke to my…read moreman, he said this absolutely wasn't the case - they were lying! Anyhow, Annabel's accessories has really enticing prices, cheap, cheap and more cheap. There is a sale on at the moment on a whole range of their products. For instance, two men's ties for £5. The quality of the ties weren't that great though and not sure how long they would last. The shop is a bit like Claire's Accessories but perhaps with a few more random things like bras and watches. There is enough jewellery in the shop to sink a canoe, not really my type of jewellery but I am sure some of my friends would go a bundle on it.

Lipsy is a lovely little store, situated in the midst of the Liverpool ONE development. They have a…read morelovely range of clothing which is fashion conscious and a little bit different to the high street stores. The stock is organised well and the shop is clean and tidy. There is usually a good range of sizes out on display and if your size isn't there the staff are happy to go and check if they have it in the back, usually returning with the right size for you. They have a nice range of accessories which are of a high quality compared to some of the cheaper high street stores. The staff are friendly and helpful and know what they are talking about when it comes to fashion. Lipsy isn't as cheap as some places but the clothes are of a good quality and they do last for a long time. This is a great shop for something for a special occasion, or just a treat.

Lipsy is a store which is dedicated to taking female fashion from the catwalk and transforming it…read moreinto something affordable and ready for the high street. I enjoy the ideal of this kind of place as they are trying to make something inaccessible for the average joe accessible and affordable and this is a valued service for a fashion conscious city such as Liverpool. The value here really is good and the quality of the clothes is not to be scoffed at as some of the pieces could be mistaken for designer labels and this is exactly the effect that the stores owners are trying to achieve. This store is smart and classy yet accessible and this is something which is too rare these days and as such this place deserves a nod of recognition.

I walk past this little, seemingly ever-shifting entry to the Petticoat Lane Arcade on Bold St,…read morewithout ever being able to find my way back to it, however, you would seriously be missing out if you didn't find yourself wandering up to the extravangant pillared entrance of Hope and Winkle. A vintage store that is an eclectic mix of old and new, it's like rooting through your grandmother's jewellery boxes but with quirky contemporary touches. Each dresser is artistically set up with items from brooches to elegant feather hair clips and with a wide range of prices to suit all bank balances this is a little British gem of the traditional with a twist. Each piece is an eccentric and fun, up-to-date antique (oxymoron if I ever saw one!) that looks as though it's been handed down and needs to be treasured! Also, if you're a vintage hoarder get onto their facebook page 'Hope and Winkle Vintage' for frequent updates on offers you wouldn't want to miss out on!

Hope and Winkle Vintage is less a vintage shop and more a shop of upcycled, repurposed jewellery…read moreand accessories. Items are made from vintage and found jewellery, buttons, and bits and bobs. According to their brochure the shop offers "an inventive British lifestyle and accessories brand inspired by traditional English heritage, the 1940's austerity and the elite aristocracy." Think Accessorize without the guilt factor, and with a one-of-a-kind flare. These items are handmade to the highest quality by a small business owner, and you won't find the same items anywhere else. I was very impressed by the collection of pretty rings for sale. I guess I kind of have a fetish for finger rings, so when I see truly unusual ones, especially affordable ones, it makes me happy. Whether you like big, sparkly bangles, or cutesy ladybugs, birds, and turtles, there is something here for you to deck out your fingers in style. You'll also find vintage and upcycled necklaces, bracelets, broaches, tea cup candles, hair clips, earrings, headbands, watch straps, and much more. To see tons of photos, visit the fan page on Facebook by searching for Hope and Winkle Vintage. But as with visitors to Little Red Vintage, also on Bold Street, you are going to have beat me back here if you want the good stuff. What a great shop!

I am a bit of a connoisseur of fancy dress, but tend to steer away from fancy dress shops,…read morepreferring to make my costumes myself. Obviously, not everyone can be bothered to do the same, and dressing up is one of those British traditions that seems particularly prevalent in Liverpool - on any given weekend you can find girls in tutus and guys in capes. Most of the time it's either university- or stag/hen do-related, although some girls honestly think going out in a tutu or corset is fashionable... Smiffy's is ideal for last minute dressing up needs, or, in my case, if doing a stage show and you realise the costume department is somewhat lacking. However, I find it quite pricey for the mass-produced stuff it offers. Ok, the prices vary, and maybe I'm fussy because I'm more of a DIY person, but still. Especially specialist stuff, like Snazaroo makeup, but then I guess you pay special prices for special stuff. I don't mean to be negative, because this really is a good shop and they have a huge variety of products. A definite life saver if in dire need of fancy dress.

When you walk down Bold Street, it is often hard not to notice the red shop that is Smiffy's. It…read morecertainly does stand out and thats what it needs to do for all those planning a fun night out. In the display window, there is usually the 'pick of their bunch' costumes that tend to be humerous and eccentric which is what most fancy dresses are supposed to be like! Inside the store, they have further seductive and contoversial costumes, other odd items and joke products. Smiffy's is a popular place with students as one would expect and I can remember a big queue on Halloween day last year. This would be the primary source to lend that ideal costume but be prepared to pay an often pricey cost.

Well my expertise in the area of handbags is limited and exposure to them less so I will grant you…read morethat, so I can deal with this review in a purely objective and measured way but how can you girls seriously wish to spend this much on a handbag and/or purse! To be fair the shop is as bright and inviting as you would expect from the new units in the Peter's Lane development and the staff were as friendly and pleasant as you can be to a bewildered and out-of-his-depth young man in this scenario. What I could gather is that they have a lot of handbags and purses with little dogs on them - not sure what the significance of that is although understanding as I do that women tend to stuff as much crap as they can within their hadbags maybe it is some sort of seal of approval to let you know should you wish you can even get a small dofg in here.

Radley is a little shop in the heart of Keys Court which sells a cute range of fashionable products…read moreand accessories including wallets, purses and luggages. There was one particular suitcase I spotted which I thought was quite an innovative design because it had flexibility for manoeuvring in all positions but it did cost around £60 and wasn't the biggest of luggages. However, this is still a great shop for the odd gift or treat as it doesn't fail to catch the eye plus the quality of material is decent. Since the area is quite spacious, this gives you plenty of breathing space when there are more customers present. Also, there is always a friendly member of staff willing to assist and greet you. You couldn't really ask for much more for an elegant and charming shop like Radley. Even though prices are a little moderate, I would recommend the shop for its quality and uniqueness.

The Olivia Divine jewellery shop is brand new to the Grand Central shopping centre (as of June…read more2010.) But despite being newly set up, I have to say they are fabulous. This, along with Miss Millie, is one of the best vintage jewellery shops I have seen in the whole of Liverpool. There is such an amazing variety, and so much stock artfully displayed in such a small space. Everything for sale here is either vintage, handmade, or reworked jewellery. You will not find any of the garden variety costume junk you would see for sale in Primark or H & M. This is the kind of shop where you find yourself standing in the middle of the room wondering what to look at because it's all so pretty. Granted, some of it's gaudy, but that's vintage jewellery for you. And there are plenty of more delicate and feminine items as well. I spied some neat rings made from vintage buttons and polished stones, as well as tons of necklaces, earrings, broaches, you-name-it. The shop owner is very friendly. I highly recommend this shop.

Being a male, it is not often I walk into a shop like Quarters but it does remind me of a similar…read moreshop that is Accessorize. So, if you have been to Accessorize before then you can easily imagine what Quarters is like. There are actually mere differences if you compare the two shops; an obvious one is that Quarters sells mini bikinis which noticeably are for younger girls, therefore the shop does tend to attract the much younger generation. In terms of the products they have, you can find anything from bracelets, Venetian decorated hairbrushes to beady necklaces and fashionable scarves. It is apparent that prices are generally cheap here so it is a great place to shop for a few little gifts. I wouldn't be able to comment on the quality as I've not bought anything from here but for the reasonable prices, you can't really argue too much about quality. Here is more about quantity for you to add to your shiny jewellery collection!

Do you need a hair band? Are you in the market for a cheap retro-looking watch? Found yourself in a…read morefix for some fancy dress accessories? Then try Quarters. One of the few places propping up the almost derelict Clayton Square shopping centre, Quarters has been offering cut price costume jewellery and accessories to the good people of Liverpool for years and years and years. Though a bit grotty looking from the outside (the signage looks like a 1970's chocolate bar wrapper) inside it's a bright, shiny Aladdin's cave of bits and bobs. Usually the stuff is more suited to costume building - lacy, feathery hair decorations if you're going as a 1920's flapper, dangly plastic necklaces if you're going as an Egyptian princess - but, my female friends and relatives inform me, some of the items are good enough to wear out and about (and cheap enough that it doesn't matter if they break). The stock here is constantly being renewed so visits only a week or so apart will turn up completely new accessories, this does though mean that if you see something you like you should pick it up before someone else does. There have even been a number of occasions where Quarters have stocked items that have been a bit ahead of the curve - they sold dangly Sherpa hats before anywhere else really started to and I recently picked up a gold-coloured analogue watch for £5 from here which looked almost identical to a £35 example from Urban Outfitters. Great stuff.

You've probably seen the big grin and cool hat at a jaunty angle on flyers around town or on the…read moreA-board sat outside the easily missed Petticoat Lane Arcade, and let me tell you the man behind the hats is just as chipper in the flesh. It seems a bit much to have a whole shop dedicated to hats but really when you enter the small space and see the huge range on offer and realise how many you are likely to see on the street outside it's no wonder that this has become Hatz B4U Assk's second store within 5 mins from each other. Now I'm no hat expert - just follically challenged - but I'm sure that the good folks here couldn't find anymore hats to fill their shelves they have everything from more practical baseball caps, flatcaps and nepal hats to the slightly more outlandish cowboy hats and fedoras. Defo something for everyone.

Ten out of ten for marketing on this place, there is a Rastafarian, a long haired musician or a…read moreJustin Bieber look alike waiting outside this shop every day handing out flyers. However, one must question how many people actually need a hat, and how many people will actually take note of the flyer that urges them to come and view the hat collection. They sell a wide range of barnet holders in here, from beanies to baseball caps and everything in between. The prices seem average for hats, maybe a little overpriced due to the niche market that Hatz Before u Ask caters for. However, they are a friendly bunch and they empathise with people like me who have huge heads and look like a repeat offender whenever they wear anything on their head other than a Stetson.

Looks may look like a lookalike for the room where they filmed the Saw movie series, all unhealthy…read moreneon and depressing grey wall tiling but it, in truth, the best place to get hold of cut-price luggage or bags in Liverpool. If you're going away for a weekend on a budget flight and you need a suitable sized hand-luggage holdall (which Ryanair define as 55cm by 40cm by 20cm and Easyjet define as whatever you can comfortably carry and will fit into overhead storage) to live out of for the next few days then look no further than Looks. I got one here for less than £10 which has lasted me over two years worth of back and forthing on planes. Look! If you're after some more heavy duty luggage then this is a great place to pick that up too with trolley bags of various sizes for under £20 - a snip compared to department store prices. And occasionally Look will even have some decent named brand bags from makes like Eastpak and Jansport for a fraction of their recommended pricing. Lucky you!

Looks is an independent specialist luggage shop and I kick myself for not buying my travel luggage…read moreat this shop, simply because I tend to just walk past here without bothering to notice or concentrate. Silly me, since this shop sells a terrific range of bags, suitcases and many useful accesories for all your travel needs. Not only that, but their prices are very affordable unlike some high street stores which charge the earth for something so simple. Whilst Looks may not sell brands such as Samsonite, their products by observation and random handling feels durable enough for the average traveller. The staff appear friendly and they greeted me with a smile and asked if I needed any help which I thought was considerate. I have no hesitation that this is a shop I shall consider purchasing from in the not so distant future. Thoroughly recommended.