The day I found Sprinkle was one of true elation. Sure, I'm not exactly one to have a lot of spare…read moredosh lying around, but when it comes to truly beautifully crafted clothing it's always worth it to save out and splash out on the one that truly steals your fancy. Once you've bought one Sprinkle creation it's hard to stifle the addiction. All the clothes are locally designed by Sprinkle herself and locally manufactured, where she can keep a watchful eye on the quality, being a renowned fusspot when it comes to her precious apparel. And they are indeed precious. The emphasis is on curves and femininity, with all the clothes knowing what to skim and what to highlight. Double breasted winter coats that make you feel like a movie star from the 1950s, brightly coloured wrap dresses and tailored pencil skirts are a few of her more notable design staples, but the collections are all unique to that season. The fabrics are all high quality, and there's always splashes of bright colour and texture in each collection. All the designs are made on a very limited run, and for some there's only one garment made in each size. Each season/collection has its' own unique theme and influence, eg. classical Japanese during this last winter, and 1950s cocktail hour for the summer of 2011/2012. The staff are all enthusiastic, professional and well informed about the designs, and will never try and sell you something that you don't feel comfortable in or that isn't quite you. The prices are exactly what you'd expect for locally designed and produced clothing, so it's certainly not accessible to absolutely everyone, but if you can afford it or can afford to get saving, the clothes are definitely worth it.

Its stores like Chitra's Closet that make you really appreciate clothing. Billing its wares as…read more"Beautifully handcrafted, whimsical and romantic" on its website, the store caters to women from sizes 8-14, although the sizes are made to be more generous than in most retail outlets. Local Melbourne designer Chitra Mangma has a declared love of classic styles and flattering waistlines to suit the traditional female shape, with the requisite modern twists thrown in. However, it is a little ambiguous sometimes as to whether all the clothes would flatter all kinds of curvaceous women. There're always a lot of bright colours and prints featured each season, and most of the clothing is interesting and distinctive. It's all in the details: good fabrics, the odd bit of hand stitching. However, since it's locally made and designed the prices are in the couple to several hundred dollar bracket, which has thus far prevented me from acquiring anything for myself. But given the timeless nature of the designs and the love with which the clothes are made, there'd be a lot of women willing to save up for an item or two each season or year. There's a good range of accessories on hand. The shop itself has a quaint 1920s-30s feel that's almost like an older-style perfume shop mixed in with a Beatrix Potter novel. The service is low key and unobtrusive, so you don't feel pressured. Chitra's Closet is a shop for people who truly appreciate their clothes and want to invest in feeling good in what they wear.

Phoebe Angel is a glorious, affordable women's fashion store, following all the latest fashion…read moretrends coming in from Asia. Long socks, mini skirts, long fur coats and feminine trenches and military style coats in blacks, whites and pinks. Lace dresses, crochet tops, mini dresses and maxis. It truly is a haven for any girl (or twenty something woman) who loves the latest, pretty lacey trends at prices you can afford.

Very very new and very very nice. The group behind the place…read moremanufacture small to large scale garments for others. even to the extent of design mentorship to help others navigate the complexities of the fashion industry. NMBQ is their own label with an African twist. The selection of mens is a little non-existent outside printed tees, but the fabric here and the women's clothing is amazing. The colours of the repeat patterns are all reds and greens and earthy ones in the mix. And what makes it even better is it's all printed and put together in Brunswick. You can see the sewing machines out the back! The fabric used for the NMBQ range is 100 % recycled as fabrics are acquired from non traditional sources. The people here are very adamant that they will not be contributing "to the continuing production of new fabrics as the world is a wash with fabrics from previous seasons." Well worth a look in.

The clothes I have seen here are the most exciting I have seen outside a fashion exhibition. I wish…read morethe business every success and wide publicity, original, fun, funky, fashionable, colourful designs.

Much, much more than just ok, OK OK are a boutique fashion store catering to the laid-back but…read morestyle-conscious urban dresser with a social conscience. Halfway down a gorgeous, little walkway that always makes me feel like I'm on holiday when I walk along it, OK OK stands out in all its pure whiteness. You might also be drawn in by a rack of clothes placed just outside the store, very enticing indeed. The OK OK look is relaxed, sportswear-inspired pieces teamed with a basics range, all made Melbourne, and mixed with international design-directed pieces. Strictly speaking, boys' stuff is upstairs and girls' stuff downstairs, but the styles are deliberately unisex so its worth checking out the whole shop.

OK OK is an Melbourne based fashion label founded in 2007, with the aim to create Australian-made…read morebasics. The retail space is the extension of le internets and web store. The old wives tale about the label is that the stockings and hosiery is made in Brunswick close by, from what also runs as a compression bandage factory! Absolute madness aside, every attempt is made to keep the goods' origin south of the equator. The space itself is a two floor masterpiece. found in the quaint pedestrian lane named Sparta, the shop appears rather quietly in black and white. When you open the door the first thing you notice is the shallow nature of it. You can see the back wall easily, and your eyes are drawn to the staircase off to one side. Upstairs the le mens, downstairs is le womens. Many of the fits are unisex, so don't feel precious about checking out the whole store. The quality of goods is amazing - tops and bottoms aplenty with accessories and shoes in the mix as well. Those found behind the counter are delightfully helpful in talking about the pieces and helping chose (and helping you walk away with less money than you began with), and if the conversation lasts long enough will offer some insight into the nightlife of Brunswick and Melbourne. They're so nice they helped us book accommodation with a friend of theirs in Tasmania! Best shoe shopping trip EVER!

A great shopping mall! This place has really picked up over the years! Lots of amazing shops! A…read moreplace to get some great buys! I go here often for my lunch break and head back to work with bags of shopping. I just can't help it. There is always new shops and new items to buy! Omg I love sales racks! :-)

This is a bit of a tricky one to review as there is pretty high store turnover so if anything I…read moremention here appeals, check online that it's still there before you visit. If jewellery is your thing and you're on a tight budget, check out Lovisa. They have a great range of classic and cool styles. Much of it is a lot cheaper than their normal stores. Thanks to their outlet, I now own more pairs of earrings than I will probably ever wear. The Cotton On outlet is enormous. In addition to the standard Cotton On men's and women's ranges, they also stock sister brand Rubi Shoes. They often have cute shoes crazy cheap eg. 3 pairs for $10 deals are not uncommon. Look out for the cute $2 tote bags too. As the normal Strandbag stores are pretty reasonably priced the savings at the outlet don't tend to be massive but it is still worth a look. The outlet has a great selection and I've always been really happy with the quality of what I brought there. If you're into stationery don't miss checking out Typo. They often have great journals and notebooks on sale. I really need to stop buying those! Trade Secret is an interesting store to have a browse in. They stock a very large range of assorted fashion and home-ware items from a range of designers. There isn't many of each particular item so it takes a bit of rummaging through the racks. Personally I haven't had much success in there but you're a size that a lot of designers like to make for you might get lucky.

Woah. I don't think I have ever seen so many clothes in the one place before. Dresses, cardi's,…read moresinglets and jackets - Clear It has it all. But to be honest, I have been inside a million and one times and never walked out with anything. You know how when you drop in to your favourite shop and they have a sale rack and although everything looked pretty a week ago, when it's on that rack it looks a little sad? That's what this whole store is... Everything looks just a little bit sad. I get that it is a clearance centre, but high-price label designers in a bargain store? It just doesn't sit well... Plus, nothing is really that cheap? Unless you consider $85 for a satin singlet cheap. My favourite section of the entire store is the 'damaged' section, where you can usually find the really good, new stuff, but perhaps a button is missing. If you are in this store, head to that rack, everything else might make you cry.

When ever I have friends in town who love a good bargain, I bring them to Clear It on Brunswick…read moreStreet. Although I have to admit that, often I end up buying more stuff than my friends. Once you've been here, you'll wonder why you ever shopped full price! Check out the massive range of samples and out of season fashion from leading brands such as Alannah Hill, Friends of Couture, Gorman, Princess Highway, Dangerfield and Black Friday. Depending on what you're looking for, you can pick up super cheap t-shirts, glamorous dresses ($50 and up) and a truck full of blouses, day dresses, jackets, scarves and hats. It's the bargain hunters dream come true - but remember it's a warehouse store, not a boutique - so you really have to look carefully and dig deep. I'd give yourself at least an hour depending how much you want to spend. The best thing about this place is, you're free to roam about without pesky sales staff following you around.