If you haven't been to Apartment before, it can be a little task to find. On the first level of a…read morebuilding that looks like it would be filled with, well, apartments, is this men's clothing store. It was recommended to me by a friend when I said I was in a pickle finding something for my partner for Christmas. Although I didn't find anything this time I will definitely be taking him to Apartment to check it out for himself. The long thin store stock designs mostly from Japan, as well as men's shoes, magazines, hair products and cologne. The clothing is functional and funky. Don't be fooled though, they put all the small sizes on the racks but there are more at the back of the store. There's usually only one or two of the same item hung up at the same time. Despite the high prices, these are the kinds of clothes you can't really find anywhere else in Brisbane. If you are a fashion forward young man, or you have one in your life, I definitely suggest giving Apartment a look. Don't be overwhelmed with the prices, because these kinds of clothes are investment pieces that will last a life time if looked after.

Apartment is one of the only decent men's clothing stores left in Brisbane, this store is hidden…read moreaway on Charlotte street (hiding from the fast fashion peasants perhaps), and sells brands that are hard to find outside of Melbourne/in Australia. A lot of their products are imported directly from Japan; Neighborhood, W Taps, Comme des Garcons and Head Porter to name a few brands. Prices reflect the quality and exchange rates of the garments so save up your pennies and buy yourself some premium threads from Apartment.

I recommend you only shop at this store in person, and not make online purchases. The 2 stars are…read morefor my in person experience. I would give zero stars for my online retail experience. I purchased a number of items online for a trip I had in 5.5 weeks. After 2 weeks of seeing they had not yet even been sub to be shipped out, I wrote them an email. They wrote back saying they would ship my things out, but that they no longer had a number of the items in stock - and could they pick some items for me? I wish I had said no, but I agreed as long as they could get the shipment out that day. What they should have done, the professional thing to do, would have been to refund me for the items they no longer had in stock and offered to expedite my shipping. It has now been 4 weeks since I put in the order. I have not received my items. I imagine I'll receive them in a week or two, when I no longer have need of the items I ordered. The store is a cute local shop - they do not have the customer service skills to being doing retail on a global scale.

Pushing the unassuming heavy glass door on Winn St you step…read moreinto a little store called the Outpost. Now it's a little tough for me to define this space. Do I talk about the collection of Zines and Mag's I have perused here on many an occasion? The range of amazing woman's clothing I have lusted over? The art events they have hosted? Or the friendly staff I've had good chats with? it is a bit more than your average retail space. I've been coming here for a while and I love their sourced and curated collection of eclectic designs from artists around the globe. Definitely worth a gander if you are valley side!

Fallow is hidden in Cameron House, one level about the street on Brunswick Street in the Valley. On…read morewalking in, it feels like you are walking into some sort of secret society with its dark decor and taxidermy at the door. If wearing black is your thing, then Fallow is the place to shop. There was literally no colour, aside from a few white items, in the whole store. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though. Fallow isn't like a General Pants experience. The clothes are beautifully designed and made and quite unique to most other things on the market. I am particularly a fan of the men's leather wallets and the unisex jewelry in cases in the middle of the store. On Fallow's website is states to "never compromise quality for price" and I completely agree. However it's only fair that I let you all know that you aren't going to fin a bargain here. Most womenswear items range between $250-$500 so be prepared to drop a penny or two when you shop here. An amazing space full of great local and international fashion.

Only store of its kind in Queensland, Fallow is a haven for Avant Garde clothing. Carefully…read moreselected garments are showcased in their amazing store. They stock a few more well known brands such as Song For The Mute and Silent Damir Doma and a many lesser known ones. If I had the cash to burn and wanted to look like an urban ninja then I would be in this store daily.

Gold Coast's Trash Monkey have recently opened up a store in Brisbane's China Town Mall. Perfectly…read moresuited to the mish-mash of colour and style of the Valley, Trash Monkey stocks an array of vintage and alternative clothing. The store has been nicely renovated and is a pleasure to browse. There is plenty to look at and the range is worth looking at regardless of your personal style. As a bonus, the store is open until 7pm Monday to Wednesday and Sunday, and open until 9pm Thursday to Saturday.

There is something alluring about vintage clothes and accessories. It seems to me that the 50s and…read moreearly 60s had the perfect blend of classy feminine clothing, that makes me want to go all Mad Men or Grace Kelly around town. Some of the clothing at Trash Monkeys oozes this classy sophistication that I yearn for. They stock a whole range of clothing and accessories from your 50s vintage inspired dresses that I was just talking about to 80s glam rock outfits. They pride themselves in stocking rockabiliy, pin-up, burlesque, punk, steampunk, victorian, lolita and queer gear as well. The store is chocablock full of bits and pieces and you can easily spend your time sifting through it all. Everything here is quite unique and definitely different from your average fashion store. The staff are funky and great for giving real and unbiased advice. They won't let you out of the store in something that looks bad and they are totally happy to have a chat or let you just browse your hours away. The store is also open late so it is easy to go and check it out after work or before a dinner out in the Valley. It is hard to really describe everything on offer here so my best suggestion is just to check it out!

Ah Lifeline, the Valley wouldn't be the same without you. Home to many preloved items from…read moreclothing, shoes and accessories, to books, egg holders and bunged up photoframes- this place has a lot to offer. Not only do they sell your regular thrifty goods, they also have a wide variety of crazy, costume-like outfits. If you needed anything fancy-dress, you'll find plenty of dresses with sequences and random feathered berets. For men, there are lots of old school jackets, coats and ties. There are quite a lot of fun secondhand things to buy here, but be aware the prices are considerably higher compared to other suburban Lifelines. It must be the rent they pay for this place- high overheads reflected in product price. However, there is a lot more choices and funkier ones at that.

Walking into Lifeline on Ann Street you may be struck by the amount of brightly coloured clothing…read morein there. It seems as if the garments on offer there have been hand-picked to suit the eclectic culture of Fortitude Valley. Those Lifeline employees may be more business-minded than everyone thinks. Personally, I've never found much of interest in here, but I continue to go in and look whenever I'm in the area because it's well-organised and packed with stuff and I live in hope of one day finding a gem there. It may not be the cheapest op-shop town given it's location in trendy Fortitude Valley, but the prices aren't so inflated that you won't be able to find a bargain.

This would have to be one of the most beautifully preserved arcades in Brisbane. With it's olden…read moreday atmosphere, you'd expect the shopping there to be a little but classier, a cut above the rif-raf out on Queen Street, but I find it a bit pretentious, particularly the upper gallery. Looking in jewelery stores up there recently, I felt very alienated by icy shopkeepers. Also, there's quite a few empty stores up there which makes me think businesses might struggle up there. Down the bottom is more lively, with a lovely tea shop, selling a large range of tea pots; jewelery stores; and bridal shops. With the exception of the cheap and nasty accessory store, Colette, at the Queen Street entrance of the arcade, the shops in here require you to have money to spend (or at least pretend you have money to spend). Best not to rock up in your Havianas--it won't help things with the already snooty shop keepers.

I love this arcade, I wish every arcade in Brisbane was like this…read more The architecture has a renaissance feel about it that makes you feel like you have just stepped into old European hotel lobby or opulent castle foyer. Its the sort of place most people probably go to look and admire rather than shop but in saying that it is home to some of Brisbane's most awarded retailers especially if you are after jewelery or bridal wear. If you are looking for a unique gift or something for the person who has everything this place is your treasure trove. I particularly love looking at all the beautiful time pieces in the Vintage watch shop and pens right next door.

Yawn! Is there anything more tedious than doing a man's shopping for him? Well I went on a hunt for…read morea nice new shirt for my beau recently so I popped into Digby's for a looky. Mistake. Digby's is for old guys who play golf and wear cotton in retirement. There is nothing wrong with this store, in fact it's quite nice, but it is aimed at the older gentleman. If you're looking for a Father's Day present or a nice new outfit for your Gramps, then Digby's is for you.

Digby's looks like a decidedly english store, and is really…read moreideal for the over 30 set. You know the type I'm talking about. Boat shoes, loafers, polos, chinos and checkered shirts this is a mecca for preppy and suburban dads. And while I'm not quite old enough to pull off boat shoes and linen trousers, I'll most certainly be coming back here on fathers day.

Barcode's a funky, modern little boutique in the Valley selling clothes, homewares, and…read moreaccessories. You can get some pretty awesome sunglasses, hectically cool phone covers, and some great vintage-style clocks. I'm loving how old-school alarm clocks are making a massive resurgence, and Barcode has these and more funky home furnishings to really jazz up any place. There's kind of a bit of everything in this place, so it's hard to pinpoint just one awesome feature. The way it's furnished just reeks of cool with dark floors and a ridiculously appealing chandelier that just casually hangs around the middle of the store. This is a great place for giftware with just the right amount of Valley arrogance, but not so much as to detract from its appeal. The clothes are edgy and fresh, and this store seems like it has a lot of potential. Monday and Tuesday they are only open by appointment. Find them on Facebook for a look into their stock and the Valley store setup. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barcode-Space-Australia/151544388194557?sk=wall.

It really is quite a random store, this Barcode Space. At first I thought it was a cool place to…read moreget rare imported toy figurines... But upon entering the store, I find that is has clothes, shoes as well as accessories for men and home. Now, that I think of it, it's an eclectic mixture of mans cool items. Home decor suitable for man. Clothes, shoes and accessories suited for man and everything in between suited for... Man oh man. I felt jipped. It looks like a really hip place inside and out. What I don't get, is why they only allow appointments for Monday and Tuesday? Perhaps they hardly get customers on that day, therefore it works out cheaper to not have staff working a full day unless needed? How boutique of them. If you're looking for a gift for a brother, male cousin, male friend or boyfriend/hubby, then check this place out. If they're not into the clothes, I'm sure they'll like the cool accessories or funky home decor.

They say fashion fades but style is eternal. And if that's the case it's not hard to see why a…read morestore like Camargue has been in operation for almost as long as I've been alive. I'd say shopping the collections curated at Camargue might be the closest you can get to buying style. Take a scroll through their Instagram feed if you need some instant proof. This long-standing Brisbane boutique has found its home on the equally fashionable James Street and among the precincts fashion-forward crowd, it sits like a jewel in the crown. Camargue doesn't have to fight for trend-based buyers because they know who they are and what walks off the racks. I must admit that I've, to date, only taken advantage of shopping at Camargue during their sales periods (which aren't as regular as other mainstream store but the discounts are often greater), but as I begin to shift to building a capsule wardrobe of investment pieces I know that Camargue will be somewhere in my little black book for key purchases.

From the owner: Established in 1978, camargue have been dressing Brisbane's most stylish for over 30 years. The…read moreboutique is fulled with eclectic and quirky pieces, and each visit is an experience. camargue is as much about people as it is about frocks! Fashion is like beautiful food, great books, wonderful travel & lovely music. It's just about spoiling ourselves, and camargue is just very happy to be a part of that. Fashion fades but style is eternal....X