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

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!

You know how sometimes there's shops you want to visit but you don't dare walk in because you feel…read morelike it is too cool for you? Sunday Social was one of these shops until today. With friends visiting from San Francisco we were exploring Winn Lane and I finally ventured into this small nook known as Sunday Social. Upon walking in I realised it was the exact opposite, there's something for everyone here. Full to the brim with carefully selected vintage clothes and accessories I began searching through the racks with endless pieces catching my attention. I couldn't resist walking out of the store with two tops for $90, which, if you think about your mainstream stores could easily equate to one top that a handful of others will also be wearing. For the same price I've gotten two tops, that I'll be hard pressed to find others wearing. Best of all as an introvert, the sales assistant let us just browse without hovering over our shoulders at every second. Sunday Social feels like discovering a secret world of clothes with great stories. I'm so glad I walked in and know I'll be back to revisit their racks for one of the kinds from this vintage wonderland.

Yay, more vintage! Sunday Social is a really cute little place nestled in the tiny Winn Lane market…read morearea. I had never even heard of the Winn Lane markets until my friend suggested we stop by on one of your shopping trips in the Valley. The lane is lined with drawings on the walls and market stalls, all filled with lovely jewellery pieces and vintage wares. It reminded me a lot of the lanes and alleys you find in Melbourne so I was more than enthused to see what was down there. It's so nice and secluded that you feel a little like Alice going down the rabbit hole. Anyway, enough about the lane itself. Sunday Social is perched at its end like a tidy little cottage. It's a tiny, gorgeous little shop with vintage clothes and pieces, including a very sweet range of shoes. Indie kids would have a field day in Sunday Social, but I also think it has a little something for everyone. Their pieces are just so gorgeous with bags hanging in its middle with accessories dotting the central table. Guys are confined to a rail and a few shoes but girls have their pick. They have clothes from cute peter pan collared dresses through to funky light, fluttery tops. There's also a really random but totally awesome Indian headdress behind the counter the wall too, just for a little bit of flair. I hear this gorgeous little place went from being a market stall along Winn Lane to a now staple store with four walls. It's no wonder, because they have such gorgeous novelty vintage pieces that you'd be crazy to pass by. Sunday Social has no phone number as yet but you can email them! sundaysocialstore@gmail.com

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!

Ultra Suite is the ultimate in unique and fabulous party frocks and formal wear. With short and…read morelong styles to suit any occasion, I have long loved their window displays and stared longingly through at the fantastic crisp silk fabrics and strong lines of the Ultra Suite brand. Partners Sally and Michael have gathered quite a following for their gorgeous gowns, and they not only stock the Ann St store but also make-to-order for formals, weddings and other occasions. But beware - this is not affordable high street fashion. This is high-end fabulousness and a full length gown will set you back upwards of $500 while the shorter cocktail styles sit around $300. What you are paying for is quality and individuality, and that's what makes the Ultra Suite brand so popular. A fantastic addition to any wardrobe.

Ultra Suite has always been in the periphery of places I could visit, have always seen when passing…read morethrough the Valley, but have never actually set foot in until recently. Some of the dresses in Ultra Suite are really gorgeous, and I'm particularly a fan of the tulip-style strapless dresses they seem to have such a penchant for making. You walk into a sea of taffeta going to Ultra Suite; taffeta in a range of lovely colours and summery dresses that never go out of style. There isn't much else I can really say about Ultra Suite, except that their clothing - and particularly their dresses - is really lovely and classic; great for a girl who wants to go out on the town in style. Carry your credit card though, because it can get a little pricey, as with any premium clothing boutique.

Calexico just reminds me of a slightly more highbrow version of Country Road. The two share very…read moresimilar furnishings and clothing, with stretch cotton and flowy white cotton pieces in particular making repeat appearances. It's a charming enough little space and it had some cute clothing, but it didn't really do much to catch my attention or make me want to buy anything they were selling. One thing I will point out though is a really fantastic range of cigarette jeans. If you're a fan of skinny jeans like me then Calexico will do nothing but impress you in that department. They have plain greys and colours for your straightedge types and some really jazzy greens and bright options for those of you who fancy some bold pieces. So overall, clothing was nice but not overly impressive; cigarette jeans however, are their specialty, and I'll be back when I need a great pair.

I overheard some women recently in a James Street cafe raving about the latest stock to appear in…read moreCalexico Boutique. Without throwing any stereotypes around, their conversation also contained agenda items such as yachting, their partners real estate ventures and that they have dined at Ortiga so much lately that they are getting bored of it. Yep, those kinds of women. Having never been inside (as nothing in the window had never caught my eye) I decided to have a look, merely out of curiosity. The clothing is beautiful, there is no doubting that. However I just cannot justify spending $700 on a pair of gold sequined pants that look like they belong in a Madonna museum. Having lived overseas and had the likes of Zara at my fingertips which is of a similar ilk, Calexico just seems to be overpriced and unattainable for the average human being. In saying this, when money isn't a deciding factor, there are definitely clothes from Calexico that I would wear. I wasn't approached by the staff, which is often a relief in retail situations, but I feel that if I'd been wearing a Calexico garment I would have been attended to immediately. Calexico isn't my style. It's high brow, a little pretentious and a whole lot expensive. In saying this, if collecting clothing is your thing, and you (or your husband) have a heavy wallet, then Calexico could float your boat.

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.

It's fitting that this specialty denim dealer should be located right in the middle of the city's…read morepremier nightclubbing district; after all, when are your choice of jeans more important than when you're out for a night on the town? Also, given their late Friday night opening hours, it's conceivable that you could pop in here to pick up some emergency fashions in the frustrating event that you are knocked back for being "too casual mate". I've often looked here for jeans because they really do have some of the best brands in stock -- labels like Wrangler, Lee, G-Start Raw Denim and Neuw. The salesperson was quite good at suggesting options that I might like based on my input and describing the more intricate nuances of each design. On a recent visit I noted that they've done a bit of a reshuffle to the layout of the place, creating more room and eliminating some of the clutter. I also really dig the music here -- it really gets me dancing in the change room!

This store has great, super stylish clothes at relatively reasonable prices. I hung out in here…read morewith Brooke (or Brook?) Who was wonderful at belong me find sizes, explained a bit about the brands (I was looking pretty specifically for stuff I couldn't find in the US) and helped keep me calm during decision anxiety. Definitely will return!

I stumbled across The Dawn recently when walking home from work and oh my, so many pretty things…read moreall in one store! I was overwhelmed by all of the pastel beauty so took the time to stop and browse. The lady who was manning the store was lovely and happy to talk to me about the owners label, Alexis Dawn, which is one of the labels stocked. The clothing is beautiful, flowing and feminine and perfect for a special occasion. I even thought that some of the maxi dresses would be perfect bridesmaids dresses as they were beautiful in their own right but simple enough to not outshine a bride. There were also heaps of cute dresses perfect for parties, nights out and events. If you are struggling to find that perfect dress in some of the boutiques around Brisbane and looking for something unique, simple and elegant than I would definitely recommend heading to The Dawn on James Street for a browse.

Avoid online shopping! I use online shopping for almost everything and very very rarely need to…read morereturn anything, but this was a disaster in every aspect. The delivery was delayed, information was not accurate and no visibility to taxes and fares exceeded the original reported by over 50%! And the shop doesn't even allow international returns. Never ever again! And the dress unfortunately wasn't as good quality as described, which was the reason I wanted to return the item. Avoid this brand, not worth it!

Capsule wardrobe warriors lend me your ear. Samantha Ogilvie should be one of your handful of…read moreplaces to bring your wardrobe to life. Yes, price tags are more than your average Portmans top, but they're also pieces unlikely to be found on the masses and will last you a lot longer. Think: cost per wear. Cost per wear. Until recently, I'd been stupid and too intimidated to go into this stunning boutique. Stupid because the staff in here are friendly as pie and on the occasions I've now been in, I've felt welcome and never helicopter'd by a sales member. If you're looking for something that makes you feel a million dollars, without the price tag, and without the chances of seeing it on ever Thumbalina, Deidre and Harriet, then this is where I'd send you to shop.