Manly is a great place to wander. There are so many great little shops and cafes right on the water…read morefront. Butterfly on the Bay caught my eye last weekend. I found it to be a stylish little boutique with a great range of chic women's clothing in lots of sizes. Bright, colourful fabrics jump out at you when you walk in. The clothing style is largely feminine and floaty. Lots of delicate, colourful dresses with belts at the waist and gorgeous chunky necklaces to accessorise. I could have easily bought a whole outfit just off the window dummies.

I really like this little shop. It's been there for absolutely years, so it must be doing something…read moreright. There's not a lot of boutique-y opposition in Manly but what there is have their own niches. Butterfly on the Bay has its points of difference too - it doesn't concentrate so much on the shimmery evening dresses or over the top designer brands, like a couple of other stores in the are do,. Although there are some nice labels here the clothes are a nice mix of pretty day wear, some evening frocks and even some gear I'd wear to work.

This is my favourite op shop in Wynnum. In case you didn't know, Wynnum has a great op shop trail,…read morewith at least 8 shops in a four block radius. They vary in range and price of goods but I find the Aid for the Blind shop in Florence Street a really good all-rounder, with great prices. Some op shops have made themselves boutique-y and specialise in offering clothes you might find at a regular retailer (yawn) but not this one. I've dropped in here and never been disappointed when looking for a fancy dress or something vintage and unusual. There's a bit of dross to get through, which is part of the fun I guess, but it's well worth a visit.

This store definitely has an op-shop feel to it however it is surprisingly large inside and they…read morehave a lot of clothing. There are a range of different styles and the stock is always different. Well worth a look if you are browsing in the area.

If you like lace and I do, you'll love to browse through Dolls and Doilies. This little unassuming…read moreshop at the slightly quieter end of Bay Terrace is tucked between another couple of specialty shops and will catch the eye of any crafty passerby, the window filled as it is with exquisite lace products and doilie art (if that's what you call it). I wandered in there looking for a present for a neice and came away with a very cool goblin-ish doll at a price that wasn't a steal but which I was willing to pay for good old fashioned handcrafting. Dolls and Doilies are wholesalers and retailers of doilies and lace and if you're really keen, you can also sign up for a craft class. I tell myself if I did this, I could make my presents instead of paying lots of money to other people for them... sure, one day I'll give it a whirl, as soon as I get that bit of free time...

Tha Plaza's the Plaza. It's OK for a sub-regional centre when you don't feel like venturing to…read moreCarindale, Mt Gravatt, the city or even to Capalaba. It has 55 stores including Coles, Woolies and K-Mart, and a big Dan Murphys, a Fitness First and a pub... What it doesn't have is a decent range of specialty stores; there is no variety in the men's or women's clothing offerings. Oh, and the food sucks too - there's one sushi shop that's OK and the others are soo boring.These are the things that drive me away.

The Collective is a little gem of a store, with beautiful treasures for those looking for a unique…read moreor hand made gift. It definitely has a style of it's own and possibly will not appeal to anyone looking for new and modern, although there is some merit in combining vintage with modern. They have clothing, toys, vinyl, knitted items and much more. Definitely worth a look. I noticed a gorgeous hand made wooden fawn yesterday, so precious!

The Collective is all things good about people power. I love that this fairly altruistic venture…read moreprovides an outlet for lots of talented, crafty people to showcase their creations and maybe make a dollar or two. A stroll through this shop has me wanting; the prices aren't always cheap but there's a lot of work in handcrafted goods. From dolls to clothes, and woodwork to toys, there are treasures here. It's the kind of place that's always good for finding a gift for someone near and dear, though not so much for the guys.

I like Smooche although it's a little bit out of my price range. The staff are lovely so I always…read morefeel welcome, even when I'm feeling weekend frumpy. The dresses are gorgeous here with a surprising amount of stock for a fairly small store. I most recently fell in love with a pair of shoes in the window and dragged my friend down to see them before I succumbed and bought them. The majority of dresses here are sassy evening numbers in gorgeous bright colours and fabrics, and often strappy and interesting, so next time you have a special event, check out the Cambridge Parade shopping strip in Manly and bet you stop in at Smooche.

Smooche Boutique - cute name. Fun and just a little suggestive…read more This is a pretty accurate description of the fashion style. This little boutique is my fav place to window shop and I have done on several occasions, always leaving just a little bit sad because I didn't take a dress home with me. Unfortunately I have not yet had a special occasion and therefore an excuse to buy anything but I will have done my research when the time comes. The clothes can be loosely categorised into bridal wear, formal gowns, cocktail dresses and casual dresses, with an emphasis on sparkles and ruffles. They also get top points for having sizes 6-24 available.

Great for Christmas shopping! Very classy retail shop for casual and formal mensware…read more DBS is great for those particular men in your life, family or otherwise, when you simply do not know what to give them as a gift. Nice and classy. They have high quality accessories and some great brand names like Tommy Hilfiger, Ben Sherman and Levi's. I bought a really nice black collared dress shirt for my partner. The only small thing I would say is the atmosphere in store is a little like a library. Very quiet and lots of brown paper hues. This could be because I am not hugely familiar with buying men's clothes and the experience is really different to the bubbly female stores I usually frequent. On the plus side, they have a handy alteration service!

DBS is a cool shop for blokes and for girls shopping for blokes. It's been in Wynnum since just…read moreafter WWII and if you don't want to trek to a big shopping centre, there's an excellent range in this store. From sports gear to business, casual and even formal wear, the big name brands are here and the prices are pretty competitive. DBS even has formal hire, which I haven't used, but I have bought presents for the partner and father here, from belts to golf shirts and board shorts, and the staff are really helpful.

The Manly Gallery is in the perfect spot in my opinion. If I don't have anything on of a Sunday…read moremorning, my favourite sequence of events is to grab a coffee from the Celtic Corner, wander through the Manly markets and admire the artwork on display in the Manly Gallery, looking out for new pieces on display. And all this practically on the same block, right on the harbour. The gallery has on show and for sale, artwork, paintings, sculpture and various other bits and pieces from local artists. Although there is a range of subjects, the overall feel of the gallery is local and water themed, making it a one of a kind in my opinion. Artists vary but include Christopher Pope, Pat Tolcher and my favourite, Karen Atkins.

I love small galleries which support and help nurture local talent. I realise it's not all…read morealtruistic, but there's a love for art emanating from small galleries and this one's no exception. Not too pretentious, Manly Gallery has some lovely works by local artists, some of whom have been creating fabulous littoral works in the Bayside for years. It's not all about the ocean, though; there are some lovely prortraits, sculpture and jewellery to check out too. This gallery has recently changed hands and I'm sure the enthusiasm to keep it relevant and vibrant is as strong as ever. Why not combine a weekend browse through the gallery with a visit to the Manly markets, brunch or fish and chips by the harbour?

I am a fan of little shops with quirky, old-fashioned names. The Shoe Hospital is a great example…read more Sounds fun doesn't it? Maybe not for the shoes. This place looks and feels like it has been there forever and by all accounts, it has been for quite some time. They certainly know what they are doing. Wait times can be a little long but then again quality is worth waiting for and I would not want my repairs rushed anyways. Great location and highly experienced staff, I definitely recommend.

An institution in Wynnum, the shoe 'doctor' in Florence Street has been repairing shoes for as long…read moreas I can remember, so I reckon it's at least 15 years, not sure, because I can't remember the first time I noticed his little shop tucked around the corner, out of the way, and yet right in the heart of the busy central Wynnum streets. The window display of the shoe doc always has some interesting boots and shoes on sale; I think some are new and some have been rescued; like Blundstones and Docs, leather heeled shoes and kids' leather shoes. I've had quite a few pairs of shoes repaired here, mostly re-heeling but also leather stretching and conditioning. This place is always busy, so don't expect your job to be done in your lunch break, but it's solid work and worth the wait.

This Brisbane based shoe manufacturer deserves a pat on the back for keeping pace with the…read moreburgeoning market. I first bought a pair of work shoes at Bare Traps years ago, when I think there was only one outlet, in Kedron, Brisbane. Now there are half a dozen and one each on the Gold and Sunshine coasts. I drop into the Wynnum store every now and then to see what they're making. The shoes are comfortable and although these days leather seems to have often made way for other materials (sniff) there are some nice fabrics being used. Of course the strappy sandals and summer wedges dominate presently but there are always nice boot and closed in styles around in winter. The prices are on a par with other places and there are regular sales, but don't come if you're looking for wildly unusual footwear or super high heels; you won't find it here.

I used to love Bare trap shoes, WTH happened? I bought a slip on shoe and the souls lasted barely…read more5 months. Took them to the shoe repair for new souls and he said the soul is silicone and nothing will stick to it. I cannot say this only pertains to Bare Traps, its all brands, including the very high end ones. Usually when I buy a shoe, I would like it to last. Will it come to buying only American made, paying a higher price, thinking and hoping it will last longer than 5 months and when needed can be repaired? Too bad everything is made to be quickly thrown in the trash.