Look for the bright colours and bold fabrics that make Melko such a great find. Even though the…read morestore is tiny there are enough hues and shades inside to make a full pantone swatch. Dresses, skirts, bikinis, necklaces, belts, earrings and rings are all crammed inside and you'll need to take your time to work your way around without missing anything. I personally love Melko because shopping there feels like a preparation for summer. I don't really go there unless it's in the warmer months, and then like a moth, I'm drawn to the warmness and exotic colours of the dresses inside. The bangles are really fantastic and made of materials like resin and plastic, and there are also some gorgeous beaded necklaces. No matter what colour dress or bikini you pick out, there are at least 10 accessories that will go with your choice perfectly. The sales assistants are really lovely, although what with the store being so small, it can be hard for them to help out everyone at once.

I love everything in stock and bought a batwing top and a long full skirt from this fab little…read moreboutique. Change rooms are small but softly lit and the service was graceful. The Brazilian brand Totem is just in time for our Aussie summer. They were also one if the few boutiques open on a Sunday in Howie Place.

The best thing about Swimwear Galore is it does what it says on the can. They carry all manner of…read moreswimwear brands from Seafolly, Jets by Jessica Allen, Speedo, Isola, Baku to Tigerlilly and loads more. They cater to the fitness swimmer, the poolside poser, plus-sized peeps who are looking for swimwear that shapes, maternity cossies, mastectomy bathers, and even aussie flag swimwear for patriotic plungers. Anything you need to feel you are appropriately clad and accessorised at the beach or pool you will find here. And the staff know you won't be excited at the prospect of stripping down to bare coverage and staring at your bumpy bits in the mirror so they will try to make the whole experience as quick and painless as possible.

Buying swimwear is generally a very traumatic experience. It may not be for you blokes, but I…read morealways end up walking out of the change-rooms with a confused look on my face and convinced that they have 'fattening' mirrors... Alas, it is just my body. Swimwear Galore attempt to take as much of this pain away as they possibly can, with knowledgeable staff that can dress you dependant on your body shape, age and how comfortable you are bare-skinned. They have a million and one brands in store so you are bound to find a style and shape that you love - whether you love being scantily clad in your yellow polka dot bikini, or if you're more of a speedo kinda gal. You can also purchase gorgeous sarong's, hats and other beach-bound summer goodies. It's your one-stop-shop for any topical holiday, or if you're just heading down the coast for the weekend.

Racing to the bank on a quick trip to the CBD, my speedy approach was slowed to a grinding halt as…read moreI breezed past Hill & Dale. Their shopfront window was filled with adorable socks declaring "Socks in the City" (heh) and I couldn't resist a peek inside. Immediately sending a snap to a friend with an enviable cute-sock collection, this is going on my list of places to shop for nice gifts. Inside, the shop is filled with giftable items such as scarves, jewellery, socks etc, along with a range of bright and colourful clothing. It's the kind of shop that would serve well any women in her late 20s or over, pretty sure I could cover anyone from my best friend to my Mum or even Nan in this store.

This cute, little shop makes me so happy…read more So happy in fact that I went back twice..in one lunch break. Having recently undergone a name change from Hello Gorgeous as well as a refresh of brands, Hill & Dale has emerged as a fresh retailer of all things fun. On trend costume jewellery, sweet summer dresses, colourful throws with matching cushions and amazing prices on cotton and linen scarves. There's even fake flowers to decorate your home. All stock is affordable and great ideas for gifts for your girlfriends.

A refreshing haven from the overstuffed racks of the local op shops and knock off chains, Rred does…read moreboutique beautifully. A stark, light filled white space wreathed by lipstick red on the building's outer shell; Rred instantly pushes the focus onto its' stock and it's stock alone. All this is generally supplemented by the sounds of indie-electro-pop-alternative, depending on the day and season, which is as good a reflection of the clothing on offer's style as anything else. As for the clothes, Rred produces only a few simple basic clothes designs each season, but makes them with one off or limited run textiles and fabrics, so there's only a couple of each particular garment. Annoyingly, many of the clothes are often 'one size fits all' with all the usual ambiguity as to what exactly that size is, but the stiffer fabrics are generally utilised for the looser cuts and stretchy fabric for the tighter fitting items. There's also a rack of retro/secondhand clothes that throws out some real finds. Among the things that Rred does best is shoes, with a range of boots and/or footwear each season in a wide range of colours, but often themed around a similar, modern-idea-of-an-old-time-y-cobbler's-work aesthetic. Prices generally fall between the $20 to $150 bracket. The clothes are all well cared for, and the staff helpful without being too pushy.

Enter via the huge, open roller doorway into an expansive warehouse selling all kinds of clothes -…read moremens, ladies and children's, plus shoes and even vintage bikes. I drop by occasionally to see what I can find in the way of basics for a bargain, and also flat canvas shoes from brands like Topshop and Fred Perry. The canvas shoes are around $10, and t-shirts and jumpers are also a bargain at around $15. There are two small change rooms for trying on stuff. The warehouse is large so it gets pretty cold in there in winter and trying clothes on isn't much fun, but when the weather warms up, it's not too bad in there and you'll definitely come away with a bargain or two.

Factory Outlets don't sound very sexy and admittedly my snobby attitude has often kept me away from…read morethem. But on an afternoon stroll up Smith Street, the words "Nothing over $20" caught my eye and I had to have a gander. As a woman I have often gazed lovingly at gorgeous underwear from brands such as Elle McPherson, Fayreform and the ever impressive Pleasure State. I have then looked at the price tags and almost cried. But not at the Bendon Factory Shop. The prices here are so low that you almost want to give them more money. Pleasure State in particular can be up to $150 for a bra - for ONE BRA. At the Bendon Factory Shop? 20 bucks. Now we can all afford to feel (and look) smokin' hot in our knickers. Ladies, buy up!

I like beautiful underwear but I don't like the prices. Enter: the Bendon Factory Shop. Down the…read morediscount end of Fitzroy's Smith Street, the Bendon Factory Shop stocks a range of underwear by labels such as Bendon and Elle Macpherson at quite frankly flabbergastingly low prices. As such, queues for changing rooms and suchlike can be formidable but if you're wise and avoid this place like the proverbial plague at weekends you can come away with more than a few bargains without too much hoopla. $10 bra sales and the like are commonplace and you can easily save up to 70% on some very saucy smalls. A quick caveat emptor: there's a reason that a lot of this stock is discounted with some odd - and overly kinky - designs and not the best range of sizes on offer. As such, do make sure you choose wisely to avoid mistakenly returning home with too small smalls or crotchless panties. That said, for eagle eyed lingerie lovers the Bendon Factory Shop is an absolute must visit.

The Brotherhood of St Laurence store in Brunswick East is an absolute gem of a place when moving…read morehouse or needing some replacement furniture. There you'll find an array of cheap second-hand sofas, chairs, desks, tables, fridges, microwaves, pieces of artwork and much more. If you don't have a car, they can even arrange delivery of your stuff if you live in the area. I found some amazing bar stools for $15 each, a lazyboy style chair for $25 and some cheap sofas at around $30 each. In short: it is an absolute treasure chest and you can also feel good about contributing to a well recognised charity that is working for an Australia that is free from poverty. Good luck exploring!

This is possibly my single favourite op shop in Melbourne…read more The clothes are very well laid-out by style and colour (e.g. All white t-shirts are together) although my OCD takes over occasionally and I find myself putting stuff elsewhere if I see it incorrectly stashed. The funky music always makes me smile, and there is a vintage section at the front where they have special items. They have a ton of adult clothing, some kids' stuff, books, a load of kitchenware, lots of furniture and jewellery. They are even open now on Sundays so I don't have to cram my weekend op shop fix into Saturday! The only thing I could think of to improve is to offer a few more hooks in the change rooms.

From its first stand alone store in Armadale, Seed Heritage, (Seed Femme and Seed Child) really…read morehas developed from humble beginnings. There stores posses an unmeasured standard of quality garments that really set the benchmark among their competitors. Its really doesn't matter which store you walk into each one shares the same passionate, no fuss, friendly, welcoming staff. Nothing is too much to ask and each time you leave the store you know your walking away with an investment rather than an impulse purchase.