Such cute clothes and everyone who works here is so nice! My husband and I have purchased quite a…read morefew items here and we've really enjoyed the experience every time!

Welcome to the Clifton fashion boutique Maze…read more I visited here during the January sales hoping to find a bargain, more specifically I had tried a dress on in the French Connection in town which I really liked but needed a size 8. My heart did a little jump when I found that they did indeed have a size 8! But it fell right down to my feet when I saw they had it priced more more than double the FC sale price! I asked the shop assistant if perhaps it hadn't been marked down again yet but she informed me in a kind of 'how-many-more-times-do-I-have-to-go-through-this' kind of way that although they stocked FC lines, they do not have to mirror their prices. I was quite disappointed! Generally speaking, the ladies things are very nice but very expensive. But then, that's Clifton; in the changing room I overheard someone trying a dress on for her upcoming trip down the red carpet at the BRITS or BAFTAS or something like that! I think the men's section might be a bit better though.

Some of the best indie and alternative clothes in the city! A really outstanding selection of…read moreoriginal and themed pieces ranging from Goth to the best 1950s American chic I have seen anywhere in Bristol. They actually have Goth gear with real character, almost funky, fun Goth fashion. And my favourite the American 50s chic short sleeved shirts with pictures of cars or skeletons playing guitars on (you have to see the shirts to appreciate their magnificence). But some of the dresses were literally a real slice of 50s Americana, some even had a Latin twist, with one dress depicting a 50s couple in a comic strip. They were some seriously cool clothes. I would recommend a trip down to this branch of Shrinking Violet to anyone with an eye for fun, chic or with an original style that they would like to add to with some stylish new clobber.

Ok, now for a little history lesson (sorry I wouldn't do this unless it was very interesting). The…read moreClifton Arcade, a beautiful Victorian version of a shopping mall, was buried under 60 tonnes of debris (including a caravan) until just 20 years ago. The story goes, when a builder was working around the site twenty years ago and started drilling into a wall, his drill went all the way through, meaning it was hollow inside; he made the hole big enough to look through and saw this beautiful old Victorian parade of shops, untouched for decades. Now I don't know how much of that the complete truth, but pretty cool is nonetheless. As far as shops go, they are suitably useless but fit in with this special building. They are lovely little independent businesses. There is an amazing little Mexican shop that only sells, well, Mexican things. Like wrestlers masks. Nacho Libre!!! There are art shops & a really cool vintage clothes shop (woman only, dam!). The biggest shame is that the brilliant little record store that used to be at the far end has now closed. Dam, now this arcade really is only suitable for woman, mothers and grannies who can literally get lost in their for hours. Some peace for the rest of us.

This is kind of symptomatic of everything that's good and bad about Clifton Village. You enter by…read morethe Promrose Cafe and stroll through this beautiful arcade, though I have to say, I'm struggling to think of a time that I've ever bought anything here. Pretty much everything in here - bar the music store - is high end, which means, especially in this day and age, that it's all a little rich for my blood. Always worth a quick stroll when you're in the area, but you may want to encase your wallet in concrete before you enter.

Even though there are plenty of clothes shops on Gloucester Road, Pink Lemons is one of the better…read moreoptions. Filled with cute floaty dresses, feminine shoes and floral accessories this shop is strictly for girlie girls. With a handful of hippy tossed in with a dollop of trendiness - Pink Lemons stock a variety of brands from French Connection to Numph. My favourite part of the shop is, inevitably, their sales rail which is full of hidden gems at up to 50% off - which is a blessing, as the prices would be out of my budget otherwise.

I was pleasantly surprised with the quantity and quality of the clothes that Pink Lemon stock. They…read morehave some high street names, but also some more unique items for those looking for something a bit different. Apparently they are one of the only shops in Bristol which stocks items from the 'cool' Danish label Numph so if you are a fan, make a beeline for here! It's quite reasonably priced at around £35 for a dressy top. But if you're on a budget, definitely ask when their next sample sale is as its a good way to snap up a bargain. In fact, whenever I have walked past there is always some sort of deal or sale going on.

This is a proper, serious, knows-what-vintage-actually-means, vintage boutique, manned by an owner…read morewho can tell you the history behind what you're buying. I love the way the outside space on the Arcade has been used so it's as though the stock spills over from inside the shop onto the promenade. It feels like the best sort of walk-in wardrobe, and just makes you want to try everything on. It's not all just bunged on racks and heaped in boxes: it's all beautifully displayed and in good condition. Prepare to pay a bit more for the quality and care given to the items.

I bought a cream-colored plastic brooch from you - Egyptian revival, a scarab with wings. That was…read moreweeks and weeks ago! You neither send the piece nor did you return the money! It`s time now for you act. I am getting angry!!!!! Contact: juebusch@aol.com I expect your response within 48 hours!!!! J. Busch PS Paid with Paypal - 84,39 Euro Transaktionscode: 10L06493CU7293627

Probably in an effort to modernise the shopping experience, Clifton Down Shopping centre has seen a…read morefew refurbishments in the last few years. Situated at the bottom of Whiteladies Road, just before the descent into proper Bristol centre, it has a large glass architectural feature at its front, with its name highlighted. The biggest shop in the centre is Sainsburys, which is very useful for all in the area as the next big supermarket is quite a distance away. With free parking for half an hour, it's a really convenient place to get a bite to eat or stock up on your way home from town. They recently re-did the inside as well, adding some flat elevators that can take you (and your trolley) up to the car park level. There's mostly chain shops in here, with WH Smith, Specsavers, Boots and O2, but there's also a local flower shop, key cutters and sports shop. Although not strictly still the shopping centre, there's a nice row of shops outside as well, housing another mix of chain and independent stores.

Shopping centre? Really?…read more Well there is a selection of shops, and a massive sainsburys but wether or not that constitues a shopping centre is something I feel is still up for debate... Nothing particualry special to draw in the people, other thsn some rain cover, this relativly newly refurbished centre lacks in any pullling power. However saying that they do have them falt escalator things that can take you and your shopping trolley up a level! They are pretty brilliant!

Dulay offers a wide range of both men and women's clothes at very reasonable prices. More often…read morethat not they've got a sale on, so whatever time of year there's likely to be a bargain available. There's a large denim section on the ground floor, along with the ladieswear, whilst upstairs there's a large mens section, offering both a range of smart clothing and suits, as well as casual wear and accessories, with watches and belts at particularly reasonable prices. Denim is their main focus, and Dulay is one of the largest denim retailers in the south west. They stock all the main brands like Levi and Wrangler, but cheaper than you're likely to find elsewhere. A good team of staff (which is quite large - there's always someone available to assist) complete the package for a very good shop.

I'm not big on clothes shopping in general, not when I can save my money up for new gadgets and…read moresuch, but on occasion I find myself in desperate need of some new jeans/jumpers/socks and find myself with no option but to venture into the jungle that is high street fashion. Dulay isn't a place I'd even considered before, to be perfectly honest, but as I found myself walking past I decided to go in and check it out. They do a good range of jeans - although I couldn't find any baggy enough for my preference, there's plenty to choose from if you're into average leg widths. The staff are friendly, but not overbearing as they can be in other places and the prices aren't bad either. I didn't pick anything up this time, but I'm sure I'll head back at some point in the future.

When you're shopping for a tiny person (or children as I think they're more commonly known) there…read moreare only two places in Clifton Village that will do the trick - Dinky Inc and Ten Tiny Toes. Both shops have their advantages, but Ten Tiny Toes I've found to be the best for babies. The helpful staff are (thankfully) at hand to guide you through what the best thing to buy your best friend's baby - what will fit, and what's in your price range. Ten Tiny Toes is fairly expensive (I once bought a raincoat for a friend's child for £25!) so it's probably not suitable for everyday stuff, but their products do make great presents.

Ten Tiny Toes is a fantastic place to visit if you are looking to impress. Those who are fortunate…read moreenough to be able to shop here on an everyday basis then you will not be disappointed with the quality of their clothes. They obviously cost quite a bit so for the majority of people, Ten Tiny Toes may be a place to come for a special occasion. I came in for something special for my step-neice but I really had no idea what to get. I was a little overwhelmed with the volume of gifts, but the staff were really helpful and were more than understanding and not judgemental when I told them my budget!

St Peter's Hospice Shops raise money for Bristol's only adult hospice which cares for local people…read morewith incurable diseases. It could be because Bristolian's feel so passionate about this charity and the work that they do that their shops are so positive and a pleasure to visit. It's obvious too see how much locals care by the quality and abundance of the donations they give. For those of you who hold the charity dear to your heart - you're in luck because there's four (that's right - FOUR!) St Peter's shops in Clifton Village. What I like about these chain of shops, is that if you're looking for something specific, they'll call around to the other shops to see if they've got it in stock! This particular branch on Cotham Hill is the best of the four for bric-a-brac and homeware.

St Peters Hospice charity shops are doing so well in both in general and in this part of town that…read morethey've got two on Cotham Hill within very close walking distance of each other; one for him and one for her. This is the one for her and a very good one at that. The archetypal charity shop is this one, an ideal venue to source some really cool and chic bits of retro gear. The shelves are stacked and the hangers are bulging full as hoards of young students trawl the treasures. There are a couple of books and videos and such like, but it's mostly ladies fashion fashion fashion.