I would say that Jason D's review of this store is spot on. They have clothes which are on the…read morepricey end, but in unique styles. They carry a huge selection of Sympli pieces in lots of styles and colours (I personally am not a huge fan of this brand, but I do see the appeal of pieces that pack well (i.e. don't wrinkle and fold down to nearly nothing) and you can mix and match). Their clothing aesthetic I find very similar to Marianne's in Westgate and Shepherd's at Trainyards. So, yes, perhaps catering to let's just say women who would subscribe to magazines like More, or Zoomer. Their kitschy items are fun and cute. They have fridge magnets that say things like "a clean house is a sign of a wasted life," or "housecleaning never killed anyone, but why take the chance?" I hate household chores, so I can relate to these sentiments, haha. They have luggage tags shaped like fashionable shoes, by Fluff. They have quirky handbags shaped like unusual items, like one by Betsey Johnson shaped like an ice cream cone. I love kitsch and I love quirky, so I like looking at the accessories here. They also have a lot of things (greeting cards, magnets, napkins, books, etc.) that divorcees would find funny. They also carry costume jewelry. Lots of statement pieces. A great place to pick up something for that wild eccentric aunt you have, lol.

I have to admit that the name of the store really hooked me. Three Wild Women Living Sublime. Hmm,…read morejust what the heck was this place about? I have listed it under women's fashion because the back half of the store is devoted to very glamourous and fabulous women's (not girl's) clothes. The front half is a collection of kitschy items targeted to women who are more "mature" and may or may not be divorced. There were fridge magnets, greeting cards, aprons and oven mitts sporting saucy and witty slogans. There were also novelty luggage tags, divorce guides and books offering advice for those over 40 and 50. They even had tables with high-heeled legs! It was a hoot to hang out there for a while, but it is definitely aimed at a specific demographic of which I am not really a member.

Amazing and stylish selections and eco-friendly! I love boutiquing in Westboro and discovering new…read moresmall businesses. This store has a gorgeous selection of clothing for women. I always make a point to stop in and see what's new. The owner is very friendly and happy to help style you. She now offeres more wallet friendly and size friendly options, which is key for a small business to do well.

From the owner: Personal Shopping&Sustainable Style. Formerly Green Tree Eco Fashion. New name, same great store.read more

So Flock Boutique is this cute little shop in my 'hood that sells cool indie Canadian brands and…read morealso Canadian brands that have made it big(ger). They have clothes by Jennifer Glasgow and Miik. They have soaps and body care by Purple Urchin. They also have jewelery by local designers and weird knick knacks like hand puppets of Canadian prime ministers, lol. So funky and weird! This store is more neat, clean and upscale-ish, a la "Yorkville" (Toronto reference) and not like Adorit in the Byward Market (that also carries local and Canadian designs, and some of the same brands, like Miik) which is more, a la "Kensington Market" (sorry, another Toronto reference), but meaning more bohemian and smelling of patchouli. Prices are high, but your getting good quality and supporting the Canadian market.

I will definitely be going back to this trendy boutique soon. I have been looking for a wedding…read moredress (something trendy and artistic and untraditional!) and I found several options here. The great thing about Flock Boutique is that the clothes are made by Canadian designers, the majority of which are women! They try to bring in lots of fashions from Ottawa and Montreal also, to be local. The accessories here are amazing! They have lots of colourful pins and earrings and some great bags! I really had to control myself, or I would have had an empty wallet when I came out. I did see several dress options, but was tight on time, so I couldn't try anything on. One of the girls working in the store patiently showed me several dresses and answered all my questions about the designers and the store. The people who work here clearly know what they are talking about. It is also great that so many of the designs are by Canadian women! For someone who wants to dress artistically, this is the perfect spot to shop.

Joanne's is owned by the same people who own Marianne's in the same mall. Like Marianne's, they…read moresell a lot of Canadian designers and made in Canada pieces. Unlike Marianne's, they don't sell lingerie. Regular prices are not cheap (I'd say about $150+ for dresses, $50+ for tops, $75+ for pants/skirts). However, they often have 50%-80% off sales (and that's when you'll see me in the store, lol). Admittedly, many of their items are frumpy (at least in my opinion), but they have some cool pieces, you just have to look for them. Staff are friendly and nice and their change rooms are beautiful (looks a little like a boudoir). Joanne's is in the Westgate Shopping Centre. Lots of free parking.

Hottest addition to the local fashion scene in Ottawa. Tallow has the best selection of modern boho…read moreand cool girl trends. I have purchased some of my favourite clothes here! PRO TIP- lots of great swimwear and vacation necessities!

TLDR: funky gift shop with cool items to give as gifts, such as novelty socks and quirky pins. Name…read moresounds like a pot shop, but it's not, lol. Funny story, so my husband asked me the other day if I've checked out the new gift shop in our 'hood. I was like which new gift shop? And he's like the one next to Alicja Chocolates. I'm like, that's a Pot Shop (ever since marijuana was legalized here in Canada, pot shops are literally everywhere. Every time a random store closes down, I get excited that maybe an awesome restaurant will open up, but then get super disappointed when it's just another pot shop, like do we really need 2-3 pot shops on every single block of commercial space?!? Sorry. End of rant.) Anyway, my husband's like "no, not Tokyo Smoke, the other side." I was like "something high, right? Also pot shop!" Then he said "Highly Fresh, not a pot shop." I didn't believe him and was determined to prove him wrong. Well what do you know, it wasn't a pot shop after all, lol. Highly Fresh is a gift shop. They sell funky socks, cool pins, keychains, ribbons and stuff like that. They also sell cosmetics, stickers and greeting cards. Oh and they sell indie snacks, like air dried beef jerky (biltong), upcycled/imperfect dried fruits, and gourmet pretzels. Prices are a bit on the higher side, but their food items aren't available at grocery stores or drugstores and they have unique and fun giftware. Fun store to poke around if you're in the area. Street parking only.

I don't do as much shopping at Roots as I used to. It occurred to me that I tend to visit a Roots…read morestore when I am in Ottawa and end up buying something. I buy nothing at Roots stores in the greater Toronto area. Interesting, huh? Four years ago, I went to a Roots outlet and bought a t-shirt that was on sale. I signed up to be a part of the company's mailing list. You get a barcode in all mailing list messages that you can have scanned at any store. I am still on this mailing list. I don't mind it. My friend and I visited this Roots store during a tour that I was fortunate to get of Westboro on a hot, sizzling, summer day. I was thrilled to pop in an air-conditioned store to dry off. Two female staffers were helpful. I immediately set my eyes on Beaver Canoe merchandise. When they were popular, I didn't own any articles of clothing from this brand. Instead, since I was a teenager, I could only afford their buttons. When Target existed in Canada, it had Beaver Canoe items. I managed to get my first article of clothing from this brand, which was a full-zip green hoodie. I cherish it now that Target is gone in Canada. One of the female staffers pointed out that this year is Beaver Canoe's 40th birthday. Yikes, how is this brand that old?! I fell in love with these beaver plushies sporting Beaver Canoe hoodies. I had to get one. Buddy the beaver came in white, green and red hoodies. My friend and I have similar tastes. We both liked the green hoodie. Sold! There was one grey Beaver Canoe cap left. I wish that there were more cheerful colours. I'd snatch one in a heartbeat. It's funny how I paid less attention to Roots merchandise while at this store. I did like the socks. One pair would be perfect to wear to Minnesota Wild games because they were the team's colours. I also liked the lilac socks. There were some nice Roots ringer t-shirts. I also liked the sweatshirts. At the checkout, I saw a bunch of mints. I had to try the maple blueberry mints and got a tin. The woman at the checkout asked for my phone number. She was able to pull up my account details and knew that I hailed from Markham. I paid with a debit card. The transaction went smoothly. What I love about Roots is that you get a reusable bag for free when you make a purchase. I love them so much because they last. I enjoyed shopping at this store. Staff were friendly. The mints do taste like blueberry pancakes, but without the carbs. Buddy the beaver is so cute! (247)

Workshop is part of the original revival of Dalhousie Street as a relatively new shopping…read moredestination in Ottawa. The shop is chalk full of stylish Canadian labels, crafty accessories and handmade lines of jewellery. All of the designers are women and Canadian (many of which are local) which makes this store totally unique in Ottawa. Some cool labels include: Annie 50 and Soit Disant (both out of Montreal) and Dagg & Stacey whose latest collection feature tweeds in collegial cuts. There is also a funky line designed completely out of recycled sweaters! The store environment is inviting and chilled out with nice familial chatting amongst staff and customers. Something else worth noting is the community spirit that the shops on this street seem to have. They all seem to know each other and don't hesitate to recommend a visit to their neighbouring stores for something specific you might be looking for. I find this to be a totally refreshing take on retail and a great reason to visit this store.

If you want beautiful, original, quality clothing and great, honest service, this is the place for…read moreyou! My closet is filled with Workshop clothes and they are real treasures. They are the kinds of clothes you can wear year after year - they are so well made and so unique, they don't go out of style or fall apart. Plus, it just feels so good to wear clothing that is made and designed in Canada, and is bought from a store owned by two fabulous local women.