The fact that I share a name with the eponymous designer may have endeared me to Arabella Ramsay's…read moreown label but I had no idea her little Gertrude Street boutique also did a fine line in vintage. Selling a range of the Melbourne designer's own pretty dresses, skirts and blouses alongside a capsule vintage collection, the Arabella Ramsay boutique is as sweet a shop as you'll find around these parts. Ramsay's aesthetic may be a little cute for me but her taste in vintage is impeccable. With everything from very well priced little vintage peasant blouses to giant oversized vintage fur jackets vying for attention with her own whimsical designs. The store itself is beautifully done with ever changing window displays of impressive proportions and one-off pieces such as authentic mexican bags strewn around the place. A cute, accessible and ineffably pretty little boutique.

This is such a cute little store that I dare anyone to walk past. Lolly colours and cute vintage…read moreclothes tempt you in to the tiny space where whimsical modern fashion meets the second-time lucky vintage collection. The result is a store with a unique and interesting collection. Arabella's clothes are divine - they are cute, young and playful and I couldn't help but adore some of her tops and pants with different breeds of dogs on them. That being said, I would never wear them - I'm just not that cute. The vintage is fantastic and I saw some great maxis and skirts that are perfect for summer, but check the items before you buy - I noticed some runs and threads coming apart on a dress. There are bags and other accessories inside too so make sure you take your time to really explore the tiny space - there is so much crammed in here. The sales assistant was lovely; she was extremely friendly and happy to have a chat about the collection and Arabella's work. Hands down one of the nicest sales assistants I've ever met. Good work!

I suspect that I've annoyed the staff here a few too many times by going and playing dress ups with…read moreall the lovely lovely clothes. Corsets, imports, fetishwear, shoes (oh, the shoes), makeup and beautiful jewellery. Yes, it is a bit more expensive to buy from here than from the individual stockists, but there really is something to be said for instant gratification. To be perfectly honest the sizing those sites provide seems random at best, and so the opportunity to actually try on those skinny, skinny side-laced black jeans before you buy is definitely a plus. Also, dress ups.

So nice. The staffs are really patient and they do give me al lot of good advice. Finally I got the…read more suitable clothing for the Halloween weekend.

Puf 'n' Stuff is easily one of Melbourne's cutest vintage stores! Unlike a lot of second hand…read morestores where you have to trawl through racks and racks of nasty 90's dresses with worn out fabrics, Puf 'n' Stuff is so well curated you get nothing but the good stuff! As Arabella has already mentioned, the clothes here are well organised, so if you've got a particular style you're after then bingo - you just head to the appropriate rack. It's kinda like a time-saving set up, while you're also engaging in a bit of money-saving and of course planet-saving! Awesome. The printed frocks at Puf 'n' Stuff are a real highlight - if you're after a new dress for a picnic or even a day wedding but need to save a few pennies, it's the place to find something fun and unique without ripping out the credit card. I love it!

Gertrude Street boutique Puf 'n' Stuff may sound like a fine purveyor of some pretty illicit…read moresmoking substances, but it's actually a very welcome import from Sydney and hands down one of Fitzroy's best vintage shops. Although Puf 'n' Stuff is good across the board, its range of accessories is particularly noteworthy. After an Art Deco glomesh clutch bag for a ridiculously cheap $65? Go to Puf 'n' Stuff. Fancy a vintage Givenchy LBD for about the quarter of the price of elsewhere? Ditto. One of the most interesting - and individual - things about Puf 'n' Stuff is the way the stock is displayed. Not for Puf 'n' Stuff the hodge podge of stock in a variety of disparate styles and drawn from a maelstrom of eras as per Melbourne's other vintage shops. No, no. Puf 'n' Stuff's stock is displayed almost thematically so you'll find a clutch of polka dot tea frocks next to one another, a small rack devoted entirely to vintage denim shirts, one to crochet and guipure lace and another to fringing. Sure, I may like rifling through the odd mixed rail but Puf 'n' Stuff's clever approach to displaying its stock takes a lot of the guesswork and elbow grease out of vintage shopping, and that, I welcome. Prices are very competitive for what is some pretty premium vintage fashion and staff are a little cursorily friendly but friendly all the same. An incredible vintage shop.

A little store with a big heart is how I would describe Jolie & Deen on Chapel Street. It's not…read morehigh fashion or designer chic -just a store full of gorgeous fashion and accessories. I love the wide collection of necklaces- from chunky to sweet to sassy and cute. Check out the animal inspired pieces with cheeky birds in birdcages, owls in trees and other furry friends - in sleek silver and other metals. Fashion wise, Jolie & Deen offer a wide range of feminine dresses, short cropped jackets, versatile neutrals and mix this up with cheeky prints so it's never boring. Edgy and a little bit quirky, the feminine pieces encourage you to mix and match and not fall into just one style of fashion. Perfect for the experimental fashion lover. The only thing I don't like is that some pieces are made a little smaller than the average Australian store so I sometimes find something I love but can't wear!

Its all about the Jewellery here! They have the most elegant small gold and silver necklaces and…read morebrackets that are just perfect for everyday wear. A great place to go for a cute thoughtful present. None of the pieces are over the top statement jewellery but they still make everyone say OMG where did you get that? Im a big fan!

Woah. I don't think I have ever seen so many clothes in the one place before. Dresses, cardi's,…read moresinglets and jackets - Clear It has it all. But to be honest, I have been inside a million and one times and never walked out with anything. You know how when you drop in to your favourite shop and they have a sale rack and although everything looked pretty a week ago, when it's on that rack it looks a little sad? That's what this whole store is... Everything looks just a little bit sad. I get that it is a clearance centre, but high-price label designers in a bargain store? It just doesn't sit well... Plus, nothing is really that cheap? Unless you consider $85 for a satin singlet cheap. My favourite section of the entire store is the 'damaged' section, where you can usually find the really good, new stuff, but perhaps a button is missing. If you are in this store, head to that rack, everything else might make you cry.

When ever I have friends in town who love a good bargain, I bring them to Clear It on Brunswick…read moreStreet. Although I have to admit that, often I end up buying more stuff than my friends. Once you've been here, you'll wonder why you ever shopped full price! Check out the massive range of samples and out of season fashion from leading brands such as Alannah Hill, Friends of Couture, Gorman, Princess Highway, Dangerfield and Black Friday. Depending on what you're looking for, you can pick up super cheap t-shirts, glamorous dresses ($50 and up) and a truck full of blouses, day dresses, jackets, scarves and hats. It's the bargain hunters dream come true - but remember it's a warehouse store, not a boutique - so you really have to look carefully and dig deep. I'd give yourself at least an hour depending how much you want to spend. The best thing about this place is, you're free to roam about without pesky sales staff following you around.

Not my usual style of store, but I was dragged in here by a friend…read more First thing I notice was how uncomfortable I feel being in here being a bigger girl, but I expected that going into a lingerie store in Armadale. As a bigger girl, I do not recommend. The staff weren't rude to me, but I felt a bit of that 'what are you doing in here' vibe. I will say the lingerie they have is very very nice. And it would want to be for the price. Some of the garments cost more than I would spend on my groceries for a month! Basically, if you are smaller than a size 12 with lots of money to throw around, this might just be heaven for you. If your not, well, avoid.

Sexy, hourglass silhouette inspired designs are the lifeblood of Vicious Venus. The joint venture…read moreof Australian designers Joy Liakis and Natalie Fowler, the shop is a tribute to the feminine contours celebrated in years gone by, fused with a funky post-feminist contemporary attitude. Cartoon characters, bright floral patterns, lace and other cutesy and occasionally aggressive motifs grace the fabrics of the dresses, along with a few staple black, block coloured and textured varieties. Perusing the shelves is like getting your hands on the Mad Men wardrobe department, were the show filming an episode about a female punk group. Though the designs are apparently centred around the more voluptuous side of the female form, I have had difficulty finding dresses flattering to my particular proportions when actually worn. This is perplexing, as my figure is well within the target size range and actual type for this kind of frock. Perhaps I just haven't tried on the right dress yet, as I see enough women wearing their designs around town and looking fabulous. There's a modest range of accessories available, including some gorgeous patterned tights and funky high heels. According to the website, they also do custom handmade wedding dresses. The prices are what you'd expect for a local designer, and therefore the clothes are more of an investment purchase for most women.

Lingerie can be a bit hit and miss. Sure, you want to look smokin' hot, but you don't want to look…read morelike a complete tart. So where do you find a happy medium? Dawn Thornton Lingerie of course! This shop stocks the perfect lingerie for those looking for something slightly more modest, ladylike and for 'women of a certain age' (I mean that in the nicest way obviously.) Stunning colours but nothing to brassy, and very flattering bras and underwear for all shapes and sizes. They also stock sleepwear that is both comfortable and flattering, and simple, elegant singlets which can be worn alone or underneath clothing - they're my favourite! Ms Thornton is located in Kew Junction on the up and coming shopping strip, so after you've had your latte and been a 'lady that lunches', get yourself some ladylike undies too!