I was walking by yesterday and out of interest I popped in for a look - that and the fact the shop…read moreitself smells absolutely delightful. They must spray perfume at the entrance. To me, this store seemed like a Zara outlet - it was much more up market than other competing High Street stores. There was a large selection of clothes and accessories for women and when I popped in it was well staffed. Obviously there wasn't much in there for me but If I was a fashionable lady I would give Stradivarius a go ;)

This is my new favourite clothes store. It's a welcome addition to Belfast, as I had got sick of…read morethe same old clothes across all of the usual high street stores. It has occasional quirky little items. Stradivarius has casual clothes nicely arranged at the front of the store for everyday wear and more dressy towards the back. All of the accessories are arranged around items that they would go particularly well with. The changing rooms are well staffed and run effectively. There are pleasant staff members at the check out too. Reasonable prices.

This gorgeous boutique is situated in Queen's Arcade, and is a tiny but perfectly formed shop which…read moresells the most beautiful dresses. Every possible colour, shape and style is avaliable, as well as numerous delightfully kitsch gifts, making this an excellent place if you're shopping for a special occasion. It is pricey enough, with the dresses ranging in price from £60-£200, but you would be guaranteed that no-one else would be wearing the same one (such a disaster when that happens!). When my sister and I took a peek at these exquisite dresses, her cries of "oooh" and "ahhh" reflected the level of wonderment at such lovely garments, and for me, this is what really makes Atelier. The girl who was 'on duty', so to speak, was lovely and helpful, and didn't mind us hunting through the rails. Even if you go just to window shop, definitely pay this lovely wee place a visit.

Atelier - (for those who -like me - didn't know, this is defined as 'an artists studio or workroom'…read moreI didn't think much of this name until I discovered this!) Stop press! Wow! Wow! Wow! How have I never known of this shop before? It's so elegant and beautiful. There are three lovely girls who work in the shop and they design all the items they sell. Lizzie makes the dresses, Ursula makes the accessories, handbags and head wear, then the other (I'm so sorry I've forgotten her name, I'll repost it) creates the jewellery. This whole process just makes me smile. I love it! I will definitely be back here. It's such a little gem of a shop hidden away in this arcade. The store is beautifully laid out and they sell some amazing items (see 'The Good Book' a hollowed out book with a mini flask hidden inside!) The dress maker, Lizzie Agnew, is famous by name. Her dresses have featured in Tatler, The Wedding Journal, and The Guardian. She creates beautiful vintage inspired silk gowns designed and made to order. I've seen some of these both in the shop and on her website and OH WOW! If I ever have the funds/occasion/need to get a tailor made dress it will be here. They're simply heavenly! Ladies, get yourself down here now. Don't miss out any longer!

As far as the ubiquitous shopping center and relaxed "shopping experience" goes this is one of the…read moremost humane and practical in Belfast. Great car parking and easy access to other neighbouring shops and outlets. Slightly presumptuous and inverted but I can overlook that for it's relaxed and easy access.And with its variety of shops, doggy friendliness,it gets a thumps up from me & Ben!

It has happened to us all. Sometimes you just think you've nothing to wear for a night out halfway…read morethrough that afternoon and you cannot be bothered to make the trek into town. At these troublesome times, thank flip for Forestside. Bright and clean with loads of handy parking, this shopping centre has really upped it's game over the last while. The selection of stores is great, mostly all your usual ladies high street names like Next, New Look, H&M and Oasis. Now I write this I realise it does feature the ladies heavily, but there is always a big M&S for the boys to buy a pair of slacks or whatever it is you buy. Also at either end there is a Sainsburys or M&S food and a large off licence, so along with a new top you can get a bottle of wine and a load of tasty nibbles to accessorize it with. A perfect look for any evening ;-)

Marks & Spenser is known for quality food products and fashion items. A lovely store which I always…read moreenjoy walking through, plus they sell the vitally important things in life i.e. wine, shoes and make up. Quite an ethical company too e.g. Cruelty Free cosmetics and ethical worldwide trading principles.

Everything you need under one roof, over two floors. M&S forestside has a food hall with all you…read morewould expect from Marksie's including the two dine for £10. I bought the mousakka, garlic mushrooms, Banana & dulce de leche and a bottle of red wine, all would have normally cost £19! There is a women's clothing department on the ground floor and lingerie on the first floor. Men's and childrens clothing department is on the first floor too. There are gifts for children and there is a card and flower shop at the entrance. Best shop in forestside!

Going to an all girls' school meant that the hysteria of formal dress shopping was heightened to…read morethe absolute max, with every girl hoping that the delightful pink dress they had just purchased wasn't the same as their best friend's choice. Cue delirium. Unfortunately (I think), those mad days are long since gone for me, but it's nearly that time for my little sister, so I do kinda get to relive the dream again. Yippee! I told her (yes, she didn't have a choice) that Posh Frocks should be the first port of call for ideas, and she happily agreed to take a look. Posh Frocks was one of the stores many of the girls ventured to in search of the perfect formal dress, and there were definitely some beauties bought there. The shop had, and still has, a reputation for good-quality, stunning dresses, and is one of very few formal dress shops in Belfast, so it is completely inundated with formal requirements from as far as Magherafelt (I was reliably informed by the extremely helpful sales lady). We were also told that many of the dresses sell out within days of first appearing...so we'd better get our skates on! There isn't a huge range of dresses, but due to the fact that new designs are constantly coming in, this doesn't really prove a problem. The dresses vary in price from about £100 to £300, with the more embellished ones coming in at £295, whereas the plainer ones are around £165, and the cocktail length ones are obviously cheaper. Having had lots of really helpful tips and information, and a good nosey around, the two of left with plenty of food for thought. I think I'm actually more excited that the little sis...

On our never-ending quest to find bridesmaid dresses for my best friends wedding (no, not the…read moremovie) we ended up in here. They have a vast array of gowns and dresses for all sorts of events and occasions, be it a formal, a gala dinner type event, or a wedding as a guest or as a bridesmaid. The woman in charge that day was SO helpful, and really cheerful and pleasant, she seemed happy to help, and genuinely interested, which is what you want in a good shopping experience. They had every colour, shape and style of frock, but not, unfortunately, every size, and my size 18 frame was not really catered for. There were a couple of dresses that sort of fitted, but they weren't proper size 18s, and therefore were NOT flattering. The price tags weren't extortionate, but they weren't cheap either. If you're skinny and have a bit of cash, this is a good place to get a dress that isn't from the high street.

Liberty Blue used to be the shop indie boys would go to for their t-shirts and cord trousers. These…read moredays, it's where the hipster teenage girls go to get their fix. Basically, if you're an Urban Outfitters fan, you'll like this place. Hell of a transformation, no? Well, Liberty Blue pulled it off with aplomb, becoming one of Belfast's favourite boutiques. In fact, it's one of the only independent shops in the city centre these days, which is nice. It's a great place to go for a funky dress or a vintage-inspired top and while it is slightly more expensive than its high-street counterparts, sometimes you just have to be prepared to pay for something less ordinary.

I love this shop. It is a treasure trove of all things lovely!…read more It really reminds me of what used to be my favourite clothes shop in Dublin, Sabotage, on Wicklow Street in that it is quirky, fun, individual and stocks some classically stylish clothes. Liberty Blue tends not to follow any trends and instead trusts their customers discerning eyes. When I was at college in the city, I used to come here and browse through the rails of clothes hoping that all the studying would pay off and I would land a top newspaper job so I could buy all these lovely clothes. Seriously, I used to motivate myself to work harder by lusting after clothes I couldn't afford. It works! The window displays are usually very striking and are the thing that draw most punters in off the street. Inside the store is beautifully laid out, it's the kind of place which is a pleasure just to come in and browse around. There are cutesy skirts, cool Edie Sedgwick t-shirts, gorgeous dresses, both casual and fancy, Audrey Hepburn style cardigans and good music to boot. On display in the middle table there are some handmade broaches, rings and jewellery trinkets, funky tights and a battered old suitcase with some vintage belts in every imaginable colour- a snip at £4 each or 3 for £10. The jewellery also deserves a special mention, the necklaces are really cool, chic and very charming. Long gold chains with bird cages or little gold Eiffel towers. These necklaces have done me for many birthday presents this year, they all come moderately priced too. The assistants are really friendly and always make a point of saying hello, which is a really nice touch I think. Check out the sale rail down the back for some bargains. Prices vary and should suit all customers. The more expensive party dresses range from £50-£70 and there are really good quality dresses from about £20. Definitely cheaper than their contemporaries Topshop and Urban Outfitters. I don't mind paying money for something quality that looks unique and it's always an added plus to be supporting such a fabulous and unique local business.

Wow! Do you want beautiful, elegant, fashionable, stylish and well tailored clothing? Then come…read morestraight to Fran & Jane. Oh I could have spent hours in here. I think I would have seemed a little manic running from rail to rail gasping at each exquisite piece of clothing / shoes / accessories I saw. But, oh swoon! If only I had the money (be prepared ... it's not cheap!) It is worth it for the money though (except maybe the shrug I saw for £400 ... a little excessive by my standards?!) Anyway, Fran & Jane are a boutique Irish clothing store, established by a mother and daughter over 35 years ago. The items in their store are so insanely beautiful; they sell everything from jeans to coats to dresses and beautiful formal wear. Ah I could go on for ages about the oh so special items I could have happily taken home with me, what stands out most though was the beautiful black coat with a funky pattern and long wide sleeves and an oversize collar (Oh please Santa please!) as well as the *ohmygoodnessimusthavethemnow* shoes *see picture* that I REALLY wanted to buy (sense dictated me not to) Fran & Jane are another one of those pay day shops where you NEED to treat yourself to something special then take a run up here and I'm sure you won't be stuck for choice. Ah, clothing bliss!

This particular Dunnes Stores is a bit hit or miss. It doesn't sell groceries but instead…read morespecialises in women's, men's and children's clothing and some household items and fabrics. A large store and definitely worth visiting. However, the quality is sometimes great and at others it's terrible! I've had to return a couple of pieces of clothing to Dunnes in the past as they literally fell apart in the wash! At the same time I've a few items bought years ago which are still as good as new. A bit of a lottery really. Nonetheless prices are low, selection good and customer service great as Dunnes Stores always exchange or refund without any hassle.

Dunnes Forestside has had a makeover and I had to go for a nosey around. The store hasn't…read morecompletely finished refurbishment, as the lifts were not working so I had to carry my toddler up to their all new first floor. This is where they have the kids and homeware departments. Sometimes you can get cute little kids clothes at good value. The store wasn't very busy, which was strange I got a good wee nosey around their homeware range. There are new designer concessions in store, but nothing really grabbed me. Maybe when they have fully finished the store there will be more interesting additions.

Amazing store love love love here. Although it's abit on the pricey side it's worth every penny…read more They have a huge range of clothing in all different sizes!! They have everyday wear to formal dresses. I went to the store the week it opened and they were giving away free champagne and manicures. They also had professionals there to help you pick clothes that best suited your body type, which was amazing.

The ladies in La Femme are really helpful and they both spent plenty of time with me as I searched…read morefor a mother of the bride outfit for my mum. My mum is a larger lady and while La Femme does stock sizes up to 18/20 they are limited in the 20 sizes whereas other establishments stock right up to size 26. This is a good place to find really formal outfits and the attached shop has dressy more expensive everyday clothing. You can also pick up hats and jewellery in this nice, bright and spacious establishment. I didn't see anything to suit my mum but we will both be back very soon for another look. I drove by recently and there are some gorgeous new pieces in the window.

Again, being a male I have little need to go in here but I am stitching together information from…read moremy friends and family that have shopped here and they all found it a pretty good shopping experience. La Femme has earned a really good reputation for what I'm reliably informed are mother-of-the-bride, mother-of-the-groom or what somebody explained to me was a 'second wedding outfit'. This is apparently what the bride, or someone formally dressed changes into for the knees up part of the wedding day. From all reports this has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere and they pride themselves on keeping up to date with all the latest fashions. This place is well worth checking out if you are planning a wedding and want to spend lots of money.