What a gorgeous little shop! The Smart Stork sells luxurious baby gifts and children's toys. This…read moreshop is primarily aimed at toys and gifts for small children, so it probably wouldn't suit a child over the age of ten. There are lots of activities and things for children to make inside The Smart Stork which is ideal for parents so that they can look round the shop while their child is occupied playing. The range of toys available in this store is quite amazing - they have castles for boys and princess castles for girls, learning books, soft toys and a cook your own food kit which I would have loved when I was younger. The Smart Stork also has a decent sized baby section, with books, clothes and toys. If there is something you can't find in the shop, they have a huge range of children's goods on The Smart Stork website which are available to order. It is a fantastic shop to pop into to buy something for children, you will be spoilt for choice.

Can a little children's store be my favorite place to visit when in Edinburgh? Well, it was was…read more Bon Tot is a beautifully curated children's boutique on a street filled with other cute shops. The shop carried many indie labels such as Bobo Choses, Hugo loves Tiki, Grey label, olli and Ella, etc. The owner was very lovely, she let my toddler explore and play with the baskets and toys in the shop. She really loved it. I asked my daughter where she wanted to visit next time and her reply was Edinburgh. So I guess we'll be back soon ;)

Fantastically original cool shop with the clothing being a breath of fresh air in terms of kiddies…read moretogs. No icky frilly lacy pink party dresses in sight just a funky collection of interchangeable cool separates for wee boys and girls all ethically sourced. I am just hoping that they will eventually start doing adult sizes too!! Their collection of homeware items are well worth a look also. I have their Studio Roof Archetype Buildings on my fridge at home and I am in a completely kid free house! It's definitely a destination shop but if you don't live close enough they have a fabulously well organised website to tempt you.

This is a sweet little boutique, with lovely gifts and a selection of toys and accessories for…read morechildren. I noticed they're also started selling clothes - some of them vintage! - on one rail outside the shop and another inside. There's a great selection of candles, cards and other lovely things that would make an excellent gift or treat for yourself. There's an abundance of gift shops to to choose from in the area and, whilst this isn't my first choice, I really enjoy popping in as its a pleasant wee shop to browse and staff always say hello and offer help if you need it. I also like having a peek in their ever-changing window displays!

What a sweet little shop!…read more This place caught my eye a few weeks ago, when I stopped dead in my tracks and found myself wandering in to utter: "How much is that Dalek in the window?!" I'm such an adult. The Dalek turned out to be the coolest bubble bath that ever there was and was a sweet price of £7.50. Unfortunately, I hate baths and not even the super cute container could justify my purchase. So I left, knowing that soon, the universe would give me the necessary excuse to buy nerd soap. Enter #SocialMediaSanta. If you're not familiar, this is a very nifty initiative run by Shelter Scotland to give families that otherwise could not afford them, presents for the holiday season. They ask for unwrapped toys and then distribute them throughout the city. You know what is an unwrapped toy? DALEK BUBBLE BATH! Yes, just a week after my window love fest, I found myself gleefully skipping back to this spot to take a Dalek to a nerdy kid in need. Along the way, I realized they stock a ton of other amazing toys - from neat craft kits (paint your own trucks!) to super cute baby bath gloves (the hungry caterpillar! nostalgia bonus!) and everything in between. What started as a one toy purchase turned into fifteen and I swear, I had more fun buying them then the kids who will soon receive them. This place gets a little bonus love from me because the lovely lady behind the till threw in some soap and lotions (for Moms!) free of charge to pay it forward to the folks in Edinburgh. I am the Evil Auntie to two little ones back home, so I dare say i'll be popping back here again to find them unique toys and nerdy giftables, even if it'll cost me a bomb to get them back across the point. But if you have local little ones (or ones on the way!), you should definitely poke your head in here. The prices might be a bit higher then your big box options but the cool factor is worth the price tag.

Blessings and Blossoms is just as delightful as the name suggests! It's packed to the rafters with…read morekids clothes for kids as young as newborns and with the helpful owner at hand 24/7, you're unlikely to struggle to find what you're looking for! When I was in, I was on the hunt for a gift for my new baby cousin and the owner didn't hesitate for a second to show me what I am sure to return and purchase - the most gorgeous sparkly baby shoes I have ever seen! Not in a gawdy way, but in a cute as a button way! The decor is absolutely stunning to boot; the most beautiful window display, with wooden toys and frilly dresses, that the town has to offer for sure and a giant wooden dolls house on top of the changing room; at 22 I was in awe! Blessings and Blossoms has a sale on now, so high tail it along, you won't find nicer reasonably priced kidswear elsewhere!

Ok, so I will admit that I have no real interest in shops like this - mostly because thier are no…read moreyoung people in my life who might benifit from gifts from a place like this. My girlfriend however has a baby brother, and more often than not I am dragged into here to help choose something. And I must admit, there is always something in here that would be great for any child ever - its just one of those places. It mostly does clothes for babies and younger kids, but there are also a few toys etc, which is pretty nice. The staff guy was very friendly, and he helped my girlfriend choose when I was unhelpful - so big thumbs up to him!

Vanilla Bloom is a maternity clothing and baby shop that is absolutely adorable! The fresh white…read moreexterior with the minimal sign on the doorway makes Vanilla Bloom a very enticing store. One of my friends had a baby boy a few months ago and I'm always on the look out for little goodies so I went in to see what they had to offer. Inside the shop is immaculate with every laid out perfectly, nothing is out of place. Although I'm not on the lookout for maternity wear I noticed that they did have a range of stylish clothes for mums-to-be and the prices were quite reasonable too. The baby clothing is gorgeous including cute baby grows, little leather booties with various animals and other designs adorning, really cute little hats in the style of strawberries and other fruits and a selection of designer toys. The gorgeous baby items makes Vanilla Bloom and excellent little boutique to visit if you're looking for a gift for a new born.

Great little friendly place. Everything for mother and baby - well recommended.read more

Tartan plays a big part in Hector Russell and whether it's a tartan teddy, hip flask, pen or kilt…read moreyou're looking for, you've come to the right place. I noticed a rather fetching tweed jacket on a recent scout around and in comparison to other tourist shops in Edinburgh, Hector Russell is aimed more at selling clothing, and good quality clothes at that. Real wool, cashmere and other top quality materials are used in the products here and all produced in Scotland, of course. I can definitely recommend the tartan woollen scarves that they sell. I bought one last year. I refer to it affectionately as "the woollen" and it's kept me toasty ever since.

I was quite grateful to head in to a Scottish tourist shop that wasn't overwhelmingly packed! It's…read moretowards the end of Princes Street, so my theory is that most tourists have lost steam before they can make it there. It's not unlike any of the others; you can get souvenirs, whisky, tartan covered items and shortbread in any shape your heart desires. However, it is slightly classier, and I don't recall any annoying bag pipe music. It is significantly smaller than many of the other stores up the street, so it's only really lacking in variety.

Beautiful department store on Princes St, with a super unique layout due to the historical building…read moreit's in. If you are from Canada, this store is just like Hudson's Bay. If you are from the USA, it's just like Macy's. Ran out of Clarins cream and stopped here to stock back up. Had AMAZING service by the rep!

I had purchased a cashmere overcoat back in the mid 1980's. Most likely when the store was owned…read more& operated by the original owning family. I'm in the USA. This coat is as good as new almost 40 years later. It was well made. If there was a way to contact the original owning family I would like to thank them for such a well made garment.

This is a great little shoe shop for little people. They sell only children's shoes and arguably…read moresome of the coolest ones around. It's not the boring clarks school shoes many of us were saddled with during our childhood. Maddie and Marks sell sparkly silver baseball boots and pink wellington boots with plastic butterflies perched on the front. The shop has become a bit of a local phenomenon and the owner has recently expanded with a second shop. Any kid is going to leave here happy. BUT you'll be sad they don't come in your size.

A shop for children should have a little bit of magic inside and this one has. Sparkle,…read moresequins,flowers, buttons and bows it is all here to delight little feet and not so little feet. Pretty shoes for girls and 'cool' shoes for boys. You just can't leave without buying a pair or two. Maybe you won't get Dorothys Red Shoes here but you will find your 'dream' shoes.

JNR Station is a wee breeding ground for young neds. If you want your kid to be the king of the…read moreKappa trackie when he grows up, the you might be able to pick up something in here to set him on his way. A Lacoste t shirt for a wee boy will only set you back about £41, only to be carried home in the school bag the next week having been ruined at PE. I personally think that kid's clothes like this are obscene in both style and price; children should be children, and decking them out head to toe in Burberry or Tommy Hilfiger is a blatant waste of money and time, they're sure to be grown out of it a couple of months later. However, my objections aside, if you do want some designer wear for your baby, toddler or teen, then here is a one stop shop for it. A new season Lacoste tracksuit for 2-8 year old boys will set you back £118, and baby pre-walker loafers made by Armani should be a drop in the ocean at £77. Unbelievable! The store itself is big and bright, and the staff very helpful and friendly. It is probably one of the nicest stores in the Princes Shopping Centre, but that isn't really saying much to be honest.

JNR Station is packed full of high name brands, some of which I didn't even know were still going…read more From Ugg to Dolce, Lacoste, Hackett and Tommy Hilfiger, it's fairly pricey but it's not going to leave you bankrupt. I remember some of these brands in here were popular when I was at high school. Diesel, Converse of course, Lacoste and Ben Sherman were highly fashionable. I wasn't interested in having a name branded over my t shirt even back then but I remember increasing pressure in secondary school to be brandished in these big names. I guess that's why they called me a geek, I didn't succumb to it. I understand older kids want to look good, and parents want their kids to look good. The Converse trainers for babies are super cute but overall I would say that, for infants certainly, it's a bit naff. It's more expensive than buying them a baby gro out of Next, and even though there are some high end brands in here it's a bit tacky to turn your baby into a fashion plate. However, some parents like the brands in here, so although I think some stock is a bit dated and garish, some people might like it. See for yourself but for babies especially, what's the point in decking them out in designers when they're going to cover said brands in goo and poo?

Rude staff and poor selection. There are countless near identical stores on the same street with…read morequality products and much nicer staff, don't waste your time here.

I always strike it lucky in Swish…read more Directed at younger generations, its clothing range balances graphic logo tees with some more elegant (but still cool) dresses. From Junk Food to Ames Brothers, their tees for both guys and girls are good quality. For the ladies, they also have a range of dresses inspired by designer Motel, or at least of a similar ilk. Like Alice, I always worry about the day I grow out of clothing from Swish, since a lot of it isn't very serious. But they do have a quirky range of dressy attire that combines 'street' with 'chic'. They also sell some awesome accessories and bags, including YakPak laptop satchels with elephants all over them. Had my eye on them for ages but my laptop is probably too much of a relic to fit in one of them! Amongst the t shirts, locally designed jewellery and dresses I've bought over the years, last time I was in I bought a kick ass plain hoodie. My boyfriend likes it so much he's tried stealing it off me, but since their new hoodie range is unisex I might just buy him one to save him stretching mine out! This place is dangerous to your wallet - you won't leave without a bag. Cult wishes it was as cool as Swish.