Want authentically designer vintage sunglasses by brands such as Ted Lapidus Paris and hip hop…read morefavourite Cazal? Or cute party dresses by Marc Jacobs or Givenchy? Head to Curve Vintage. Domiciled on Gertrude Street, my favourite little strip for vintage clothing in Melbourne bar none, Curve Vintage sells an incredible range of vintage clothing and accessories with a good smattering of vintage designer and contemporary second hand pieces thrown in for good measure. My one Curve Vintage qualm? It feels as if the place is never open. But InStyle - which ranks it amongst Victoria's best vintage boutiques - assures me that this is because Curve is open for the abbreviated hours of midday until 6pm from Tuesday to Saturday much like many of the exclusive little boutiques dotted along Gertrude. If you're serious about your vintage you will seriously love Curve. Prices are attendantly pretty steep but as most vintage afficionados know, a great vintage find is priceless.

Curve is in my top five places to buy vintage in Melbourne - it has everything: women's clothing,…read moremen's clothing, sunglasses, shoes, belts, bags, a kickass store, great staff and a great range of stock. I come here with my partner because he likes to check out the men's racks and try on vintage jackets and shirts. I have to say that Curve's collection of men's wear is phenomenal and they cater for a lot of different styles: there are wacky and lurid shirts, and reserved and classic dinner jackets. I spend most of my time on the other side of the store buried amongst the women's wear. During the winter months I would stock up on boots and the warmer dresses that I could easily wear with tights. When I visited last time there were some gorgeous summer dresses and shorts perfect for the hot weather. The prices are quite high but I honestly don't mind paying. The clothes and accessories are fantastic and the service is always great.

DOESNT EXIST ANYMORE. Sigh. Like maybe don't make people drive all the way there if the shop…read moredoesn't even exist anymore?

Went to one of their weekend Garage Sales. Found out about the fortnightly event on Facebook…read more Picked up some vinyl and an awesome table.

The thing I like most about Out of the Closet? Their t-shirts mean what they mean. Most t-shirts…read moredon't. You buy a t-shirt with an astronaut holding a boom box, you're probably not that keen on either astornauts OR boom boxes. But if you buy a t-shirt with a New Order album cover on, it's probably because you like New Order (okay, or because you want to be seen as the type of person who likes New Order). That kind of principle applies to most of what OTC sells. Whether it's good or not, whether it's cheap or not, none of it seems to be trading on aspirational branding. These are clothes to wear or to look good in, not to show how hooked into the cultural superstructure you are. They offer a mix of vintage and new clothes, and some of it can be a little pricey, but I'd still rather this than the manufactured white noise most places seem to sell these days.

It's been a while since I've popped into a vintage clothing store, so when I passed Out Of The…read moreCloset I thought I'd drop in. Their range is quite large, especially for guys. Their range of leather and denim jackets is pretty decent, plus some men's tweed suits which I tried to see if I could pull off, but the fit wasn't right. I did end up with a very cute navy and white pleated skirt that is reminiscent of the skirt Ann Reinking wears in the 'let's go to the movies' song scene of the 1982 film Annie. Let's just say the way that pleated skirt moved while she danced has stuck with me, so I'm beyond stoked to have my own similar number to wear now.

This shop doesn't actually have a name, but I had a chat with owner, Lisa, who tells me that locals…read morefondly refer to it as the Pink Shop or the Shop With No Name. The shop front is bright pink, which makes it hard to miss, but just in case, it's sandwiched between another clothing store called The Very Curious Kitten and the fantastic bar, The Alderman. Whilst we were chatting, Lisa kindly showed me her latest bag tricks, i.e. fresh new stock! In the bag were some beautiful vintage dresses, great shirts for men, and - keep your eyes on the prize - a pair of what looked like brand new, high waisted, flared Karen Walker jeans...and do you know what these jeans were priced at? Less than $50. That's right, you heard me. In case you haven't figured it out already, prices here are incredibly reasonable. Most skirts and shirts are around the $30-something mark, dresses $45-ish, and I've bought a couple of pairs of shoes here that cost around $40. I'm not so clued up on the men's clothes, but there's lots of that too, and if the guys' stuff is priced in any way like the girls' clothes, there'll be bargains aplenty. Opening times can be changeable, but generally it's open from 11am till 5pm Thursday to Sunday.

Friends of Couture is definitely a friend of mine. In fact, this is one of my favourite places to…read moreshop. From great quality cardigans that won't lose their shape, to quirky dresses to fashion-forward tops and bottoms with the cutest prints. This is one store that doesn't shy away from prints. In fact, Friends of Couture seems to thrive on prints. If you're serious about dots, stripes, hearts, bows, checks, horses, owls, bears, moose, deer and cats, you'll love the stuff here. If you hate these prints - go elsewhere! Serious, monochromatic-addicts will hate it here. I love the quirky patterns, vintage inspired buys and spin-offs on classic prints that this shop does so well. Plus, it carries a good selection of handbags and accessories to complete your outfit with. Always make sure to check the back racks for sale products. Very often you'll find that perfect dress, scarf or cardi just waiting to be brought home by you.

A smaller outpost of the excellent Shag Vintage boutique, the Shag Vintage shop within the…read moreCenterway Arcade just near Flinders is arguably the best clothing-wise. Sure, Shag's Brunswick Street shop may stock the most dizzying range of the shop's signature modern costume jewellery and nothing really beats the Fitzroy store's legendary window displays, but the Centerway Arcade store has some of the choicest bits of vintage clothing I've seen yet in a Shag boutique. From vintage Valentino suit jackets to seventies Chanel shirts, old sixties opera coats to just the prettiest vintage silk kimonos, Shag is a vintage store for people who love real vintage. Not for Shag the generic poly garbage that runs amok in so many of Melbourne's other vintage boutiques, this place stocks only the best fashions of yesteryear. Granted, Shag may be tiny but stock turnover is seemingly high, making a regular visit obligatory and impulsive vintage shopping a must. As if you needed another excuse.

A cute, quaint little store with excellent finds though the service is fairly poor. I had chosen a…read morejacket in the store which was marked $79 with the cute little hand written label describing the garment, though once I brought it to the counter (which is about 3 steps from where I picked it up so its not like the tag could have been changed etc.) the shop attendant said "his spidey senses believes that this piece is actually more like $300, sorry"- without any other explanation. The tag completely described the garment down to a T, he saw me handle the jacket the entire time so there was no way tags were tainted etc, he just decided on his own advice that the jacket was worth more than whoever had written it up. I would come back to this shop as there is some excellent finds BUT I think if I saw that staff member working at the time I wouldn't walk in. Beware of price changes!

The prices are sky high and I'm not even sure where the money goes from sales and what it's used…read morefor The staff are all friendly but it's a small shop with no sorting with the clothes etc BRING CASH THEY DONT TAKE ANY EFTPOS!

I am so happy that I have a good second hand store close by…read more Although I usually head further in to do most of my vintage shopping I always make time to stop by Yours, Now Mine and check out the wide range of accessories, home décor and memento. It doesn't suffer from the over-expensive second hand fever that is sweeping our beloved stores (ahem Brunswick Street), and every time I pick up something and have a look at the price I don't have to immediately put it down and walk away with my head hung. There are always some great retro vases or platters in the window that hark back to a time where lurid orange and brown were chic and big belt buckles were king. Even if I don't end up buying anything, a short trip here is an instant pick me up. The atmosphere is fun, the sales assistants are friendly and the products are very kitsch.

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.

Don't judge a book by it's cover. That old adage is true when it comes to Hunter & Co. From the…read moreoutside there's not much that alludes to the beauty that lies within. There's an old Vodaphone sign, complete with Michael Richards (that guy who played Kramer) on it that's been tweaked a bit to beckon you inside. It's the first indication that Hunter & Co might be a bit quirky. Walk on in and you will be greeted with mid century beauties, stacked floor to ceiling. There's armchairs, sideboards, sets of draws and reupholstered sofas and dining chairs. Walk on through to the back section and you'll find some wardrobes (which are very hard to find for this era) and a selection of nic nacs including carved teak bowls. The fun doesn't stop there though, head upstairs for another floor of high quality original and rejuvenated pieces. The guy who owns this store, Gareth, is a quiet chap eager to help you find the perfect piece for your home. His design knowledge is good and he's able to explain the history of pieces if you're interested. Be prepared though. Hunter & Co is not cheap. This isn't dime-a-dozen furniture and compared with other second hand stores it's on the pricier side, reflecting a collection that is a little less commonly found and of a high quality. We were the proud buyers of two Hans Hayson furniture pieces - a wardrobe and sideboard set with draws - and Gareth let us pay them off over a month and then delivered them free of charge when we were settled in to our new home. They're beautiful and although more than we had originally budgeted for bedroom storage, we love looking at them every day. Functional and pleasing on the eye - surely what all furniture should be.