Carmelina altered my wedding dress for my wedding in December 2018, I bought a sample dress which…read morerequired a lot of work to reshape the dress, lace jacket and sash. From the moment I met her I trusted her implicitly. Her workmanship was excellent - she was extremely attentive, precise and had excellent attention to detail. She made the alterations process feel special and made me feel like a princess in my dress. I would highly recommend her.

I'm a dancer, and often need to make repairs and adjustments to my costumes, which are fragile and…read moreheavily beaded. I have just got back two costumes after taking them to Carmelina for repairs & alterations which were too delicate to do myself, and I am very pleased with the results. Carmelina has done a really good job, fixing lots of delicate satin ruching which was coming unstitched on one costume, and adding extra chiffon panels to the skirt of another. I also thought that her price was very reasonable. I will be bringing all of my costumes to her when they need work doing on them in future!

I've passed this so many times and always thought it was a really posh shop. However, when I…read moreactually went in I was pleasantly surprised by the prices. There was a sales rack outside with dressed from about £35. As always with these things, some were pretty hideous, but I was tempted by 2 or 3 and I wasn't even going in to buy a dress! There's a really good range of dresses from full-on ball gowns to simple cocktail dresses, with prices ranging accordingly, but you can definitely catch some bargains. There's a good range of formalwear for men as well, which can work out much better value for money than hiring a couple of times. The staff weren't overly friendly and it was a bit awkward as we were the only people in there, but they weren't rude and asked if we needed help. I didn't try anything on, despite being tempted, so I guess it's not as inviting as it could be. Definitely worth a look, but go in with a friend if you want some moral support.

The Ballroom is hard to miss. They take full advantage of their window display by showing off the…read moremost spectacularly beautiful and eye catching dresses. I tried on a gothic lacey black prom dress and also a shiny white dress decorated with bright pink flowers! I fell in love with a floor length, satin, chocolate brown dress which, to my delight, was only £35 to buy! They offer beautiful silver and diamond jewellery which is available to rent so no need to break the bank balance. The only reason i'm not ranking 5/5 is because they do not have a fitting room, so take a friend with you to stand hide behind and save your blushes!

A very popular place on High St. to buy T-shirts and sweaters. They have a large selection of…read morevarious clothing (tourist type clothing) at very good prices. It seems they always have a bin of Oxford T-shirts on sale for 4.99 pounds, a real deal. One of my favorite places in Oxford to buy presents.

I am in Oxford frequently on business from the US and always to try to stop by Shepherd & Woodward…read more Each time I have been able to stop by, there are items I can't find in the US and usually on sale. Staff has always been helpful and knowledgeable. I am not a long time customer but have had only have positive experiences with them.

This is a cute shop tucked away just round the corner from the market place of Gloucester Green…read more There are some really cute, unusual pieces to be found here so if you want to wear something that no one else will be wearing then it's the right place to come to. A fab vintage section to the rear of the shop which is my favourite bit

Party dresses, party tops and everyday wear…read more The vintage section at the back of the shop is where you will find unique jumpers and retro tops. at my last visit I spotted some fab Micky Mouse and Rainbow Bright boob tubes! Make sure you join their mailing list as they regularly send offers for 20% off and invite you along to special evenings where they decorate the shop, provide free drinks and give you a discount! The last one I went to was a hawaiian theme! The staff dressed up and there were inflatable palm trees everywhere! While I was waiting to pay I helped myself to free fairy cakes and they gave me a goodie bag! Can't ask for much more.

One of the few things people know about me is my love of garb. I have so many bits of fabric and…read morestuff around for making garb all because this shop has the most wonderful fabric. On a recent expidition, my garb got an upgrade courtest of glitter fabric paint. Absolutely fantastic place stuffed full of fabric and the knowledgeable staff you need to get whatever you need. I highly recommend spanding hours and lots of money in here!

Originally I quite enjoyed visiting the ramshackle but very well-stocked fabrics, haberdashery,…read moreembroidery and crafts side of Masons in Bath Street. Although somewhat time-consuming to work through on your own to find what you need - it has an old shop appeal to it that some can find charming, the items that I've wanted for general sewing, embroidery and craft projects have usually been handily in stock. However, I've always found the staff to be very intimidating to speak to; I've been glared at for asking a polite question or advice, I've been ignored queueing at the counter in a practically empty shop when staff have been chatting to each other and, generally, made to feel I was unwelcome or an annoyance to be put up with. I thought the adjoining crafts and embroidery shop had more approachable people, but even that has changed in recent months to being greeted with unsmiling demeanours and barely a word spoken. What I decided was my final visit to this shop was having one of the trainees/temporary staff that regularly change on the haberdashery and fabrics section serve me with all the bad attitude that a bored, inexperienced and unhappy teenager can muster. Much eye rolling and huffiness ensued as an older staff member deliberately walked off and left the trainee alone to serve. For some minor purchases this was an unnecessary, and really off-putting, performance. I like to buy locally and support businesses, even at higher prices than you can find elsewhere, but not when I'm repeatedly treated to terrible customer service. Especially when it is noticeable that some customers immediately receive much more help and attention. If you don't mind the varying levels of service and attitude, then Masons is worth visiting for its wide range of stock. If you prefer to be treated with at least minimal courtesy and helpfulness as standard, best look elsewhere.

Badgers in Abingdon sells a fair range of mens clother. They often have a sale rail which you can…read morealways pick a bargain up on. My partner loves going there as its easy to get to and the staff are very helpful if you cant find something in your size!

Monaco is a small independent ladies clothing store just by the main shopping area in Headington…read more It specialises in Adini clothing, and a fair amount from Nomads. So it's full of natural fabrics in bright colours, nice casual tops and skirts, and smart dresses, scarves and jackets for dressing up. It also sells a small range of jewellry. There's a good range of stock with new additions coming in regularly, and there's usually a couple of sale rails. The owner is very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, so are the other staff who work there when she's not around. There's usually an attractive window display to tempt you in.

Much smaller than the Dorothy Perkins I usually use on Oxford St but much less crowded although…read morevery difficult to move through. The racks are tightly packed in but the staff are friendly enough. I wouldn't want to have to actually try on clothes or find a new outfit - it's the place to buy stuff without having to queue for 30 minutes like at other shops. The clothes are well organised, sizes are in order, most of the range is available and despite it being uber-small it is also super convenient.

The tiny Abingdon branch of Dorothy Perkins is a bit disappointing, although it is nice to have a…read morewell-known fashion chain in the town. If there are a few customers in the shop it can be hard to get to where you want, as the rails are quite close together. They have a nice selection of clothes, costume jewellery and underwear at a reasonable price, not the hugest choice but it whets your appetite! The staff are always helpful and efficient.