When I came across a rather dismal looking shopping arcade with a sign suggesting stores were…read morehidden within, I didn't expect much. However the very first shop I came across surprised me pleasantly. It's only a tiny jewellery store, there's no way Brangelina and their brood could fit in here. But their jewellery appealed precisely to my taste; a lot of dainty silver and colourful glass beads. They do have a website but it does the store absolutely no justice. You really need to visit the shop to see what this place is all about. So next time you're in Paddington and happen to stumble across a mysterious arcade, venture down and pay this shop a visit.

This seems to me to be the only semi-decent jewellery store in West End. Of course a lot of other…read moreshops in the area have nice jewellery, but in terms of specialist jewellery shops, most of them are small enough that you might mistake them to be stolen from the set of The Hobbit. This one is bigger and better than the rest. The size obviously results in a larger selection, but it's still not a place I would highly recommend or drag my unsuspecting boyfriend past while dropping hints. There's some lovely stuff but I just wasn't mouth agape, struggling to decide which of their items I could justify buying.

The selection of jewellary and watches in Hall's are all OK, but I must admit I was a little…read moreunderwhelmed by the range. I was on a hunt for a new pair of earrings but didn't find anything that really tickled my fancy. The shop attendant was busy talking to a friend so I didn't really get any assistance in that respect. In terms of repairs though, Hall's does a good job for a reasonable price. I've had a watch fixed there before as well as a necklace which had broken as a result of the debauchery of a night out. It's an OK little jewellary store, but not the kind of place I would rave about to friends.

Though the boutique boom has certainly settled down in Paddington, there are still a few that have…read moreclung on and remained inner-city cool. Though Zazzy's location is less hip than most (stowed away in Paddington Central above Woolworths), the clothes are amongst the more appealing in Paddington in terms of quality and cost. The discount racks out the front of such boutiques I've found to be fairly useless: typically, these are the bizarre or ill-fitting designer clothes no one wanted. However, Zazzy often has a few treats amongst its outdoor discount rack. And, surprisingly, it's the cheapest rack ($20) that tends to have some of the best stuff. It's casual-wear, usually, but cool casual-wear. Whatever's on show in the front window is usually showcased in the centre of this fairly small shop (which, in spite of its size, manages to have ample room-to-move space and a very wide range of clothing. Someone knows their interior design.) The most "Wow" dresses are also showcased on this central rack and are amongst the more expensive clothes downstairs. Lining the walls are dresses, skirts, tops, belts and shoes covering a variety of genres, and the price is usually reasonable for a boutique. Upstairs is dresses, dresses, dresses galore. A few are beautiful maxis and some are funky short numbers, but being tall (178cm) they tend to be too short for my frame. The upstairs area actually seems to perpetually boast dresses suited to high school formals with tulle, silk, and sashes stuffing the racks, typically going for around $200+, so I don't always venture upstairs at Zazzy.

Tucked away above Paddington Woolies near a butcher not-so-appealingly named the 'Meat-ing Place'…read moresits Zazzy. Zazzy is a strange fit in this centre among the pharmacy, newsagent, butcher, baker, and Woolies, and it looks like its feeling its age. Perhaps it's leftover from the 90s when this centre was the cutting-edge of Brisbane boutique chic cool. From the outside, Zazzy doesn't look particularly promising. It's a bit dated, even the name and hot pink sign with its 'jazzy' font are starting to look unintentionally retro, but if you take the plunge you will be pleasantly surprised. Zazzy has some name brands that will be familiar to you and others that most people haven't heard of, but most of it is nice, decent quality and fairly priced. There's a cheap rack that can be a goldmine, and upstairs they have more top-end frocks if you are after something for a special occasion. I don't come to Paddington Central often and when I do I'm always faintly surprised to see Zazzy still hanging on, but glad, too. I always enjoy a browse around Zazzy's eclectic racks and shelves and sometimes come home with something I wasn't expecting to buy when I popped in to Paddington Central to grab some bread and milk.

When I walked into this cheerful looking shop I had no idea what was waiting for me. After reading…read morethe label on the first dress that caught my fancy (Gucci), I almost ran out of the store with my tail between my legs. These brands aren't any more expensive than some of the other designer stores in Paddington, but they do come with a certain intimidation factor. As I adjusted myself and tried to look as though I belonged it dawned on me that this is a lovely store and is presented very cleverly. The fact that I didn't realise exactly what they sold before I entered shows just how casually this store comes across; not what you'd expect of a place that sells brands like Gucci. Normally I would expect large, sparsely populated stores that are mostly floor space and serve champagne for their customers. However, this shop has racks of clothes packed tightly together filling a good portion of the store; the effect is warm and welcoming. After a bit more of a browse I realised they actually have a fairly wide range of brands, which vary in prices a fair bit - and they're not all as frightening as I first thought.

If you're a fiend for designer labels - then this unassuming boutique in Paddington has you…read morecovered. The racks are filled with the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss and Marc Jacobs. Unlike many of the clothes stores in Paddington, Style Motion caters for men as well as women. And yes, prices are high (as you'd imagine) but if labels are your thing then you'll be more than happy.