I stumbled across Pop Boutique after visiting the haberdashery right next to it. I was surprised to…read moresay the least. Cute little woollen skirts and check shirts seemed to be the running trend. Along with lots of lurex and sparkles! A lot of the clothes here are recycled, hence their motto - recyclable fashion! The fitting rooms are plastered with cool band photos and pin ups advertising burlesque evenings. I bought a shirt and a skirt from here and can't wait to wear them. Different and affordable with lovely, polite staff. 5 stars from me!

Pop Boutique is one of that strange breed of shop that seems to market itself as a 'vintage' yet…read morestocks entirely new clothing, cut from new textiles in designs vaguely inspired by vintage clothing. There are a few genuine vintage finds in here, but they seem to be getting fewer and farther between as the stock leans more and more towards the new. Put aside any qualms over the label 'vintage', however, and you'll find that Pop Boutique is a fine addition to the pile of central Leeds clothes shops, and while its cute tea dresses and floral skirts may not be originals from the 1950s they're still different - and cheaper - than anything you might find on the high street.

I've been coveting a pair of trousers from here for a while now. They were in the window, deftly…read morearranged on the ultra slender mannequin, calling out to me in shades of tan and cuts of finery. Every time I passed I'd see them and so finally, the other day, I went in to investigate. And I think I've found a brand that knows my style - I love the clothing in this place. It's smart, but with a hint of vintage, the fabrics are high quality and the colour schemes are adorable. I.e. there is naught a hint of shocking pink in sight. On this fine sunny Bank Holiday I sought out my coveted pair only to discover I'd left it too late - they had about three pairs left none in my size! Dang. And, to make matters worse, they retail at a massive £45... That's a bit of a number for a pair of trousers. Sadly, as I browsed the other items this became a recurring theme. All the gorgeous tops I longed for were just that little bit too much. Perhaps I'm a skin-flint, but then again, I understand that you are at least paying for a high quality item should you make the spend. Tough decisions. Nonetheless I asked a sales assistant if they had any more in stock, wanting to at least see if they looked as glorious upon my person as they did in store, and she was extremely helpful. Whilst they had none she checked all the other stores in Leeds and found that the shopping plaza had my size. Of course, I trundled over there, and found that they were perfect. But, no. I did not buy - I decided to be sensible and save up my pennies. After all, they are only a pair of trousers, right? To summarise; the clothes herein are gorgeous, expensive, but well tailored and superbly stylish.

This is a much bigger Warehouse store than the other one in Leeds, and is therefore a lot more…read morespacious and easier to shop in. There is a wide selection of clothes, bags and accessories, and everything is easy to find. The store assistants are usually happy to help, and will advise on clothing ideas. Most things are quite expensive, but they are very good quality clothes, and will last longer than cheaper alternatives.

Aras is a peculiar shop. It sells a little bit of most fashion styles: a little bit rock chick, a…read morelittle high street, some alternative, and a little bit of scally clobber, none of it at a particularly cheap price but most of it on the slightly unusual side. Have a rummage through the rails of random odds and ends, I've found some amazing leggings that I pulled out at festival time. Some of their jumpers are a nice addition to winter wardrobes too. When I've visited there's always a very warm welcome and it is nice to have such a unique shop so close to the big guns of Briggate.

I'm actually quite a fan of this quirky little fashion shop. At first glance you'd be forgiven for…read moreassuming it's one of those cheap-o fashion shops, but you'd be wrong not to step inside and give it a second chance. There are a number of hits amongst the misses and you'll never find them unless you go on in. In amongst some of the less enticing items, which is more indicative of what caters to my taste than anything else, you'll find a few elegant pieces at pretty damn reasonable prices. I spotted a gorgeous nude tartan patterned shawl (you know the ones, the triangle shaped garments) that was gorgeously soft to touch and would look fabulous on any lady. Add to that a seriously cool pair of tapered black high waist trousers and I was already getting excited. Yes, there were a few duds that I wasn't so keen on, but just before leaving (since I'd have to wait till payday for that shawl) I noticed the knitted hats. Oh. My. Gosh. Knitted animal hats, no less. This mightn't be something you'd get excited about, but it was definitely something I was positively applauding. I grabbed the raccoon version and asked how much this ridiculously cute and warm headwear must-have would be. Oh, really? Twelve pounds you say? Done. And now you know how to spot me. I'm the numpty with the awesome raccoon hat and I wear it with pride. Give Aras a chance, if you're anything like me you won't regret it!

Before I went in Label Boutique I always assumed for some reason that it wouldn't have anything to…read moremy taste (I generally go for vintage-style or things with a bit of character) but I once saw a really pretty dress in the window and ventured in. It has a spacious and minimalist style inside and the staff always seem really nice and welcoming. There's not a huge amount to choose from but the minimal size of the range gives the impression that it was selectively chosen. The clothes are usually very hit and miss for me, thought there always seems to be at least one thing I like. The prices cover quite a range - they sell the label Glamorous, which is also in Arc and sells at standard high street prices. Despite its tacky -sounding I tend to like most things by Glamorous, and on my last visit there was a pretty polka dot layered top. Other things in the shop tend to be more pricey, but there seem to be regular sales so you may find a bargain. Like Rowena I tend to do most of my clothes shopping second hand and Headingley certainly is spoilt for choice when it comes to charity shops. I can't imagine going to Label Boutique to buy something for myself but I may well have a look in if I was in the area and looking for a gift for a femail friend.

This is another one of those shops on North Lane that I've wandered past and considered nipping in…read morebut never quite made it. In all honesty there are enough charity shops in Headingley to satisfy my shopping needs - once I've gone through all the bargains and found a new pair of shoes/new dress etc, I don't need to go anywhere else. Anyway, there was a large sale sign so I decided to go in. Inside the shop was quite smartly laid out and interestingly enough, there wasn't actually a great deal there. Closest to the window was a rail stacked with very 'american high school' style jumpers, cardigans and, to my distaste, those horrid velour burgandy jogging suits. Gah. There was also a selection of very 90s pop style dresses, with asymmetric straps and bright fluorescent straps of colour across them. Amongst those garments were also some more understated items - belts, handbags and a lovely thick jersey high waisted skirt for £60. My main disinterest for the items in the store was that a lot of them were simply not my style, but where I saw things that I like I just felt that I could find something more unique for less money elsewhere. For example, they had a pair of sequined leggings. There was nothing extra special about this pair and I know beyond any doubt that I could find a much cheaper pair elsewhere. Despite this though, it was a pleasant shop to have a quick browse, and the staff were lovely and ready to help. All in all, they'll probably have one or two things worth a look, but only really for me if I was walking by. Not really worth a special trip...

This lovely ladies-wear shop situated just five minutes or so from the Cross Gates arcade shopping…read morecentre. I discovered it on a recent outing to Cross Gates, having heard about the arcade here I decided to check it out. I had some time to wander around and so stumbled across this little store. As soon as I wandered in I realised that the clothes weren't particularly suited to me, but this isn't a criticism. It's just that the fashion inside is very much suited to a more mature lady. They had some lovely dresses and jackets to make up the perfect 'mother-of-the-bride' style outfits, all priced in the region of £150, and lots of accessories. They had some Radley bags, lovely knit cardigans, little shrugs, vintage rose style clutch purses and much more! There was even a very reasonable £10 and under sale rack which had quite a lot of items on it. One of the best bits about this lovely shop however is the welcome. As soon as I wandered in the two ladies who were serving greeted me with some really friendly banter - one of the ladies asked me about my camera which was hanging from my neck. She asked me what I liked to photograph and so I told her I liked taking portraits, to which she responded - "I've a friend who likes photographing the ups vans." I smiled, not knowing what 'ups' was, and she explained - "You know, the parcel delivery guys - ups vans!" I smiled, getting it and said, "Oh! You mean the UPS vans! I see. How strange!" She agreed with the classic - "Well, you know what they say, there's nowt as queer as folk!" And we had a right laugh about her friend and her ups/UPS obsession. They didn't once go for any kind of hard sell, it was completely relaxed and friendly, and a totally lovely experience. I didn't buy anything, of course, but I shall certainly be recommending it to any friends/colleagues who are in need of something nice and occasional. Lovely!

I 1st visited Joans's last year, when searching for an outfit for a special party. Although I…read morefound many of the items in the shop over my budget, I managed to find 1 dress which was reduced to just £20. I am very conscious about my 'slightly larger' size so didn't feel too confident about buying however, both my sister who was with me at the time & the assistant commented it really suited me. I bought the dress (a very ritzy style) as I love glamourous dressing!. at the party I received so many positive comments on how amazing I looked. That was the 1st time for years I have worn a dress so 'thank you' Joan's for boosting my confidence. It will now be my regular shop when I am in need of a special outfit. I have actually seen another dress there this week, for a very bargain price of £10!!! I am aiming to go back for it.

An exciting new addition to the independent label scene in Leeds, Each To their Own have opened a…read morebranch on Duncan Street, following their success of their Sheffield based flagship store. A better job could not have been done in creating an attractive decor. Exposed brickwork, boldly patterned wallpaper and dramatic baroque mirrors suggests an underlying confidence in the quality of their clothes. Catering for both men and women, the garments are mainly designed by Alex, the owner of the shop. He speaks animatedly about his passion for fashion, the love and attention he puts into making the clothes is evident. They have a funky style. There are some lovely dresses with gathered hems next to dressy racer back t-shirts; some sheer, floral camis for bed, next to some knee-skimming low crouched trousers. Originality created by independent designers does slightly increase the price of the garments, but that is an inevitable consequence. Let us unite to support local talent such as this, against the constant onslaught of chain shop mediocrity.

This little boutiquey shop is probably in a slightly unfortunate place as I have a feeling not many…read morepeople frequent that side of Duncan Street (opposite the big Oxfam). I noticed it pop up relatively recently...probably less than a year ago (though I have a poor sense of time!). It is uber fashioney and would appeal to people who like to dress in unusual and striking clothing with a unique look. It's a small shop selling both women's and men's clobber. Men's stuff seems to specialise in giant collars and unusual fastenings as well as low-crotch trousers with long ties knotted around the ankles. Women's wear features similar trousers, some in vintage-style hound's tooth and cheques (which I love) and I like this slightly unisex edge to their offering. There are also quirky little waistcoats for women featuring leather buckle fastening as well as cute freeform tartan dresses and long confusing tops that you'd have to try on to figure out. Prices are understandably higher than average high street as the shop features underground labels and fashion-forward pieces...with trousers around £80. There is a lot of attention to detail in Each To Their Own as well as a love of unusual design and eccentricity, which unfortunately is often lacking in the often brand-name centric offering of many Leeds' clothing shops.

Ilkley is one of those little market towns that is somewhat renowned for it's independent shops,…read moreand it's high end brand retail too. Obviously, I think you can imagine which arena this place falls in to. Yup, the brand retail. Usually, for me at least, there is a bit of a barrier when it comes to that kind of place due to the expense, but this place has got some decent garments inside. Sadly, even if it's an expensive odd jumper, you will get what you pay for in here. I can't entirely justify that much for one wee item but the quality of the knits in here speaks for itself. And that quality comes two fold. Firstly, there is the quality of the wool; they use the finest cashmere, angora and lambs wool in their items. Secondly is the quality of the design, although the garments on ladies wear could be accused of being aimed at, say, 45+ I have on occasion found their clothing to be flattering to both myself and my mother too! Of course, they aren't strictly limited to woolen items, they have a plethora of skirts, shirts, trousers and tops to choose from as well. But really, all I ever nip in for is a beautiful warm cosy jumper which will see me through the harsh winters we've been having. If you catch them in sale, you'll grab yourself a bargain - even if the garments are aimed at an older shopper!

I'm in the mood to shop now. The credit card is fully charged and my eyes are a wandering. What is…read morethis rather splendid looking boutique? It's only Attic. What a wonderful little shop it is too. It is crammed with independent designer womenswear and it is all stuff I've never seen before. If you want to stand out from the crowd but not in a bad way, this is perfect for you. It isn't the biggest place but it really has some quality stuff. It is fashion but not with your main stream labels. What I also love is that you can get an array of gifts and homeware too. Some real love has been fed into the creation of the shop and it shows. Don't go in expecting to spend very little as it is reasonably expensive but sometimes we should all shell out a little bit on ourselves. I do it often. Lovely shop and very friendly to boot.

I popped back in here during a recent day out to Ilkley and was reminded just how much I love…read morelittle independent boutiques like this. Love and care has gone into every display, each garment is wonderfully finger-spaced for easy browsing, items are matched in gently suggested outfits and the lady behind the counter was friendly and chatty. The item that I was particularly in love with was an utterly gorgeous washed leather jacket, in a taupe dusky pink. The leather was tailored with ribbed woven jersey and the design was utterly fantastic. The bottom of the jacket hung down in a beautifully flattering draped cotton affect and the leather was utterly soft to the touch. None of that plastic feel, and, it was on sale for about £120 - so so cheapl! There was also a number of delightful accessories, making this shop the highlight of my Ilkley visit. Gorgeous.