There isn't much for the men, but the 40 or so businesses that mostly cater to women are…read moreextraordinarily charming in this upscale American-style mall. It's a lovely stop along the outdoor Buchanan Street pedestrian mall. With four levels, lots of retail, a few restaurants, and one great chocolatier, Princes Square Shopping Centre is worth a few hours of shopping for the ladies on vacation in Glasgow. The facility is just steps from the St. Enoch subway station on the Inner Line if you need a reference to the metro stops.

Not being much of a shopping centre fan generally, I actually really like Princes Square. Granted,…read moreI don't actually do much shopping here but it is nice for a place to take cover on a rainy day and browse the shops. This is an upmarket shopping centre which has more expensive high street shops like Reiss, Ted Baker, Vivienne Westwood and Cos (which I'm still yet to check out!). The centre is certainly decorated to match the crowd it's looking to attract - glitzy, glam and always clean and tidy. I like the size of the centre as well - it's very dinky but still has lots of shops and is easy to navigate. There's also a host of restaurants, bars and cafés but I'll be honest - I've not visited many of them. I ate at Barca probably 4 years ago and also one of the places on the bottom floor but I think that's changed hands. One down side is that if you are dining at a restaurant on the lower level, parents will tend to let their kids run riot in the centre circle which can be a bit of a mood-killer. Princes Square doesn't have a car park due to its location but it is really close to train and subway. If you do really fancy driving, probably St Enoch or Mitchell Street are the closest car parks.

Brownn's is a little off the beaten shopping track - you'll find it on West George Street. It's…read morequite a specialist shop, and is definitely worth a look if you're in the market for a posh frock with a difference. Brownn's is that great type of shop that illustrates how upmarket it is by keeping it's stock pretty minimalist. This is good as it means you'll have plenty of space for browsing and trying on dresses! Prices are generally around the £200 mark - but if you're looking for something a bit special, it's definitely worth a look. The majority of stock in this shop is taken up by a great array of lovely mini dresses. They're definitely cocktail dresses rather than ball gowns - and you'll find all the sparkles and flouncy bits you could possibly want. As well as some great brands of jeans (think D&G) you'll also find some more casual clothing. I think this part of the shop is rather overshadowed by the dresses - and I will admit to making a quick dash past the Juicy Couture section. Just because they've got a label on them - it doesn't make them any less of a tracksuit. Overall, having a browse in Brownn's is a great experience. I think the choice of music (r&b) was a little wrong, but the place had a really nice feel to it.

Monsoon. Clothing for the slightly richer people among us. Also, styled for a slightly older…read moreaudience, I wouldn't say Monsoon is bang on trend, however, but they do have a few gems, like their dresses! Oh, the dresses are gorgeous - expensive, but lovely lovely lovely. From the LBD to the emerald green cocktail number, they really do have a wide variety, which makes me very very happy, and a lot of other people very very happy. When it comes to sales they know how to do it - 90% of stock gets 75% off. How brilliant is that?!

Although it's rather pricey, Monsoon is always, always full of gorgeous dresses. As Darryl noted,…read morenot always bang on trend, but definitely the place to splash out on something special. It's a popular choice for prom dresses, especially for more quirky girls who don't want to buy the same red satin ballgown as the other girls in their year. The sister store, Accessorize, is also amazing - but in the same turn merits its own review. Either way, most things sold at Monsoon are high-end and, if you're under about 35, strictly for dressing up. If you prefer to buy something more expensive in order to know it will last or feel a bit more chic, Monsoon is the place for you. Although it's out of most high street shoppers' price range much of the year, the sale is always worth a go round. Lovely well tailored pieces, great for business casual and dressing yourself up a bit.

I'm more than happy to confess my love for Princes Square. Beautiful architecture, fabulous…read morerestaurants and cafes, great atmosphere AND a taste of high fashion right on the high street. And the Reiss Womanswear store is a great example of this. It sells beautiful runway and designer inspired clothes with a little bit less of a price tag than you'd find in the true high fashion stores. This store in particular is great. It has that wonderful minimalist feel to it which just screams EXPENSIVE QUALITY FASHION. (Two things that attract me greatly, to be honest, even if I am living on a penniless writer's budget...) The staff are well-trained and attentive and offer a kind of service that is near-extinct on the high street. Obviously from the name you can tell that there is no catering for men at this particular store. Sorry guys, you'll have to make a trip out in the cold to the Exchange Square store!

I used to work in Princes Square and as such would find myself popping into Reiss quite often. I…read moregot a gorgeous little black dress here a couple of years ago for Christmas and it's stunning, perfect fit, great quality and has a classic look about it. I don't shop in Reiss a lot though and my dress is the only thing I've ever bought from here. It's not that I don't like it, I just tend to think of it as the kind of place I would like to shop when I'm in my 30's when I have a high flying job and my own organised immaculate house. Maybe that's just wishful thinking but that's how I want things to play out. I think the clothes are sophisticated and classy and I've seen many stunning trouser suits in here that I would love to have when I'm a little order. Plus the fact that my student budget is pretty tight and I can't afford to shop in Reiss most of the time. Oh well, I can still window shop.

I am a big fan of Zara and I think this store on Buchanan Street is one of the best, although the…read moreSilverburn Shopping Centre branch is also a great store. Zara does some fantastic tailoring which has a quirky twist to it and the colour palette is often quite muted with the likes of beigh, khaki, black, grey etc which I like because Zara clothes make a great base on which to build an outfit. I had been searching for the perfect mac for yeeeears and finally found it in Zara this week. It was £70 and I will wear it for years to come as it is very classic looking and will never go out of fashion. In fact it makes me feel like a sexy female spy during WW2! Or inspector gadget! One bug bare with Zara is that the clothes are sized as xs/s/m/l/xl and it is a bit of a pain trying to work out which size you are. I finally realised that I am an extra small (which I really shouldn't have been surprised about as I am a midget) but some of Zara's clothes stop at a small for some bizare reason. I've heard a lot of complaints about the length of Zara's trousers and jeans but a little known Zara fact is that they will tailor any of your purchases for free! Zara is a Spanish company and in Europe women don't think twice about getting all their clothes tailored to fit them perfectly. Zara have brought this ethos over to the UK and thus purposly make their trousers quite long to accomodate tall statuesque types but can also alter them for free for munchkin types like myself.

For me Zara is always a bit hit or miss, sometimes I will see stacks of clothes that I like, other…read moretimes I can't so much find a hair band that tickles my fancy. A few years ago Zara was one of my favourite shops, I bought pretty much everything out of here but I've recently grown out of it for some reason, I guess my style has just changed. I have a few really cosy knitted jumpers from here that have lasted a good few years and only cost around £20. I have to admit, many of clothes at Zara are great value for money and you can get quirky tees for as little as £6. They have really pretty dresses and tailored jackets too which are always a little bit different to most shops on the high street but they are rather expensive and some of their shoes can be over £100 and I don't really think they're anything special. I like the fact that Zara has their own range of perfumes and cosmetics, their lip gloss is particularly good and only £1.95 a pop! I guess, if you're looking for a new outfit then Zara is a good shout and you'll more often than not come away with something pretty. This is probably one of the best Zara stores around Glasgow as it is huge and they often have a sale section too so you could snap up a bargain.

Now, I'm assuming you're all aware of Jigsaw as a shop. A quick recap: they sell absolutely…read moregorgeous classic clothes, which are great quality but a teensy bit pricey. What I want to tell you about this Jigsaw, though, isn't necessarily to do with the clothes. Instead, I'd like to tell you about the absolutely breathtakingly beautiful building that this store calls home. Even if you don't like clothes, are a man, or can't afford to buy a single thing from Jigsaw - please pay this place a visit. You will be treated with Grecian-style marble pillars, Rafaello-esque angels carved into the celing, and a set of double doors so gorgeous that you'll wonder just how Jigsaw managed to wrangle them. Plus, it's HUGE. The clothes themselves are somewhat overshadowed by the building, and the interior designers at Jigsaw have somehow managed to make the place look even better - with huge great mirrors and pretty red frames. To be honest, I barely even looked at the clothes. I was far too mesmerised by their surroundings. Trust me, you will be too.

The building itself is worth checking out if you aren't even into their clothes. Most of the sales…read moreclerks are really helpful and some know the history of what is original and what is not. I really like their overall aesthetic with muted tones and some vibrant coloured pieces. The sales are really good if you can wait through a season as well but some items sell out really fast. I'm enamoured with their skirts and tops. The one thing I would like to say is some of the sales clerks aren't particularly helpful and some are beyond helpful. One of them looks more like they are shopping the entire time rather than working.

I used to exercise a lot, then I stopped, and now I need some motivation to get back into it. I…read moredon't know about you, but for me I am (solely) motivated by purchasing pretty new exercise clothes, which is how I ended up taking a detour into Sweaty Betty one Friday afternoon. First things first - this shop is baltic hot roasting warm. I guess it's called Sweaty Betty for a reason. I felt like I'd done a class of Bikram Yoga by the time I left, and that was just from having a browse. Now, onto the clothes. These aren't your dull, uninteresting workout clothes. They're bright, colourful, stylish and very drool-worthy. They also sell sneakers, workout accessories like running gloves and yoga mats. The downside is the price - you aren't talking cheap stuff here, as a pair of leggings will set you back around anywhere between £40 - £90. I got chatting to the staff members who are possibly the friendliest people on the planet and they told me about the free fitness classes offered in-store. Free, you say - that sounds like my kind of thing. There's yoga, HIIT and a special class called Fly, Flex, Flow which they are just doing for a few weeks. To get into these classes you need a Sweaty Betty card (free) and you sign up online. I'm definitely going to give one a try and then treat myself to some shiny new leggings as a reward.

Hi, I'm Fiona and I'm a gym addict. There I said it, although my daily gym check-ins probably gives…read morethis away. Sweaty Betty is a haven for me, so many gorgeous clothes and colours and stuff I would happily wear shopping or to lunch post gym. Confession, I've never bought clothes from here. But knowing friends who have, the stuff is great quality. (I'm just waiting for pay-day, and a sale is currently on, so will make a purchase soon and re-review.) I visited here thanks to Denise telling me about an event to do with nutrition and sport, also sponsored by Juice Warrior and Healthy Nibbles. The staff from all companies were great, but the lady from Sweaty Betty who had a PhD in Nutrition led the talk and was so honest. It's lovely to see a brand have passionate employees who were all forms of gym-goers, from runners, to yogis. They also offer free circuit classes, yoga, and runs. Just check on the blackboard beside the changing room.

I said she was a lifesaver and indeed she was! Just picked…read moreup my wedding dress today and I am chuffed to bits with it! If you want, and lets face it who doesnt, a dress custom made to fit, designed to your exact specifications made with love and care with free alterations, Miss Lottie Lou is the place to go. She is friendly, professional and a joy to create something special with. And if all that wasnt enough she supplied an emergency sewing kit for any disasters!

I can't recommend Miss Lottie Lou highly enough. I was looking for an alternative to all those big…read morewhite wedding dresses and thought I would take the plunge and find a dressmaker to make one that was custom fit. Charlotte made me feel very at ease and genuinely listens to what you want to achieve whilst making helpful suggestions and recommendations along the way. I had too many fittings to count, each one was met with patience and encouragement. Charlotte also made a petticoat and matching clutch bag. The fit of the dress was perfect, flattering, exactly what I wanted and I felt amazing. Her prices are so reasonable for the service she provides and the end result. Miss Lottie Lou also stocks lots of lovely accessories, jewellery and gifts in a lovely 40s/50s setting. I have since been back for more made to measure clothing...be warned, it is very addictive!

John Lewis Glasgow is one of the largest department stores in the city, located at the top of…read moreBuchanan Street, as a part of Buchanan Galleries. The store may not be as modern as some of the newer John Lewis stores, but it makes up for it by having a nice selection of items you'd expect to find in a John Lewis from clothing to fragrances and technology. There is also an Optician and a Cafe inside. The store was still tidy and presented well. The store stretches over five floors, including a basement. There are toilets on two floors which is handy and I often find these both quieter and cleaner than the ones actually inside the shopping centre. There weren't too many staff members around the floor, although due to the size, it would be difficult to have someone everywhere. The staff seemed friendly when I did find someone. I do think it's a waste for such a big department store in a big city to be closing at 6 pm, other than on Thursdays, when they close at 7 pm. It just seems way too early, although it is in line with some smaller stores nearby, there are shops open later so I can't see why John Lewis can't either. One of my favourite stores in the city, I do prefer this to other department stores nearby. I do prefer the John Lewis in Edinburgh though, which after John Lewis in Aberdeen closed is their only other branch in Scotland. 4*

John Lewis use Evri courier service. The courier left my package on the doorstep - in Central…read moreLondon. Utterly negligent. Of course it was stolen. John Lewis Customer telephone complaints gave the now typical runaround - long wait time etc - before trying to claim it had been delivered to a neighbour. No. Different package. Then washed hands of it and told me complain to my credit card company. I buy everything on Amex for this eventuality, so I have indeed complained. Used to be a great store. Sad to see it fall into disgraceful decline.