Lovely shop with wonderful clothes from Peopletree. Wonderful jewellery and sweet little gifts for…read morechildren.

The items at Penelope's Portmanteau are high quality, vintage bags and jewellery ... It's nice to…read morefind a shop that sticks to what it specialises in without filling in any shelf-gaps with random extras. Bags and jewellery here. That's it. The former includes glittery clutches, woolen handbags, box-style purses and leather in many colours and styles. The prices are a little steep: between £50 - £100 for most, with not many items on sale. The jewellery cases offer several discounts, though, with some prices starting at £4. These are mostly faux diamond rings and the gaudier necklaces. The necklaces of pearl, gold and real diamond are quite a bit more expensive, but still nice to look at. Earrings are separated into pieced and clip-on varieties - with plenty of both. I'm not a big accessory buyer, but I can appreciate the unique styles in Penelope's.

This fabulous little vintage fashion shop opened just over a year ago on Ship Street. You'd be…read moreforgiven for walking past it several times before realising it's there as it's a little bit tucked away despite an incredibly central location. On their website, they advertise themselves as a place where you can escape from the throwaway world of fast fashion that is here today and gone tomorrow and choose instead the timeless elegance of a quality-made, vintage item. Indeed, this gem of a fashion boutique is a world away from the 'fast fashion', throwaway world of Primark, New Look and H&M that we've all grown so accustomed to. Despite its small size, Penelope's Portmanteau is absolutely crammed with stunning broaches, costume jewellery, handbags and designer vintage gowns all laid out beautifully. With a wide range of prices, you can treat yourself to a bargain of around a fiver or splurge hundreds of pounds on one-of-a-kind designer pieces: last year, they sold off a stunning collection of Vintage Elizabeth Emanuel Couture Gowns. Fantastic for browsing and amazing for accessorising, a visit to this place comes very highly recommended for anyone who's even remotely interested in the world of fashion.

Excellent store if you're looking for affordable gothic/alternative jewellery and accessories. I've…read morebeen in there twice and both times bought some awesome necklaces, rings and a handbag. As I said before the prices are very affordable but the jewellery is actually really good quality, and really pretty. The handbag is also great, I've received compliments on it and so far it's lasted me almost 2 years. They also sell a few clothing items, and things like hair dye, makeup and colored contact lenses, however I've not bought those from here. Overall it's great, and the staff are very nice.

This is a really lovely shop, in Hastings Old Town. I have been going to this place for about 10…read moreyears on and off, sometimes for hair dye (they sell the Stargazer brand, which is great for vibrant colours), sometimes for hippy/goth clothing, sometimes for jewellery but mostly just to enjoy the ambience. The staff are friendly, and very helpful, and I've always come away feeling satisfied with their customer service. I've bought my favourite poncho from here (a brown wool job that made me look like a jedi!) and also my favourite necklace (electric blue beads intricately strung together to make an elegant choker). If you want to check out a funky, quite unique and well established shop, then swing by here!

From the window display, I thought this was going to be a cutesy little shabby-chic shop that would…read moregrate on me as though someone had put sweet-n-low in my coffee. I thought my teeth would be on edge and my feathers unpleasantly ruffled by a sugar-pink cloud of sickly girlishness. I couldn't have been more wrong. This place may provide for the shabby-chic market but it does it beautifully and truthfully. No vintage-look fabrics here - Kate designs and makes her own lampshades from real vintage fabric (not necessarily used though - some of it's been sitting on a roll in storage since 1923). She also takes on restorations of one-off pieces of antique furniture, and designs flowers in her unique vintage style to commission. The vast majority of the pieces in the showroom would appeal to a wide range of people, and you can also commission bespoke pieces and arrangements by phoning or online. Great shop, and a good business to boot. Look them up!

This shop is so pretty it should be arrested. I'd like to have a bad trip in here or grow old among…read moreits multiplicity of petals and painted eggs and Gallic style furniture, because everything would just be fine. Seriously, it's beautiful, a world away from the busy road it's on. You can order floral designs or get interior advice from the sprightly Kate.

Awesome store, they sell great Goth/alternative jewellery, ornaments and décor. I bought two…read morenecklaces and an art print. The necklaces are beautiful and are both from the brand Alchemy. The art print is really pretty too. The staff are also really nice. Very friendly.

A beautiful shop selling dragons, fairies, dream catchers, soft toys, tarot cards, crystals and all…read moresorts of lovely things. The service is exceptional, friendly smiles and even gift wrapping! WIN :-D This shop is a must when you are looking for something unique for a special occasion I rarely leave empty-handed :-) I've even been offered chocolates while waiting for all my Christmas shopping to be wrapped oh if you insist :-D Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area :-)

Oscar Wilde would have loved The Lavendar Room…read more They don't sell books, waistcoats or handsome young men sadly. They do however, sell lots of beautiful things. The front of the shop is devoted to stylish and French looking homeware from distressed mirrors, picture frames, candle holders, cake stands and tea-sets to chandeliers whilst the back is home to a small but fabulous selection of ladieswear. There's silk PJs and kimonons, stripey bedsocks, suede shoes and boots by Chie Mihara, lovely handbags from Mimi and adorable silk scarves and jewellery. As you'd expect, the price tags are slightly higher than other local homeware stores but then, the quality feels better. Personally, I'm after the gold swallow necklace and the silver glitterball bracelet. Two things I'm sure Oscar would approve of...

I am in love with the glass detailing above the windows of this shop- every time I walk past, I…read moreimagine myself living in a gorgeous Victorian house with similar windows. And then I take the day dream inside! The Lavender Room has been a favourite shop of mine for a long time. Yes it might be overpriced and a little contrived (but seriously, I challenge you to find a lifestyle boutique that isn't!), but the fact remains that everything in store is beautiful! From the tiny heart-shaped nicknacks and the gorgeous glazed chinaware to the delicate clothing upstairs, everything is carefully chosen and perfectly positioned. Pretty silk lingerie and beautifully cut dresses drape over stylish furniture and hang on uncluttered rails. I often find myself sifting through the clothing, imagining another far more glamorous life for myself! The Lavender Room is one of the most successful lifestyle/gift boutiques in Brighton, for the simple reason that it actually makes you aspire to own everything in the shop! In the front of the shop you'll find attractive displays of smaller items, such as soaps, dishes and jewelery. These are perfect gift items- they even wrap your purchase in lavender tissue paper and a pretty paper bag!

This is a really cute little independent shop in Fiveways. It stocks a selection of individual and…read moreunique jewellery, handbags, kitchenware and gifts, as well a small selection of clothes. Some things were a little pricey but there were various things available to fit every budget. Everything in the shop seemed well chosen and handpicked with care by the owner. A great place to find the perfect gift or a little treat for yourself!

This is a charming shop. The woman who owns and runs it has a great eye for useful and stylish…read morekitchenalia, design classics and some handpicked women's clothing and accesories brands. The shop is decorated in bright feisty pink and lots of lovely white wood. They have some great bags by a company called Rubber Cow co. made of fantastic looking fake leather- big slouchy day bags. They also stock Nigella Lawson's kitchen line in creams and blues and the Joseph Joseph line of cool kitchen items like their foldable chopping board. There is some lovely jewelry, glamorous lamps and gift items. Take time to have a look- it's obvious that a lot of time has been put into picking these lovely items.

Just about the most charming little shop in Kemptown. Cards…read moreand doodads and trinkets and doohickies. Lovely staff, lovely layout and a card for any occassion.