This is a sweet little boutique, with lovely gifts and a selection of toys and accessories for…read morechildren. I noticed they're also started selling clothes - some of them vintage! - on one rail outside the shop and another inside. There's a great selection of candles, cards and other lovely things that would make an excellent gift or treat for yourself. There's an abundance of gift shops to to choose from in the area and, whilst this isn't my first choice, I really enjoy popping in as its a pleasant wee shop to browse and staff always say hello and offer help if you need it. I also like having a peek in their ever-changing window displays!

What a sweet little shop!…read more This place caught my eye a few weeks ago, when I stopped dead in my tracks and found myself wandering in to utter: "How much is that Dalek in the window?!" I'm such an adult. The Dalek turned out to be the coolest bubble bath that ever there was and was a sweet price of £7.50. Unfortunately, I hate baths and not even the super cute container could justify my purchase. So I left, knowing that soon, the universe would give me the necessary excuse to buy nerd soap. Enter #SocialMediaSanta. If you're not familiar, this is a very nifty initiative run by Shelter Scotland to give families that otherwise could not afford them, presents for the holiday season. They ask for unwrapped toys and then distribute them throughout the city. You know what is an unwrapped toy? DALEK BUBBLE BATH! Yes, just a week after my window love fest, I found myself gleefully skipping back to this spot to take a Dalek to a nerdy kid in need. Along the way, I realized they stock a ton of other amazing toys - from neat craft kits (paint your own trucks!) to super cute baby bath gloves (the hungry caterpillar! nostalgia bonus!) and everything in between. What started as a one toy purchase turned into fifteen and I swear, I had more fun buying them then the kids who will soon receive them. This place gets a little bonus love from me because the lovely lady behind the till threw in some soap and lotions (for Moms!) free of charge to pay it forward to the folks in Edinburgh. I am the Evil Auntie to two little ones back home, so I dare say i'll be popping back here again to find them unique toys and nerdy giftables, even if it'll cost me a bomb to get them back across the point. But if you have local little ones (or ones on the way!), you should definitely poke your head in here. The prices might be a bit higher then your big box options but the cool factor is worth the price tag.

Frontiers sits alongside several other ladies fashion boutiques, in what's known as Edinburgh's…read moreWest End Village, where a cluster of little independent shops have banded together, with no High Street chain gatecrashers allowed. Frontiers, like the other boutiques in the village, stocks a range of unique and unusual brands, so if you're into shopping for more uncommon labels or like to steer away from the big retailers, coming here for a cheeky browse should be enjoyable. I like the Orla Kiely range of garments, which are girly, but really wearable. There's nothing too over the top here, with most of what's on offer being quite simple, in different colours and prints, but I think the point is that you're supposed to be able to buy something from here and wear it loads, not just once as part of a two month fashion fad.

Frontiers is a lovely little boutique situated amongst this cloister of petite independent…read morebusinesses in the west end of Edinburgh. As Cheryl has said, this place is filled to the brim with unusual fashions such as long floral maxi dresses. It seems as though it is geared to a refined, older audience and is very contemporary and en vogue while also being timeless. There are a lot of neutral colours and pretty, well made jumpers that look as though they would last you a lifetime. I'm not familiar with some of the labels inside, but that can only be a good thing. A highly unique and personal shopping experience, it's the kind of place where you can dress yourself in style and elegance for a garden party or big event such as a wedding reception. There are some more casual clothes inside too, but items in here are generally quite sophisticated in an understated way. Perfect for ladies who fancy treating themselves to some quality clothing that's going to last for years.

I'm a huge fan of vintage but I HATE being lured into a shop on the promise of vintage and being…read morefobbed of with repro rubbish. Those were the days is the real deal. One if the best ranges of authentic 50's dresses I have found to date, gorgeous fabrics and properly constructed. These beauties are priced under the £200 mark. Some great deals on proper vintage clothes from the 50's, 60's and 70's at reasonable prices and some name items here, including a gorgeous, full length black Ossie Clark for Radley piece - sadly not my size and out of my pre-pay day price range :-( Well worth a visit for vintage fans!

On first impression, this was a really beautiful shop. We were only in for a short visit but I…read morecouldn't help but be dazzled by the glamorous dresses in the window display. On closer inspection, it all seemed a little over-priced. I've seen similar pieces at vintage fairs for a fraction of the price. There was a light peach camisole cropped throw-over for £35, which I'd honestly seen in Barnardos recently, only in a slightly more pink colour, for just £5. Vintage, is understandably, a pricey business because there's a lot of special things to be found and I don't mind paying that bit more for a vintage dress or a really special piece of clothing. But when it comes to second-hand sweaters and cardigans, they really shouldn't amount to Topshop prices. I can get similar items at vintage fairs and charity shops for far, far better prices. That's not to say Those Were The Days wouldn't be great for a special occasion but this time round, we just wanted a quick browse and found even the cheaper, more basic items to be overpriced. I like my vintage shop music to be vintage too! So a bit of 1920's jazz or swing would have made for a better atmosphere over the Coldplay thay had playing. Regardless, we were given a friendly welcome and I'm sure it's somewhere I'd give another chance if in that part of town and looking for something special.

Miss Bizio is the real deal. - 'Welcome to my wardrobe!' came the gleeful, exuberant cry that…read morewelcomed us; eccentric and loveable and chic. The lady in question is one serious fashionista, with her stunning collection of garments spanning the lengths of the shop. It's clear from even the shortest of conversations with Miss B that this delightful and fabulously-dressed lady lives and breathes fashion. And now, she's giving Edinburgh a peek of the vintage goodies from her 30 year-strong wardrobe, whilst brimming with a genuinely infectious passion for her boutique and every single item in it. Her reasoning; she didn't have a daughter to pass on such pretty things. I can't be the only gal thinking: 'Miss Bizio, can I be your adopted daughter, oh, pretty, pretty please?' So, whilst it was a fleeting stop before close, I sure got giddy laying eyes on the packed rails. - Such beautiful, unique and well-loved pieces! As Jody says, Miss Bizio is not cheap. - It's all genuine vintage and the quality and selection reflects the price; you're getting something really special. And if you're after something specific, I've no doubt that Miss Bizio will do her very best to find just what you're after. She was willing to help me out with anything I needed during my quick stop. I do look forward to saving some pennies and stopping by the magical vintage whirlwind that is Miss Bizio Couture once again.

It took me a heartbeat to put two and two together…read more I've been walking by this place and intermittently throwing myself at their windows for a few weeks now but it wasn't until their Yelp pictures started popping up in their teasing vintage glory that I realized it was one in the same. Seriously - they are female baiting wizards and you will be hard pressed to walk by whatever immaculate coat/dress they have on display on their stoop without walking by. Let's get one thing very clear here: this is vintage. Not thrift. If you go in here seeking a deal, you're likely to leave disappointed because this place is pricey. But it's one of the few vintage stores i've been to (world wide) that can decently justify the price. She's got Pucci in impeccable condition, Prada accessories, a Pierre Cardin cape that i've actually DREAMED off wafting down the streets of Stockbridge in its turquoise glory. It's like walking through the closet of the way more successful, theoretical me. I would buy 99% of the things in here... I can afford to buy about 2%. But a gal can dream. If you have more budget (or a desire to spend your own 2% on something sparkly), are looking for a special occasion dress or want to taunt a woman buy parading your fabulous cape through Stockbridge, this is worth your time to pop in.

The Edinburgh outpost of popular UK brand known for its chunky knits, charmingly old-fashioned…read moregowns, and painfully cosy housewares is right on point for Scotland's coorie lifestyle philosophy. The shop is small, but marvellously curated; the racks hold just one size of each style, and the friendly and warm associates are happy to fetch your size from the storeroom. Clothing is upstairs with a small housewares section downstairs. There is a nice sale section, and they participate in a swap program where past TOAST styles can be traded in for a new lease on life.

I had it in mind to buy myself a fair isle jumper (in the U.S. we'd call it a pullover sweater)…read moreduring our trip to Scotland. I did some online research before we left home and learned that to be considered authentic, one of the requirements is that it be fashioned from Shetland wool, as opposed to cashmere, merino, or lambs wool. I found a very useful thread on Reddit that listed several reputable shops in Edinburgh (our base of operations while in Scotland), including this warning: "Whatever you do, don't go into any of the tat shops." Of course, then I had to ask Google what a "tat shop" was. In the United States, my guess would have been a tattoo parlor, but that didn't make sense. A "tat shop" is a souvenir store. I made some phone calls when we got to Edinburgh. Many stores in the UK are closed on either Monday/Tuesday or Tuesday/Wednesday, so that narrowed our choices. Other stores had no fair isle jumpers in stock. Still, I was undeterred and kept calling around. After only two or three calls, I reached Dicks Edinburgh and was told that they did have exactly what I was seeking. A few hours later, after we had toured Edinburgh Castle, we hopped into a cab and went straight there. My husband and I were the only customers, and the entire staff (two women and a man) were collectively attentive to us. It took me only a few minutes to decide on the perfect jumper. It was a lovely experience from start to finish. Dicks Edinburgh is clearly a quality clothing store, and I would not hesitate to shop there again.

Top quality Shetland Wool Sweaters and helpful staff. It took a transatlantic telephone call and a…read morereview of many of their sweaters, but we walked out delighted with our purchase.

I googled Fair Isle sweaters, Edinburgh & ended up buying two here. The staff couldn't have been…read morenicer & the sweaters are gorgeous. I don't wear the other boho items stocked & didn't do more than glance, but the uniquely beautiful sweaters were the prettiest I've seen - and I've been looking!

I love this place so much. I was in Edinburgh on business and when I had a day off I went around…read morethe town to explore a bit and stumbled upon this place. Not being super into wool and hand made items at the time, I bought one wool headband and brought it home (living in Seattle, you get COLD all the time). I grew to love this headband so much, that I now order headbands all the time from this place and have them shipped to Seattle. I cannot find yarn like the yarn at Ragamuffin ANYWHERE! It is so unique and thick, I would buy hundreds of headbands from this place if I could. Truly, they are so unique, I cannot do them justice in an explanation. I always tell people who are going to EDI for business to check this place out, and I will definitely continue ordering from this place as long as they let me. :)

Very well organized store with a little bit of everything. I was impressed by the overall quality…read moreof items, but more impressed by the actual thrift store prices. Was my favorite of the charity shops along the Main Street in Stockton!

Based on other Yelps, I wanted to come here first. A variety of items here, men's & women's…read moreclothing, lots of jewelry (costume mostly) handbags, housewares, music CDs & more. I'm on my holiday treasure hunt and did find a mini Denby lidded crock, only £2.50 so I left happy. Prices throughout the shop where very reasonable as well as the selection. Friendly staff tops it off for 5 star stop!

Solo Menswear is for the fashion conscious male and they have a great selection of fashionable,…read moreinoffensive guys fashion on offer. When I say inoffensive, I mean that there's not a pair of skinny jeans in sight or Lady Gaga inspired pieces for guys wardrobes. The clothes here a pretty clean cut and rather suave. At the back of the store there's a whole wall dedicated to trainers and I spotted a lot of nice brogues that are a bit more imaginative than the likes of Foot Locker and Foot Asylum etc. They had a couple of nice checked shirts in the window and pretty much all of the threads are designer labels that aren't stocked everywhere such as Religion and Ed Hardy.

I'm getting to the stage wherre I'm starting to think bothering about fashion is a bit, for want of…read morea better word, wussy, so thankfully shops like Solo exist to ensure I can go somewhere to buy clothes that look alright without trying too hard, and aren't being worn by people who watch Skins. A nice little independant clothes store, and given that my jeans are literally falling to pieces, a likely stopoff point for me on payday next week.

I'm just going to go down the line and get all my neighbourhood charity shops on the good ol' Yelp…read moremap. My FTR glee is impressive today. Stockbridge is an amazing neighbourhood to duck through if you're seeking the charity shop, thrift and vintage scene. Why? Because within a six block radius, there's over a dozen places that you can poke your nose in and at least a half a dozen places to get a good coffee/hot chocolate while you do so. Each shop seems to do one thing particularly well - there are certain places with great housewares, books, etc. This particular shop is one of my favourites on the Raeburn stretch for clothing. I'm horrible with shopping for thrift clothing. I love the idea but I rarely have the patience to flip through racks and this is where the size of this place comes in handy. Though it's small, there's usually about 1-2 things in the window tempting enough to get me in the door. Inside, it's packed but well thought out and usually a good spot to pop in if you're looking for accessories. Definitely worth poking your head in if you're on the Stockbridge charity tour.

I'll always be so proud of the CHSS shops in Edinburgh- I miss running this shop... It's a great…read moreplace to work! My friend the manager here is doing the most amazing job. The displays look out of this world, the prices are really competitive for charity retail, and the quality of stock is perfect for a boutique shop. My brand new M&S shoes were only £9.95!!! Bargain My advice when you go there is buy before it's too late, if you leave something you want it'll be gone by the time you come back for it! Buy while stocks last X