For an awful minute, I thought I wasn't going to be allowed inside this shop. I tried the door but…read moreit wouldn't open, then realised that I had to actually ring a bell to gain entry. I am not sure if this is so they can scrutinise your attire before they deem you acceptable to enter ((thank God I was wearing a lovely vintage leather midi-skirt), but I did find it very off-putting. And, to be honest, totally unnecessary. C'mon folks, it's a suburban Brisbane boutique, not Karl Lagerfeld's headquarters! Once inside the luxe environs (and yes, it is beautiful - and you can tell that they did base the opulent decore on the old-style French couture salons) I was told by the slightly superior shop assistant that you can find everything to dress you from the inside out. There's lingerie, high end hosiery, jewellery (I spied pieces by Ericson Beamon - I'm not sure anywhere else in Brisbane stocks that), bags, and of course an achingly expensive range of Little Black Dresses. When I was there they'd just received some newbies by Valentino). They only stock European designers - although one Aussie label did make the cut (Aurelio Costarella). Needless to say, the prices are not for the faint hearted. Nor for the really young and funky. Whilst the collections are carefully chosen and there are some beautiful pieces, I can imagine it would mainly appeal to the ladies-who-lunch set and the older members of Paddington's "society" crowd. I've given it 3 stars purely because of the quality of the clothes - if you're after a little slice of European chic, you'll get it here. But if I were you, I wouldn't turn up in flip flops and denim shorts...

For a taste of imported designer fashion in Brisbane this is the place to go. I visited to purchase…read moresome lingerie as they are one of the few retailers in Brisbane stocking french brands. If I had endless time and funds I would have found many special pieces to buy that I would not get anywhere else in Brisbane. The staff we're knowledgeable and I felt like they really wanted to help me find the perfect fit for me. A wonderful shopping experience.

Previously available only the odd shop, Surafina has now opened the doors to their flagship store…read morein Paddington. As it houses a gorgeous collection of quality clothes, I would expect nothing less than the beautifully designed and decorated store that attracts every female passerby. Even though I was drawn in myself, I was still rather intimidated by the lone saleswoman sitting in the store skimming her high fashion magazine. The clothes are a mix of those that you often see in slightly higher priced stores like this; some beautiful pieces made of stunning material that make me wish I was happy to spend a couple of hundred dollars on a dress for Saturday night, with other pieces that make me sure there is some sort of fashion conspiracy to see just how far they can push those willing.

I'd always thought this store was a bit "Ascot mother" for me. It seemed a bit middle aged, and the…read moreclothes had a "Melbourne Cup Day" sort of vibe. But walking past recently I was lured inside by a gob-smackingly gorgeous Camilla kaftan they had draped on a mannequin in the front of the store. While I was in there rifling through the rails, my delighted gaze fell upon what was appropriately called a "Goddess Dress". And, yes, it was truly divine - a beautiful, light-as-air, floaty, fuschia and bright orange silk maxi that I could just see myself wafting around Brisbane in. A lesson in this season's colour blocking trend - the Queensland way. In other parts of the store, there's a lot of "formal" styles that aren't my cup of chai latte, but I'd definitely send any future mothers-of-the-brides and bridesmaids here too - the hand woven, hand dyed fabrics are stunning, and the colourways are dazzling.

When I stepped inside this lovely store, I thought I had stumbled across Bridesmaid dress heaven…read more The racks full of dresses in a multitude of colours reminded me greatly of every Rom-Com I've ever seen. When I looked around there proved to be other more casual items, things you could actually wear more than once. The less formal clothing was lovely, but I got the feeling the speciality is really more formal dresses and such. This is a unique store. Every piece in here is made of hand woven, hand dyed silk. Not only do they offer beautiful dresses and other items, they also have a collection of simple wedding dresses.

Although this store stocks some of Australia's favourite brands, it didn't lure me in as firmly as…read moreone might expect. While they offer a great range of quality clothing, at first glance it didn't appear to be anything too special. I still gave it a chance and had a browse, finding some very lovely things, but not enough to excite me to return.

Walking into Shugah Boutique, I felt as if I had somehow stepped into a clothes shop from the late…read more80s or early 90s. Everything in there from the banana dress on the mannequin out the front to the racks of shiny shiny dresses made me feel like I was back rummaging through the dress up box. Now that is not to say that all this is not in fashion again. I see plenty of girls dressed like a young Madonna or like Julie Roberts straight out of Pretty Woman. I am just saying that the clothes are so reminiscent of these styles that I feel like I have time travelled. That being said, the prices are also a little out of my range with most good over the $100 mark. The shop is quite nice, with lots of room to move and breath. You will find it in the Newmarket Reading Complex on the ground floor near the newsagent. I assume this place would be the best thing ever for some, but the styles of offer are just too dated for my liking.

Shugah Boutique probably have the worst logo known to man- swirly pink font with some cartooned…read moredrawing of some lady...really? Thankfully, it gets better from there. This boutique actually sells some nice clothing that are on trend and I actually find this boutique to be quite comparable to Princess Polly (Princess Polly have a much better logo). At Shugah, you will find brands like Cooper St, Mint and Maurie and Eve- brands any fahionista would be proud to wear. They really could improve with their visual merchandising as the way they are doing it at the moment does not give the garments justice. It is unimaginative and just dull which cheapens the clothes therefore makes everything seem over-priced. Once you forget about the awful logo and dull merchandising aside, Shugah boutique is not a bad place to shop.

Zooey Deschanel's quirky style, Camille Belle's girly look, Victoria Beckham's structured dresses,…read moreRachel Bilson's effortless style... If if you admire these celebs for their fashion choices, then you'll love this store! When I need the perfect pretty cocktail dress and not wanting to spend more than $150, I'll most likely find the perfect something here. The clothes are so cute. Most in store are dresses and skirts, a mix of girly, chic and modern styles. The colours are pretty and soft- plenty of white, black, cream, pinks, lilacs, salmon and tangerine. Polka dots or plain or even with pearls, there's plenty of gorgeous pieces to be found. The materials on the dresses and skirts are soft and has a mix of satins, tulle, organza. Some fan out like puffy ballerina skirts. and some just bring out the playfulness in its wearer. This girly boutique also has a variety of coloured ribbons and sashes which you can mix and match with the dresses. So, if you pick out a flowy dress which could use a belt, you can alternatively use a ribbon to give your outfit definition. It's absolutely pretty on and the first time I've seen a shop use it to style outfits. Adorable dresses at affordable prices! Every girly girl needs to know about it!

Along with absolutely loving this beautiful store and all of their gorgeous clothing, their staff…read moreare fantasic! The first time I went into Lulu 62 I was so amazed with their service! I left the store feeling great. And every other time I go into their shop they continue to exeed my expectations. It definately tops any of the others stores I have visited. Great service is hard to come by these days. So it is very much appreciated. How often are you left in the change rooms not being attended to, sadly, very often. There are many other things that these ladies do that makes your shopping experience feel special. These ladies have really got it going on. If you need some assistance looking for a special outfit or just every day outfits that are beautiful, girly, chic, cute, Lulu 62 is the place to come to! Keep up the great work ladies!

This brand is beautiful! I actually ended up getting married in a Maiocchi dress!…read more I love the fabrics - lots of Asian inspired prints, and fun patterns like babushka dolls. The cut of these dresses is usually very flattering - they are made for women, even with curves and all. There is always a range of 50s style dresses - lots of A-line skirts, full cut skirts and cinched waists. Very feminine and womanly. It's a local Brisbane brand, made in Red Hill. It's not the cheapest brand of clothes, but they are really well-made and the fabric is good quality. The city store also has a range of cute jewellery, bags and shoes.

For me Maiocchi is one of those places where you love to shop,…read morebut have a hard time PRONOUNCING the name to friends. ("It started with May? errm myoki? maykekekoke? I'LL GOOGLE IT OK") Aside from my dyslexia, this is probably one of my favourite stores to take a gander in. I love the friendly staff and serene atmosphere, the products are clearly high quality and the cuts and fabric hark back to a more traditional Japanese aesthetic. The store also displays a lot of local artists ware's as well, from bags and brooches to intricate jewellery. This would make an ideal place for unique and lovely gift's (In particular lookout for the teaset in the shape of a spaceman!)

I do cherish a few stores but I'm afraid this isn't one of them. Don't go into this store expecting…read moreto find a fantastic sale. Ignore the discount rack out the front, too - this is always filled with one-off items the staff can't get to move. Cherish has been around for a very long time in terms of Paddington clothing stores. A decade ago, as a young pup, I walked past the store and it even had the same name and storefront design. A lack of make-over tends to indicate that Cherish has stood the test of time well whilst other Paddington boutiques barely make it (in their original carnation) to two years. I attribute this to the fact that Cherish has a specific clientele it caters to: namely, richer middle-aged women seeking out respectable, expensive dining wear or formal wear. None of the designs seem tailored to the early-20s Paddington cool crowd; this is high-end, "I have money and can't wait to get rid of it!" shopping only. If someone threw $1,000 at me and told me to spend it at Cherish, it wouldn't be a complete waste. Certainly I'd be able to buy some expensive but well-fitted business skirts, corporate tops and power jackets. And they'd probably last a long time. However, you don't generally walk into a Paddington boutique seeking out clothes for work. The staff here seem to have a very low rotation, and I can only assume the main staff at the front counter are owners. They never bother me with "can I help you?" questions, which is great, but on the other hand if a Soccer Mum-type rocks up in an SUV with a full purse I can expect to be ignored. Even if I walk up and ask for help. Others seem to enjoy this store more than I do, so it's possible I've visited on a few "off" days. However, over the last decade this has accounted to around 30-40 "off" days, since I used to live almost next-door and fruitlessly hoped that things would get better.

I popped in to Designs to Cherish with my Mum when she was looking for a 'Mother of the Bride'…read moredress. My Mum is very non traditional (the epithet Hippy may have been applied to her in the past) so I knew it could be a bit of a chore finding something. Designs to Cherish feels like a little sanctuary with its door providing space between busy Latrobe Terrace and your shopping experience. I love boutiques that create a seperation between real world and their world, and Designs to Cherish certainly does just that. The stock was beautiful, and there were quite a few floaty kaftan style dresses that I thought were perfect. Unfortunately I didn't factor in my Mother's aversion to synthetic materials plus her aversion to kaftans (apparently her ex mother in law wore one to her wedding so that made it a no no) so we didn't buy from them. I, however, mentally picked out a few pieces I will be back in for when I'm a little more fiscally solvent.

Swop fills a gap sorely needed in Brisbane. Where Sydney is peppered with boutique vintage clothing…read morestores, Brisbane tends to have clothing collections mothballed in the dark corners of antique furniture and collectibles warehouses. While Swop advertises that they will take high end or trendy fashion, when you get up the stairs you will definitely feel you stepped back in time. A sweep of the hand over any track will give you sensations of old: Terry toweling dresses, velour pants and jackets, fur collars, stiff gloweave, lame by the kilometre, rustic polyesters (you know what i mean! Polyesters just don't feel that way now!!!) and linen linen linen. Swop is perfection. There will be no mothballed or mustiness here. Every thing is laid out logically and aesthetically. It's uncluttered but well stocked. The men's section is at least a third of the store (speak to any man who frequents op shops... A 1:2 ratio is extraordinary). Don't expect op shop prices, and good on em too. The better run Swop is the longer we get to shop there. I spotted two fantastic condition retro wool coats at $40 and $60, and a classic symmetrical equestrian theme scarf for $20. So again, realistic prices to run their business, but of course they only stock good quality and interesting items. You will find: clothes, hats, shoes, bags, belts, denim, leather. Probably more but I'll have to find out another day.

Really nice VINTAGE clothing just a bit more pricey than I thought. Plays really good music and…read moregreat overall vibe. I recommend going if you're looking for shirts, dresses or hats :)