Best Kept Secret is an outlet store that has a good range of shoes, bags, clothes and jewellery for…read morewomen with more more mature tastes, however there are still a few things that younger people might like as well. The owner, Lorna, goes on buying trips overseas to hand-pick items for the shop, mostly in parts of Asia, so the stock is not the usual stuff that you would find in other places in New Zealand. It is organised really well, with a corporate section that has stylish comfortable work shoes, a slipper section with all sorts of leading slipper brands, such as Grosby, and also a large leather bag section to the right of the store. A nice place to go if you are after a unique pair of new comfortable shoes, or wanting a reasonably priced present for your mum or your sister.

Every time I walk past Mischief shoes on Broadway in Newmarket it kills me. The shoes in the window…read moreare literally so beautiful it hurts. Though I've never actually bought anything from the store, I've tried on numerous pairs of shoes there over the years, and have always been really impressed by the quality of the shoes as well as the wide selection. The staff at Mischief are really helpful, and don't mind you trying on half the store (something I've done quite a few times!), as they too are shoe lovers and understand how important it is to find not only the perfect fit but also the perfect style for you. Stocking popular, fashionable and quality brands like Nude, Soles, Clarks, Chaos and Harmony and Paolo Vandini, Mischief caters to both men and women aged about 16 years onward. A little pricey is ol Mischief, but this an example of the whole 'what you get is what you pay for' scenario. Every pair of shoes in this store is made from excellent quality materials and is on trend with the latest European fashions. If you're in Newmarket and feel the need to treat yourself, take a peek in Mischief - it's well named - you never know what you'll be leaving the store with!

Really beautiful quality shoes! Every pair seems to be made of supreme quality and is just dazzling…read moreto look at. If I had a never ending budget I would be able to buy almost every pair. When i last wondered in here, my nephew (4) was really taken with some of the shoes! He would pick out the fanciest, shiniest, most sparkly high heel and bring it over to me and ask if I'd like to try it on. I was starting to worry about his love of shoes but thought he could obviously just appreciate quality as much as I can. I noticed down the back there are a few shoes on sale. This is a pretty important thing for me because most of the prices are well above my price range and so sale items are unfortunately my only option.

Seeking a decent purse that won't break in a jiffy can be a hard feat when you don't have the…read moredollars. What I appreciate about Strandbags, as they not only do sales on a regular basis, but they have a variety of different purses, bags and suitcases that suit anyone's pocket book. I bought a purse here at the Sylvia Park branch quite a number of years ago, and it's still in really good condition. (under $25) I always pop in to check out their sales when I'm buying for someone's birthday, and the shop assistants are generally very chirpy and helpful.

One thing is for sure, shoppers are definitely spoilt for choice at Escapade boutique gift store in…read morethe heart of Oneroa's main street. I recently visited looking for a teenager's birthday present and found just the thing, colourful beaded bracelets which were beautifully gift wrapped as part of the transaction. Jan, the owner of Escapade is passionate about showcasing a great range of stylish and upmarket products in her store. This ranges from gorgeous jewellery to clothing like women's dresses, scarves and sun hats. There is a nice range of New Zealand products including possum fur gear and Kiwiana souveniers to mention a few. They have hammocks, placemats, picture frames, wind chimes and beach bags. Whether you are "just browsing" as part of a relaxed beachy day on Waiheke Island or after a serious purchase then pop into Escapade.

Vintage doesn't get any better than Tango…read more The best thing about Tango is that there quite literally isn't a single thing in the shop that hasn't been hand picked because it's beautiful and high quality. There's a definite aesthetic to the stock - a sort of campy, tongue-in-cheek take on glamour - that you'll most likely love if you're into vintage. Tango is hands down the best place in town to get your hands on designer and name-brand vintage that's in top condition, but there are also less expensive items, like costume jewellery and handbags. Not to be overlooked, the service at Tango is perfect - it's always a comfortable browsing experience, but the guy who works there is really knowledgeable about clothes and is very helpful if you're looking for something in particular. In short: Tango should be your first destination for impressive vintage dresses and accessories.

Do you like old and kind of misc. stuff? Do you like dresses…read moreand pants and all that kind of crap? Do you like archaic suitcases? Do you like to pretend you're way way cooler than you actually are? Do you think you should have lived during the roaring twenties or something dumb like that? Do you have heaps of disposable income? Do you like to impress people by showing them how your suit has some discernable amount of horse hair in it? Do you like dumb hats which cost a lot of money? Do you enjoy wearing fur which has been pulled from the carcasses of murdered animals? Go to this place if you say "Yes" to any of that stuff.

My mom offered to make a quilt to celebrate the birth of my son, and we were going to incorporate…read morefamily photos on the quilt, so we needed the correct materials for the whole process. We stopped by at Smart Dress Fabrics, and we hoped to get all our quilting goods, and they appeared to stock everything we needed. In fact they appeared to stock almost everything in New Zealand. What a painful shopping experience, not because the service was bad or the products poor, in fact it was quite the contrary. There was just too much, I couldn't get my mother to leave. Next time, I'll go the the pub, and I'll let my mom shop at her own leisure...

If you want fabric, whatever texture, colour, or size I am pretty sure these guys will have it!…read moreThey have filled every nook and cranny with rolls and rolls of fabric possible in such a little store (although I say 'little' it is actually bigger than it looks from the outside). I have been into a few fabric shops lately and although the famous Newmarket Centrepoint Fabrics boast to be the largest around, I think this one would do sufficiently for anyone living West of Auckland, plus parking would be far less of a hassle and free! Smart Dress Fabrics also have some patterns available that I noticed some nearby women going through (I have only just bought myself a machine, so I haven't quite got to that stage yet, soon!).

I think I've got a new favourite shop. I'm such a sucker for anything cute, kitsch and quirky and…read morethat's exactly what this shop is. Brand new to K Road, this store embodies everything I love about the area. I think their selection of necklaces is actually even nicer than the similar ones in Monster Threads just down the road, and I looove those! It's clear the owners of this store really think about what they're selling and who they're trying to sell it to. This is only a tiny little store but everything in here is covetable, from the tea sets to books to the array of vintage-inspired sunnies and dresses. It's out of the ordinary, beautiful clothing, jewellery and homewares. I've got my eye on a necklace and the super-cute stick-on animal wall decorations.

Everything in this store is scrumptious. You know the kind of stuff that you could just eat up…read more These girls know what's good out there and now they've got it for us to buy. There's everything from clothes, to candles, to sunnies, and little knick-knacks that you probably don't need, but must have. It's the perfect place to go if you're trying to buy a present for someone who has everything. My favourite product they stock is the ceramic crinkle cups. They're so cute and everyone who sees them thinks they're so awesome. Having just moved from their old store the Bread and Butter Letter is looking seriously suave. I love the new branding and the light boxes out the outside of the store. Best thing about the new place is that you can now buy a cup tea there too. Love it.

This place may not look like much from the outside, but on the inside are works of art. This…read moremilliner spends every day making the hats (and selling them) and then teaches on the weekends. A favourite hat of mine in the store, I was told, is popular with many people, enough so that it has been requested for use on top of a model and graced the front of a U.K. magazine. It is a burgundy velvet hat with a large front brim and a large ribbon, the pattern on the fabric is what makes it, Carolyn Gibson, the master milliner thinks, I told her it is also in the little details of her craftsmen ship, in my opinion. As you might have already guessed, I am a big fan of hats, not a shoe girl, jackets and hats do it for me! I highly recommend dropping in for a visit, as seeing them in person is much better than on a website.

From the owner: I am a master milliner and I design and create beautiful hats for every occasion. read more