This Paddington op-shop is, as its name suggests, full of second-hand designer clothes as well as…read morebric-a-brac, old vinyl records, books, and a huge collection of vintage clothes from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Upstairs is full of shoes, bags, jewellery, hats and men's, women's and kid's clothing from big and small designers. Downstairs is a veritable treasure trove of high-waisted 50's skirts, pleated dresses like the ones grandma wears, evening gowns from all decades, leather coats from James Dean's glory years and my favourite, a rack of enormous faux fur coats from a time when people were a little bit classier. The clothes in here might not be as funky as what you will find in a dedicated vintage store but the prices are much easier on the eyes and if you dig deep you can often find something a bit special.

Ah Endo's, the place where clothes go to be reincarnated. Endo's is kind of like a bit fancier, bit…read morefunkier Vinnie's where the clothes have been sorted to ensure that only things with the potential to be reborn are allowed through the doors. This is great for op-shoppers in a hurry who would rather skip trawling through pilled Kmart dresses that aren't quite vintage and more early 2000s. The convenience and funky factors do mean that the prices are a little higher than in your average secondhand charity store, but usually you'll find something in Endo's that makes that worth it. Especially since you can find it in half the time thanks to their excellent stock selection. Whether you're a novice op-shopper or just a lazy one like me, Endo's has done half the work for you and all you need to do is pick what you want and pay for it! And then when someone compliments you on your new dress or jacket and asks you where you got it, you can feel very suave and hip when you reply with a wave of your hand 'oh, this old thing? It's vintage'.

I think CrackerJacks is superb for kids…read more Upon entry to this small boutique I was immediately assailed by the nostalgic sights of sylvanian families, large old school doll houses and ride-on cars. Wooden animals, boardgames, blow-up animal toys, miniature ride-on cars, spy kits, kiddy tool kits, clocks and nano blocks. You will find a great variety of wares here. The staff here are also exceptionally lovely, and I felt well looked after as I plodded my way around their store. A traditional toy shop at it's best, I recommend coming here for any gift woes or dilemas.

Crackerjack unfortunately reminds me a little of a poor man's Presents of Mind. It's a toy shop…read morethat, unlike Presents of Mind, is specifically targeted at children. However, there are games for adults at Crackerjack, too - board games (I bought a copy of Balderdash here), card games and building sets for adult fetishists (e.g. build-your-own toy planes, cars, trains etc). The limited adult toy selection isn't my issue. This store markets itself for the 0-10 age bracket, after all. My biggest issue is the price. Crackerjack is certainly a store for the richer parent who wants their children to have fluffy toys that cost twice the price of even a normal gift shop. You can get tiny teddy dolls for around $9, but this will be the cheapest thing you find here. There are a lot of unique, hand-made-looking toys here, but I wonder what child would be fascinated enough by a wooden monkey with wire legs to justify spending such outrageous prices. I imagine the label here is what is important. Crackerjack has recently stocked a brand of wooden toy animals called "Anamalz" and perhaps this carries a prestige with it I'm unaware of. Then again, if you have money to burn and decide your one-year old's toy ride-on car simply must have replica Mercedes Benz wheel trims, come here.

Once upon a time this place used to be a bit too "tie-dye and incense" for me. Put it this way,…read moreI'm about as likely to become a hippy as Kim Kardashian is to shave her head, join the Hare Krishnas and wear an orange robe for the rest of her life. But that all changed when, a couple of years ago, I bought myself the most gorgeous floral maxi here to wear to a party and spent the day basking in the warmth of all the compliments I got. So naturally, Tree of Life is now on my list of regulars - the shops I visit pretty much on a weekly basis. Although it still smells of incense (which I still don't like), it's also full of the most delicious colours, fabrics and Indian style jewellery. There's maxi and mini dresses, long skirts, kids clothes and Indian-style homewares. And the odd random piece that stands out like J-Lo's bum. For instance, the most divine, white tulle ballerina style midi-skirt I saw the other day. If it hadn't cost $110 it'd now be in my wardrobe. If you're a festival bunny, or just want to float around a summer BBQ feeling like a bit of boho princess, then head here.

I'm not really a fan of some of their clothes (tie dyed, hippy-ish), but I do love a couple of…read moretheir lightweight, India made 100% Rayon top and dresses which I recently bought and wore several times in the past couple weeks. Perfect for Queensland weather. It is a colourful and wonderfully smelly shop (thanks to incense) which often takes me on a mental trip to India - not that I have actually been there but I recognise the smell from my best friend's gorgeous wedding invitations (handmade in India). Pursue the clearance/sale racks and ask the salesperson if there is a sale going on. I quickly purchased my items as soon as I heard the sales person mention a 20% off discount on all clothing - and this wasn't advertised anywhere.

Presents of Mind is one of those little places that delights kids, puzzle-loving adults, and random…read morefact lovers like myself. There are plenty of board games and chess sets and puzzles for every person, and of course I darted over to the book section straight away. If you love random things like me, you'll love this place. One of the first books I saw was A Guide for Hypochondriacs, followed by informative books like 30-second Religion, 30-second Economics, 30-second Philosophy; you get the point. I went with a Pocket History book enlightening people about course-changing moments in history. But there's also a choice of scandals throughout history, bad girls throughout history, and more. For someone thirsty for irrelevant but stimulating knowledge, this is a great place. And the thing that I love about places like this is that they seem to have singular things and books that you just can't find anywhere else. That and a really lovely team of people willing to help you out. I'm a fan. Don't let its simple facade fool you; it's great for brain-power presents and a little bit of fun.

I love a shop name that's based on a pun, so I couldn't resist popping inside for a peek. Although,…read moreadmittedly, I was expecting it to be faux intellectual, a tad dull and mainly for "games geeks". But it was quirkier and more fun than I expected. Think traditional games like Uno and jigsaw puzzles; a noughties update of a Rubik's cube (you touch and swipe instead of twist and turn); to an AppCopter (that you control via an App on your iPhone). I really wanted to buy the solar powered Fairy Light for my little niece and invest in a book called "30 Second Psychology" (50 theories explained in half a minute). Which proves my own psychological theory about myself - I will find something I want to buy almost anywhere.

I honestly expected a place named after a British comedy show to be a little tacky, but absolutely…read morefabulous is far from tacky. There's weird and wonderful knick-knacks, toys, books, and gadgets to delight and entertain even the dreariest of company. There is choice everywhere you look: For that morbid friend you have, there is a guide to hypochondria; for the friend that won't trade in their old wallet, there's a range of vibrant colours ad luggage to match; for the friend who's trying to make their place more homely, there are countless pillows and kitchen utensils with a twist, pant-shaped egg cups, and china sets; and for lovers of jewellery there is a vast array of wooden styles to add an earthy feel to your outfit. There are just bits and pieces of everything littered around this store, in a good way of course. Everything is almost retro-modern, especially the furniture they have sitting outside the door. Absolutely Fabulous is that place where you know you'll find a birthday or Christmas gift for anyone, because their range is far too widespread for anyone to dislike anything.

Absolutely Fabulous is one of those stores that will impress…read moreeven the grumpiest person in your clan. I have seen all sorts of people happily walk through the Ab Fab doors ...and really why not? This place is one of the best little retro/gift stores around. A haven of quirky goods and trinkets, this place has everything from bird key holders, pug bookends and novelty shower caps to art cards, beautiful gift paper and vintage ornaments. This store is in my arsenal of places to go to when a person is annoyingly difficult to buy for or is someone I don't know very well. (I can guarantee you will find perfect gifts a plenty here.) Ab Fab is worth a definite gander when out and about in Woolloongabba!

A costume wonderland! This is definitely one of the biggest costume hire shops in Brisbane. It's…read morenot the cheapest, but they do have the biggest range. Prices really depend on what costume you're going for, unlike some other costume shops that do a fixed price. A usual full costume will set you back about $50-60, and an extra $25-30 if you're getting a wig too. If you are hiring it for the weekend, you can pick it up on Friday and return it on the following Monday.

I detest fancy dress parties. Mainly because I hate turning up to a social event looking like an…read moreidiot, wearing a nylon wig. Under which I'm sweating like a fat man running a marathon. But I did enjoy this place. I had nearly an hour to kill before my hair appointment (next door at Rixon Hair) and stumbled upon it quite by accident. I think it's the only fancy dress store in the CBD (the rest seem to be in places like Woolloongabba, or the suburbs) It's a shop-come-gigantic-dressing-up-box, and the flamboyant side of me just couldn't resist having a play. I transformed myself from a 1920s flapper to a cowgirl, Alice in Wonderland into a Beatle, then a Maid Marion (I've always had a penchant for Robin Hood. It's those tights). And I emerged an hour later, a little tousled of hair, but almost cured of my costume aversion. While I was in there, I was also told by the helpful staff that if I couldn't find what I was looking for, they could make me it for me. Er, I'd love to look like Miranda Kerr, so I wonder if they can make some kind of costume to help me with that? (Actually, I've just looked at their website which says "Difficult we can handle, miracles take longer). I'll take that as a no, then.

The Most Amazing Shop. That's a big claim, but this shop is pretty amazing, filled with new and…read morepre-loved gear that just tumbles all over itself and invites you to keep browsing. The yard is filled with every statue and ornament you can imagine, from the garden gnomes to angels and even the grim reaper makes an appearance. Inside, there's lovely timber furniture, bags, clothes, collectable china and glassware, novelty itesm and toys... you name it, it's probably there. When I went, I bought a china doll and some glasses, but a heavy carved bed head and room divider certainly caught my eye. It's almost impossible to describe, you just have to visit and see for yourself.

I've done my fair share of antique and vintage stalking, but Eilisha's Shoppe has never cropped up…read moreon my radar. I only happened to fall across it parking along James Street one day, and I'm very glad I did. Yes, all the other antique centres I've fallen across/stalked down have been wondrous and oh so gorgeous and otherworldly, but Eilisha's place is a little different. The antiques here seem more accessible and within your grasp somehow, while still carrying with them that intrigue and curiosity that comes with looking at wares meant for another time. Eilisha's has the traditional tea sets and intricately fashioned jewellery you associate with antique centres, but she also has some things I haven't seen such as postcards that I know my mother would absolutely die for, which makes it seem like the history here isn't so far beyond my reach. Eilisha's has furniture and bric-a-brac, jewellery and mirrors, toys and gifts; it's a really lovely little place that is both suited to and incongruent with affluent James Street simultaneously. But this is a place you simply must visit if you love your vintage and antiques. She's been there for 36 years with no indication of quitting it yet. You can call and email her on 0423 830 515 and lizann@optusnet.com.au respectively.

Strolling into Eilisha's Shoppe is like walking into a room where my Grandmother has laid out the…read moreentire contents of her pantry. It is a minefield of old china tea cups and dining sets. It certainly has a charming feel to it, but tuck all flailing limbs and shopping bags away because there is potential for serious breakage action in this cramped space. Considering it's deemed to be an antique store, there's not a great deal of furniture inside Eilisha's Shoppe. There are some unrestored pieces out the back but what's on display is predominately jewellery, dining wares and random bits and pieces like old war medals (creepy porcelain dolls included). It's the bric-a-brac and the higgelty-piggelty feel to the shop that makes it a quaint and cute place to wander through. Shopping for vintage or antique pieces is always a fun expedition. Eilisha's is certainly not the most amazing of second-hand stores in Brisbane, but if there's some sort of adorable vintage piece you are looking for, it's well worth a browse.