Pep & Co is a new chain clothing store which has opened all around the UK recently…read more I popped in for a brief visit so I could suss it out. First of all - it is very cheap. Most stuff seemed to be under £10 and while this store at the Avenue is kind of wee, it still has a family-sized range of stuff. I can't comment too much on it as I didn't buy anything, so I don't know if it's actually decent quality. I'd sum it up as a tidier Primark for families. I can't really see myself shopping here as they didn't really have anything in my kind of style, but maybe I'd pop in to get seasonal kids stuff for my nephews/niece and accessories.

I have been into the store in Oldham and bought lots of kids clothes at an amazing price. The staff…read morewere VERY helpful pointing out the bargains to be had. My grandson aged 5 has tried on the trousers I bought for him, he needed age 7 to 8 so you need to be aware that some of the sizes are very small. As yet non of the garments have been through the wash but if they wash ok I will be upping the score to 5 stars.

Since I don't have any children I don't tend to frequent kids shops but visited for the first time…read moretoday in the hope I'd get my wee cousin a present. I've got to admit, the only reason I noticed this shop initially was due to the odd name...I understand that a carpet monkey is a crawling toddler but it sounds like it's trying too hard to be cool. No? I mean, who calls their kids "carpet monkeys"? How patronising! Odd choice of name aside, upon entering this shop today I felt like I was entering someone's very swanky living room! It was weird. I guess if the decor didn't evidently cost hundreds upon hundreds of pounds you could feel a little at home. If you're a yummy mummy. But I digress... The staff were friendly and there were toys to keep kids entertained. But it almost felt like, should your child perhaps make a spot of mess on the carpet, they would frogmarch you out the store! The place looked so expensive it was overbearing! And I almost had a heart attack when I looked at the shoes. 99 quid for baby boots? Are they having a laugh? Not only that, the majority of the shoes were repulsive. To me, anyway. I mean, if I was Katie Price and wanted to tart my baby up to look like she's 25, maybe. Gross. I can't even remember some of the designer brands they had on offer but I do remember the majority of the shoes being priced in at over 50 quid. They weren't all trussed up to look like boots for adults, thank God, but even the simpler, more fittingly childlike brands were pretty pricey. They had some cute knitted hats but really, for their cost just knit your own bonnet. It'd only take an hour! This shop may be suited for some mothers and dedicated followers of fashion but, should I ever become a mum, it wouldn't style my kid like that. What's the point in paying 100 pounds for wee bootsies your little munchkin will grow out of in a month? Why make your toddler look tacky? Why buy boots you will never feasibly let your kid wear? You could buy a 3 piece suite from the Sally Army for the same price these items cost. I always reiterate when the staff were nice and they were helpful, the concept's just not for me. I'm a firm believer children should be allowed to be children and, on sight of these naff prices, can only imagine this shop is geared towards the type of parents who really don't want their kids to get messy - they might ruin the carpet, after all.

Currently, Carpet Monkeys is a bit useless as a shop for me. I don't have any children but when my…read morecousins were born I was in here looking for some of those extra cute little shoes that little feet need. Carpet Monkeys have plenty, they are a quite private little shop that is as it seems meant for those of us who have a lot of money to spend, and an extremely high expectation in what a shop can offer you. The interior is very upper class, and by that I mean it is perfect. You can actually buy shoes here from birth till 16 years old, which means they have alot of stuff, and although everything is branded and designer, I did not know some of the names. Those I did know were brands such as Converse and Moschino. Some are pretty cool and I would buy them if I had enough money to do that one day, maybe. However I get the eerie feeling that it is a footballers wife with the big four x four jeep parked out side sort of place. Having said that, all the shoes are shipped in from the best manufacturers in the world, the owner Fiona tells me they can come from as far as Italy or America. The shoes here are definitely stylish and they are definitely expensive.

Kinda pathetic that I'm purchasing work shoes while on vacation, but there was a wide variety of…read moreoptions and the salesperson was soooo helpful and kind. She automatically printed the tax refund and prepped the form for me :). Purchased a pair on sale and while they aren't fashion forward, they will make standing all day bearable.

Ah I'm old. I must be old, I wear Clarks shoes. WRONG! Clarks have some cool shoes! OK maybe not…read morecool, but they have really comfortable, sensible, and actually quite stylish shoes. It started with the brogues. Lady brogues have been very fashionable for a few years, and I purchased a beautiful brown pair. They were so comfortable. That was the start of my penchant for Clarks. And then the winter boots! Oh my, these winter boots are the best things I have ever bought to wear on my feet. Not only are they flat with sensible thick soles and a nice snug fit around the calves, but the inside lining is made of Gortex! Which means they are totally waterproof! After a lifetime of getting wet and damp feet throughout the Glasgow rainy season (pretty much 8 months of the year, let's face it) these boots just couldn't have made me happier. I really hope they have similar ones this winter because I have kicked these boots almost to death and they are embarrassingly worn looking. I did buy another pair of smarter black boots for work from somewhere else last winter, and they just aren't the same. They're not as comfy. Clarks shoes, above all else, are comfy. A really good feature too is that some of them have different width fittings - so if you have wide or narrow feet, you're more like to get something to suit your feet. I then bought some lovely black patent loafers with tassly bits. Honestly, they're quite nice, and very practicle for work wear, particularly if, like me, you spend half your life hoofing it around airports. I now have my eye on some other loafers. As a back up pair. The staff are a bit peculiar. Some are quite helpful but some of them.... I can't quite put my finger on it.... it's almost as though they talk to you as if you've never bought shoes before. Maybe they're just so used to dealing with kids getting school shoes that they automatically dumb it down for you. Sometimes they even feel your big toe through the shoes to see if the shoes properly fit you. I quite like that though - it makes me feel like I'm being looked after, although really, I'm probably old enough now to work out whether my shoes fit or not. But it's still a wee bit nice to have a proper adult double checking.

I was recently horrified, when shopping with my sister, to have pointed out a pair of simple flat…read moresensible shoes that I liked, when she described them as "pure mum shoes". However, my mum does have a point when she insists on buying sensible shoes from Clarks that she describes as the most comfortable shoes ever. Needless to say, this Clarks clearance store is one of her very favourite places for footwear. My first memory of this place was being dragged in for terribly uncool school shoes and having my feet measured in the mechanical torture device masquerading as a foot measurer. Clarks do have a reputation for comfortable and sensible shoes, and quite rightly so. I must admit that their shoes are of great quality and last well, so it's worth visiting this branch to pick them up at a fraction of the price. As much as I hate to admit it, mums know best.

Great to get Clark's shoes a bit cheaper. Not the usual level of service for one of there shops. I…read morethought the assistants were disinterested. They mesured my wee ones feet while hardly talking to her then told me a size, when I said what we were shopping for she just waved her hand and said over there somewhere and went back to moaning about how hard done by they were. Also the shop was a bit messy but it was a Saturday afternoon so busy. Great shoes but lousey service.

I was in here today (Sunday) looking for slippers. I had actually gone to a well known shoe shop…read morefirst but only to find that it wasn't going to open for another 15 minutes! I then wandered down the main shopping street and noticed this shop. I have bought things in Bon Marche in different towns before and remembered that they usually have footwear in addition to clothes, so I went inside for a browse. I'm glad I did because I found a lovely comfy pair of slippers for £8. Many pairs were reduced in price and it's worth remembering that you can often get a good bargain here also in fashion. I like many of the clothes in Bon Marche (especially their trousers and jumpers) and will go back to look at their autumn range when it comes in before long.

I always find myself disappointed with Miss Selfridge…read more It began when I was about 15 and bought a couple of cute jumpers in here. I returned to the store later that day for some reason, and found that they'd reduced one of them by £10 in my 3-hour absence. While they refunded the difference, it was a hassle, and I don't think that bodes well for them. After that, I washed the thing once and it shrunk, then I had another hassle with returning it. Despite having a bad experience with them, I've tended to give it a shot once in awhile to see what's on offer. Although it's part of the Arcadia group, the quality of the clothing here seems to be sub-par in comparison with, in particular, it's sister store Topshop. The styles differ and Miss Selfridge tends to be a little bit cheaper, but for some reason everything seems to be of a much lower standard. However, you can get lucky and find a pair of leggings for £12 in here that - for essentially the same thing - cost £20 in Topshop. Bargain! Their sales seem to be pretty good. I think the trouble lies with the fact that what they sell is simply not my style. If you're looking for a cheaper alternative to Topshop that still offers student discount and clothes that are a little less "out there" - this is the place to look.

Miss Selfrige often have gorgeous items in the window and more often than not when I've seen…read moresomeone outfit on a night out and asked them where it's from the answer will be Miss Selfridge. I do like the clothes here, but for some reason I don't find myself shopping here that much as it often a bit hit or miss. The sizes are quite odd sometimes to and some items can look a little bit stretched of material even though it's probably more expensive than Topshop. The average top is around £35 and although that isn't too bad I often find that a similar top in Topshop would look slightly better quality and last a bit longer too as many clothes I've bought from Miss Selfridge look a bit done after a few washes. They do have some really cute dresses though and I have a fair few of them, I think the dresses is where their strengths lie.

Someone get the lass in this shop an award for upselling. Seriously - I went in here simply for a…read morenosey, and her smooth talking had me buying socks, a tshirt and a bottle opener, and not realising until a good hour later that maybe I didn't need to buy those things. My husband is a bit of a Penguin fan, and I'm penguin-obsessed. I didn't know they'd opened at Silverburn (in August last year, clearly I don't visit very much). This shop is immaculately laid out with lovely displays and nice clothes. I grabbed a pair of socks thinking that'd make a nice gift for my husband (how romatic am I?!) and the shop assistant gently upsold me on the offer they had on currently - two pairs of socks, a tshirt and a bottle opener/hip flask for £30. Well, the socks were £10 on their own so I figured it sounded like a good idea. I got a black tshirt for him and the transaction was very pleasant - the shop assistant had great banter and was very friendly. Sadly I'll need to pop back as the tshirt isn't quite right - it's more sexy-priest than sexy husband, and I'm not really into sexy priest. But I can see this shop being a slippery slope for mine (or his) card.

Brilliant place for affordable shoes for all occasions, funerals, school, job interviews etc…read more The staff can seem very bored and customer service is definitely not where they shine. The shoes, however, do :)

A great branch of this shoe shop with lots of good quality shoes, boots and slippers for all the…read morefamily. Plenty of styles to choose from and different materials as well, from leather to fabric. There are often some bargains to be found too so it's well worth a browse! The staff are always friendly and helpful. I spent some time looking around in here one day last week when my husband was buying some new study lace-up shoes. I didn't buy anything for myself on that occasion but I intend to find a new pair of boots soon so will pay them another visit!