I love 99p stores, always trying to outdo one another, this one is a 95p store - 4p less everyone…read more Thing is not everything is less that 99p...Oh well. The guys that work here are pretty clueless, they don't seem to have enough English to understand when you ask where something is.I really hate it when people moan about people who don't speak English but in some cases the frustration is warranted. They do have an extensive range of tupperware and plastic throwaway stuff - which is handy for a party or if you are trying to sell vodka shots.

Hobbs isn't a shop I'm going to go too again. However, this is because I do not have money spare to…read moreshop for any of the women in my life who are 35 and over. This shop specialises in mature, quietly-classy fashion. The clothes selection is extensive and you will find a large variety within each sub-category - a floral dress? Please, choose between roses or daisies or lillies or... you get the point. They also sell certain selections of shoes and boots, and these are a bit less age restrictive - I could see my girlfriend in a pair, that's for sure! Though that might be because she insisted on trying them on, delaying me an extra 10 minutes. Girls are such fun to go shopping with!

I only came across this shop last week, already I think I am a bit obsessed. A mix of men's,…read morewomen's and children's clothing, shoes and accessories, concept products, toys and furnishings. The pieces featured and the designers are less well known, making them more unique and slightly different to anything else on the market. I love the large, spacious yet homely layout of the shop. However, the prices are Kensington prices, the only cheap thing I found in the shop was a £6 child's ring but when the identical ring is being sold for 50p in my local sweet shop it is not really that cheap at all.

Notting Hill and its aura of manicured money and square buildings maintained to cream perfection…read more There are so many boutiques servicing this area and for the most part are very very glittery ... -Then there is the boutique " Couverture". This beautiful boutique with its several floors feels like a mix of homely style with good quality, vintage detailing and a dash of quirkiness. All the products feel handpicked and handmade. Products range from children's wear to home pieces. Wooden floors, wooden hangars and wooden vintage furniture mixed with new collections all create a general look - as if from a different era. They also carry lots of labels - Sigerson Morrison "belle" shoes - which I am a big fan of and downstairs is the men's shop called "The Garbstore" with more designer lines. A total united vision - everything looks as if it should be there -and somehow relates - not easy with so many products but done in such a more-ish way

"Have you been to COS?" I questioned my BFF over lunch at nearby NOPI. After explaining that H&M's…read moresophisticated, higher end sister was my European go-to and still not available in the States, it became clear I had to take her there. Opened in March 2007, the Regent Street location is London's first Collection of Style (COS). Whilst I still haven't properly figured out their sizing (I consistently have to take two of every item into the fitting room to get it right), I continue to love COS - particularly for dresses and accessories. At the moment about half the store is on sale so it's a nice to time to get your Nordic fashion fix. Neon lovers: orange is figuring prominently in a lot of the current collection. I stuck to more muted tones with my purchases but I admire ladies who can rock super brights. My BFF picked up a terrific large checked scarf (as well as an oatmeal coloured rolled hem jumper for her boyfriend.) I spotted a blue/grey leather colour block clutch that I very nearly bought to avoid trying to DIY my own. Given I'm still thinking about it, I'll probably have to go back and fetch it at some point. There are plenty of basics here but if you desire to be more daring, they've got that too. Think coated linen sculptured dresses, glued seams, waxed linen shrunken shirts, bold statement necklaces. COS may well be the only store in London I can't manage to leave empty handed.

Cos rhymes with classic cool. It aims to take some very good natural quality materials and design…read morethem into timeless, simple but tasteful, Marni-esque designs. It is hard to guess that this store is even remotely related to the giant Swedish chain H&M. Best in store is the little black dress. It comes in different lengths and designs but always aims to impress. I do like Cos, and I feel like I will be shopping there a lot... in a couple of years. I feel like this store is a bit too 'grown up' at times and I plan to take advantage of my freedom to wear 'silly' clothes for as longs as I can.

Not a very imaginative name but the tiny space that is 167 is stylishly filled with tailored…read moremenswear, books, jewellery and artwork. The owner, Michael is also the designer and he even makes furniture too. He changes the window display at least once a week. I marvel at his creativity. Its mostly bloke's stuff but there is some interesting jewellery pieces for women. It's upmarket so make sure the purse is bulging.

Well curated selection of goods: men's ware, jewelry, decorative bits and bobs. Fun to look…read morearound. Wide price range so check the tag before falling in love with something. That said, there are a number of items that are reasonably priced -- I bought a piece of costume jewelry that was well priced IMO. YMMV.

I once read that there was a direct correlation between a woman's IQ and the height of her heels. A…read moreprobable assertion, I assumed, because of the sheer ridiculousness of believing that hobbling around in too-high heels was anything other than extremely obtuse. As such, I'm more of a bag than a shoe gal, preferring interesting local designers to embarrassingly overpriced arm candy. When in New York I fell in love with (relatively) fairly priced Aleya NYC and in London I'd recommend Ally Capellino on Calvert Avenue, the designer's boutique with workshop out back and boasting an unbeatable selection of Capellino's bags, belts, hats and purses. At the risk of sounding like a wannabe fashion journo, I would say that Capellino's designs fall under the 'stealth fashion' category. They're not flashy, weighed down with excess hardware or made from exotic skins. These are good old-fashioned unisex handbags made of leather so beautiful it only gets better with age.

God love her- Ally Capellino makes great bags, beautiful bags, desirable bags. Want, want, want. I…read morewant them all. Unassamingly tucked away down a relatively unbusy road in Shoreditch the shop is a few doors away from the heart of the operation. I dropped in a few weeks ago to pick up a pressie on behalf of a group of friends for our lovely teacher friend. I arrived just as the shop was being photographed with it's new exhibition of still life paintings, centre piece a painting of a classic Ally Capellino. Large glass shop windows flood the shop with light making it the perfect venue for both paintings and bags. Even if you can't afford to make a purchase it's worth walking by to glance a look through the windows and if you're really keen, nip in and ask the shop assistant when the next sale is on. Drool.

I wouldn't be much of a girl if I didn't visit Topshop- Every women in Australia wishes they'd open…read moreone over here- but alas until recently when they started doing online ordering with a great website catalog, the only way to get your top shop fix was to go to London. I never thought I'd be able to lump cheap and chic into the same sentence... usually fashion claiming to do so makes you look more like roadkill then fashionista. Top shop is one of those few places where they live up to the cheap and chic promise. fun girlie pieces, cheaper more wearable remakes of your favorite catwalk look and celebrity wardrobe items. You always know if you need or must have something new to wear on that date or maybe to a new party your going to topshop is the type of place you can run into on you lunch break and pick up something that'll make you feel fab and won't break the bank too. cheap enough to buy something cute every week. Did I mention celebrities also shop here too? Kate Moss not only is a long time devotee of topshop but she now even designs a line for them so mere morals like me can purchase a bit of her style. The only downside is everyone else shops at topshop too so don't expect to be the only girl wearing that 'it' dress or shirt!

A British institution and world famous for its good value, fashionable clothes and for having Kate…read moreMoss as the poster girl. I'm lucky enough to be able to hit the flagship branch of Top Shop with a tennis ball from my office. Great for lunch time shopping and late night bargain hunting. If you haven't been to Top Shop and you live in London, you've most likely been living under a rock for the last 10 years!

Ollie and Nic have super cute things, the only shame is that they're not any cheaper. That said, if…read moreyou wait until the sale, there are bargains to be had. I got a yellow bag with canaries on it (it's more tasteful than it sounds!) for £5 and a make-up bag for £2. My flatmate got a turquoise leather bag for £20 which was originally £40, so it's a good idea to wait. Their products are well made I hasten to add, they are beautifully made and I only wish my budget stretched a little further to be able to afford their products when they're not on sale. There are really nice things in the shop and they are well presented and I always look at the shop window when I walk past and the staff are really nice and friendly and helpful. It's quite a small store but that adds to the charm, as many of the stores around Carnaby Street are laid out to look more English and old-fashioned.

The first thing that grabbed my eyes as I walked in was the very homely feel the shop holds…read more Mid-century furniture combined with a fireplace and wooden floor delivers 'Ollie and Nic' at home. The bags and accessories sit well with the vintage type wallpaper. Their array of bags ranges from your simple canvas shopping bag (£l8), very stylish clutches (£40) and their leather totes (£150). So, I would go with Li-Mei H. advice, wait for the sales, all of the above are actually half price now and then they become really affordable and move away from high street design into the middle market, making them more desirable (to me anyway). I have never really bought anything from here, nothing ever really convinces me and nothing ever really says ' take me home'...