Valley Girl is the prototype of this kind of store; lots and lots of floorspace, lots and lots of…read moreclothes. If you're looking for a cheap place to up the trend-factor in your wardrobe, Valley Girl is where it's at. However, the emphasis must be on the cheap; the prices are cheap and so are the clothes. If you're picky about quality or want something that will last, then Valley Girl is categorically not for you. But if you're in the market for a lacey vest to go over your festival outfit, a few basic singlets or something in the colour of the season, then go wild.

Like many clothing stores in Manly, Attik is not a chain, but a little one-off. Unlike many of…read morethese boutique-y type places, shopping at Attik will not cost you a month's rent. The shop is filled with funky and reasonably priced threads - I'm personally a big fan of most of their dresses. Beware though - a lot that I've tried on haven't fitted as well as a size 8 normally does on me, or look a bit different to what I'd expect. Definitely try before you buy! I'm not the only fan on the Northern Beaches, that's for sure - Attik is always heaving with women looking for a cute dress for lunch on Saturday, a funky tee for a festival or that perfect pair of denim shorts. The service is smiley and friendly, but not overly attentive. The store itself is packed with clothes from an impressive range of brands, with a range often coming in a heap of different colours - I love that! Don't fancy it in pink? Go yellow! The quality isn't fantastic, but for less than $60 for a dress and less than $40 for a top, it's not exactly shocking. If you're after an outfit for a particular event - I'm talking one-off occasions here - then Attik is a great choice for you.

Orderly. That's Stockland Balgowlah. The sort of place that is particularly appealing on a 42…read moredegree day when the humidity hits 85 percent and you just want to be somewhere clean, cool and organised. Oh - and you can shop there. It has the basics. A big Coles, a bottle shop, a fruit and veg market, a bakery, a few clothes shops, a dry cleaner, a newsagent, somewhere to buy a phone top-up card and maybe a few small gifts. Mostly chains, not very much to distinguish is from any other shopping mall. It's easy to park, you can have coffee without risk of losing a small child in the traffic, and with a premier Fitness First upstairs its just the job for doing your groceries and your workout in a single stop. Just don't go here looking for character or quirk.

I like to call stockland balgowlah 'rich housewives heaven'. It's a great shopping centre if you…read morehave a lot of time and money on your hands! With loads of women's clothing stores and gourmet food outlets it's a great place to pop in and grab something for dinner or go have a coffee. The Coles here is AMAZING! It even has a self serve olive bar- how is that real life? There aren't many stores but they have pretty much everything you would need ie. chemist, travel agent, supermarket, butchers, fish monger, gourmet take away, florist, kids clothing, women's clothing etc.

"No WAY", I think to myself as I wander around from the Corso. "I ALSO love Paris - Lulu and I…read moreshould be friends!" And Parisien Lulu seems on approach; the wrought-iron table and chairs outside the shop are reminiscent of long afternoons with an apertif on the Left Bank, the pink potted geraniums matching those everyone in Paris grows. The clothes in the store are also very Parisian - very chic, and only to be worn by attractive and thin women. There's no doubt that the store has a buyer with very good, very consistent taste - but is it Australia? Is it Manly? I think not... The prices are certainly like those in the Galaries Lafayette in Paris, or in the designer stores along Rue de Georges VII - at $500 plus, a dress from Lulu Loves Paris is certainly an investment. The sales staff are equally Parisien - chic, with perfect tans and long thin legs. However, unlike their notoriously snooty French counterparts, the girls in here are happy to help. For me, Lulu Loves Paris is a bit too Parisien - too much of a dream, not enough of somewhere my real self can shop.

Lulu loves Paris - I love you!!!…read more OMG how gorgeous is this store - based right in Manly - close to one of the best beaches in the world!!! Gorgeous range of items - and sensational service! Who could ask for more! Lulu you have restored my faith in shopping in my local neighbourhood - Every time i have lunch with friends we pop in always manage ti find something to tempt & delight! And your service is sublime! Can't wait to see you again!

You know the store where you have a quick squiz of the stock in the window, and are impressed? The…read morestore where you always go to look? But once you go inside, nothing quite impresses you? Such in my relationship with Calla. One of the more original stores at Warringah Mall, Calla stocks an impressive range of fashionable women's clothes in its small floor space. Maybe that's my problem with it - too trendy, clothing with no longevity? Maybe its the crammed nature of the store - all of a sudden, finding clothes seems a whole lot like effort. Maybe its the service - the staff seem to spend a good portion of their time vacuuming the floor and steaming the clothes.. odd. My problem with Calla certainly isn't the price tag - it's pretty damn good value. If you can find something in there that tickles your fancy, good luck to you! I certainly wish that I could!

Do not shop at Calla. My daughter once bought a blouse from this shop. She only wore it a couple of…read moretimes. When I washed the blouse, the die from the faux wood button ran onto the blouse. I could not remove the stain. I went to the store to ask for a refund and/or exchange. They absolutely refused to do anything saying the garment had been worn. As much as I tried to explain the problem happened when I washed it once, they didn't care. I would never shop here again and have forbidden my daughter from ever setting foot in the store.

Zu is THE place to shop for beautiful shoes. Its cozy winter boots are to die for in leather and in…read moresuede, and it has a show-stopping range of metallic and bejewled flats for summer. But it's in the realm of high heels that Zu really comes into its own. Unluckily for me, I possess the skinniest feet in the universe. Happily for me, Zu caters for such abnormally anorexic feet - bad luck to you wider-soled sisters. I'm pretty happy with this turn of events, as is my wallet: Zu shoes rarely cost as much as they might elsewhere. But my favourite thing about Zu is the range within its stock. Bang on trend block colour satin heels are available, as are Hollywood's favourite nude pumps. But in addition to these overly fashionable shoes, the old faves still have a place - black stilettos and silver strappy sandals are readily available here too.