Love the black and white colour scheme which goes hand in hand with the Parisian theme inspired…read moreshop and again it's amazing what a paint job and some decor can do. And not forgetting to mention the black chiffon chandelier...nice. The women's clothing boutique has only been open since October 2010 and has a small following, as with all new shops it takes a while to become known and established. Apart from clothes there's jewellery and handbags plus other accessories, so there's an appropriate mix. The change rooms are spacious which is great. So I hope I inspire a few of you to go and check it out. There's a good range of summer clothes and when I was here today, I looked through a long rack of 50% off clothes but alas didn't have my size. Talking about size the range goes from about an 8 to 16 and price wise is very good from approximately $15 to $80. I looked on their website which mentions every Saturday they have 'happy hour' from 10 - 11am as everything is 10% off. Now this is something very unique and I haven't seen or heard of any other clothing store doing such a promotion. Well done Ruby for some lateral thinking. Their website is nifty and also have a Facebook presence, check it out.

Any southern suburbs Op-Shop/Second-hand aficionado worth their salt knows about this shop/sale…read more Every first Sunday of the month (unless a public holiday conflict should postpone it until the following weekend) the sale Brigadoons the sheded area by the train tracks, bringing mystical treasures with it. The Lions Club of Brighton volunteers are friendly and helpful and wander around in yellow and navy uniforms to pay and assist. Although most are quite a bit older than me, they're all fun and easy to talk to, always ready for a chit chat or a joke. They're good eggs. The sale operates for fundraising purposes for the club and the many charity and motivational programs that it runs. They can give change but I'd bring some. If you want some absolute steals then I suggest getting there as close to 9am as possible, as along with op-shop enthusiasts, antique/second-hand dealers also know about this sale and tend to get in right on the gate's opening. This place has a massive range of bric-a-brac, furniture, tools, books, records and clothes (see photos), so chances are if you are looking for something in particular it will be there, or show up one Sunday. Despite the place having everything, it also has a big turnover of goods/donations and each Sunday it'll have one of a kind items (the like of which you will not get elsewhere). It's not the place to consider buying something, it won't be there again when you go back. For example, Sunday a month ago I considered buying this giant Statue of David alcohol bottle and this Sunday looked, nope, not there. What was there this Sunday for me was a vintage chrome and formica sewing table for $5, a hat with a $250 tag still inside also for $5, and an amazing jacket that makes me look the business. I also bought a replacement guitar hero guitar for my brother which they've said if it doesn't work I can return to the bookshop on Thursday. On Thursdays during the week the Lions Club of Brighton run the bookshop portion of this sale. Some hard to find books are here and everything is labelled and in separate sections for easy browsing.

This cotton on is HUGE…read more My jaw dropped when I first saw it and it hit the floor when I walked in. you may not be aware but Rubi Shoes is a division of cotton on, so one section of this store is dedicated to shoes. Another section is dedicated to accessories and there are wall to wall clothes catering to guys, gals and kids for your browsing pleasure. If I'm in shopping mode, I can spend a good hour in here, happily sifting through shoes and pretty dresses while contemplating if buying another pair of wedge heels really is a bit obnoxious. The guys section is nearly as big as the girls, so your partner doesn't have to stand there awkwardly while you revel in the good feeling that is accessories, and he wont come back for a while (hopefully). I guarantee you wont leave here without a new something or other, so if you are trying to curb your spending, don't even walk past because the colourful television set display is the first thing you wont say no to.

Make sure you keep any children on a tight leash in here otherwise you may never find them again…read more My daughter and I popped in for a quick browse and ended up sucked into this time warp, only to come out one hour later. Like Elissa says this store is massive and has everything from your usual fashion items to shoes, pyjamas underwear and even swimwear and caters for the whole family. It is a great place to shop for you basic items like singlets and shorts. Most of the cotton dresses are very prone to creasing so you are better off buying something with a bit of lycra in it. If you are buying dresses I suggest the more T shirt style that you can just throw over a pair of bathers in summer. Their pyjamas are really good and the quality is there. We came away with some great summer pyjamas and a cute swing singlet. Considering the store is huge and the range is definitely on the cheaper side, they have done a really good fit out that doesn't feel cheap unlike some of the other competitors in the market.

No it's not an adult shop or a waxing salon, it's a second hand clothing shop and what a find it is…read moreas you won't find it online or in a phone book. Word of mouth seems to be the way or by driving past, but they would get so much more if they were at least on Facebook, somewhere with a in print presence. Go to there...the clothes are great second hand prices and it has lots of different styles and a kaleidoscope of colours. It advertises that it has a mix of new and old items and clothing and it works... the new does perk up the old in the shop. Not only clothing but also home and gift ware, again a mix of new and old, shoes, bags, pictures, statues, ornaments, the ever present candles, lamps, hats, scarves, jewellery, etc. It's a delightful little shop in an unlikely corner of the world but with a little effort to advertise online, will make a huge difference to its evolution.

The name states exactly what it does and that's specialising in clothing sizes for the larger…read morewoman. Black Apple is one brand which stands out as being the main brand and the colours and styles are varied. The sizes start at 14 (which I don't consider as large personally) and go all the way up to 34! Building self esteem is another good reason this shop is around as people are not limited for choice and have to resort to just donning a massive sheet like kaftan on, which is not very flattering. For the extra fabric involved in making a piece it is not expensive compared to standard sizes and besides, there are various price tags depending on what you like and what you can afford. So if you know of someone who is struggling to find clothes to fit them and getting a little depressed, this is a good store to go to for sizes and a friendly assisted service.

I was looking for an outfit for a wedding and being a plus size choices are very limited. I did a…read moresearch on google and came across The Special Size Company. I spent the next hour or so looking thru the web site and realised that I could get a nice stylish & flattering outfit. Finally I had hope. I contacted the store spoke to Michelle who was extremely helpful and nothing was a problem. It was refreshing to have good old fashioned customer service. I received my outfit and could not be happier. I live in Melbourne & I highly recommend "The Special Size Company" no matter what state you are in or what the occassion, they will be able to help you. Thank you Michelle.

Describing Anni's Hallway as a hallway is describing it grandly, this shoebox of a store is tiny…read more Vintage and consignment items fill every nook and cranny of Anni's, and there is a tiny strip of floor to puruse them from. This is not a place for clostrophobes but it is a place for vintage fans. The store appears open at random times and seems as if someone's opened it as a hobby rather than seriously. Stock tends to be quite pricey, but a lot of items really are quality and/or designer. If it's open it's definitely worth a look, but by yourself or you and your friends taking visiting in turns, i.e. it's small.

Anni's Hallway is a cramped corridor of a store loaded with vintage and loved clothes from across…read morethe decades. Anni sources clothes, accessories and shoes from across Australia and with her love for luxury designers, expect to find some Armani leather jackets and Jimmy Choo sandals in a nook or cranny. Although the store does specialise in top brand vintage, prices are quite reasonable. I've grabbed a Zimmerman dress here for $50 in top condition and a sweet little Cue woollen cloak for $60, bargains as far as I'm concerned! This is a store that needs to be gone through with a fine tooth comb, each piece is a little gem so take your time. Anni has helped you here though, all the clothes are sorted into appropriate sizes. The store really isn't for the claustrophobic though, it really is a closed in hallway lined with racks and cases so take a deep breath and dive in!

This is one of those stores that offer feel-good shopping. The whole point of Oxfam is to fight…read morepoverty, by empowering individuals to make their own money. As a result you'll find lots of genuine, hand-crafted items from many different countries, all over the world. You're guaranteed to find a delightful piece of jewellery or homewares here, even if you're not the kind who waits with baited breath for the next Womad. I just can't resist the positive vibes that come from buying something and knowing it's for good, instead of evil (ala corporate greed and domination). Give it a whirl. In a nutshell - help the planet!