I walked in here for the first time on my 15 minuet break, tried on three T-Shirt, brought them,…read moreand had time to get a favourite muffin in Centre Place. I am a big fan of little boutique Melbourne clothes shop, especially those that have cute designs. I am always getting little comments about the clothes that I buy from here. Conveniently you can buy their products online which means that I don't even need to be on my break the next time I want a shirt as I now know what size fits me.

A funky boutique filled with a mix of fashion, accessories, knick knacks and specialty items that…read moreyou find yourself buying because of its "oh my gosh thats so cute/cool/funky" appeal. The fashion aspect of the store mainly focuses on print tees that catch the eye with bright volours and statement images. If you're a t-shirt kinda gal or guy, you'll find some unique designs that arent available elsewhere. Otherwise, they also supply some great jewellery and fashion accessories, including bags and head wear. Im personally more interested in the bits and pieces you'l find around the store - I've seen everything from fake non disposable coffee cups and homemade cards, to funky kitchen utensils and table decor items. Its worth a look in at the store, and even though its small you dont feel like the sales attendant is eyeing you off the whole time.Its quite comfortable to just browe.And you never know what you could find.

Such a great concept store with amazing selection of goodies. Highly recommend visiting…read moreTheSuperCool.

Previously a pop-up shop appearing at all good hipster design markets, The Super Cool has taken up…read morepermanent residence in the SO:ME space at South Melbourne Market. It's a good place to find gifts, with an interesting selection of books, home wares, baby gifts, candles, crockery etc. If you've been looking at Pinterest boards of hipster weddings, they can sort you out here too with dedicated wares like wedding sign posts and mason jar glasses. Some will find it overpriced and tragic, but it's all in good fun and the staff are lovely. Worth a sticky beak if you're at the market.

Stocking jewellery, scarves, watches, bags, books, stationary and more, the Met Store is a great…read moreexcuse for some retail therapy and a chance to look at some beautiful things that are hard to come by here in Australia. The Met Store has products that are influenced by and stocked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The jewellery is inspired by different time periods (Egyptian, Mesopotamian etc.), as well as classic art deco artists and designers. Also, it is worth noting that The Met Store is the only place allowed to reproduce the original designs from the Tiffany store. Other highlights include the scarves and children's' books. There are some beautifully illustrated classics like Alice in Wonderland and The Secret Garden, as well as some really cool art and popup books. The service is always spectacular; the sales assistants are very knowledgeable and really friendly. The only problem I have is the space. The store is quite small so watch out if it's busy and make sure you don't get sent flying into one of the beautiful statues or scarf rack.

Fantastic shop. Melanie and the team are great and very helpful. The product selection is excellent…read moreand the best place to find a nice little gift made in Melbourne

This store is adorable. Ideal for gift shopping or interesting and (read: not tacky!) local…read moresouvenirs. The crockery is gorgeous - I love the beautiful coffee cups in both designer or Melbourne-memorabilia styles. The snacks are just incredible! I came here to buy a sharable corporate thank you gift and they had the most perfect items. Normally the idea of a food hamper would make me shudder... it evokes ideas of weird chocolate and the biscuits no one buys at the $2 shop. Not this one, I got to choose from local Victorian delicacy items like Wondersnack's bacon and bourbon popcorn, delicate meringues and artisan chocolate - all beautifully packaged up by the delightful and bubbly owner, Melanie. Melanie's passion for local products is clear and if you're stuck for a gift idea, she'll be more than happy to help you put something lovely together. When I presented the gift we put together it was greeted with squeals of delight and begging not to have to share - mission accomplished! I'll definitely be shopping here again.

I first came across this lovely store years ago when I was just visiting Melbourne. I didn't have a…read moreclue where it was at the time because my sister who was already living in Melbourne drove me here. I fell in love with this store all those years ago but never thought take a business card or find out where it was. Years later, after moving to Melbourne myself, I finally found Crate Expectations in Malvern. And today I made my inaugural trip for 2011. This fantastic little store always has the best homewares and gifts. Today I fell in love with the printed fabric poufs and cushions. It's amazing how much is available in this store, which is just off busy Glenferrie Road. They've also got a gorgeous range of home scents and body products, flowy kaftans and dresses and a great mix of home products, kids's products and fashion accessories.

Wilkins and Kent stock some beautiful things. Kitchenware, ceramics, organic soaps and candles, and…read moreof course well-made and divine woodwork are scattered around the space. On my last visit I spent a lot of my time eyeing a long handmade redgum bench. Sleek and simple it stood in the middle of the store and radiated comfort. Unfortunately the price tag (well over $1000) and lack of space in my house meant that I didn't have a hope in hell. But I can dream. Wilkins and Kent have some great kitchenware ranges including the Nigella Lawson range, and some exquisite ceramic bowls. On my last visit I bought some ceramic birds that hang from the wall - glazed with beautiful colours they are beautiful little pieces of art and around the ($50) mark, weren't too expensive. The service at Wilkins and Kent is always great, although the store can get very busy so it may take a while to get some service. But friendly and well meaning, the sales assistants are helpful and knowledgeable about the products.

Wilkins and Kent is one of those must-visit stores for me on Brunswick street. Filled with a…read morekaleidoscope of products from pretty table ware to chic bakeware and printed lamps. This is also one of those stores that you need to slowly work your way through in order to appreciate it for what it really is. Incidentally, it would be easy to mistake this shop as a homeware store, but in actuality, Wilkins and Kent specialise in custom designed furniture. And from what we hear, the bosses Jeremy Wilkins and Stephen Kent are the actual furniture makers. If you're looking to create a custom designed piece or are just looking for something to complement your home with, check out this lovely store. Wilkins and Kent also carry a wide range of household décor items, stationery, gardening tools and other bits and bobs - perfect as gifts.

As far as gift/homewares shops go, I think Urban Attitude is the most fun. Filled with so much…read morestuff that absolutely no one will ever 'need', but is fun to have. Makes it a great place to go gift hunting if you're unsure what to get someone. I love their collection of designer cards. They're a bit out there and random, which is how I like my gift cards. No soppy Hallmark greetings for me, thanks. The stuff you can find here is genuinely fun/random/hipster, not like the cheap knock off/trying-too-hard stuff you find at other larger stores *cough* Typo *cough* The staff are lovely to boot and will help you track down something quirky be it poster art, wallets, toys, kitchen ware or maybe a T-Rex lamp.

I love love love this store! Full of super cute, fun and quirky things, Urban Attitude is great for…read morebuying gifts, finding unique things to fill your home with, and taking everyday things and turning them into something special. Take for example the best knife block holder I' ve ever seen...Its a silhouette of a person ( I like the one in fire engine red) with six or seven slits throughout the body, so when you put your knives in they look like they are going through the body..... okay, I just re-read that, and now I sound like a crazy person who thinks stabbing people is awesome. AWKWARD......But seriously its really cool. When you walk into the St Kilda store, you feel off balance, until you realise that it is the shelves and design of the store that is off balance, not yourself. I think it really suits the concept they are going for. Definitely go check it out.

Melbournalia is a souvenir shop that sells stuff people will actually like. This news is the good…read morekind of shocking. I'm a fan of gift giving, but souvenir shopping is such a chore. It takes forever and there's a good chance that the recipient will be polite but never use it, or you'll buy something that's more gag-gift than keepsake. What bugs me even more is when you see the same damn souvenirs relabelled in every country you go to. The wares at Melbournalia are different. They sell well thought out items from local Melbourne designers, with just the right hint of local charm (trams, postcode designs, aussie animals). You wouldn't have to have a foreigner in mind to buy something here either. They sell the kind of stuff you could have in your own house without it being embarrassingly ironic. Cute+

Bourke Hill based Melbournalia carries all manner of Melbourne-themed (and Melbourne-made!) goods…read more From local rooftop honey and tea towels to tram t-shirts and kids books, this small shop pretty much corners the market on local gifts. A wise stop if you want something to remember your trip to Melbourne, or want to send a gift to a homesick Melburnian living abroad.