No different to Pitt Street Mall in the city, the Bourke Street Mall is Melbourne's equivalent, and…read morewith its own unique Zara outlet as well. So often the tram tracks are crossed to get to the other side to the point where waiting to cross the road at the lights to enjoy some more high quality shopping is a chore within itself. The iconic public purse at the tram station outside Melbourne GPO is a hit within itself (no pun intended) as musicians come to entertain us with their musical equipment stacked along this magnetic piece of art. Don't cross the tram tracks just yet as you have Melbourne GPO to explore. A word of warning: just ensure that you have gone to the toilet beforehand as something so simple as going to the loo turns out to be an obstacle here. Great cafes await you as well as quality boutiques to browse through. I love Georg Jensen here; in fact all the jewellers here provide great customer service. Keep walking and you will find Myers and DJ's in tandem with more street performers, and not to mention activists wanting support to help free the refugees or to take a stand of capitalism etc. Something would be so wrong with you if you are bored here. Cross the tram tracks (safer to actually cross the road) and you will find the food halls and more treats. Sadly that bistro on the Elizabeth Street side is now closed. And you might be lucky to spot one more street performer before moving on.

In the late 90's early 00's, the Bourke Mall of Melbourne was a Mecca of dodge. Sure every…read morechristmas there was the myer windows, but overall it wasn't a great place. Lucky for us Melbournians the recent (last 5 years) new tram stops and the current Myer and David Jones remodeling and the addition of Zara have lifted to the Mall to the cosmopolitan space I always new it could be.

This really isn't one of the best shopping centres that I have visited, not that I tend to rate…read morethem all that highly anyway. The annoying thing about it is that you have to walk across a ton of carpark from the tram stop to actually get to the shopping centre, and there really isn't all that much here, other than a cinema and a couple of cafes. Well, the do have an Ikea, which is sort of unique where shopping centres are concerned.

Victoria gardens is personally my favourite shopping Centre! Unlike northland it is not so big that…read moreyou get lost and can't find your way around. And unlike northcote plaza it actually has useful shops. Victoria gardens has lots of clothes shops for example cotton on, kmart, tempt, jeans west etc it also has a very big food court and food for all your fussy family members. It has a cinema which always comes in handy when you have nothing to do. One of my favourite things about Victoria gardens is of course ikea, what would you do with out ikea oh yeah NOTHING!! The ikea in vic gardens is very big and it has a childcare program where you just say "take my kids while I shop at ikea" and then POOF kid free. Vic Gardens includes boost, pet shop, various 2 dollar shops, sushi, Coles, dimmocks, dick smith, bakers delight etc I believe that this shopping centre couldn't get any better

There is nothing I like better than knowing what product you are looking for and getting it for a…read morebargain. If you are looking for Converse products such as sneakers, clothing, tracksuits and windcheaters, then this is the place to go. Authentic Factory Outlets is located furthest from the city end of Smith Street amongst all the factory outlets offering products with labels at cheaper prices than you find in regular stores. I managed to get a pair of Converse One Stars and even got some free Converse socks to sweeten the deal. It's not only Converse in this Authentic Factory Outlet, you can also get a number of other cheap shoes and other street wear at discounted products such as Tommy Hilfiger. This part of Smith Street is great for the bargain hunter and this Authentic Factory Outlets is a must.

I'm impressed by this weekly event. We have a similar monthly event where I grew up, but the one in…read moreMelbs is every single week! You can sample various delicious foods, check out the local artwork, watch performers on the stage, or even watch a movie with some hot apple cider. There are a lot of vendors selling jewelry and clothing. I bought a very cute bracelet with custom charms and amethyst stones. I also got to try on some kimonos. Kimono stylist Sala Okabe will personally fit one for you. Just bring a smile and a camera. If you want to purchase, a kimono is only $20 -- cheaper than what I paid when I ordered mine online.

The Night Market is a mid-week cure for the winter hibernation blues. Imagine Mamak chefs…read morestretching paper-thin roti dough, young women decorating Taiwanese pancakes, and burley men pushing sugar cane through a press while touting the juice as a remedy for various ailments. The market combines food, crafts, and entertainment to brighten up the long winter nights. After you've selected a tasty treat, you can grab a seat at the pop-up cinema, check out the live music, or snap a picture with one of the roving performers. (On the night I visited one of these "performers" was a goat in an onesie. While I suspect he wasn't one of the official acts, he was the most popular.) There are plenty of hearty Melbournians out and about to create a festive atmosphere and it's not nearly as crowded as its sister, the summer Suzuki market. This makes it an easy place to meet up with friends and have a chat while browsing the stalls. Be sure to rug up! Fires and heat lamps keep the cold at bay, but it's an outdoor venue. If you're still feeling chilly, then wrap your hands around a toasty cup of mulled wine - it will warm you up inside and out!

What a gorgeous shop front. Those windows! And that's just the exterior…read more Inside, it's even better. The ground floor is full of mint condition mid-20th-century furniture. Beautiful pieces of furniture in such good nick can demand a high price and they do. Knowing I can't afford much on this floor, I usually cast a quick glance over the goods just as a treat to my eyes, and then head up the stairs to the vintage clothes. I'm always pleasantly surprised by the prices here. For this location on Smith Street, the stall holders could really ask for more for their vintage finds, but they don't, and I for one, am not only grateful, but feel vindicated for being annoyed at retailers for upping the price tag just because they can. This is how it should be done. Beautiful store filled with earthly delights for all the enjoy (and possess).

A treasure trove of antiques and vintage furniture, if you wanted the decor of Mad Men all you need…read moreto do is visit the Smith Street Bazaar. Beautiful tables, sleek chairs and intricate sideboards are scattered throughout the enormous store. There are also some fantastic lamps, tea sets and vases, that look as thought they belong in your grandparents houses in the 1950s and 1940s. Up towards the back is a modest clothing section that has a great range of shoes, bags and accessories too (90s backpacks are back in people!). They also have an impressive range of costume jewellery. It isn't surprising that the Smith Street Bazaar always has some devoted retro fans or artists crawling through and marveling at the woodwork or kitsch posters. Last week I was very tempted by a slick wooden chair that was low, sexy, and remarkably modern, but with a price of $700 (quite reasonable for a quality piece but a mere dream to a student), I unfortunately had to kiss that beautiful piece of work goodbye. One day when I have an income and a house, I'll buy some furniture from the Smith Street Bazaar. But until then, it's always a pleasure to just look.

Love the culture and the food. Not a huge fan of the car park, but this place works better on…read morepublic transport.

I love Melbourne Central. I love how it's a one-stop-shop for everything you could need…read more ~ Smack dab in the middle of the CBD. Need something you (for some strange reason) cannot find at Melbourne Central? It's probably 10 steps away from Melbourne Central/ ~ Stunning interior design and architecture. You have your tower underneath a glass cage. At first, I thought that this was a bit strange, but then accepted the fact that the tower probably did a lot of bad things in its life and needs a cage to control it. You can't let that thing free, man. ~ Nice selection of food. Nothing too fantastic, but my favourites: Menya Ramen, Lord of the Fries, Grill'd, O-Bento, and Harajuku Crepes. There's bound to be more food heavens that I haven't explored in that massive building yet, and I'm keen to be on the lookout! ~ Convenient public transportation. If you're on the go, trust Melbourne Central to have a train running to anywhere you want in Melbourne. Trust Melbourne Central to also have great food takeaways for you to enjoy yourself at before your train arrives. ~ Loads of entertainment! Try out Cho Gao - a great Asian Beer Cafe with a stunning view of the city. Now try out Cho Gao after catching a movie at Melbourne Central's very own cinema. Seriously - what CAN'T you do here?

Woah. I don't think I have ever seen so many clothes in the one place before. Dresses, cardi's,…read moresinglets and jackets - Clear It has it all. But to be honest, I have been inside a million and one times and never walked out with anything. You know how when you drop in to your favourite shop and they have a sale rack and although everything looked pretty a week ago, when it's on that rack it looks a little sad? That's what this whole store is... Everything looks just a little bit sad. I get that it is a clearance centre, but high-price label designers in a bargain store? It just doesn't sit well... Plus, nothing is really that cheap? Unless you consider $85 for a satin singlet cheap. My favourite section of the entire store is the 'damaged' section, where you can usually find the really good, new stuff, but perhaps a button is missing. If you are in this store, head to that rack, everything else might make you cry.

This shop was great, but it is now gone, from Brunswick Street that is. It is just a Dangerfield…read moreoutlet now. You're welcome. (Would love to have known before I drove there today, ahhh...)

Lots of great outlet stores at the DFO! Adidas, Nike, Cotton On, a few shoe stores.. I can't name…read morethem all but I've always enjoyed coming here. The layout downstairs confuses me a bit and I get a little turned around when trying to find a store I've been to countless times. They have a food court downstairs has a really good selection of cuisines and are all reasonably priced.

Great place for a bargain and they have all the great stores for everything for the the family from…read morehats to shoes and everything in between

Located in the middle of nowhere you'll need some wheels to get your namaste get up on. Huge…read morewarehouse location with all your Lululemon basics on sale organised in your size which definitely is a plus when it comes to factory outlet shopping - no sorting & sifting through mess. Compared to RRP it is pretty cheap so shop till you drop into your downward dog. Namaste... "Ommmmm"

Five out of five brightly coloured tops!…read more I love, love, love Lulu Lemon. The reasons why I Iove this Canadian brand are many but here's a few: - The make their clothes out of fabrics they expect you to sweat in and chuck straight in the wash - The fabrics all feel really nice on the skin and don't chafe - They have some great colours, as well as the neutral blacks, whites etc - They have everything from tights to cool pants. My favourite item from Lulu Lemon is a pair of black pants that go to just below the knee. I can wear them to run in, or they are nice enough that I have worn them out so they are really versatile. They were perfect to wear to a work cricket match - I could run around in them but I could also go out to a cafe afterwards. Perfect! The outlet store is great as well! They stock full priced gear but they also do indeed have some bargains. I bought a jacket I had my eye on at the full priced store for nearly half the price. Sweet! My only concern is that my sister bought something from here and they forgot to take the security tag off, so she had to return it. So maybe check that before you leave. There is a bit of parking in the surrounding streets.

Located up the very classy Paris end of Collins Street, is a beautiful shopping district and cafe…read moremecca called Collins Place. Home to the independent film theatre Kino Cinemas, Collins Place also has a great selection of bars, cafes and clothing stores to keep you entertained. Upstairs there are also medical facilities, a Physiological Centre, Cosmetic and Laser Clinic and of course an ANZ tower, with and ANZ branch on the corner. Collins Place tends to attract local business workers during the day, later in the afternoon and evening you can often find enthusiastic movie goers waiting for their film as well as people of all ages enjoying a meal or perhaps an end of week vino. Collins Place is a relaxing and upmarket place to shop, it houses some of Melbourne's unique boutique stores as well as being right next to the hotel Sofitel.