It might seem like a time far, far away, but it does sometimes get sunny and warm in beloved…read moreDublin. It actually is a little sunny today, cold, but sunny. When the sky is clear and the sun is shining, I love nothing more than to reach for my shades and head on a stroll around the city centre. I've never had anything but fake sunglasses. My fake D&G I bought in a street-market in Bangkok actually work like magic, they look cool and do the whole eye-protecting-job. And I got them for like 5 dollars. Looking at the prices in Sunglass Hut, I don't think I'm gonna shell out for the real-deal in the near future. The upscale shop stocks high-end sunglasses such as Oakley, Prada, DKNY and Ray-Bans. Some of the shades do look amazing, but the few sunny afternoons in the city just aren't worth that price.

I think this little kiosk in the middle of Stephen's Green Shopping Centre has a better selection…read morethan the sunglass counters in Arnotts and Brown Thomas, though it is equally expensive. You'll find mostly designer and high-end shades here. This is a great place to come if you're looking specifically for Oakley or Ray-Bans, because they have a large selection of both for men and women. I found the staff a little annoying because they asked me a few times if I needed help. I think they get kind of nervous if you actually start trying some sunglasses on because they're so expensive... They were just doing their job though so whatevs.

Why 'Sunglass Hut' rather than 'Sunglasses Hut'? CAn sunglasses be singular? Would you buy one…read moresunglass? Anyway, arguments about silly names aside, Sunglass Hut is where to go to buy your designer shades. Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Ray Bans and Oakleys can all be found here. The prices are ridiculously high, but then again I'm not the kind of person who would ever fork out for designer eyewear so I think all of these places are a rip off.

Small shop, just the shop owner was there when I popped my head in. He's licensed to sell…read moreprescription sunglasses, so that's useful. The prices here are a bit high, as to be expected of designer brand sunglasses. I was simply looking for reliable and sturdy sunglasses for functional use, rather than fashion. The owner was quite helpful and let me go through a variety of frames until I found what I was looking for.

I was astonished with the customer service offered to my mother and myself by sunglasses.ie on…read moreDawson street. She spent 145euro on replacing the lenses of her sunglasses due to them being of sentimental value. She thus entrusted sunglasses.ie to look after them. She was quoted one week for her glasses with new lenses to be ready and after three weeks she called to be informed they were unsure of their whereabouts. Upon tracking down her sunglasses, they found nothing had been done with them and they were left sitting there for three weeks! She called into the shop twice and phoned again a couple of times more and eventually after over a month, she got them back. This was during summer and due to her getting migraines from light, she of course had to buy new sunglasses to wear in the meantime. When I finally collected the sunglasses for her as soon as they were ready, the gentleman we were told was the manager handed me back the sunglasses with dirty lenses! He asked me were they ok and I had to tell him I didn't know as I couldn't see what was scratches and what was smudges. They weren't even in a box, just a small piece of thin foam with an elastic band tight around them. I told the manager I was unhappy at how stressed my mother had been by trying to get her glasses back as she had even asked by this point to have them back whatever way they were currently, she just wanted them back. The manager said he didn't know anything about the case, despite my mother having explained it on the phone to him earlier that day. He was completely unapologetic and the other staff also behaved unapologetically and rudely. No refund was offered, not even a discount for all of the distress and on top of this, when I sent an email of complaint they didn't even have the decency to respond! One of the worst customer service experienced I have ever encountered. Truly awful.

beautiful place for whimsical souls. so many odds and ends, ranges of styles from all sorts of eras…read moreand it seems like anyone could find at least one thing that speaks to them based on the variety i found in the shop. there was an excess of gothic items which was perfect for me, i ended up finding quite a lot of pieces that are all marvellous additions to my wardrobe. also chatted with one of the amazing staff for quite a bit after purchasing one of her fav tops from the shop and i will protect it with my life. friendly is an understatement, the owners really do have a passion for what they do and i felt i was in my element. so sad i could not have stayed in dublin longer or else i would frequent this shop to the point where i would practically live there. thank you so much for the beautiful clothes and for showing me the colourful side of the city will come back as soon as i can xx

Lucy's Lounge is a find! Hidden in the basement of a Temple Bar building, this second-hand shop is…read morean absolute treasure trove. Filled with cutesy clothes, jewellery, accessories, children's toys, old books and the like, Lucy's Lounge is a perfect portal for mid-afternoon shopping heaven. Who knows what precious knick knacks you'll come across in this tiny basement? The shopkeeper is fitted out in an intriguing blend of the shop's wares, intricately done up in shawl, flowery hat, old fashioned dress and a mish-mash of accessories. She is a cross between Mary Poppins and the 'feed the birds' woman, and she is lovely lovely lovely! There are some exquisite discoveries to be made by whoever has the patience to sift through the wares in this store. Whether you're on the hunt for a vintage dress, a tacky 80s fluoro ski jacket, a pair of dainty gloves or a funky wall hanging, this place is worth a look! Beware: this shop is only open Thur - Sat 1pm - 6pm and Sun 3pm - 6pm. Time your trip accordingly!

I cannot recommend this optician highly enough. I went back after 6 years, and the girl remembered…read moreme! She spent time showing me a few frames she thought would suit me, and i have to say all were fab, and i ended up with an amazing pair of Gucci frames. The best part was the price.. there was'nt much difference in what i would have spent in vision express, and with the very relaxed atmosphere, the time spent with me and the designer glasses( that will last a few years) it was worth every penny.. If you are looking for new specks please go and have a look, and you will also be supporting a small Irish business.. Definitely a 5 star recommendation ..

From the owner: Temple Bar Opticians (Grants) is located right in the heart of Dublin. You will find us right…read moreacross from the Ha'penny Bridge on Wellington Quay. As well as providing all the services you would expect from your optician, we specialise in prescription and non prescription designer sunglasses. We have built up a reputation as one of the leading providers in the area, delivering professionally but with a friendly touch. We have been here for over 40 years and continue to provide the best service possible to Dublin and beyond. Our expert team are on hand to carry out your eye examination, including eye tests for the driving license application. A regular eye exam is very important, as it can reveal a range of other issues, including high blood pressure and diabetes. We take eye care very seriously and are very thorough in our examinations. All our glasses are fully checked and we ensure that they fit you just right before you leave our store. Any adjustments that need to made to help you see better or make your glasses more comfortable are carried out. Our frames come in a range of different styles, from budget styles, right up to designers like Gucci and Ray-Ban

I went to MacNally's last year having gone to a high street brand for years and I expected to pay…read moremore, but also to get a better level of care. Unfortunately it was a costly mistake. Ironically the two consultants I met first, had been trained in Specsavers and to be honest they were lovely, but the owner/optician who did the final consultation was awful.I felt pushed into getting a pair of bi focal glasses with top end frames and they really were no fit for purpose. I returned in a couple of weeks to say that I just could not see the computer properly and I had stated that this was my main reason for needing the glasses. The owner dismissed me and said I just needed to get used to them. A year later, I am almost a thousand euro down,the expensive frames broke and the glasses are useless to me.Never again !

MacNally Opticians are the super-coolest opticians in Dublin, from their smooth talking logo, down…read moreto their suave website, these guys have got style. Okay, I'm getting carried away here, they really do have some really nice frames but they're all top drawer stuff, most of them are titanium, and all of them are on the pricey side. The staff couldn't be nicer, even when a scruff like me, obviously not wearing glasses, walks in for a poke about I was greeted cordially. So, if I ever need glasses, and have a little more change than usual jingling about in my pocket, I'll hit MacNally Opticians.

Penneys is the sister company of Primark. Formed it Dublin in the late 60s, outside of Ireland it's…read moreknow as Primark. They carry the same styles and fashions at affordable prices="fast fashion". I've bought several pieces that I still wear and love. Whenever I'm in Dublin I like to do a bit of stocking up and the O'Connell Street location is one of my faves. The store is bright, spacious, and clean.

This Penneys has gotten the revamp it deserves, FINALLY!!!! I am so happy to be able to hop off the…read morebus on O'Connell Street, pop into Penneys and pick up whatever essentials or random things I fancy. They have completely rearranged the store and it's honestly a million times better now and definitely in a much more presentable state for a shop on O'Connell Street. Homewares are now located upstairs instead of in the basement, and there is a couch area across from the changing rooms at the back of the store for people to take a little rest which is a really nice and sophisticated addition, I don't think I've ever seen a seating area in any Penneys store besides at the shoes. Great area, same up to date stock as Mary Street store and saves you having to tip off down there if you're in a rush.

As an American missing target, I loved Dunnes! I was shocked about the amount of fashion in a store…read morethat also sells diapers. The current holiday collections rival large department store chains but the prices are phenomenal. Most things I picked up were under 30 euros. The candle selection was also amazing with beautiful luxury candles for 4 euros. I'll be bringing many of those back in my suitcase!

This new store is an effort by the Dunnes group to compete in high street fashion, they renovated…read morethis enormous store which also opens into the Ilac centre and filled it to the brim with all their fashion lines, cosmetics and accessories. I have to say they did a really good job and this store certainly has the high street feel of River Island or Oasis and feels like it's a long way from the supermarket. The stock is pretty good too... probably the best clothing range of any Dunnes, and all with Dunnes prices which are certainly competitive. On the top floor they have quite a nice restaurant and cafe bar which you might find yourself gravitating too once you've tried it.

Not welcoming at all - no hello or goodbye - didnt notice we were in the shop - they just continued…read moretalking together. That's a shame! Pity... we wanted to buy 2 pair of glasses. But apparently they don't need to do business. Will never go again.

I have never had issues with my eyes but this weekend i started to suffer a lot of pain in both my…read moreeyes, so much so that i have been using eye drops, pain killers and even resorted to ice packs on both eyes, to try and alleviate the pain. I made an appointment on Monday to be seen at 16.40 the following Thursday. I mulled this over and thougyt three days is a long time but i can wait. I arrived there today at 16.40 only to be told i didnt have a appointment as it is for next week. There is no way i booked for Thursday week. Eventhough i am in a lot of pain, they offer no help of solution. I have now wasted 3 days where i could have arraigned a different optician to see me. So now there are no opticians open for me to try and get an appointment, i will have to book somewhere else a possibility spend another weekend in pain. I have never seen such a lack of empathy from anyone. This is singularly the worst experience i have ever experienced, and i have gotten my arm caught caught in a 40 tonne machine, broke two bones in one arm, and watched as my son fought meningitis. Such a lack of caring i though was impossible from someone in the a field of practice that is supposed help people. I have never given a review before, be it good or bad and i intend never to do again but this business (and i use that term lightly) is beyond reprehensible and if you, your family, friends or your worst enemy mentions they are going to them, i would just give them red hot knitting needles and tell them to insert them in their own eyes as it would be a dam sight better that stepping one foot across the threshold of that place.

Love love love this place. It's great for anything accessory-wise (the name is so misleading,…read moreright??!). So we're talking hats, bags, purses, jewellery, flip flops, head pieces etc. I find it particularly great if I'm going to a wedding or the races. I buy an outfit, head to accessorize, and customize it with some pretty bangles r maybe a brooch. It's also a great way to transform an old outfit you have in the back of your wardrobe without spending a fortune!

Just as I wish I could buy every single thing in Monsoon, so I wish I could buy every single thing…read morein this place, Monsoon's shop dedicated to accessories. The jewelry, purses, hair accessories, hats, umbrellas and more are all really young, fun and pretty. There is a hefty dose of glitz here, but everything manages to avoid straying over the edge to cheesy and tacky. I find the necklaces especially nice, having fallen in love with a pretty bauble with a teeny bird in a tiny cage. Winter weather gear like scarves, hats and gloves are very, very adorable and would be a great way to keep things fashionable when you're otherwise bundled up. Upstairs they sell adorable clothes for babies and kids. The highlight is definitely the frilly, foofy fancy stuff, probably designed for flower girls in wedding parties. The only downside is that I think everything is too expensive. While the stuff is cute, I don't think it's quality enough to demand the attached prices.