This is a great store! We managed to find a new bag for my mum and it's perfect! They have a…read morereally super selection of everything and their prices are amazing! Staff had the line moving efficiently and quickly! Very happy the purchase!

TK Maxx is both a blessing and a curse. The store is humungous, which bodes well in terms of…read morechoice. You can literally get lost in a sea of clothing, and there is such a vast range that they are sure to have what you are looking for. The handbag section alone is about 6 aisles, with all the colours of the rainbow covered. My favourite items to look for are their dresses. They have so many quirky pieces that you will almost certainly find something unique. All of their stock is marked down designer clothing so that is another bonus - bargains galore! On the flip side, the vast array of choice can often be overwhelming. If you aren't in the mood/tired/in a rush, then this place can be as hellish as Primark to sift through. Too much choice and too many people. The other dark side to TK Maxx is once again, the designer clothing element. Whilst in a lot of cases it means that the unique brands are more affordable, it also means that the one item that you might fall in love with is something like £300 marked down from £500. Whilst a £200 saving is great, it's not so much if you only meant to spend £40 in the first place! So I have a love-hate relationship with TK Maxx. On so many occasions I have walked away with some really lovely, quirky and well made frocks. But then on a few occasions I have run out screaming (or, at least, briskly walked out tutting) with nothing.

Shadestation.co.uk Excellent service. I asked Maui Jim if…read moreShadestation was a authorised seller of their glasses which they are. My new maui jims arrived the next day, well packaged and as maui jims should be. Very impressed. Thank you.

Amazing. Bought my glasses more than half off from the doctors office. Shipping from UK to US was…read morequick and flawless. Love my glasses. Highly recommend

I adore Illamasqua products! I was introduced by a friend and while I can only really afford to buy…read morestuff immediately after payday as it's pretty pricey, it's well worth it. The products are incredibly high quality I've treated myself to a few lipsticks and have just branched out into the new skin base foundation now I know what shade fits best, and they're all great. The store itself is gorgeous it only opened in December so it's new to the V Quarter, but it's manned by friendly, competent staff who are great at giving tips and advice and testing out colours etc for you. It's definitely a world away from the snooty makeup counters I used to head to and it's got a makeup studio bit upstairs for makeovers. The website has 'How To' videos on, skin swatches and an 'Ask the Artist' function. It's also great at showing how versatile products are and that you're not restricted to just using something on your eyes, for example, you can use it on your lips, or cheeks etc. For someone who's a bit intimidated by makeup, it's great. Cannot praise the brand, the products, this store or the website enough my new best thing : )

Junk Again is another fantastic furniture place that doesn't require you be to snobby and rich to…read morepurchase their goods. I like Habitat, don't get me wrong, but really, why bother when you can get good quality furniture for much less. Especially if you are a student! Which is perfect for this area. Flocks of students come and go through Leeds, moving every year and needing to get rid of or attain furniture every time they do. Junk Again are aware of this and have cleverly positioned themselves not far from the postcodes that are predominantly student populated. If you are looking for a cabinet, a table, or arm chair, or are looking to get rid of, a fridge, a freezer, or chimney pot, Junk Again is a great place to go. They are slightly chaotic but that just adds to that old fashioned feel of shops of this type. Plus no-one will look down their polished nose at you as they so often do in Habitat.

When my friends and I moved house last year we opted for a grand four bedroom house that was…read moreunfurnished as it wold cost us a little less. That, sadly, was not the case in the end but that's more to do with the Estate Agent and building than anything else. However, pretty much the only thing that we required for our move was a sofa and some arm chairs. Enter: Junk Again! My old housemate had spotted Junk Again on her way through Woodhouse and suggested that we tried here for a cheap second hand suite. I was game for any bargain and so when she called me, all a fluster, to tell me about this awesome sofa, two arm chairs and a pouffe for a mere £40, I came immediately to the scene. Yes. That's right. All that for forty flippin' pounds. The friendly chap explained that he had planned to have them cleaned but hadn't yet, so was willing to let them go for that much - all we needed to do was clean them. No probs, Handy Hire in Headingley solved that one for us dirt cheap too! We couldn't have been more chuffed. Inside you'll find an array of lovely old furniture and the odd antique, for seriously cheap prices. My advice is: if you're moving look here first. I've a few more things I need myself so I'm planning a re-visit very soon...

Oh my gosh. I have no idea where a place like this springs from, especially in the LS8 post code,…read moreand yet here it is standing proud. For some of the most high end designer clothes, outside of Harvey Nichols, this is absolutely the shop to browse. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I literally spent about five minutes here as I was so daunted by the price tags. I was, after all, weighed down by a cumbersome ugly rucksack, dirty shoes and a red world-weary face from my travels that day. The lady, who I assumed to be the manager, greeted me very kindly even though she was busy with another customer so I thought that was really nice. Not even close to the reception I'd had in some of the other high end shops, as she was warm and friendly and didn't seem phased by my disheveled appearance one iota. In spite of that I only had to touch one of the beautifully designed dresses to realise that it cost £800 and I instantly became convinced that my hands were covered in grease and had left some kind of grubby mark on the collar. Perhaps this was the paranoia of being in a high end shop. I felt like at any given moment my rucksack may catch an entire display and put me into more debt than my student loan. There is a beautiful range of clothing, accessories and shoes inside this wonderfully laid out shop. They cater for men too, just as exquisitely, but as you may have gleaned by now - we are talking *high end* clothing here. My most coveted item, a jacket costing £300 odd, almost seems cheap in comparison to the dress I first glanced at! In any case, though I really thought highly of the design and the service, there is no possible way I could afford to spend money in here! Lovely, but definitely a place to save up for.

An up market, boutique shop selling high-end fashion wear for the well to-do of this neighbourhood…read more Black, chic, slim build and sunglasses type affair are what you'll find here enter and beware, you are likely to be pounced upon by an over-enthusiastic sales assistant or be greeted in a blasé manner until you flash your amex. Either way browsing isn't the most comfortable option unless you really don't care that is.

I love this place and go out of my way to go there. An…read moreAlladdins cave of treasures from shoes to fabrics..kitchen ware to religious icons..suits to saris.Balti trays and cooking utensils are very reasonably priced compared to any cook shop. This store is massive! It packs a lot of stuff all under one roof! Lovely sari fabrics from around £15.99. I often buy the plain white silk ones for £15 and cut into smaller pieces and dye for other things.Ornate saris make wonderful furnishing fabrics too. A great selection of haberdashery..lovely ribbons and trims. A bargain bin with short pieces of amazing fabrics at about 8 pieces a £1. Some stunning jewellery as well and indian cosmetics and hennabindis, henna tattoos and I also stock up on incense. The huge emporium is a gleaming bazaar with rolls of silks in every possible shade. Racks of spangled shoes and sandals seem to come straight from Bollywood. Yet there are also racks of little girls' organdie dresses like those worn by Shirley Temple in the 1930s. Indeed, something about Bombay Stores is very comforting for English people: it is as if time has stood still. For the Asian community is a taste of home. There is order and calm, no pressure selling and plenty of space to wander from the boutique, selling Bollywood pop hits and videos, to the cafe, en route to the fabrics, suits and shoes. I always keep carrying armfuls of stuff to the checkout but now they have also devised a new idea. In fact there's so much that the only way to shop for larger goods is to browse the store and pick up tickets for each item that you want to purchase, and when you're done you go to the checkout, give in your tickets and all your items will be ready to pay for and collect. I bought a huge, thick fleecy throw for about £20 and everyone wants to steal itit is so soft and luxurious! The brains behind Bombay Stores is 68-year-old Abdul Kader, who came to Britain in 1957. He knew nobody, and started with nothing, but there were jobs. He worked on the London buses and in the Bradford mills. By 1963 he had bought his first business, a former fish and chip shop. His capital was only £100 and his wife, Maryam, worked long hours in the shop making dresses while he drove buses on a double shift to pay for the enterprise. He expanded to the present premises in Shearbridge Road in 1983. Today, annual turnover is £10m and he employs 70 workers. Very efficient and helpful service. They have a cafe for wonderful samosas, coffee and good western style kids meals too. Bombay Stores in Bradford not only sells fabrics that attract customers from all over the world, it also brings together a multicultural community. It is the UK's largest Asian department store. They have a web site with a small online catalogue and various department goods. Opening times: Mon to Fri 10:00am till 07:30pm Sat 10:00am till 08:00pm Sun 12:00pm till 06:00pm

A great place to find interesting and colourful fabric/trims, Bombay stores has stacks of the…read morestuff. The wide range offers everything from simple plain white cotton to the most heavily embellished and luxurious satins perfect for wedding dresses. They have a dedicated bridal section and I believe they do custom made wedding dresses these do not come cheap but you get what you pay for. The extensive trims section offers glittering diamantes and a fantastic selection of buttons. They really do have everything you need at Bombay stores. The only thing that does start to get irritating after a while is the music as Bollywood tunes really aren't my thing but it's an INdian store so it fits well with the shop.

Best Kept Secret is hardly the most appealing business when viewed from a distance due to the fact…read morethat it is located inside an defunct petrol station building. Because of this, the grimy forecourt serves as the car-park and the shop itself has a rather mouldy quality. But, as you'll go here to buy clothes you'll only wear once, none of this is really important. BKS has a fairly wide selection of full outfits (doctor, nurse, policeman... MC Hammer) at prices which are much cheaper than those you will find online. Speaking of the internet, Best Kept Secret's website is actually quite accessible, and shows you the items the store has in stock, as well as letting you buy online at store prices. The store also stocks a large selection of unattached accessories that can be used to make your outfit more quirky (wigs, glasses, hats etc) meaning that it gives potential Otley-runners plenty of scope to create a unique outfit. Look like a fool for cheaper!

Best Kept Secret really is crammed with thousands of costumes and accessories but unfortunately,…read morenone of them were what I was looking for! I found the staff to be unhelpful and quite rude. It may have been stress seen as though the shop was packed out with customers wanting to try on outfits in the one and only cubicle... The prices are fine, the accessories are in their masses and there absolutely loads of tacky costume choice. The only thing I liked was that they stocked some Leg Avenue ranges and had a lot of their hoisery available. All at cheaper prices than the internet stores. As mentioned before, Otley runners will have a field day in here but sadly, you will see about ten replicas of yourself on the way around...

Those with a keen nose for secrets would have already spotted this gem, hidden in plain sight, just…read moreup in Far Headingley. But a stone's throw from Cottage Road Cinema, Sebby's Deli, Beer Ritz and the other gems in the area, this little shop-come-art gallery-come-cafe is a real treat. I've wandered by a few times and cursed myself for not having the time to pay them a visit, so on a weekend wander, I made sure to pick this spot for a coffee. As you go in, there's a counter of fresh goodies right before you, including home baked cakes at seriously cheap prices. They've a deli shelf, with all manner of world-friendly and nicely made things, such as specialist teas, biscuits, Fentimen's drinks, and more. It's a treasure trove of treats, and that's before you've even ventured beyond the initial entry. It appears to be family-run, and the friendly chap who served us was incredibly pleasant, smiley, and welcoming. We ordered two coffees, and went through to the dining room area. This gorgeous front room (the café must be a part of their actual home) is beautifully decked out in red and white table cloths, kitsch little things, a cabinet of locally made jewellery, and all manner of local art adorns the walls. Paintings of various styles take up all available space, making this quaint room come alive with colour. I loved it. Then, you can step through into the secret garden. Literally just across the road at one of the pubs was a crowd of rowdy Otley Runners, and despite still hearing the odd 'waaaaaay!', I felt transported elsewhere. Somewhere serene, safe and as the name suggests, secret. The garden is shaded by a huge tree, and it's a fabulous little spot to sit and enjoy a cuppa. At the time, there was an unfortunate moment, where a fledgling wood pigeon had fallen to the ground and so the lady (who I assume co-runs the cafe) warned us that it was frightened and to watch out for it. The poor thing looked pretty bewildered, fingers crossed it survived the fall and lived to fight another day. The coffees we enjoyed were fabulous, freshly made, and huge. It's not often you get such a generous cup, so you're definitely in for a treat if you're a caffeine fan. They serve a range of sandwiches made to order, croissants, cakes, and other bites too should you feel peckish. This time, I fancied something more brunch-y, but I'll definitely be back soon for a bacon sarnie in the garden! Needless to say, I'm a real fan. It's a local family run business, supporting local artists, who frame pictures too, and serve up a great coffee. What's not to love? Sneak away for a secret moment, it's worth it.