I went to Folkster in South William Street for my bridal appointment and Ricki was ABSOLUTELY…read moreAMAZING! So attentive and lovely- suggesting dresses and styles without being overbearing. I don't think it could've gone any ybetter! Walked out of there with an amazing wedding dress! I can only recommend- the shop is beautiful, the dresses are gorgeous and the staff is absolutely amazing!

You know that girl who looks so fabulous that you feel like a fishmonger standing beside her?…read moreChances are she shops at folkster. Hailing from Kilkenny, the Folkster team are transforming Irish fashion one fabulous fedora at a time. Not your typical vintage shop, it's a miasma of the old, the new and the futuristic. The staff are always bang on, giving ace style advice and general chat. Fashionistas every one of them... they're inspiring rather than intimidating. Price wise, it ain't cheap but it's not staggeringly expensive. Your pockets may be lighter leaving but the spring in your sartorialist step will most certainly balance you out!

Serena's is where the moneyed, middle-aged women of Dublin 4 come to buy outfits for special…read moreoccasions. The prices are accordingly pitched, and you would be hard pressed to find any item of clothing here for under €80. A designer dress suit could cost anything up to €300. A little hickey and old for my taste, but there's plenty of linens and floral prints here in the summer, and chunky knitted cardigans and wool coats in the winter. My mother has picked up a few lovely wedding outfits here, but only shops in Serena's during the sales, when they have up to 80% off!

I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Serena Boutique, in Sandymount!! Marian, who looked after…read moreme, could not have done enough for me. She really knows her trade!! The dress that I purchased was one that I had passed, on the rails, and Marian suggested trying it on. Not only was the dress a HUGE success and an amazing fit for me but Marian went to no end of bother to ensure that I had the "just right" shoes to go with the dress!! I will definitely be paying Serena & Marian a call again!!! Thank you!! Joyce

There is nothing "used" about the mouth-watering racks of vintage and gently-worn designer duds in…read moreSecond Avenue in Sandymount village. Just a little off the beaten path along Seafort Avenue, this is the secret shop D4 dandies go to for the best of Fashion Weeks past, as previously worn by Social and Personal types. Step into the back for a look at filmier gowns and frocks, but steel thyself for the prices -there's no bargain basement prices (but you will get that Chanel blouse at half it's original sale price). My first introduction to Second Avenue was on a cold spring day a few years back; as we rounded a corner on a closed up shop I wondered if we'd gone too far. A moment later the shop front appeared, blocked in by rows of Land Rovers parked right in front of the shop window. Inside there was quiet as women fanned through beautiful silks and suits hung along the wall racks. At the centre table I fell in love with a black croc clutch that I would end up going back twice to mull over bringing home. The price tag ended the would-be romance.

Second Avenue is where all the D4 ladies go second hand shopping. But this boutique is a far cry…read morefrom Oxfam or SVP. It is definitely not a mothball charity shop. On offer here you can find Gucci suits, Prada handbags, Alexander McQueen jackets and John Rocha scarves, all at a fraction of the original price (though unfortunately still out of my budget!). The clothes range from vintage to last season, and most pieces would be suited for the more mature lady.

Reiss is a popular British chain that opened a few years back while I was attending university in…read moreBoston, and ever since then I've been a regular peruser here. I popped into the Dublin branch recently and was not surprised at all that I loved every single thing. The clothing is exceptional in every way. Known for classic silhouettes and perfect construction, Reiss creates some incredible wardrobe staples. The apparel is modern but not overly trendy, classic but not stale or boring. I think I'll call it updated mod. During my recent visit I fell in love with a silk button-sleeve blouse, a sexy pencil skirt with a zipper up the back (ooh la la), and one of the most beautiful coats I've seen in a long, long time. The quality is outstanding, but you pay the price for it! Since it's so expensive, it's best to choose wisely, but if you buy anything here I am sure you won't regret it.

I adore this shop. They have fabulous dresses that are always on the right side of edgy. I was…read morebridesmaid for a friend last year and I got my dress here. It was worth every penny and I know I will get years of wear out of it. I liked the staff too. They were helpful but not intrusive. If you wanted assistance you asked for it and got it, rather than being followed around by someone trying to make a quick sale.

Amazing people and clothes, good vibes, the people on the counter were so nice :D Good prices! (Not…read moreexactly cheap but really good for the quality) Loved all the styles, great for alternative/goth. Overall really great!

I'd read two glowing reviews on Yelp so I was pretty excited to check out Retro at the George's…read moreStreet Arcade. But, when I got there I was stricken immediately with disappointment. I was expecting some lovely vintage inspired frocks. What I found was a store I would call goth girl heaven. There were lots of corsets, short skirts with crinoline that peaked out the bottom, striped thigh-high socks, plaid pants with attached straps, bells and whistles, and even velvet bell-sleeved atrocities that looked exactly like the way I pictured adult witches wearing when I was 12. Yes, amongst all this was a healthy selection of retro-inspired dresses. They were much more 40's inspired than 50s or 60s, with the main thrust being the nu-pin-up look. I will say that I LOVE the pin-up culture and style of dress, and this would be a great place for modern day Betties to come find their wardrobes. But overall I felt the shop was just way too costumey and not wearable enough for the average gal.

I just reread this review i wrote awhile ago and i want to clarify one thing, when i was describing…read morethe state of the communion dresses that some "poor" children wore these daysimeant "poor" as in "isnt it terrible for the children that they have to put up with such awfulness "not "poor" as in poverty stricken! Anyway, marian gayle, still the same,expensive,as in costs lots of money!

Marian Gale is a women's boutique in Donnybrook that specialises in "evening wear". If you're…read moresomeone who needs evening wear then you probably already know about this shop. Also a destination for young debutantes seeking their perfect debs dress. They also do wedding dresses, holy Communion outfits and something for mother of the bride. It's expensive.

I'm seriously shocked this place hasn't been reviewed already! I went here this weekend with a…read morefriend who has started the epic task of finding her wedding dress. Dirty Fabulous has been mentioned a few times as a place to find good vintage clothing, particularly dresses. It's upstarts in one of the georgian buildings on Baggot street, so it's a bit off the beaten track, and I suspect you have to have an appointment - well for wedding dresses you certainly do. We were taken into a room with beautiful things that girls love, but what surprised me was the range of dresses was quite small. The nature of vintage being what it is means that you do have to be lucky to be in the room at the same time as the dress you want. However I found the staff great, they do realise the nature of the search and offer to keep your details and to let you know if anything that you would like does come in. And the dresses are beautiful. You can see these really beautiful different styles from various decades - 50s, 20s, 60s etc. There's also beautiful vintage jewelry and accessories. So if you're a vintage style lover this is definitely a place for you. I do have to say that the staff here really stood out. We had a few appointments that same day and no-one gave us advice anything like the lady in Dirty Fabulous. I think my friend was very tired of mediocre dresses at this point, and she picked her up by telling her not to mind any nonsense people tell her in shops about deadlines. She gave her great advice about trying things on even if they were in the wrong colour or shape to get a better idea of what works and what doesn't. She gave us cards of other shops which might stock dresses that she might also like. She organised us bridesmaids, who were flailing about uselessly, by designating a note-taker and talking about mailing lists. And all of it was done in a gentle, understanding way which made us all warm to her, and agree we would certainly recommend the place. She said to us as we were leaving "always remember to eat between every appointment and have a glass of wine with lunch".... after a footsore day with a disappointed bride-to-be the importance of this advice really stands out in my mind!

Are you getting married? Going to a special event? Or do you just love vintage dresses? Then Dirty…read moreFabulous is the place for you. The shop stocks an amazing collection of dresses, accessories and jewellery and the staff are super-nice and knowledgeable. They give you the space to try lots of stuff on and offer great advice. They will also custom-make headpieces and belts to add that special something to an outfit. Absolutely fabulous!

Louise Kennedy has a great reputation as a women's wear designer in this country. Her stuff is…read morepricey, but 99% of the time you are purchasing a classic piece, that will stand the test of time In terms of style and quality. I love her pieces - very simple and well cut, but I am WAY too young to wear them. They are for the more mature woman, and when I say mature, I do not mean ancient! I mean maybe 30+. She does pieces suitable for workwear, day wear and more formal wear too, such as ball gowns etc.

Louise Kennedy is easily the most famous and established Irish designer of our times. Her dresses…read morecan be found on Meryl Streep and Angelica Hueston to name but a few. There are several stores that you can buy her clothes from. The store in Merrion Square is her flagship store and it is exquisite high end fashion display in a magnificent Georgian house. The clothes are not cheap but that is simply because they are made and tailored to the highest quality. My friend is a buyer so I got to browse there once, talk about a different world altogether!