This op shop has what a lot of op shops don't have these days.... Great Prices! Yep, it's still…read morepossible to pick up a shirt, skirt or shorts but just a couple of bucks. No one is going to pay $10 for a 2nd hand Target shirt when they are only $15 in the shop, brand new. So, this Red Cross is taking the right approach in selling by volume to raise money for their charity. This makes it a good option if you are looking for outfits for fancy dress parties, where you don't want to spend a fortune for an outfit you may only wear once. Snaps to you McWhirter's Red Cross!

There's a great op shop in the McWhirters building in the Fortitude Valley. The Australian Red…read moreCross op shop has a fantastic Retro section of clothes - with costumes and vintage gear. They also have a good selection of books, shoes and clothes to rifle through and find a bargain.

They say fashion fades but style is eternal. And if that's the case it's not hard to see why a…read morestore like Camargue has been in operation for almost as long as I've been alive. I'd say shopping the collections curated at Camargue might be the closest you can get to buying style. Take a scroll through their Instagram feed if you need some instant proof. This long-standing Brisbane boutique has found its home on the equally fashionable James Street and among the precincts fashion-forward crowd, it sits like a jewel in the crown. Camargue doesn't have to fight for trend-based buyers because they know who they are and what walks off the racks. I must admit that I've, to date, only taken advantage of shopping at Camargue during their sales periods (which aren't as regular as other mainstream store but the discounts are often greater), but as I begin to shift to building a capsule wardrobe of investment pieces I know that Camargue will be somewhere in my little black book for key purchases.

From the owner: Established in 1978, camargue have been dressing Brisbane's most stylish for over 30 years. The…read moreboutique is fulled with eclectic and quirky pieces, and each visit is an experience. camargue is as much about people as it is about frocks! Fashion is like beautiful food, great books, wonderful travel & lovely music. It's just about spoiling ourselves, and camargue is just very happy to be a part of that. Fashion fades but style is eternal....X

You know how sometimes there's shops you want to visit but you don't dare walk in because you feel…read morelike it is too cool for you? Sunday Social was one of these shops until today. With friends visiting from San Francisco we were exploring Winn Lane and I finally ventured into this small nook known as Sunday Social. Upon walking in I realised it was the exact opposite, there's something for everyone here. Full to the brim with carefully selected vintage clothes and accessories I began searching through the racks with endless pieces catching my attention. I couldn't resist walking out of the store with two tops for $90, which, if you think about your mainstream stores could easily equate to one top that a handful of others will also be wearing. For the same price I've gotten two tops, that I'll be hard pressed to find others wearing. Best of all as an introvert, the sales assistant let us just browse without hovering over our shoulders at every second. Sunday Social feels like discovering a secret world of clothes with great stories. I'm so glad I walked in and know I'll be back to revisit their racks for one of the kinds from this vintage wonderland.

Yay, more vintage! Sunday Social is a really cute little place nestled in the tiny Winn Lane market…read morearea. I had never even heard of the Winn Lane markets until my friend suggested we stop by on one of your shopping trips in the Valley. The lane is lined with drawings on the walls and market stalls, all filled with lovely jewellery pieces and vintage wares. It reminded me a lot of the lanes and alleys you find in Melbourne so I was more than enthused to see what was down there. It's so nice and secluded that you feel a little like Alice going down the rabbit hole. Anyway, enough about the lane itself. Sunday Social is perched at its end like a tidy little cottage. It's a tiny, gorgeous little shop with vintage clothes and pieces, including a very sweet range of shoes. Indie kids would have a field day in Sunday Social, but I also think it has a little something for everyone. Their pieces are just so gorgeous with bags hanging in its middle with accessories dotting the central table. Guys are confined to a rail and a few shoes but girls have their pick. They have clothes from cute peter pan collared dresses through to funky light, fluttery tops. There's also a really random but totally awesome Indian headdress behind the counter the wall too, just for a little bit of flair. I hear this gorgeous little place went from being a market stall along Winn Lane to a now staple store with four walls. It's no wonder, because they have such gorgeous novelty vintage pieces that you'd be crazy to pass by. Sunday Social has no phone number as yet but you can email them! sundaysocialstore@gmail.com

I recommend you only shop at this store in person, and not make online purchases. The 2 stars are…read morefor my in person experience. I would give zero stars for my online retail experience. I purchased a number of items online for a trip I had in 5.5 weeks. After 2 weeks of seeing they had not yet even been sub to be shipped out, I wrote them an email. They wrote back saying they would ship my things out, but that they no longer had a number of the items in stock - and could they pick some items for me? I wish I had said no, but I agreed as long as they could get the shipment out that day. What they should have done, the professional thing to do, would have been to refund me for the items they no longer had in stock and offered to expedite my shipping. It has now been 4 weeks since I put in the order. I have not received my items. I imagine I'll receive them in a week or two, when I no longer have need of the items I ordered. The store is a cute local shop - they do not have the customer service skills to being doing retail on a global scale.

Pushing the unassuming heavy glass door on Winn St you step…read moreinto a little store called the Outpost. Now it's a little tough for me to define this space. Do I talk about the collection of Zines and Mag's I have perused here on many an occasion? The range of amazing woman's clothing I have lusted over? The art events they have hosted? Or the friendly staff I've had good chats with? it is a bit more than your average retail space. I've been coming here for a while and I love their sourced and curated collection of eclectic designs from artists around the globe. Definitely worth a gander if you are valley side!

Ultra Suite has always been in the periphery of places I could visit, have always seen when passing…read morethrough the Valley, but have never actually set foot in until recently. Some of the dresses in Ultra Suite are really gorgeous, and I'm particularly a fan of the tulip-style strapless dresses they seem to have such a penchant for making. You walk into a sea of taffeta going to Ultra Suite; taffeta in a range of lovely colours and summery dresses that never go out of style. There isn't much else I can really say about Ultra Suite, except that their clothing - and particularly their dresses - is really lovely and classic; great for a girl who wants to go out on the town in style. Carry your credit card though, because it can get a little pricey, as with any premium clothing boutique.

Ultra Suite is the ultimate in unique and fabulous party frocks and formal wear. With short and…read morelong styles to suit any occasion, I have long loved their window displays and stared longingly through at the fantastic crisp silk fabrics and strong lines of the Ultra Suite brand. Partners Sally and Michael have gathered quite a following for their gorgeous gowns, and they not only stock the Ann St store but also make-to-order for formals, weddings and other occasions. But beware - this is not affordable high street fashion. This is high-end fabulousness and a full length gown will set you back upwards of $500 while the shorter cocktail styles sit around $300. What you are paying for is quality and individuality, and that's what makes the Ultra Suite brand so popular. A fantastic addition to any wardrobe.

Calexico just reminds me of a slightly more highbrow version of Country Road. The two share very…read moresimilar furnishings and clothing, with stretch cotton and flowy white cotton pieces in particular making repeat appearances. It's a charming enough little space and it had some cute clothing, but it didn't really do much to catch my attention or make me want to buy anything they were selling. One thing I will point out though is a really fantastic range of cigarette jeans. If you're a fan of skinny jeans like me then Calexico will do nothing but impress you in that department. They have plain greys and colours for your straightedge types and some really jazzy greens and bright options for those of you who fancy some bold pieces. So overall, clothing was nice but not overly impressive; cigarette jeans however, are their specialty, and I'll be back when I need a great pair.

I overheard some women recently in a James Street cafe raving about the latest stock to appear in…read moreCalexico Boutique. Without throwing any stereotypes around, their conversation also contained agenda items such as yachting, their partners real estate ventures and that they have dined at Ortiga so much lately that they are getting bored of it. Yep, those kinds of women. Having never been inside (as nothing in the window had never caught my eye) I decided to have a look, merely out of curiosity. The clothing is beautiful, there is no doubting that. However I just cannot justify spending $700 on a pair of gold sequined pants that look like they belong in a Madonna museum. Having lived overseas and had the likes of Zara at my fingertips which is of a similar ilk, Calexico just seems to be overpriced and unattainable for the average human being. In saying this, when money isn't a deciding factor, there are definitely clothes from Calexico that I would wear. I wasn't approached by the staff, which is often a relief in retail situations, but I feel that if I'd been wearing a Calexico garment I would have been attended to immediately. Calexico isn't my style. It's high brow, a little pretentious and a whole lot expensive. In saying this, if collecting clothing is your thing, and you (or your husband) have a heavy wallet, then Calexico could float your boat.

Ah Lifeline, the Valley wouldn't be the same without you. Home to many preloved items from…read moreclothing, shoes and accessories, to books, egg holders and bunged up photoframes- this place has a lot to offer. Not only do they sell your regular thrifty goods, they also have a wide variety of crazy, costume-like outfits. If you needed anything fancy-dress, you'll find plenty of dresses with sequences and random feathered berets. For men, there are lots of old school jackets, coats and ties. There are quite a lot of fun secondhand things to buy here, but be aware the prices are considerably higher compared to other suburban Lifelines. It must be the rent they pay for this place- high overheads reflected in product price. However, there is a lot more choices and funkier ones at that.

Walking into Lifeline on Ann Street you may be struck by the amount of brightly coloured clothing…read morein there. It seems as if the garments on offer there have been hand-picked to suit the eclectic culture of Fortitude Valley. Those Lifeline employees may be more business-minded than everyone thinks. Personally, I've never found much of interest in here, but I continue to go in and look whenever I'm in the area because it's well-organised and packed with stuff and I live in hope of one day finding a gem there. It may not be the cheapest op-shop town given it's location in trendy Fortitude Valley, but the prices aren't so inflated that you won't be able to find a bargain.

It's fitting that this specialty denim dealer should be located right in the middle of the city's…read morepremier nightclubbing district; after all, when are your choice of jeans more important than when you're out for a night on the town? Also, given their late Friday night opening hours, it's conceivable that you could pop in here to pick up some emergency fashions in the frustrating event that you are knocked back for being "too casual mate". I've often looked here for jeans because they really do have some of the best brands in stock -- labels like Wrangler, Lee, G-Start Raw Denim and Neuw. The salesperson was quite good at suggesting options that I might like based on my input and describing the more intricate nuances of each design. On a recent visit I noted that they've done a bit of a reshuffle to the layout of the place, creating more room and eliminating some of the clutter. I also really dig the music here -- it really gets me dancing in the change room!

This store has great, super stylish clothes at relatively reasonable prices. I hung out in here…read morewith Brooke (or Brook?) Who was wonderful at belong me find sizes, explained a bit about the brands (I was looking pretty specifically for stuff I couldn't find in the US) and helped keep me calm during decision anxiety. Definitely will return!

I stumbled across The Dawn recently when walking home from work and oh my, so many pretty things…read moreall in one store! I was overwhelmed by all of the pastel beauty so took the time to stop and browse. The lady who was manning the store was lovely and happy to talk to me about the owners label, Alexis Dawn, which is one of the labels stocked. The clothing is beautiful, flowing and feminine and perfect for a special occasion. I even thought that some of the maxi dresses would be perfect bridesmaids dresses as they were beautiful in their own right but simple enough to not outshine a bride. There were also heaps of cute dresses perfect for parties, nights out and events. If you are struggling to find that perfect dress in some of the boutiques around Brisbane and looking for something unique, simple and elegant than I would definitely recommend heading to The Dawn on James Street for a browse.

Zomp is a shoe wonderland/warehouse/factory/unbelievably amazing place. I saw bright-coloured shoes…read morethrough the window and thought, "oh yes, this shop looks nice" and then had to wipe the gleeful shock from my face as soon as I stepped inside because if I have a weakness for anything (other than vintage luggage), it's shoes. Seasonal shoes and classic shoes and flat shoes and sandal shoes and shoes that are totally not practical and shoes that I would most certainly ruin with a day's wear. Zomp has everything. It's just wall-to-wall of shoes in the latest styles like wedges and chunky heels, but also classic black pumps, cute work-appropriate flats, and summery sandals. Zomp is a shoe lover's DREAM. There is literally a style to cater for every girl (sorry guys) and for every occasion. For a store along James Street, prices are also quite reasonable. The pumps and wedges that I kept picking up ranged between $130 to about $180, which is what you would pay at regular quality shoe stores like Wittner and Zu. Plus the styles are to die for, so I would gladly make that investment. The girls are also friendly and engage you in conversation, but you can also freely meander around the store to gaze at these wondrous shoes. If you're stuck for shoes for a particular occasion, visit Zomp and I almost guarantee you'll find the very thing you need or, at the very least, walk out with something you don't need, but absolutely love.

With its badass looking sign and beautiful interior, ZOMP…read morescreams out LOOK AT ME I'M FRICKN' AMAZING. I love love love coming here as this place is full of BE-A-UTIFUL shoes. ...And that's quality shoes from contemporary european designers like Francesco Morichetti, Luiza Barcelos and Anniel (to name a few.) The shelves are stacked with skyscraper heels, wedges and flats just waiting to be paired with all of your outfits. The staff are super friendly and (seemingly) don't seem to mind traipsing upstairs to find shoes for your every whim. These guys have saved me from a sad shoe-less fate on numerous occasions. (Most recently, sending shoes from sydney just in time for christmas.) This attractive store coupled with an relaxed environment make shoe shopping a (very enjoyable) breeze. Good lookin' and affordable to boot I would definitely recommend sussing this place out.