If you like to spend lots of money on a few pieces of classic and stylish clothing then this is for…read moreyou. The clothes are all designed by two Italians and I'm guessing their names are Madeline and Ann. They specialise in designer wear for young ladies and middle aged women. Even though they had a sale on the items were still far too expensive and I could probably find something similar elsewhere for a much lower price. I don't know about you but when I walk into a designer store there is often an uncomfortable atmosphere because of my very casual appearance. Here I can't fault their customer service though as the lady was very friendly and polite, not patronising! She even went as far as helping me choose an outfit with her expert fashion knowledge. It was almost like she was a personal guide. If I wasn't just window shopping there would be a nice new dress in my wardrobe right now. Like all designer stores the interior was contemporary and suited their smart casual clothing range. The shop was so well kept that it felt rude not to put a piece of clothing back in its right place. In summary Madeline Ann is a great designer store for discerning young and middle aged women.

Nice independent shop in the centre of Solihull. Holds several clothing brands and tends to cater…read morefor women of more mature age groups who like a touch of quality and individuality. Most of the clothing isn't really to my taste but I really like the Sandwich range. They currently have a sale on and there are some real bargains to be had. The staff are very helpful.

Whispers is a wonderful fashion agency that stocks new and nearly new designer clothing. Much of…read morethe clothing is for slightly older women, and they stock much that would be suitable for weddings and more formal occasions. Their new stock includes brands Kirsten Krog and Zele. However, they also operate as a concession selling others peoples never, or hardly, worn designer pieces. They accept recent clothes from brands such as Gucci, Karen Millen, Jaeger and Planet. Items should be seasonal, of current or classic styling (less than 2 years old), in perfect condition, freshly laundered or dry cleaned, all buttons and zips intact, no staining or signs of wear - in fact, nearly new, hardly worn. Full terms & conditions are available on request but basically they operate on a 50/50 sale or return.

What an amazing gem of a store unbelievable customer service and the products and prices are…read moreamazing ...I personally was recommended to this store and away from the traffic I love Zarissa asianwear and now an online buyer on www.zarissa.com

This isn't the usual shop I would go to for clothes because of their extortionate prices but I…read morethought I'd give this place a try when there was a sale on. I was pleased to find they sell clothes for ladies aged twenty to forty who have modern lifestyles. I have a keen interest in fashion and after seeing their collections a few times I can see they keep their trends up-to-date. I found out that they spend eighteen weeks every year buying clothing for niche collections and these clothes aren't available online or in department stores. So you can get an individual look, isn't that great? Like I said earlier I avoid places like this because of their high prices and even when this shop had a sale on the prices were still way out of my budget! This is definitely a shop for women who can splash some cash. However, the shop offered a nice and friendly atmosphere and customer service. If I could afford to shop here I would.

I have been buying clothes from Katherine Draisey,s for 50 years!!!! Most of the clothes have…read morelasted me for years due to the fact that they are such good quality.So you pay more but you get so much more. Staff are great,so helpful but also good fun.I often pop in when I am in the Country to say hello,even if I don't buy anything.(I live in Spain but go to the UK twice a year to visit Katherine Draisey along with seeing Family) If you haven't been to this Store then please do.At least have a look. They cater for all ages. Sheila Webb

Bridge is a classy clothes store for middle aged or elder women. It is shame they don't sell…read moreclothes for men. The shop looked very elegant and high end. From the moment I walked in I felt like I stuck out a bit like a sore thumb as I was the only youngster in there. The service was friendly and polite but being a high end store the prices are high. If you choose to shop here your bank account could take some damage for just a few items, unless you have a lot of money. For instance I quickly put down a plain white waist jacket when I saw the price tag said one hundred pounds!! Don't get me wrong they have some lovely clothes and the styles change to suit the fashion trends and seasons. As it's a clothes store it baffles me why it's called Bridge. This store obviously has a specific range of customers with its style and prices but maybe I'll come back during a sale.

Dazzle is one of those shops that have a bit of everything for the ladies to wear and is located a…read morebit further up the road from the Acocks Green Village. As they had a bit of everything the rails were overflowing with garments and parts of the walls were covered in them as well. No two items looked the same so the clothes were simply categorised together. For example there were dresses in one section and skirts in another. The fact that there were so many garments made the place look cluttered. Besides the negative criticism I have to say, like all independent clothes stores, Dazzle offers something different to the high street. This is relieving because like most ladies I don't like clashing with other people. I thought most of the clothes were great and it looked like they had something to suit every occasion. They had ball gown/ prom dresses to casual clothes and flat shoes to stilettos. Pretty diverse right? The clothes were quiet cheap; the ball gown/ prom dresses were about £50.00. With prices this cheap I was wary about the quality of the materials but with clothes this cheap I could simply replace them. The lady who worked here was very friendly as well and unlike many other Sales Assistants she actually made the effort to have a conversation. I know some customers may not like this but I do!

I am always a big fan of places where the items on sale feel like a random collection of things…read morethat someone has collected over the years......If you are a fan of one offs and items with charm this little place in the Custard Factory is well worth a visit. You can pick up furniture and household items right through to clothes and accessories if you are not afraid to have a bit of a rummage. The things on sale here change all the time so it's not the kind of place I go looking for something specific. This is more a curiosity shop type vibe to browse through and discover what it is you went in there for along the way.

Touchwood Shopping Centre might not be the largest shopping centre, but it's a pretty cool place,…read morewith a good number of brands, making it excellent for a small town like Solihull, meaning people can shop without making the short trip into Birmingham. It can be easily accessed via public transport, with many buses stopping right outside and Solihull Railway Station a short walk away, I do find the buses can be confusing if you don't know where you're going, due to the many different stops even to the same destination (Some buses to Birmingham take longer than others for example) Brands located here include Apple, Footasylum, JD, Nespresso and Lush. There is also a large John Lewis store here, which is all the more useful after their Grand Central location closed. This also features a Joe and the Juice. Food and beverage locations within the mall include Joe and the Juice, TGI Friday's, Nando's, Starbucks, Pizza Express and Wagamama. Most of the shops are on the Ground Level, while the restaurants seem to be on the upper level, there are exemptions to this rule, for example, Starbucks is on the Ground Level. I did like the contrast of the modern and older parts of the mall, I did find a lack of lifts/staff around the centre to be a slight problem. 4*

A very poor experience today!…read more I found myself with 45 minutes to spare in Solihull before my meeting so I walked into the town centre and into Touchwood to take some photos to share with you here and on twitter for my 100 Days of Birmingham photos. I took a portrait photo of the closest shopping arcade and then turned my camera to take a landscape photo. A security guard walked up to me and asked me what I was doing. I told him I was taking photos to share of the shopping arcade on twitter and he told me that I was not allowed to take photos. Ironic since there are already 12 photos on here. He suggested that I was taking photos of the people in the shopping centre which wasn't the case. He then asked me to DELETE my photos. I tweeted from BrumHour's twitter account about my experience and received a reply back that said they can ask people not to take photos. As its private property they are well within their rights to do so.

Have you noticed that smoking habits change from region to region? When I was in Durham I noticed…read morethere was a penchant for the Regal brand whereas in parts of West London Camels are all the rage. In the South-West everyone, it seems, roll their own. As a result it might be hard to get the brand that you usually smoke as a visitor in a town, as supply reflects demand. If you happen to find yourself in Solihull, you can rest assured that this shop will stock what you smoke. For a special occasion you might want to try one of the many cigars that they have to suit all budgets. Hand-rolling tobacco comes in different flavours and is sold by weight. Try cherry or vanilla for a sweet smoke. A wide range of smoking paraphernalia is also available like filter tips, cardboard tips, cigar cutters, and gift lighters. Smokin'!

I went in this shop looking for ideas for a Fathers Day gift for my Dad. I was browsing in here for…read morequite a while wondering whether or not to purchase some sort of smoking paraphernalia as my dad enjoys the occasional cigar. In addition to selling pipes, tobacco, cigarettes and cigars they also stock a range of shaving kits, silver tankards, cuff links, walking sticks and lighters. There were two middle aged ladies behind the counter chatting away. I was never once acknowledged by them not even when I was looking at the display of various tobacco products behind them did they even ask if I needed any help. The shop was empty apart from myself and one gentleman so it's not as if they were rushed off their feet with a big queue. Admittedly I'm not their typical customer who knows the difference between the various flavours and blends of tobacco. If you know the difference between a Romeo Y Julieta and a Hamlet or Irish Oak and Old Dublin then you'll love this shop. If you just want a packet of fags and a disposable lighter you might as well stick to your local corner shop or covenience store.