Exciting Retail Space Open in Canberra: Assemblage Project

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Dress to Impress with $70 or Less at Canberra Fash’n’Treasure

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When was the last time you bought a whole outfit complete with shoes and accessories, from the same shop, on the same day, and all for under $70?  I was given a $70 budget to shop a whole outfit at Canberra’s Fash’n’Treasure Market and make a video about it. A task like this may seem near impossible anywhere else, but I knew that it would be easy at Fash’n’Treasure, Canberra’s dedicated pre-loved clothing market where Canberran fashionista’s come together to shop and sell their wardrobes. Read on to see how I put this outfit together and and to watch the video!

Boxing Day haul and mini Facebook giveaway!

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This Boxing Day, I’ve officially been ‘shoed’! Even though I bought so many shoes, I still felt I really held back. Almost everything I purchased was under $40. Here are all the bargains I picked up!

For some reason all the shoe shops had such amazing sales. I bought 7 pairs.

Clockwise from top: Davolina boots ($25); Tony Bianco heels ($28); Wittner heels ($37); Lipstick platform heels ($25); Tony Bianco Sandals ($28); Belle of the Brawl Plateau Espadrilles ($45); Wittner loafers ($30)

UNIF spiked shorts ($59)

Dotti Sequin Dress ($20)

Vivienne Westwood 'Cheeky Alice’ ($30) and Davidoff ‘Hot Water’ ($20) from Cosmetic Fragrances Direct.

I also picked up some great pieces from my favourite online destination NastyGal: Neon Stripe Skinny Pants ($18.75); Gold Bar Blouse ($14.40); Blank ID Bracelet ($7.50); Buckled Heart Bracelet ($12.60).

What bargains did you pick up in the Christmas sale period? Share your haul photo on my Facebook Page for a chance to win a $20 gift voucher for DollsKill.com! To enter:

1. Share a photo of you haul on my Facebook Page;
2. Briefly describe the things you bought.

The winner will be announced on 2 January 2013!

Canberra Shopping Guide – Lonsdale Street Traders

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The ultimate (and I mean ULTIMATE) shopping destination of Canberra is now Lonsdale Street Traders on 27 Lonsdale St in Braddon. Not only are the wares you will find here unique and wonderful-more on that later-but the concept itself is worth hyping, and something quite new for Canberra. Lonsdale Street Traders is retail space for boutiques and pop-up shops, kind of like a semi-permanent designer weekend market that’s on everyday (and late night on Thursdays). The shop fronts are as exciting as the treasures held within.

Here at the Traders you’ll find vintage fashion, high end brands never before seen in Canberra, one-of-a-kind pieces from local designers, quirky and kitsch paraphernalia and a general hipster-topia affectation complete with rad cafe and huge comfy chairs.

Below are a few of my favourite shops at the Traders.

Accessory shop Box has the most impressive shop front. The walls are covered in faux grass, and there are tree stump stools placed around the door, making you feel as if you are about to step into a forest – a magical forest of shoes and bags.

 

Canberra Christmas Gift Guide under $30 for Him

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It can be so difficult to get gifts for guys because, well, they just don’t like the same stuff that we do! Here are some gift ideas for him under $30 from shops around Canberra!

1. World Class Collection Beer ($29.90), Dan Murphy’s (Belconnen, Phillip and Tuggeranong)
2. Cider Picks 6 pack ($19.90), Dan Murphy’s(Belconnen, Phillip and Tuggeranong)
3. Bar Station Hip Flask Gift Pack ($14.90), Dan Murphy’s(Belconnen, Phillip and Tuggeranong)
4. Screwdriver Cordless Ozito 3.6v Li Sdr035 ($29.97), Bunnings
5. Mr Potatoe Head Classic Darth Tater ($29.00), Target
6. Hot Dog Maker ($22.00), Target
7. iPod/iPhone Alarmm Clock ($29.00), Kmart
8. Rubik’s Cube Mug ($19.95), National Geographic (Canberra Centre, Westfield Woden)
9. Aussie Coin Sorter ($19.95), National Geographic (Canberra Centre, Westfield Woden)
10. Fifty Greatest Card Tricks ($29,95), National Geographic (Canberra Centre, Westfield Woden)
11. Skull Shots (Set of 4) ($19.95), General Pants Co (Canberra Centre)
12. Nano Block Electric Guitar and Meerkat ($14.95 ea), General Pants Co (Canberra Centre)
13. Fantastic & Co Lilliput Robot ($29.99), Myer
14. Desktop Stress Rocket ($19.95), Myer
15. ‘I moustache you a question’ Laptop bag ($13.97), Typo (Canberra Centre, Canberra DFO)
16. Pop Headphones ($13.97), Typo (Canberra Centre, Canberra DFO)
17. Nerf Elite Stockade gun ($29.99), Toy R Us (Westfield Belconnen)
18. Real life Angry Birds game ($22.99), Toy R Us (Westfield Belconnen)
19. Super Mario ? Block Coin Bank ($15.00), EB Games (Canberra Centre, Westfield Belconnen, Woden Plaza, Canberra DFO)
20. Game of Thrones – Ned Stark Figure ($15.00), EB Games (Canberra Centre, Westfield Belconnen, Woden Plaza, Canberra DFO)

Also check out my Canberra Christmas Gift Guide under $20 for Her.

Canberra Christmas Gift Guide under $20 for Her

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There’s just two weeks before Christmas, but don’t panic! Here’s my under $20 gift guide for her from shops around Canberra and online!

1. BF Stamp – National Geographic (Canberra Centre) $9.95
2. Pret-a-Por Tea – General Pants Co (Canberra Centre) $14.95
3. Cupcake S/P shakers – Typo (Canberra Centre and DFO) $6.97
4. Lip phone – Sportsgirl (Canberra Centre and Westfield Belconnen) $19.95
5. Cupcake tea lights – Sportsgirl (Canberra Centre and Westfield Belconnen) $10
6. iPhone 4/5 covers – Peter Alexander (Canberra Centre) $14.90
7. Ice cream hand fan – Peter Alexander (Canberra Centre) $16.90
8. Ice cream knickers – Peter Alexander (Canberra Centre) $15.92
9. What a Hoot Teamug – T2 (Canberra Centre) $20
10. Burt’s Bees Natural Beauty Bat – CFD (Canberra DFO) $10
11. Essie nail polish – CFD (Canberra DFO) $6
12. Mrs Frosty bath set – LUCH (Canberra Centre) $19.95
13. NP Set All That Glitters Gel Duo – Target (Canberra Centre, Westfield Woden and Belconnen) $16
14. Lotus Flower Tealight Candle Holder – Target (Canberra Centre, Westfield Woden and Belconnen) $15
15. 6 piece chocolate gift box – Koko black (Canberra Centre) $15.90
16. Lorna Jane ‘Courage’ Key Ring – Lorna Jane (Canberra Centre, Westfield Woden and Belconnen) $19.99
17. Japanese Cherry Blossom Bon Bon – The Body Shop (Canberra Centre, Westfield Woden and Belconnen) $15.95
18. "Happy Holidays" Marbles Favourite – Max Brenner (Westfield Belconnen) $8.90
19. ‘Start a small business’ charity gift card – Oxfam (Canberra Centre) $14
20. Too Faced Petite Pouf – Mecca Cosmetica (Canberra Centre) $19.95

Also check out my Canberra Christmas Gift Guide under $30 for Him

Canberra Shopping Guide: Cheapest cosmetics and perfume in Canberra at Cosmetics Fragrances Direct at DFO

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If you’re in that chunk of the Canberran population that has had to move here for work, you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say that shopping in Canberra can be..well..challenging! It’s not that there’s nothing here, it’s just that you really have to know where to look. So I’ve decided to launch a new post series, the ‘Canberra Shopping Guide’. Here I’ll talk about all my recommended places for buying the best fashion, beauty, giftware, decor, and more!

Canberra Shopping Guide #5: Cheapest cosmetics and perfume in Canberra at Cosmetics Fragrances Direct at DFO

The fact that cosmetics and perfume in Australia is expensive is old news, especially in small towns where a low local competition means premium prices for just about everything. But luckily, Canberra has a Cosmetics Frangrances Direct, where you can get discounted drugstore and luxury brands for up to 80% off retail prices! 

What to buy here:

Cosmetics Fragrances Direct’s inventory consists of excess or discontinued stock from all the mainstream brands you love. During my regular visits I’ve seen drugstore brands including Maybelline, Cover Girl, Revlon and Natio. More impressively, there’s often a great range of midrange brands like Bloom, Stila and Essie. Even more impressively, I’ve also occasionally seen luxury brands like Clinique, Dr Lewinns and Clarins.

Canberra Shopping Guide: overseas brands and hard to find fashion at Canberra Fash’n’Treasure

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If you’re in that chunk of the Canberran population that has had to move here for work, you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say that shopping in Canberra can be..well..challenging! It’s not that there’s nothing here, it’s just that you really have to know where to look. So I’ve decided to launch a new post series, the ‘Canberra Shopping Guide’. Here I’ll talk about all my recommended places for buying the best fashion, beauty, giftware, decor, and more!

Canberra Shopping Guide #4: Overseas brands and hard to find fashion at Canberra Fash’n’Treasure

Fash’n’Treasure is not just your average weekend market for homemade candles and overpriced paper craft. This is where Canberrans come to turn over their wardrobes and where one fashionista’s buyer remorse turns into another’s fantastic find.

What to buy here:

An unexpected result of the combination of Canberra’s small town isolation and international population is that the average wardrobe is comprised of clothes purchased in the cities, online and overseas, making an event like Fash’n’Treasure one of the only place in Canberra to pick up hard to find overseas brands like H&M, Top Shop and ASOS. I’ve also seen Jeffrey Campbell and Dolce Vita shoes.

Also, as Fash’n’Treasure’s clientele are typically fashion conscious, the quality of clothing sold is high and styles diverse. Vendors know that old tatty clothes wont sell, so pretty much everything there is close to new, or never worn at all.

Recently I’ve seen an increase in professional vendors selling eclectic and unique fashion pieces from Canberra surrounds and also Sydney.

Canberra Shopping Guide: Stationary, decor, teaware and things you didn’t know you needed at Typo Canberra

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If you’re in that chunk of the Canberran population that has had to move here for work, you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say that shopping in Canberra can be..well..challenging! It’s not that there’s nothing here, it’s just that you really have to know where to look. So I’ve decided to launch a new post series, the ‘Canberra Shopping Guide’. Here I’ll talk about all my recommended places for buying the best fashion, beauty, giftware, decor, and more!

Canberra Shopping Guide #3: Teaware, stationary, decor, and things you didn’t know you needed at Typo Canberra

One of the best places for a lunch break browse, full of quirky knick knacks, and the home of the giant decorative alphabet, Typo has the hipster aesthetic down to a tee.

What to buy here:

While Typo is officially in the stationary genre, it really has much, much more. This is one of the best places in Canberra to get reasonably priced decor for your new place, with great quirky frames, prints, ornaments, wall decorations and more recently, teaware. It also occasionally has some super cute fashion accessories, like their Cambridge Satchel lookalikes in all the colours of the rainbow. Owls, deer and moustaches are reoccurring themes.

Canberra Shopping Guide: Shop cheap and chic fashion at Reiss Emporium at Belconnen Westfield

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If you’re in that chunk of the Canberran population that has had to move here for work, you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say that shopping in Canberra can be..well..challenging! It’s not that there’s nothing here, it’s just that you really have to know where to look. So I’ve decided to launch a new post series, the ‘Canberra Shopping Guide’. Here I’ll talk about all my recommended places for buying the best fashion, beauty, giftware, decor, and more!

Canberra Shopping Guide #2: Shop cheap and chic fashion at Reiss at Belconnen Westfield

 

I probably would never have come across Reiss Emporium had I not decided to park upstairs outside of the Hoyts Cinema, and gone in the upstairs entrance. And while its manikins are often dressed rather tackily, and the mountains of stock makes it difficult to understand what style the shop is going for, I’ve come out with some amazing cheap and chic finds here.

What to buy here:

This is a place for reasonably priced on-trend apparel, shoes and accessories of Asian origin, for seasonal consumption. While I would describe Reiss’ overall style as a bit grown up, it stocks item from a broad spectrum of styles, from feminine to city chic, and everything is very much on trend, with a street style twist. On my last visit, I saw embellished collars, floral everywhere, peplum, and rack after rack of printed tights for just $15. Naturally, I bought a pair.

 

I am advised that stock at Reiss has very high turn over, with new items arrive everyday (and left over stock promptly slashed in price for the sales rack).

 

Canberra Shopping Guide: Tressle, brand new boutique for cheap and chic

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If you’re in that chunk of the Canberran population that has had to move to Canberra for work, you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say that shopping in Canberra can be..well..challenging! It’s not that there’s nothing here, it’s just that you really have to know where to look. So I’ve decided to launch a new post series, the ‘Canberra Shopping Guide’. Here I’ll talk about all my recommended places for buying the best fashion, beauty, giftware, decor, and more!

Canberra Shopping Guide #1: Tressle, brand new boutique for cheap and chic

Just when you were thinking there’s no place in Canberra to buy cheap and chic fashion that’s up to speed with the trends in the ‘world out there’, and that unique pieces can only be obtained online, Asian fashion boutique Tressle appears literally out of no where.

What to buy here:

This is a place for reasonably priced on-trend apparel, shoes, bags and accessories for seasonal consumption. The first day I visited I spotted pastel, brights, metallics, sequins, studs and peal embellishments, wicked blazers, and collars, collars, collars! The styles can be described as feminine, cute and chic, ranging from day and night styles, as well as office. The flavour is decidedly Korean in flavour (and possibly origin). If you are familiar with online Asian retailers like Romwe and OASAP, you’ll likely see a lot of the same items at Tressle.