Gosh, I don't know how I got into this topic, but I was really researching places on where to shop in Bali & writing an email to a friend, and I thought about some of the awesome shopping streets that I've been to. I've really become less & less of a mall person because you get some really unique pieces at these independent boutiques on shopping streets. Not only is the shopping great, but the whole vibe of the street is very artsy, funky & laidback, which is exactly what I like.
Like what we have on Haji Lane here in Singapore, there are some really funky & iconic shopping streets in many other parts of the world:
1) Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne
Home to some of the best op shops (vintage shops!), little cafes & bars. Check out Friperie & Circa Vintage
2) Queen Street West, Toronto
A mix of chain stores like Club Monaco, vintage & sports fashion shops, and is a short walk from the downtown Eaton centre. Check out Te Koop, Pull, Aritzia.
3) Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles One pretty long street that houses the Melrose Fairfax Trading Post market on Sundays, cool vintage shops, cheap & cute sundresses, expensive boutiques down the further end of the street. Starts from La Brea Avenue to around Robertson Boulevard. Keep driving, the shops go from cheap to expensive, you will be spoilt for choices! Check out Gossip, Slow & Wasteland. Kill City for some great skinny jeans.
4) Seminyak, Bali
Cool resort style clothing for tropical beach towns or sunny places this side of the equator! Check out Body & Soul, Indigo & Rose, Bamboo Blonde. Many brands are local, from Australia or very Australian-inspired.
Okay, I could really go in depth into some of these places. I could possibly do shopping guides on Los Angeles, Melbourne & Hong Kong. Those are some of the really cool places that I got to shop a lot at. In fact, friends usually ask me for suggestions on where to go when they're travelling there!
I suppose it's strange but I should do a shopping guide for Singapore, although most of the time I don't really go shopping in Singapore! Kind of sad but true. The only place I go shopping at these days in Zara & of course, raiding my sample room.
xx URARAA
