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If you're like me and love to shop there will be a select few stores which you love, and always enter (money or no money) and a select few which you wrinkle your nose at each time you walk by. When I first moved to Sydney in 2003 I was a shopping novice. It took me a while to become accustomed to shops everywhere. When I did I had no idea what to buy and when I actually got money to buy clothes I just wasn't sure.

Today, however, I am no longer a novice, an expert I am! So here is a list of my 5 fav chinstores (kind of Westfield specific because that's where I shop and they're always easy to access).

1.

To me, Sportsgirl is a fabulous flirty store with such a great atmosphere. I don't buy all of my clothes from here. Sportsgirl is what I like to call: a key pieces store.

The one that I see most is the Parramatta store (across from Nadias and a Commenwealth ATM). I'm physically drawn to the store every weekend. I can't count the times my boyfriend has been withdrawing money from the Commenwealth ATM and I've just wandered off into Sportsgirl. It's enchanting!

In terms of design the overall layout of the store is great. You don't feel cramped between the racks of clothes and even when the store is busy you can barely tell. I love that the clothes are at the front and the accessories and bags are around the other side. It makes for a much easier shopping experience because you can pick out your outfit and then accessorise, grab a cute bag and, perhaps, shoes.

One of my fav things from this store is not the clothes/shoes or even the bags. It's the nail polish. Sounds silly? Not really, I got some hot pink nail polish from there for my birthday last year and it still glides on fabulously (don't you hate it when they go gluggly). The colour is perfect, not too loud, and it's affordable!

In terms of staff they are actually really friendly. I find when I'm shopping in a simple jeans/top/thongs combo many shop assistants in nice stores look down at me and don't bother, but the girls at Sportsgirl are really nice.

Another thing I love about the store is their themes. The whole store always looks so great, probably why I'm always drawn to it. I fondly remember an Indian type them that I so loved. I still dream about it sometimes.

For an overall score I give Sportsgirl: 9 stars out of 10.

Visit the Sportsgirl website at: www.sportsgirl.com.au/index.html

 

2.

Yep, I love Vallyegirl. It's my one stop shop for everything I need. It has a great selection of clothes and always keeps up with the latest fashions but also has some cute pieces you need to have that you wont be likely to find anywhere. Again, I mainly shop at the Parramatta store but what I love most about Valleygirl is you can usually find a discount store somewhere (right now there is one at Merrylands) and you can get tops for 5 bucks. Some of the stuff at the discount places are down right ugly, but just skim past those...

In regards to the Parramatta store the layout is great, it is very spacious but the colour schemes are quite confusing especially when the blacks are mixed up all over the place. The clothes are very affordable but often you may look at something and wonder why the heck it's that price. In general, everything about Valleygirl is great apart from...

The staff! Goodness are the staff rude! This isn't just the Parramatta store it's EVERY Vallyegirl store I have ever been to. But when the clothes are as afforadble and of a nice quality as these you kind of learn to live with it, though you shouldn't have to. Also, word of warning the discount store in Merrylands is full of rude, horrible girls. I was happily shopping on a Thursday night, had all my purchases in my hand, and was looking at the belts right next to the counter when one of the girls shouted at the customers in store that if we didn't come to the counter that second she would kick us out...hmmm...peering at my watch it was only quarter two.

So, if you don't try to be the sales people's friends you will be okay. Also, the curtains on the changing rooms don't close properly which frustrates me when I need to strip off.

For an overall score I give Valleygirl: 6 stars out of 10 (rude people really upset me).

Visit the ValleyGirl website at: www.valleygirl.com.au/

 

3.

Cotton On might seem very ordinary, the basics, but you just need to step inside and your opinion will (or should change). The clothes might be planish but they are great, you can't be dressed up all the time. Now the thing I love most about Cotton On is that it's mixed so my boyfriend and I can go shopping together and I also love some of their men's hoodies for myself.

The store in Parra is terribly cramped so when it's busy you just need to leave but the clothes are nicely arranged. I really love their jeans and their singlets and they also do a take on the ever-so-popular but ever-so-overdone Country Road bag but, obviously, Cotton On.

I haven't had much of an association with the sales people apart from the "that's $50 thanks" exchange but from what I can tell they're nice, they always seem like they want to be there, which is always a plus. The clothes aren't overtly expensive but on a uni student budget I can't always afford it.

For an overall score I give Cotton On: 6 out of 10

Visit the Cotton On website at: www.cottonon.com.au/

 

4.

Cotton On Body is another franchise in the Cotton On series (they also have Cotton On Kids) and I am in love with it. It's only a new addition to the franchise and just recently opened up in Westfield Parramatta. They also have a great store in Westpoint Blacktown. I was first introduced to this store when I was visiting my sister in Dubbo and I was just so excited.

I just love underwear! It's one of my favourite purchases and these Body stores are just fantastic. They look romantic and flirty and it just makes you want to buy, buy, buy! (hmmm...) They have a great range of bras, undies, dressing gowns, pj's and an activewear line.

Everytime I've been in store there have been amazing sales (underwear for sale at $6 or under) and the staff have been ever so friendly. Sometimes I feel embarrassed buying "sexy" items at other stores but how can I be in this store? I haven't tried anything on in the change rooms so I'm not an expert on that but from the look of the rest of the store they're bound to be fantastic.

For an overall score I give Cotton On Body: 9 out of 10

Visit the Cotton On Body (same as Cotton On) website at: www.cottonon.com.au/

 

5.

 

I get that this store is not for everyone but I'm a simple girl with simple needs and I'm not very willing to pay $150 for a simple skirt (yes Portmans I'm talking about you!) Like with Cotton On I love that my boyfriend and I can shop together (one less stop before I can stop for coffee). I love this store more for the guys clothes than the girls but I often buy some simple pieces from here (singlets are always affordable and last for ages).

I'm a t-shirt girl so I love their range of t's, for guys and girls... The store has so much space and they always have great bargains where you can get 2 for $25 or 2 for $15, etc. The staff at the Parra store are always slightly indifferent and I get the feeling that they think I'm going to steal from them. The staff are always involved in personal conversations, also, and tend to just ignore you while you're paying for your purchases. 

The change rooms are great because they have doors but I do fondly remember the door scratching my arm and making me bleed. The store has a great range of clothes, always greatly put together, shoes, bags and accessories.

 

For an overall score I give Jay Jays: 8 out of 10

Visit the JayJays website at: www.jayjays.com.au/

Now if I was to review stores I visit but never buy from I would list my top 5 as: Portmans, Bardot, Glue, Witchery and Kookai. These are great stores (although some staff are really rude and I do get the impression that they think that the price tag on their clothes makes them better than everyone).

Now...my top two stores that I HATE, yes HATE!, are:

1. Supre: ugh! I actually used to like Supre, about three years ago. But then they got those ridiculous fluro items in and those stupid slogan t's that were just plain stupid. The music is also far too loud (and no I'm not old!) but I don't think I should have to leave a store and walk 10 stores down to talk to someone on the phone. I'm all for diversity but the guys that work there just freak me out. Supre is all girl's clothes but, yet, the guys are wearing clothes from there. The staff are always rude...always...always...always and I got really sick of the girls in shorts so short that you could see half off their bum. Another thing that contributed to the downfall of Supre, in my eyes, is the fact that I often see 9 year old girls in short clothes from there. I mean, who wants to dress like a skanky 9 year old? (I remember shopping in there once and there was a girl who could not have been older than 10, she was shopping with her mum, in knee high boots with a heel, short skirt and tummy bearing boob tube...blegh).

2. Ice: I don't even know what to say about this, really I don't. I hate this store, have never ever bought something from here and I hope I never will (unless I get kicked out of uni, can't get a job, lose my ability to write and start turning tricks). Enough said!

Disclaimer: sorry to all those who shop at either of the two above stores. This is not a personal attack on you I'm sure you can shop at these stores and look good, they're just not for me.

I would really love to know what everyone else thinks. Which stores do you love and which do you hate? Maybe, trade some tips and advice because it's always great discovering something new!