[dropcap]J[/dropcap]ust as you would expect from a world metropolis, Sydney has much to offer to fashionistas of all backgrounds. Whether you are a thrift-shop girl or a haute couturist, Australia’s largest city will cater to you in some way or another. With the continent being as significant as it is isolated, most major fashion brands flock to Sydney’s CBD (central business district) to open showrooms and connect with retailers. Outdoor markets such as can be found in The Rocks district are the breeding ground of future superstar designers and also an amassement of vintage finds and keepsakes. There are several larger shopping malls that serve as headquarters for many brands, places you are sure not to leave empty-handed.
The first step upon arrival is to book a room at a hotel as fashionable as your trip intends to be. Hotels in major cities are a bit uniform, and they’re often maximally prebooked, so if you are not planning this trip months in advance, try a different option. According to the stats at Randwick accommodation, boutique hotels are taking charge in the age of Pinterest and design.
Westfield Sydney sprawls across four floors in the city centre. Several hundreds of stores of different categories, fashion to food. Shoppers can easily obtain a Westfield Sydney Privilege Card, full of discounts and special offers. All you need to do is show up with some sort of ID to the Concierge Desk at Pitt Street Mall. Pitt Street Mall, on the other hand, is gargantuan, taking up almost two city blocks. It is home to many malls, and other than Westfield Sydney, there is also the Glasshouse, Sydney Arcade, Mid City Shopping Centre and the Strand Arcade.
The Strand Arcade’s namesake is the posh Londoner shopping street from the 19th century. It is the last built and last remaining arcade from Victorian Sydney, the only one left unaltered. Its location in the Sydney CBD make it a monument to beauty standing ground in an otherwise busy, fleeting landscape. Some of its most interesting stores also stood the test of time, and these are The Nut Shop, the Strand Hatters, and Elie’s Leather Repair.
On a more urban note, The Galeries Victoria encompasses art and music as well as fashion. Popular stores found here are Incu, Alphaville, Nu+Nan, the brewery The Arthouse, and the JB Hi-Fi music store. It is also home to Sydney’s biggest bookstore, Kinokuniya.
The World Square caters to a cleaner lifestyle, rather than posh flavors. The eateries here focus on freshly prepared food, and most boutiques hold interior design items and house décor.
The hottest of the haute, brands such as Chanel, Burberry, Gucci, Prada, Armani… they concentrate around Martin Place, Castlereagh St., Elizabeth St., George St., and King St.
The funkier folk can find stores to their liking in other districts. The Rocks are the best known place to get something vintage, something thrifted, or something very authentic. Oxford Street is a 2 km stretch of fashion.
The fashionable game does not end with a day spent in one of the fashion precincts. Though every mall has its own selection of restaurants and diners, peace of mind is hard to find when surrounded by floors and floors of possible purchases. Heading a bit further away, to the Sydney waterfront, is where you can easily find a meal with a view (of the white sails of many boats and the Sydney Opera House). These include, but are not limited to: Sean’s Panaroma, the Swell, Catalina Rose Bay, Watsons Bay Hotel, and the China Doll.
