Shopping Strips...
Here’s the lay of the land, folks. Grafton Street is Dublin’s top thoroughfare for high street shopping (try BT2 for an edgier look). South William Street is the beating heart of its Creative Quarter. This short, sweet strip was traditionally home to Dublin’s rag trade, and the tradition lives on in quirky shops like Indigo & Cloth, boutique malls like the Powerscourt Centre and a suite of bars and restaurants touching every conceivable taste base. Temple Bar squirrels away the best vintage boutiques in the city, and Capel Street is the gritty new kid on the block.
Arcade Fire
The George’s Street Arcade may be Ireland’s oldest shopping centre, but there’s always something new to discover. A feast of eclectic stores, galleries and eateries are housed within the old Victorian building, from Bollywood bellydancing gear at Maharani to awesome iced teas at Bubblicity and good honest sandwiches at Honest to Goodness. Oh, and you can get those bangs sorted at Oslo Hair Design. There should be shrines to this kind of thing.
Marvellous Markets…
A hop, skip and jump across Dublin’s jolliest bridge takes you to the Ha'Penny Flea Market (Saturdays, 12–6pm). The Grand Social's weekly bash is all about vintage clothes, vinyl, chic jewellery and hipster books. You may not have come to Dublin looking for those 70s hotpants, in other words –but dammit, you won’t be leaving without them.
Afterwards, skip back across to Temple Bar to the Cow’s Lane Designer Mart, which sells cutting-edge clothing and crafts on Saturdays. Or continue north onto Abbey Street, where you can rummage through the vintage and pop culture treats at Revolver Project, stashed away at the back of Wigwam nightclub… Outfit sorted? You’re welcome!