661 Hay St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9321 2522
http://www.portmans.com.au/
THE GOOD
+ They have very girlie trendy classy stuff, with lots of colour, plus a good selection of work clothing.
+ Their accessories section is small, lovely and well priced, with pretty trendy pieces. Their scarves are among my favourite things here because, unlike other chain stores, they have texture, volume, the right length, and awesome fabrics. They always have a huge selection of belts.
+ The staff are a bunch of no-fuss, friendly and helpful girls, no matter the day or the hour you visit. I always prefer this shop to the one on Murray St just because of their terrific service and friendliness.
+ They open before 10am.
+ They have nice changing rooms.
+ They have an exchange policy of 14 days, so you can drop by, grab something without trying, and return it if the size or style does not suits you. This is especially convenient if you work most shopping hours and take advantage of your lunch break for shopping! So very convenient.
THE SO-SO
- The quality of the apparel and most complements is poor to medium, with a few exceptions. The fabrics are very thin and not good quality, although they look fantastic on. I have bought many
things there, and except for the scarves, they tend to deteriorate soon.
For example, I bought a couple of stockings this year, and they torn
apart quicker than the ones I bought from Coles! Their belts are
synthetic and very "plasticky" and the same can be said of their wallets, bags, and so on. They are so pretty, though!
- The prices are a too high for the quality of the products sold.
***
Good for fashion fixes and emergencies, Portmans at Hay St offers what other Portmans shops sell, but the shop is smaller and the service way better than in other branches of the chain.
61-62 Carillon Arcade
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9321 9246
Website
Hours:
Mon-Thu 8:30 - 17:30
Fri 8:30 - 21:00
Sat 8:30 - 17:00
Sun 11:00 - 17:00
Priceline Carillon is my fav Priceline ever and one of my landmarks in the city. I mean, I am woman, so I need tons of products for my face, my body, my hair, my nails, my odour, my cleaning, my everything, from top to toes and all the bits in between.
They have almost everything you need at very good prices, especially with their constant discounts. The range of products is amazing, and quite varied, mid brands being the staple, although some good ones are also available. You'll find there, beyond the usual stuff, chocolates, diet food, v-i-b-r-a-t-o-r-s, condoms, straighteners and curlers, and even a small range of good brands fragrances at discounted prices. In fact, I bought there a small bottle of Nina by Nina Ricci last year for 29 dollars (which is the cheapest price I've seen it anywhere) during one of their offers, and I have been asked about my perfume since then. They don't have pharmacy here, but I don't really mind. I actually prefer it like that. Still, you have an aisle with the usual painkillers, flu concoctions, and natural "stuffies".
The service is average at the cash out. However, I love the fact that, if there is a long cue at one cash out, the other girls are immediately called to open another one and you don't waste your time waiting. You will be decently treated and guided by the people working in the aisles if you ask for help, or even if they see that you need a basket or see the look of I-am-lost-here flashing green on your face.
The main down of this Priceline is that they tend to reorganise their shelves quite often, so you go to your usual aisle and you find that what you are looking for is no longer there. I understand the need to keep the shop clean and well organised, but please guys, keep still! They have also have a tendency to discontinue those brands or products that are my fav in the world, which is always a horror moment for me.
Their catalogue is a must in your purse at lunch time, as they have good discounts of make-up, fragrances, and anything you might need to clean or beautify your temple of a body.
The shop is in the core of the city, accessible from three different places. No helicopter needed to drop by.
