Swellington shopping starts at Swonderful

Folks say Auckland is the shopping capital of New Zealand. Sure you can shop for Chanel on Queens Street, but who's got the flash or the cash for mega-named designers in this economy?

Also, if you don't have a car, shopping in Auckland is a one stop affair and really, who wants to spend their Saturday in Newmarket?

Now, La Capitale - Wellington, on the other hand, is a Mecca of weekend shopping.

All you need is your own two feet, a credit card and a mind to shop.  A dash of cardio combined with cutting edge fashion?  What a perfect combo!

Start at Swonderful on Victoria Street. This graffiti splashed cubby hole is a haven of indie girl cuteness.  Bell skirts and flip dresses in cambric and lace edging draw you in from the street.

You can pick up one of their gorgeous bow adorned dresses or drop a few bucks on one of their signature owl print, calico shoppers.



Swonderful is a tiny shop a few doors down from the city's tiniest public garden.  Grab a coffee from the hole-in-the -wall beanery and sit in the dappled shade while you plan the next stage of your shopping attack.

Further up Victoria Street is Good As Gold, the home of Wellington hipster fashion.

Stove pipe denim and lycra, skull prints, oversized white tees, asymmetrical homespun knits and frothy felt roses on chunky chains: Good As Gold is all about statement shopping.

You can lifestyle shop here for toys, lomo cameras, shoes, belts and watches too. The clothes come from all over the world but the prices are not too terrifying.  You can find Alice McCall's Harlem renaissance collection here from under $300.

From Good As Gold you can cross Victoria St and head through to Cuba St, Wellington's arty artery in the centre of the city.  Cafes, bars and 'high street' shops abound.

But keep going past the legendary Bucket Fountain and on the right is Iko Iko - the kitschy cute gift store, Tattoo City - possibly the best tattoo parlour and piercing studio in the capital, and The Left Bank, an open air arcade where you can grab a peanut butter smoothy at Offbeat Originals.

All that and you haven't even seen Zambesi's flag-ship store on Willis St yet.  Not to mention Kate Sylvester on lower Cuba St, or urban gift shop Artikel and World's flag-ship cosmetics store on lower Victoria St.
They're all within five minutes of each other.

But that's ok. By the time you've made it to Midnight Espresso on upper Cuba Street you'll have shopped at Wellington's best kept secrets and probably blown the budget too.

The thing is, Wellington is bursting with great stores, state of the art design and fashion nous to make Milan blush.  And all you need to do to get your hands on it is to take a stroll!


  By Kylie Klein-Nixon