Students may flock to the West End, but Glasgow's Southside has its own eclectic community feel that reflects the Glasvegas sense of style.
The Southside's vibrant mix is reflected in the Halal shops, Indian fabric stores, Polish convenience shops, traditional old-man pubs and Queen's Park, a haven of tranquillity where everyone flocks to on a sunny day.
The Southside covers a massive area, sprawling from south of the Clyde to Rutherglen, but I've focused on the area around Queen's Park, including Pollokshaws Road and Shawlands, in selecting some great independent retailers.
Langside Place, unobtrusively located in a quiet residential area away from main roads, has some little shops and a café, while Skirving Street off Kilmarnock Road is also a good place to start for shopping.
Community and volunteer organisations in the area also help to keep the Southside thriving, including the Southside Fringe Festival running from 9thto 25thMay, the Glad Café which promotes music, and South Seeds which is a community organisations that supports gardening projects around the tenements. Southsidehappenings.blogspot.co.uk is also great for finding out about creative events in the area.
Here are my picks for boutiques on the South Side.
Art on the Hill in the Church on the Hill, Battlefield Queens Park
Running throughout May as part of the Southside Fringe Festival, this artist's platform showcases the work of 100 artists, including recent Glasgow School of Art graduates and more established artists.
Butterfly Kisses, 8 Skirving Street
This Shawlands boutique has a stark white interior like a 1960s vision of the future, and with rails filled with unique summery dresses and tops. It covers a wide range with independent labels for ladies, including Darling, Joules and Hula Mula, a selection of kid's clothing, and lots of little gifts that are great for last minute presents for both adults and children. It's attached to card shop Paper Plane, so you can get the present, the card, and wrapping paper on the way to the Christening or baby shower.
Dahlia's Boudoir Boutique, 36 Langside Place
Instead of going into the City Centre for your undies, try this small but perfectly formed boutique for a whole range of pretty lingerie, and some sexier 'boudoir' pieces ranging from size 2 to 22. It's owned by a friendly Canadian lady, and they offer a bra fitting service which is much more personalised than the service in department stores.
Dahlia's is the only shop in Glasgow that stocks stylish maternity brands Hot Milk in Cake, and also hard-to-find maternity lingerie up to a K cup.
Nuala Ashe, 168 Kilmarnock Road
This home décor shop in the Southside first opened in 2000, and was inspired by the owner's time in London and France. They sell Bewitched scarves, this funky skull bag, pictured, a selection of creative homeware and gifts, and lots of wooden block letters.
Glad Rags, 1006 Pollokshaws Road
Glad rags is a not for profit thrift shop and vintage store, with designer vintage or premium High Street treasures at charity shop prices. Its ethos is upcycling, diverting second hand clothes from landfill, and relies on volunteers and donations of clothing to keep it going.
The money they raise from clothing and bric a brac goes back to music charity The Glad Foundation, which offers music workshops to those in the community who might not otherwise get the chance to take part. Its sister venue is The Glad Café next door, with a programme of live music.
Honey Boutique, 1079 Pollokshaws Road
Unashamedly loud, colourful and bright, Honey Boutique caters for a young clubbing crowd looking for something affordable, and fashionable, for a night out. They are 'celebrity inspired' by The Only Way is Essex and Geordie Shore, with collections called 'Glasvegas Doll' and 'Ibiza Baby', and on sale are lots of vivid playsuits, bandage dresses, micro-skirts and platform heels.
The Bungo, 17 - 21 Nithsdale Road
Run by the same people who do The Left Bank and the Two Figs, in the West End, The Bungo has become a hit on the South Side. It's typically busy with a mix of young professionals, small children and dogs. But don't let that put you off - its buzzy atmosphere complements their everything-goes menu, a wide selection of beer on tap, inventive cocktails, and a bonne ambience to make an afternoon visit extend to the evening.
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