Shopoholic Series #1

Via del Corso

The famous strip to hit the shops would be Via del Corso. Find Piazza Popolo in the map and Via del Corso is the middle road out of the diverged three. Shops from world famous brand are amongst the trading line on this 'beware pickpockets' street, a few boutiques here and there but nothing really special. Affordable shopping, Italian local brands, and watch out for gypsies definitely! Shops closes around 6-7pm sometimes later during sale seasons. I was there in January, during the big sale seasons - incredible bargains!

One of my favorite shops for stockings, socks, leggings, tights, everything! - is CALZEDONIA (they are in almost every corner of Rome, so don't worry if you couldn't find one because there is one outlet at the International airport!) I bought nonsense amount of everything. I didn't realize it until I unpacked everything. But I had my reasons: finding the perfect winter stockings aren't that easy, my dear. I love thick stockings for winter and because European winter is much colder than Australia's - they have much higher standards of winter under garment... Plus at that time it was sale packages (5 stockings for 20EU, etc.) so it was a total bargain for sure. They also have a nice line of fashion stockings - rockin' fishnets, awesome colors, nice patterns, lotsa sexy and kinky stuff too.. Hmmm lingerie! Totally recommended for those whose got the fetish like me... A good local brand, I wish there's one here in Australia!

TAD oo187 Roma Via del Babuino 155/a tel.+39 32695131 http://www.taditaly.com

If you aren't too commercial and would like something more boutique-y kinda shop, then head to Via del Babuino - which is located just to the left of Via del Corso (the far left from Piazza Popolo.)

Via del Babuino
Surprisingly, I found many cute little boutiques on this street! I had more fun here than at the Corso... Not that I bought anything from these boutiques because most of them are the super high end kinda out of my budget stuff. In short, it's the stepford wives alley. It's really fun window shopping from one boutique to another! Each boutique was very unique with their own Italian architecture style. There are a lot of shoe shops here, Italian leathers in specific.

Eleonora
00187 Roma Via del Babuino, 97
Tel +39 06 67.93.173 Fax +39 06 69.38.08.66 info@eleonoraboutique.it
www.eleonoraboutique.com
Gotta say, this is quite a boutique! 5 stars from me.. This is the place for fashion freak: All the way from Dolce & Gabbana to John Galliano. They have a cute cocktail bar in it too with nice maroon velvet big couches (in case you are planning to spend the day in that store shopping all your money away, there's a place to lay back and rest for a while haha!). Boutiques in this street have fascinating layout, not the usual square plan but kind of a zig zag entering - with each space gets bigger as you go through the halls... First of all I was greeted by the beautiful shoes at the entrance of the boutique. The small corridor was decorated with to die for pump shoes in a certain way that makes me want to know what kind of dress selections they have inside. By the way, the shoes were GREAT. Man, it was such a torture to see... then on you go further inside the boutique, another alley and a much bigger space that leads you into the very inside and the core of the boutique. A gorgeous red glass chandelier lights up the room, and then I realized - damn, they got nice clothes too. Ugh.... I could only weep. And then left feeling like a loser.


Plus, what gets me even more sad was the fact that they line up all the colorful Apple laptops and the red iPod Nano!!! Sons of bitches, huh.

I forgot to bring my Press pass that day so I didn't take many pictures as I'd look too snoopy and might get me into trouble. But that's just another reason for you to go and check it our yourself because this shop is worth stripping out :)

Designer boutique such as Valentino - whose other boutique is also present at Via Condotti, the street that leads to the famous Spanish Steps.

Valentino - Via del Babuino, 61 - 00187 Roma - Italia tel.+39 06.36001. 906 - fax +39. 36001. 930 Boutique.Roma.Babuino@Valentino.it

Obviously I can't recall all the cool boutiques I went to one by one, but one of my habits is snatching business cards at the boutiques I considered as fashionable and nice, or at least had some good stuff in it. So when you're in the neighbourhood, check out these shops coz it's damn fine... Don't know why but Italians are pretty behind with their websites!

ADRIANA ROMA - Via del Babuino, 59 - 00187 Roma, tel. 06-3227486 FABRIZIO

BULCKAEN CALZATURE - Roma Via del Babuino 158/A, tel. 063222343

DAVID MAYER 55/a Via del Babuino Rome 06.36.01.04.01, babuino@davidmayer.com www.davidmayer.com Nice stuff for the boys...

GENTE Via del Babuino, 80-81-82 ROMA tel. 3207671 - 3207684

After a long stroll at Via del Babuino, eventually the road meets Via Condotti at the Spanish Steps landmark - so there you go: Shopping Route Day#1 with a lunch intermission taking pictures at the Spanish Steps and then close the day by raiding the leftovers at the Condotti :)

Sunset at the Spanish Steps

Via Condotti is yet another shopping strip with worldclass fashion designer brands from end to end. Funny thing is, it was dominated by the Japanese tourists... haha rich bastards!

Valentino at Via Condotti

La Perla at Via Condotti

Gucci at Via Condotti - The Spanish Steps series

Damiani.... the place to pick your wedding ring.

Don't forget to check out Louis Vuitton boutique at Condotti and I guarantee you'll find their stairs very amusing... Funny how lots of people are standing around in front of the boutique watching the stairs and taking pictures/videos (including me) instead of actually going to the boutiques shopping! And again, the store was raided by the Japanese anyway.

I think that's enough shops for a day. Just remember whilst shopping, keep an eye of your belongings - I almost got mugged whilst in Zara (luckily enough I kept my wallet at the other side of my backpack pocket, the gypsy opened the wrong zip, haha!)

End of shopping day 1.