Universal Store

If FCUK and an indie shop mated, they’d spawn something like what Universal Store tries to be. The clothing, vibe and price tag at Indooroopilly Universal all seem to belong somewhere else, like maybe a boutique in Paddington where you expect items to be expensive and where each item is few in number. (I think we’re supposed to value such items because they’re supposed to be rare. However, more than just one item doesn’t classify as ‘rare’ for me.)
Largely, Universal Store manages to look very brand-​y and not as alternative as it portrays itself in advertisements. The advertisements for Universal remind me of the ads for American Apparel in the U.S. Both stores allegedly embrace indie-​hip and come out as overpriced and lacking in clothing quality at times: a tank top with patches sewn onto it may be made of the poorest fabric possible, but the hand-​sewn patches (which aren’t actually hand-​sewn) are meant to justify an $ 80 price tag or something.
Despite all this moaning, it’s possible to find a few excellent pieces in here. On any given visit I could probably find five things that look fairly cool and fit well, but not enough to justify the price tag. On the other hand, there are a few gorgeous long dresses (expensive — in the hundreds of dollars, usually under $ 300) that are well-​made, unique-​looking and designed brilliantly.
Most of the floral prints used in Universal Store clothing are appealing to me, too, because I like the tiny floral print trend going on at the moment. I have a long dress in my wardrobe with giant Hibiscus flowers all over it, and I wonder now what I was thinking. (And in five years I’ll look back at this and wonder what I was thinking re: small floral patterns.)
So far I haven’t bought anything from here, but I’ve come close. I’ve visited with friends and on the odd occasion, one will buy something that looks absolutely fantastic on them.
Maybe, one day, my time will come.