Look Sharp Store

This low-​cost, affordable $ 3 shop is insanely inundated with costumes, party gear, onesies, stationery, craft, hosiery, children’s toys and everything else. I was looking for an 8yr old birthday present: something cheap & cheerful. One of the staff overheard me speaking about their limited toy range, who then pointed me to another wall of police-​inspired toys! I found the ‘perfect’ gift along with a superhero gift bag, cool card and other fillers. I also purchased some fishnet socks for $ 2 and was eyeing up the quirky slippers for $ 10. This place is always crazy busy, with very little room to move in between all the merchandise. You need at least 20 mins to browse around the entire shop. I will be returning very soon for costuming and other incidentals from $ 3! Totes amaze!

This place stocks pretty much everything under the sun, but I come here for the baking stuff. They have an amazing selection of icing, food colouring (including the powdered stuff!), and cake decorating supplies. Cupcake papers, sprinkles, cookie cutters, cake tins — they have it all. They also have a pretty amazing selection of party stuff in every colour/​style imaginable. They even have those ceramic milk bottles and paper straws that are so hip these days. Their prices are extremely reasonable, and they stock brand name stuff too, like Wiltshire. Definitely check it out if you’ve got some baking to do!

This is the cheap asian dollar-​esque store on a serious dose of steroids — add in amazing party ware, cheap and cheerful costumes of every kind, wigs galore, all the seasonal/​holiday things, a amazing selection of sewing/​art/​craft items (from lace to fabric spray-​paint to my personal god, Mod Podge) You could spend hours here, a little cash and come away with a bag of goodies. They have now got baking things (tins to fondant to ALL the sprinkles/​edible glitter) and at times offer in-​store demos/​classes. Pretty much if you can imagine it, they will have it. I know this is a popular place to get wedding bits too, and the glassware selection (from bottles to mason jars to candy dishes & drink dispensers) is well priced and looks far more expensive than it is! A new service is helium/​printed balloons and beauty pageant style personalised sashes. The City store has fairly late opening hours, but you can order online as well, but not all products in-​store are available on-​line. Stores in Sylvia Park, Papatoetoe, Onehunga, Albany, St Lukes and Victoria St in the city.

What fun stumbling across Look Sharp. As my partner said, a $ 2 shop on steroids (not a lot at $ 2 but not super expensive). An amazing array of goodies perfect for parties and dressing up, for children and adults.

Oh crikey — we have found the holy grail of cheap and cheerful. This place is packed with everything you could ever need when dressing up or getting crafty, and is surprisingly huge.
There is a huge range of costumes and accessories, fake flowers, themed-​decorations, crafts, and more and more and more.
Around the time of office Christmas parties and St Patricks Day, the place is packed. And they order in more stuff depending on the celebration.
There is a very entertaining R18 section for funny presents, or just actual stuff.
But it;s not just silly stuff, head down the back and you’ll find kitchen utensils, rubbish bins, frames, cleaning products, bathroom stuff, hangers and all the rest of that kind of stuff for super cheap. It’s actually not a bad idea to see what you can find.

Look sharp is like the ‘god mode’ version of all those crappy shops that exist in every suburb. That’s not true. Those shops more than exist in suburbs. They’re seeded one day then seems to sprawl and multiply at some outrageous clip and just kind of take over blocks and make everything awful awful awful. It’s just all that crappy shit that’s made in China by little sweatshop slave people getting paid jack shit in some awful sweaty factory thing.
I guess it gets an extra star because it probably has the most random shit out of this kind of stupid nonsense shop.

Look Sharp is the kind of shop that makes me want to cry. It’s stuffed with impulse-​buys and plastic, plastic, plastic junk as far as the eye can see.
I can understand why people get excited about it though– there’s so much cheap stuff and it does all have a purpose… it’s just that the purpose is usually one day of being a St Paddy’s day costume or a party decoration, and then being chucked.
I get even more moralistic when I think of the wages the people are paid who make this stuff that. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I never buy anything plastic or made in a developing country. I just don’t want to see a whole shop full of the stuff. It brings me down.

The first time I walked past look sharp I immediately thought of Dizzee Rascal and looked to listen to him on ipod — then bumped into a road sign. Ironic, considering the name. The first time I actually went into the shop I was astounded — both at the size and the selection. It seems to stretch out far beyond initial conceptions — like a bargain shop tardis. They seem to have everything — from fake breasts, to toilet paper, via «glass vases» and so much else. The prices are great — they make me wonder how the producers can afford to make this stuff, but the ethical ramifications of such pondering can lead to some murky places. Go here if you have a costume party, in fact, any kind of party — they will have something for you.

One of the most useful and chaotic stores I’ve ever been in, Look Sharp Store does what other dollar stores try (and fail) to do. It’s clean, well laid out and easy to find whatever you’re in the market for — from costumes to dress socks, candles to key rings, Look Sharp has it all… and it’s cheap!
Many times I’ve rushed to this store for that last minute item that will make a costume or decorated room really pop — I can’t even count the number of times I’ve flipped on the hazard lights, parked in a place that really annoys the taxi drivers and run in to grab streamers, beer-​drinking hats, striped armbands or paint. Seriously, anything silly and frivolous you could ever want is under this roof.

This place is Mecca for costumes and silly novelty items. It’s a one stop shop for all your fun and frivolity needs: dress up parties, St Patrick’s Day, sporting events, or just silly gifts. If you want it, Look Sharp probably has it, and you’ll probably only pay ten bucks. I’ve accumulated a small collection of awesomeness from Look Sharp, including costumes, canes, hats, wigs and flags. I have also made extensive use of their wonderfully inappropriate R18 section for Secret Santa gifts — hilarity and awkwardness ensued.
In short, any occasion is better if preceded by a visit to Look Sharp.

One cannot simply walk into the Look Sharp Store without spending a while in there. It is packed to the seams with just about every kind of party/​miscellaneous/​novelty item you can possibly imagine. It is a huge store with huge variety and because of this, it can get hugely packed, especially on the eve of special events. (I remember coming here to buy a NZ All Blacks flag for the world cup opening… there were queues outside the door and all the flags, little AB stickers, merchandise and black & white hair colour sprays were quickly sold out). It is a great place to pick up a cheap costume for a fancy dress party, hens night, or just general frivolity.