Stroberi. The name of the shop is displayed in bright pink and in an extremely girly font.

I almost dismissed it as just another cutesy, ah lian store with an annoyingly cutesy phonetic name.

Waiting for friends gave me some time to spare. So I went in fully prepared to mock.

But I learnt: Don't judge a book by its pink cover.

Signature style

I expected extremely girly accessories, an overload of flowers and ribbons - all in nauseating shades of pink. Yet, I found a decent collection of necklaces and bracelets - much to my delight. There were lovely layered necklaces, simple statement pieces and bangles and bracelets.

More than a few caught my eye, including a gold and orange layered necklace. Not too gaudy, it complemented my style and would be a great fix for any plain outfit.

The accessories were by no means revolutionary, but I liked that there were current, trendy pieces that should survive the next few fashion cycles. The bracelets, too, were a pleasant surprise - especially the fauxleather cuffs in different colours. They're simple pieces perfect for those with a minimalist take on jewellery.

There was still a hint of the ah lian with the hair accessories. Most were bow clips with cheap-looking and dated patterns, some even reminded me of my old curtains.

Most of the colourful stud earrings - in shapes like skulls and oranges - felt like they'd be appreciated more by young students.

But I did manage to find some that were seemingly more age-appropriate in a pink ribbon earring.

The store also sells clutches and bags as well as cute beauty tools. A pair of lurid yellow tweezers would definitely brighten my brow grooming.

Of course, plastic toy jewellery won't do favours for anyone, but the gems far outweigh the unfashionable finds.

Price point

This was paradise for a skinflint like me.

The longer, layered necklaces cost less than $10.

A beautiful one that was studded with red beads cost $5 - a real bargain. For those with a love for neon accessories (I suppose someone has to), there were necklaces with bright green triangular pendants for $11 and dangling earrings in bright orange and pink that sold for $4. A set of about six bangles was just $5.50.

Even the clutches and bags were cheap. A lovely, faux suede clutch in royal blue was just $6 and beckoned for a night out. In fact, everything here was so unbelievably cheap, I was close to asking for one of everything. My little shopping bag was stuffed.

Common sense regained a hold. I took out some items like a hideous skull print scarf/hairband combination.

At one point, I even considered buying a clip-on lock of lime green hair.

Yes, cheap prices cloud the mind. Consider yourself warned.

Store layout

There was a reassuringly simple concept.

The nicer, trendier pieces were situated at the left-hand side of the shop. The less impressive items (think cheap-looking plastic necklaces) were placed on the right of the shop. It was also nice that the accessories were grouped according to their colour, allowing for easier browsing.

Service

It was a case of being attentive and informative.

As soon as the sales staff member saw me carrying just a couple of necklaces, she offered me a shopping bag - a nice, none-pushy gesture.

And when I enquired about the price of the earrings, she patiently and pleasantly explained that the price tags were at the bottom of the tray.

Verdict

You'll find some real gems here - and they are cheap! But you will have to dig around to find them.

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