Dalston Grey marks Dundas West's ongoing ascendancy in the local fashion scene. The vintage store (with a few new pieces here and there) is filled with astoundingly budget-friendly pieces sure to keep the strip's wallet-minding masses happy.

Once the shop-within-a-shop ( Lost & Found in Bloordale's Ping Pong ), Leah Gust's new brick-and-mortar store now stands on its own.

The vintage is mainly Value Village-style seventies, eighties and nineties pieces geared toward current fashions, so those looking for an of-the-moment animal print piece or sleeveless knit vest are in luck.

Other noteworthy finds include leopard-print shorts ($65), a white leather tank ($47), a ribbed cream bodysuit ($30), and enough silk blouses to stock the closets of every on-trend individual for a while to come, from lilac t-shirt cuts to coral button-ups.

Accessories are on the mark, too, with a Blossom-tastic floral canvas tote ($40), a black-and-gold ceramic choker ($25), skinny belts ($10 to $15) and gray leather brogues ($40). Menfolk are well-served by hearty woolen cardis ($35), cute tees (a steal at $10), soft flannel shirts (around $20), and jaunty windbreakers ($25 or so). Dudes looking for a new man-purse (don't lie) should snap up the butter-soft leather portfolio for $55.

The contemporary clothes, however, manage to outshine the budget finds, even if the price-point is considerably higher than you throwing down a ten-spot for a tee. Lovely stiff Raleigh denim rings in at $275, but the true prize is the Parisian line, Gat Rimon. It's body-con at its best. Scuba-tight trousers ($220) and skirts, schoolgirl dresses ($204), slouchy silk tops in rainbow brights ($139), and remarkable details like thick navy rope belts truly set the brand apart.

Hopefully Dalston Grey, too, can continue to set itself apart as Dundas West takes off.

Photos by Jesse Milns