Wang Yuanyuan

    YOU may not think that the fashion accessories sold at small shops in Dongmen can compete with luxury brands. But there are ways to shop there and still be fashionable and cute, and needless to say, its products are much less expensive than world-famous brands.

    Nantang Commercial Plaza, Xihua Palace, Wenhua Palace and Zhongwei Commercial Plaza are all popular with avant-garde youth. There are plenty of attractive earrings, bracelets, necklaces, hats, belts and other products that are not fashion-related but are useful such as cups and bowls with quirky designs.

    The most popular of these places is Nantang Commercial Plaza. There is a small shop under the plaza’s central escalator on the first floor that offers a wide variety of scarves, belts and hats all at low prices. The average price of a scarf is 40 yuan. The average price of a belt or hat is 30 yuan. The shop is offering discounts with several colored belts for only 10 yuan each. However, unlike many other shops in Nantang, prices are not negotiable.

    The complex also has many shops that are popular among skaters. There you will find skating products and hip-hop clothes of good quality. There is also a shop that is very popular for selling personalized glasses frames. The average price of the frames is 150 yuan a pair.

    Near one of its back entrances opposite Dongmenting Mall, there is a small stall selling rings, necklaces and earrings. Although it is a small shop with limited stock, both quality and prices are competitive. The average price for a pair of earrings is 20 yuan.

    If you don’t think you can get away with wearing things as glamorous as the products at Nantang, Xihua Palace has hundreds of shops offering cheap accessories of all kinds. Prices are negotiable at Xihua Palace, so you must be good at haggling, or accompany somebody who is. The final price should only be about 30 percent of the original quoted price. However, retailers will be difficult to haggle with over products such as iPhone cases and video game players.

    Wenhua Palace’s best days are behind it after it was redecorated. But the stationary shop on the right side of its front door is hugely popular among young people. All stationary products at the shop, such as notebooks, pens and stickers, can set their owners apart from the crowd, and are reasonably priced. The average price of a pen is only three yuan, while notebooks are sold at about six to 10 yuan. The small shop also sells gifts, cups, accessaries and bags. You will find all kinds of special and stylish cups here at no more than 20 yuan.

    Cartoon key chains, pocket mirrors and small wallets are also available.

    Clothes sold at Wenhua Palace tend to be of poor quality, so it is better to do your clothes shopping at Nantang or Zhongwei.

    I have to end on a negative note by warning you not to buy shoes (except slippers) at private shops in Dongmen as almost all the shoes are fake and of bad quality.