Joy Leeds

I absolutley love the clothes and random little bits and bobs in this place. I seem to buy all my clothes from here…
A little expensive but good quality and sales fairly often so worth a visit.
A good variety of styles and colours. Probably why I love it so much because fashion often goes down teh route of boring bland colours!
Very handily they have a comfy sofa next to the changing rooms so a good place to go with someone who is very indecisive.
The bits and bobs are good for gifts as they are random but ‘joyful’ (oh yes I went there).

JOY is twee, exciting and very curious.
If you’re stuck on what to get someone for their birthday, this is where you need to be. They have a selection of fashionable clothes, comedy gifts, the most original cards and books.
They have a very Cath Kidson meets burlesque theme going on in Joy, you’ll find perfect ornaments for your kitchen to a polka-​dot dress. The only thing i can’t get my head around in Joy is the ‘Air Guitar’, it basically is a packet, with an ‘air guitar’ in it, so just air, umm how on earth do they sell any of those at £4, are you serious?
Jokes aside, Joy is very promising, they have some good finds and its very much worth a browse even if its just for the aesthetically pleasing surroundings. The staff are always super friendly and good to chat to. I went in the other day looking for a new diary, little slow on the uptake for 2010 i know but i though i would finally get my time management sorted out. Anyway, the lady who served me was very helpful and came back to me to see that i was alright. I left with a beautiful new diary and now time is my friend thanks to Joy.

Now I’m always on the look out for that little something which will give me a quirky edge or add some elegance to my outfits, be it day or night. Accessories are big in my world but my budget is not. Step up to the plate Joy.
The Light is a convenient little package of sheltered shops, good eateries and of course multi-​plex cinema just up from the town hall. To be honest I used to by-​pass it for shopping and use it mainly for some entertainment action or a quick bite. On closer inspection I should’ve taken more time.
Joy is a fresh fashion shop which may not rock your world but has more than enough to justify a visit. I dive straight into the kitch and colourful rings with big chocolate hearts and sweeties adorning my fingers. You’ll find plenty of charm bracelets which really don’t cost anywhere near as much as the Links of London counterparts and it’s fun and reasonable jewellery for your would be fashionistas.
The skirts may be a bridge too far for me (puff pink pocket skirt anyone), but I do love the very high end looking tailored coats and mad printed t-​shirts. Throw in some super cheap season trend bags and its well worth a liberal punt.
Oh and you can keep the other half quiet too by dumping him in the men’s department, looking at the funky gifts or failing that bribe him with a beer or coffee whilst you splash the cash.

Joy, to me, is the market version of Urban Outfitters. It’s basically got the same premise, a combination of clothing, accessories, cards and wrap, gifts and gadgets, but again, somehow it’s not as slick as Urban Outfitters and there just seems to be something missing.
Don’t get me wrong, standing alone, away from comparisons, it’s a decent place to have a mooch around, and if this combination of things appeals to you, it’s a good place to start.
Girls drool over the small but perfectly formed selection of handbags, and the back of the store almost acts as a girl’s boudoir for herself and her friends, as there’s a sofa down there too for grabbing prospective purchases and strutting your stuff.
Stage left is where you’ll find the gifts and cards, some are sanitary, some are more on the x rated side of humour, which personally doesn’t offend me, but I have seen one mother frantically chasing away her impressionable children away from lewd depictions of… well imaginations and all.
Men’s section is a bit thin on the ground, there’s a few t-​shirts, some might say many are in bad taste, but I found them amusing enough. There’s also a few knitted one off looking items, one of which I thought would make a good gift for my almost trendy father, only to find the damn thing had been all pulled out of shape with a ruddy big hole in it. Damnation.
So yeah it’s worth a poke, but i still prefer Urban Outfitters for price and quality.

Joy has to be one of my favourite shops in Leeds. Their choice of garments, especially handbags and dresses is always superb and caters for those who like to look classy, on trend and sexy at the same time!
Lots of their garments are very plain in terms of color and print however all clothes are made out of quality material and often with a touch of sparkle or sequins, they really are classy pieces!
It’s not just women Joy cater for. Their Men’s section has many perfectly tailored shirts as well as tight t-​shirts with a variety of funny and pensive designs on. My boyfriend loves their designs however finds Joy quite expensive. You can pay up to £50 for a t-​shirt which for a non designer brand is very pricey! Nevertheless you know if you buy from here you won’t look like everyone else that bought their dress at topshop!
I thoroughly recommend popping in on payday! It is a little pricey but some of the handbags and dresses and so divine! (don’t forget to look at the handbags and jewelry at the back… beautiful!)
Only downfall is their sizes don’t come up much bigger than a size 14 so the shop doesn’t cater for more curvy girls which annoys my house mates greatly!

Joy is a quirkly clothing, book and gift store located inside The Light. They describe themselves as bringing a signature of cheeky glamour and edgy clothing for both men and women.
They have a fantastic range of clothing and gifts tailored to suit and personality. The only fault I found was that a lot of garments tended to be very small fittings or ‘one size’ (which certainly does not ‘fit all’. I am living proof).
The vast price range is great as it means you can shop there on pretty much any budget you have and the staff are always friendly and lively.
I picked up a few fashion books from here including the wonderful ‘How to walk in high heels’ by Camilla Morton. Have a look in Joy and I can almost guarantee you’ll come away with a lighter purse…