As predicted, Montreal is a great place to shop. I have a rule when travelling and that is not to buy anything that I could get back home. When I was growing up in Red Deer, trends out East had a lag time of about a year before they reached the West. That was if you were lucky enough to get up to Edmonton or Calgary (my Mom still maintains that Red Deer gets the dregs that the big cities don't want). Looking in the shop windows on Rue St. Catherine, I see most of the same things that I see on my late-night strolls through TD Square in YYC so I think that things have gotten a little better (obviously it's the fast and rapidly improving rail service). That being said, I've kept my promise to myself and have only gone into shops that seem to be originals.
Evil Scientist and I went to the symphony last night and thanks to a shopping trip the day before, I decided to go dressed as Goth-bunny/dominatrix. I found a shop in Old Montreal that has all sorts of things perfect for the SCA set as well as anyone else who has never quite gotten out of the habit of playing dress-up. With enough make-up, a bustle and some lacy mitts I'm sure the dress I bought can easily be converted into the perfect Mrs. Lovett costume. It's a very cool souvenir of Montreal, though, as it's designed and made here. Plus, I've never really been able to say no to taffeta.
Try as I might, I was unable to convince Evil Scientist that he would look really quite good in a tri-cor hat and pirate coat, also available at the shop.