The Outer Layer

I come here to buy one thing, and end up spending an hour looking and perhaps buying even more. This is the perfect place to find a gift for the person you have no clue what to buy. Lots of great home decor, kitchen gadgets, bath and frangrance (and the Thyme collection), cards, small items etc.

They are changing the name to Juxtapose (which is how it appeared on my most recent credit card purchase), which may end up really confusing people. I hope they don't change the store either.

They offer free gift wrapping and staff is always super friendly.

The Outer Layer is the funniest store on this whole Annex strip for browsing!!

They have so much and varieties wise so interesting!

Love their jewellery collection with necklace and charm for around $25..which makes a wonderful gifts.

Here you can find gifts for anyone that you know... and some of them are quite unique and useful.

I for sure will drop by The Outer Layer whenever I am in the area!

The Outer Layer sells all sorts of cards, gifts, skin and body care products that are sort of out of the ordinary.

They're definitely a company with a sense of humour (see my photos of their signs outside), which is a nice thing when you're looking for a funny little birthday gift for someone.

I also like the buttons they sell; loads of different kinds with vintage slogans and cute designs on them. I also dig how they sell almost the entire line of Burt's Bees products, however I wish they'd consider selling some other more eco-conscious products rather than things that just look "natural".

This store is a blast. They offer a disturbingly large selection of knick knacks, body products, one of a kind jewelry, gorgeous cards/stationary, organic and canadian made products.

Previous reviewers seem to take their sense of humor too personally. This store is no wall flower on Bloor West. It has an in-your-face personality that is unmatched by MANY novelty shops. The staff is always friendly and not too invasive. As a customer for years I've never been offended by the "rude" service. Heck, they gift wrap for free. This place isn't trying to bully you into buying expensive products, snuff, or dismiss you. If anything, it's clear that busy stores create anxious hyper-sensitive consumers.

In a nut-shell: they play eclectic music, offer complimentary gift wrap, and make so much fun out of shopping. Check out their chalk board and silly signs. Look at their particularly crass magnets and crude cards. Don't go here if you are easily offended or pretentious. It's a gift shop not holt renfrew.

The young Chinese girls that's always there is rude, I think she's the owner.
The other girl that works there is very nice so, 5 stars for her.

I went there today to get a wrapping paper, I was talking to the cashier a little bit, while my 2 yr old daughter took a magnet from the front ( which I saw and put back ), then the chinese girls said that they don't like  to have kids going in there and parent should pay attention ????
wow, great attitude she has ( maybe she was already 15yrs old when she came out of her mom's bottom ) she forgot she was a 2 year old once too.

I agree with most reviewers that their merchandise are unique and make great gifts.

However like other reviewers have mentioned, the attitude of the sales staff leave much to be desired.

One girl (a brunette) kept hawking over people in the aisles as if we would steal something.

And then when I was waiting to check out she asked me rather rudely "Are you ready to go?" I thought it was a mother impatiently asking a child, only after being stared at by the other sales girl and the customer she was helping that I realized she was talking to me.

If I wasn't in a rush to get a gift I would have put down what I was going to buy and walked out.

I also believe that she short changed me, gave me a quarter instead of a tooney. (I have the receipt and didn't check my change until I got home).

I really hope some other shop like this would open,  I don't plan on returning here.

What a fun shop. Gag gifts, useful items with a twist. I bought a couple of "What would Suzuki do?" tee's.
-Love them!
They're really helpful in there too, they don't just ignore you until you arrive at the cash with your wallet out. yay.

I love love love this store!

The Outer Layer is such a cute little shop, jam-packed with just about any kind of trinket or collectible you can imagine. Maybe it's just me, cause I have a thing for useless paperweights, but The Outer Layer is one of my favourite gift giving and personal reward shopping places in my neighbourhood.

 Located in the Annex on Bloor between Spadina and Bathurst, amidst the many Inti-craft and artisan stores in that strip, The Outer Layer sells the perfect little thing for your best friend. I am a huge fan of their $5 change purses, all brightly coloured and decorated. They also sell hundreds of buttons, magnets, cards, jewelery, skin care products and unique gift ideas just to name a few.

 This store has A LOT of STUFF. The stuff is EVERYWHERE, so don't go in with a huge bulky backpack like I did one time. It's very hard to maneuver through the tiny aisles this way.

At Christmas time, The Outer Layer had a great selection of unique and very beautiful cards. Although a little pricey, they are a nice touch for a special friend or for the family. They also sold hand crafted, one-of-a-kind  tree ornaments and decorations which I know my mom loved!

At any time of year, The Outer Layer is a great place to find something a little unique for someone special. Or, if you're like me, a wonderful store to stock up on stationery, eclectic collectible items and a fun place to browse about with tea in hand.

Although this store has some of the coolest stuff I have ever seen, and although I walked in saying "I want to buy it all!", it didn't take long for me to realize that everything in this store is completely overpriced.

A tube of hand cream for $18?!?!? A headband for $25?!?!? A container of candies for $10?!?!? I don't think so.

The concept is cool as is the merchandise, but the prices couldn't possibly be more off-putting.

- the perfect spot to grab greeting cards for all occasions (definitely not your hallmark brand stuff).
- instead, they've got hilariously funny, dark and sarcastic, and odd cards on stock.
- theyve got all other types of fun gift ideas... but be forewarned. only give them to your fun friends. your un-fun friends wont appreciate the awesomeness.