If you're looking at this list the chances are you're too cool for school and know all the best vintage shops in London anyway...
Just one word of caution though... we're all for hunting through cardboard boxes to find that second hand vintage Chanel dress but we implore you to stop short of the murky world of second hand pants. No good can come of it.
We've put together a list of all the best second hand and vintage shops in London. Take a look at these...
The Other Side of the Pillow may be famous for its old Vans but there’s a lot more here to get on with. Vintage shades, home ware, toys, Fisher Price record players and 70s and 80s apparel make it worthy of a trip to the east end outback. What’s more there’s a great coffee shop next door that goes by the name of Wilton’s.
What Pelicans and Parrots lacks in size it more then makes up for with the quality of its stock. A visit means studying some of the best sourced vintage homeware around along with rails and rails of playsuits, wax jackets and altogether natty outfits. Be sure to ask about the all in one cabinet record player – it’s magnificent.
The three locations of Wow Retro split into unisex, menswear and womenswear and although the signs might give the impression of dire seventies deco, inside there’s a little of everything. Women will enjoy the reasonably priced sundresses and accessories, while the leather jackets, western shirts and retro sportswear might seduce men.
Beyond Retro has been a shining light in the London vintage scene from near the beginning. With locations in Dalston, Brick Lane and Soho varying in size from large to massive there is just no way you can leave without finding a little something. No way. Wedding dresses to Scottish tweed and everything in between.
Paper Dress Vintage is a relatively new space on Curtain Road but with an in-house coffee shop and bar inside, what’s not to fall in love with? Home to 60s skirts, 20s cocktail dresses and all sorts of accessories, they also produce their own line of vintage reproductions. Having obtained a liquor license there’s no stopping the fun and games that have already seen in store DJs, go-go dancers and live bands.
Not all vintage is that Mink DeVille look you know - not everyone’s wardrobe needs those classic greaser staples of worn leather and denim, which is where One of a Kind comes in. It stocks a massive range of designer vintage garments that has inspired a loyal following of celebrity fans from Kate Moss to Sienna Miller. There’s a back room full of super special pieces (by appointment only) but most will be able to make do with the pristine hand me downs of labels from Chanel to Stella McCartney in the main shop.
Blitz is a call to arms for London’s vintage shops, for this is our city’s first vintage department store. Yes, that’s right, once there was Liberty and Selfridges and now Blitz. Stocking everything from clothes, books and records, to bikes, furniture and shoes – you could spend a day rummaging through the quality pieces on offer. For the shopping-shy, there’s always the reading area and coffee bar for culture and sustenance.
Not quite as thrifty as it once was, the East End Thrift Store is still a big noise in London’s vintage club. Spread over two floors in a Whitechapel warehouse space, it has turned into something of a thrift boutique in terms of its look – yet prices are still fair. Pick up dresses, shirts, knitwear, leather, denim and accessories at thrifty prices and keep an eye out for special late nights when beer and wine is put out so you can get boozy as you shop – the best way to do it.
