Where to Shop for Vintage Clothes in London

This city is full of vintage, retro and bargain or thrift shopping for clothes and accessories. As Orlando Bloom once said: “The best way to look stylish on a budget is to try second-hand, bargain hunting and vintage clothing. You stand out from the crowd without burning a hole in your pocket.” So shop until you drop at these exceptional shops across London.

Beyond Retro

With a decade under its belt this east London institution caters to both men and women. It has retro wear for festive teens, trendy 20-somethings and more mature fashionistas.

Address: 110-112 Cheshire Street, E2 6EJ  Tel: 020 7729 9001  Website: www.beyondretro.com/  Nearest train station: Bethnal Green

Leftovers

This pocket-sized shop houses sweet sailorette dresses and bleached cotton petticoats. There are a lot of collectible items which seem straight out of a 1950’s Parisian larder – cute rusty tins and vintage bits and bobs which would make perfect gifts.

Address: Unit 71, Brixton Market, SW9 8PS  Website: www.leftoverslondon.com/  Nearest tube station: Brixton

Blitz London

This vintage department store opened its doors in 2011 in a gloriously renovated furniture store. You can find immaculate seersucker blazers, coloured denims, brogues and silk kimonos. This two-storey Victorian warehouse is like a second-hand vintage bazaar.

Address: 55-59 Hanbury Street, E1 5JP  Tel: 020 7 77 8828 Website: www.blitzlondon.co.uk/  Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street

Crazy Man Crazy

One of the few menswear-only vintage shops in London, it stocks American-style clothing from the 1940’s and 1950’s with a variety of bomber jackets and a neat selection of jeans. The store is cleverly laid out to facilitate easy shopping.

Address: 18A Church Road, SE19 2ET  Tel: 020 8653 6548  Website: www.crazymancrazylondon.co.uk/  Nearest train station: Crystal Palace

Rokit

From tutus and military gear to cowboy boots and sunglasses, Rokit’s flagship store stocks the most comprehensive selection of second-hand items. Those goods include trilbies, waistcoats, scarves, belts and hats. There are two other Rokit stores in Brick Lane and one in Camden.

Address: 42 Shelton Street, WC2H 9HZ  Tel: 020 7836 6547  Website: www.rokit.co.uk/  Nearest tube station: Covent Garden

Café Vintage

This charming café is stocked with hand-selected, washed and ironed vintage outfits from the 1980’s and 1990’s, and shoes and accessories for a perfect retro look.

Address: 88 Mountgrove Road, N5 2LT  Tel: 07903 875 750  Website: www.cafevintage.co.uk/  Nearest tube station: Arsenal

 

 

Blackout II

In the heart of Covent Garden for nearly 20 years, Blackout II has earned a reputation for being one of the finest vintage clothing stores in London. This is the ideal place to go if you are looking for a piece from a specific decade.

Address: 51 Endell Street, WC2H 9AJ  Tel: 020 7240 5006  Website: www.blackout2.com/  Nearest tube station: Covent Garden

 

Reign Wear

This store is well stocked with unique buys. The owners travel to Austria, Germany and Italy among other countries to source apparel so the items have a fresh feel compared to other vintage shops. The prices are reasonably fair, given its location.

Address: 12 Berwick Street, W1F  Tel: 020 3417 0276  Nearest tube station: Oxford Circus

Absolute Vintage

Founded from a humble market stall in Portobello Road, Absolute Vintage began life selling unique vintage shoes in the Notting Hill hotspot. Today they have two stores, each offering the best of vintage designer shoes, clothing, bags and more.

Address: 15 Hanbury Street, E1 6QR  Tel: 020 7247 3883   Website: www.absolutevintage.co.uk/  Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street

Hunky Dory

Located at the end of Brick Lane, Hunky Dory is a noted purveyor of vintage clothing. It is well presented and a well-stocked, intimate place. You can easily work your way around this little store as everything is arranged by colour and garment.

Address: 226 Brick Lane, E1 6SA  Tel: 020 7729 7387  Website: www.hunkydoryvintage.com/  Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street

Strut

In the relatively contemporary branch of Strut you’ll find Moschino, Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons, all priced appropriately.

It also crowd-sources a lot of its products, which allows the original owner to get about a third of the resale value.

Address: 2B Ada Street, E8 4QU  Tel: 020 7254 8121  Nearest tube station: Cambridge Heath

The Vintage Emporium

The Vintage Emporium is one of those quaint places which offer vintage fashion, tea, and Victorian delicacies. The venue also offers drama classes for adults, live drawing classes and open mic nights.

The basement has a proper vintage shop selling wonderfully classic pieces.

Address: 14 Bacon Street, E1 6LF  Tel: 020 7739 0799  Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street

360 Degrees Vintage

This beautiful vintage clothing store stocks a fantastic collection of clothing from the 1920’s through to the 1980’s.

They specialise in the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s and also have a military collection. This store has high-profile shoppers and a loyal celebrity following.

Address: 3/3A Greenwich Market, SE10 9HZ  Tel: 07904 709 759  Nearest DLR station: Cutty Sar

Deborah Woolf Vintage

This award-winning boutique stocks stylish, eclectic and unique vintage fashion with bold accessories and collectables from the 1860’s to the 1980’s. It comes from US, French, Italian and British designers.

Address: 28 Church Street, NW8 8EP  Tel: 020 7723 2779  Website: www.deborahwoolf.com/  Nearest tube station: Marylebone

 

Dirty Blonde

Expect some really good items, special pieces and one-off garments, all in an immaculate state. You can easily find a standout piece from their collection of vintage clothes, accessories, and shoes, especially their retro jewellery and jumpers.

Address: 129 Stoke Newington Church St, N16 0UH  Tel: 020 7923 4414  Website: www.dirtyblondeshop.co.uk/  Nearest train station: Stoke Newington

 

Painted Black

Painted Black is a beautifully presented shop. It mainly sells clothes, accessories and a few curios. Keen eyes can spot many vintage rarities such as a Christian Dior suit or a Jean Varon dress, vintage cameras, old milk bottles and desk lights.

Address: 22 Veryan Court, 22 Park Road, N8 8JR  Tel: 020 3417 6161  Nearest train station: Hornsey

Pelicans & Parrots

Established in 2010, this shop has already become one of the best vintage outlets in London. It has a mixture of classic-tailored and trend-aware fashion, furniture and interiors sourced from all over the world.

Address: 40 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 7XJ  Tel: 020 3215 2083  Website: www.pelicansandparrots.com/  Nearest train station: Dalston Kingsland

 

Circa Vintage

At Circa, you’ll find a diverse range of fashionable, wearable antique and designer clothing, ranging from early Victorian and Edwardian pieces through to 1990’s collectables, sourced from across the globe.

Address: 64 Fulham High St, SW6 3LQ  Tel: 020 7736 5038  Website: www.circavintage.com/  Nearest tube station: Putney Bridge

 

Retro Woman

This shop boasts two floors filled with stock ranging from nylon monstrosities from the 1970’s to the latest Alexander McQueen shoes. It also stocks a large range of accessories such as handbags, jewellery, hats and shoes.

Address: 20 Pembridge Road, W11 3HL  Tel: 020 7565 5572  Website: www.mgeshops.com/retro-woman-20pr/  Nearest tube station: Notting Hill Gate

 

What The Butler Wore

For stylists, fashion connoisseurs, retro dressers and party-goers, What The Butler Wore specialises in one-off 1960’s and 1970’s fashion for both men and women. They also have a selection of pre-1960’s and post-1970’s fashion.

Address: 108 Lower Marsh, SE1 7AB  Tel: 020  261 1968  Website: www.whatthebutlerwore.co.uk/  Nearest tube station: Waterloo

 

 

 

East End Thrift Store

This is a converted Stepney warehouse with minimal decor. It has a good collection of vintage clothing from denim shirts and jackets to leather skirts and party frocks. This warehouse store caters for both men and women.

Address: Unit 1A, Assembly Passage, E1 4UT  Tel: 020 7423 9700  Website: www.theeastendthriftstore.com/  Nearest tube station: Stepney Green

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