Want to do some shopping for clothing and accessories in London that is environmentally conscious and maybe sorta affordable? That’s our type of shopping. We love browsing secondhand shops in London to see what gems we can discover and take home with us. Below We’ve listed our top recommendations for where to go secondhand shopping around London.
(WA=Wheelchair Accessible)
Vintage Shops in London
London is GREAT for vintage lovers, and we have WAY too many shops to name them all. So we’ve curated a list of some top ones to check out when you’re in the mood to pick up something new (to you, not the planet!)
FYI – vintage in London is generally NOT cheap. We can totally overlook that though, as it’s greener than buying new, and because the higher prices usually are related to the fact that the shop has taken a lot of time to curate a selection of really great pieces in top-notch condition, making shopping there more enjoyable and faster.
Image Courtesy of Beyond Retro
Beyond Retro
Beyond Retro started with a shop in Kings Cross and now has locations in White City, Dalston and Soho as well. The stores are huge, so there’s a good selection of pieces in various styles and sizes. Everything is very organised and easy to see, which is helpful after you’ve been at the vintage shopping for a few hours already (we’ve all been there.)
Beyond Retro also produces its own clothing made from upcycled materials, of which Jess has a few of their pieces. They even have a huge selection of leather jackets made from upcycled leather.
Beyond Retro | Kings Cross | Dalston | Soho | White City | WA
Image Courtesy of Atika London
Atika
Atika claims to be Europe’s largest vintage shop, but because of the design and organisation of the two floors of this shop, it doesn’t feel like you’re being swallowed up by walls stuffed with pre-loved clothing that will take you days to go through. If you’re after some vintage jeans, this is the place to go, as they’ve got a big selection.
Atika | Spitalfields
Image Courtesy of Rokit
Rokit
Rokit is very similar to Beyond Retro, and I’ve scored great pieces in both shops. They’ve been around for 30 years so they definitely know where to get top-notch vintage stuff that Londoners love. Like Beyond Retro, they have a Rokit Originals range where they upcycle old pieces and fabrics into something new.
Rokit | Brick Lane | Camden | Covent Garden
Image Courtesy of Rellik
Rellik
The last time Jess was in Rellik, filming for Qantas, there was a celebrity stylist looking for something to dress Tanya Burr in for a magazine cover shoot… it’s a popular spot for celeb stylists. This is THE place for designer vintage, so expect big, beautiful and unique clothing and accessories, and big prices too. The staff are lovely here and are happy to help with anything you need.
Rellik | Ladbroke Grove
![The name Mero Retro come from the word Mero ['mare-o'] which means 'my' in Nepalese - the shared language of the shop's founders, Sanju Tamang and Ro Rai, who hail from Bhutan and Nepal respectively. So... "My Retro." The Dalston shop is loved by east Londoners because not only does it have a huge selection of vintage, pre-loved items but they also have their own line of Asian-inspired pieces, all of which are fairtrade.](https://loveandlondon.com/wp-content/uploads/Mero-Retro.webp)
Image Courtesy of Mero Retro
Mero Retro
The name Mero Retro come from the word Mero [‘mare-o’] which means ‘my’ in Nepalese – the shared language of the shop’s founders, Sanju Tamang and Ro Rai, who hail from Bhutan and Nepal respectively. So… “My Retro.” The Dalston shop is loved by east Londoners because not only does it have a huge selection of vintage, pre-loved items but they also have their own line of Asian-inspired pieces, all of which are fairtrade.
Mero Retro | Dalston
Brick Lane
If you head to Brick Lane in Shoreditch on a weekend, you’ll see a bunch of signs pointing you in different directions for vintage popups and markets. Pair those with all of the vintage shops in the area and you’ve easily got a full weekend of vintage browsing.
Want to see some of these shops before you head there? This video shows you some the shops mentioned above located in Shoreditch.
Charity Secondhand Shops in London
We personally love exploring London’s charity shops because they tend to be more affordable than vintage shops and honestly, Jess tends to find her style more in these types of shops, as she tend to lean towards more classic looks. London’s charity shops are filled with items that have been donated to be sold by the charity, so you can find clothing from popular high-street brands like TopShop and H&M, as well as some higher-end pieces in select stores.
Charity shops are really the best places to get secondhand clothing in London if you don’t feel the need to go the vintage route. There are charity shops in so many neighbourhoods, in fact if there’s a high street, there’s guaranteed to be a charity shop, and in some areas you can hop around to a few near to each other.
The pricing and the “quality” of the items in the shop tend to increase when in a more affluent area. The list below is of areas that fall into that category, but if you prefer lower prices but maybe not as good quality, head to an area that’s less popular and browse those shops instead.
Here are some of our favourite streets and areas that are great for charity shop-hopping.
But before you continue reading, if you are visiting London soon and are struggling to fit in all of the places you want to go alongside your secondhand shopping time, grab one of our London Itineraries. Many of the shops in this post are along the itinerary route and are marked off on the digital map that comes with your itinerary. Find out more about our London Itineraries.
Westbourne Grove and Portobello Road, Notting Hill
Notting Hill is one of the most affluent areas in London, so most of the charity shops here have a curated selection of high-end items, some of which are behind glass because of their status! We’ve have scooped up some incredible gems around here, mostly from the Oxfam on Westbourne Grove and the Fara on Elgin Crescent. There are a few other charity shops to browse in the immediate area, as well as plenty of run-of-the-mill vintage shops, so you could easily spend the day shopping here. We recommend going during the week for much less crowds.
Turnham Green Terrace and Chiswick High Road, Chiswick
The secondhand charity shops in Chiswick feel almost endless in number. Start your day of shopping at Turnham Green station, head left towards Chiswick High Road and you’ll hit three charity shops right on top of each other, including Boutique by Shelter (high-end curated selection only), Fara, and Barnardo’s.
When you make it to Chiswick High Road, turn right and you’ll find a few more options, like Cancer Research. These shops are more affordable and have a less curated selection than the shops on Turnham Green Terrace, and include some homewares.
When you’re done with your shopping, head to The Lamb, a great pub to enjoy a pint on their lovely (heated) terrace.
Image Courtesy of Traid
Northcote Road
Northcote Road, sometimes called “The Northcote”, starts at Clapham Junction station, and you can just make your way down the road hitting up shop after shop.
Head to Traid for the best prices and the biggest selection to comb through. Then go to the two Royal Trinity Hospices (there are two within one minute’s walk!) and then make your way to the Fara charity shop near the Bollingbroke pub, which you should definitely stop at for lunch, as their food is delicious and they have a beautiful dining room.
There are tons more secondhand shops in London but this list is curated with the ones that we personally think are some of the best in London, and where you’ll have the best chances of finding a secondhand gem to take home with you and cherish for a long time.
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