I am coming to London! Best places to shop?

[MissHannah]

Oh, and if you do make it to Bath (in the West Country - near Wales), I always come away with vintage goodies! Bad for my bank account......

Have fun!

Where are the good vintage places in Bath? My sister lives there so that would be an added bonus for visits!

 

[Swing Kitty]

If you are heading to Brick Lane, there's a few other shops along the main market street that are amazing, but also try heading down some of the side streets that are a bit quieter and there are some lovely vintage shops. There's also an undercover marked on Brick Lane - not sure what it's called, but when you walk in there's loads of ethnic food stalls, and when you head to the back theres loads of vintage stalls - a lot of tat, but like most vintage places, you have to sift throught the tat to get to the good stuff!

I'd also like to know where the great vintage places are in Bath? Always nice for a day trip...

 

[Kishtu]

Yes come on Eyemo tell us where the good places are in Bath!

I have to spend the Jane Austen Festival there and since they are actually going to be paying me for the privilege of looking like the fairy on top of a Christmas cake, I want to know where to spend the loot!

(Anyone in Bath for the Regency Promenade, 20th Sept, please feel free to come and chat to the fed-up female holding the fort at the cake stall...)

 

[Rufus]

Hej Darhling,

Not a shopping tip, but if you have time go to "Lounge Lover" for cocktails..... it's great.... and full of beautiful antiques, and ephemora.

1 Whitby Street, Shoreditch..

Skål!

Ruf

 

[Twinkle]

If you want drinkies and a Tiki feel go to Trader Vics in the basement of the Hilton hotel, Hyde Park, nearest tube Green Park, or the very posh Mahiki on Dover Street... Might get to see ones of the Royals falling out drunk as they tend to go in there...

For pleasurable non clothes shopping I always love Fortnum and Mason, devine cake and sweet section, great food hall.. lovely trinkets, if a bit expensive.... See the clock chiming on the hour, very sweet.

As said before Liberty is lovely..... Even just to look at the lovely Art Nouveau building.

There is a second hand market just near F & M on a Tuesday in front of St James Church on Piccadilly...

Other non vintage clothes shops are amazing on Bond St... for the jewels and the designer stuff, and just for people watching, some seriously rich people...

Good shoe shop is Sniff on Great Tichfield St, at the back of Top Shop on Oxford St.

There is another Beyond Retro beind M & S on Oxford St.

Topshop has a vintage section, but it is mostly 80's and expensive.... They do fantastic high shoes in there, real quirky stuff sometimes, not vintage but worth a look if you want something a little bit modern and edgy.

Twinkled in Kingly Court just off Carnaby Street is great, Luke is a real honey who owns it...

Hope this helps... Enjoy the trip!!

 

[Smuterella]

umm, isn't the Liberty building Tudor revival?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Just been to Alfies. Only "The Girl Can't Help It" had menswear. Whew!, they're expensive. 250 GBP for a standard 50s suit. 80 GBP for a standard 50s shirt. the women's was just as pricey. Who're they kidding? Are vintage fans truly paying these prices? I don't believe it.

bk

 

[Darhling]

Thank you all again!! Amazing tips! I am going to print them all out - I wish I was going now..

Rufus, how do you know Danish? and you have an å on your keyboard too!!

Well, I must remember to keep hydrated during all the shopping, so a cocktail or two wouldn't be out of the question

 

[Baron Kurtz]

å = option a

Å = option shift a

bk

 

[Rufus]

Hope you're having fun in London,Dahling!

As to the å... I I had the good fortune to go out with a Scandinavian (Svenska!). The loveliest peoples I've ever had the pleasure of meeting! Sigh..

Ruf

 

[AllaboutEve]

Just been to Alfies. Only "The Girl Can't Help It" had menswear. Whew!, they're expensive. 250 GBP for a standard 50s suit. 80 GBP for a standard 50s shirt. the women's was just as pricey. Who're they kidding? Are vintage fans truly paying these prices? I don't believe it.

bk

I thought the same thing when I last visited. It is nice not to have to trawl through any 70's polyester kaftans, and the ladies suits are usually very well chosen however it would seem that the prices have jumped up rather a lot recently.

I do think it's worth a visit just because it's such a cute shop, it does have the Monroe dress and you do find the occasional bargain.

I was really quite disappointed on my last visit though to find a that one of the ladies suits had several moth holes in it and was still marked up at £180.00. It was just a bog standard late 50's suit in brown wool.

Whilst I am happy to accept that there are always going to be shops that are beyond my means I would naturally expect their stock to be immaculate and to represent a fair investment for the price asked.

It sounds like their prices have shot up again!!!

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Just been to Alfies. Only "The Girl Can't Help It" had menswear. Whew!, they're expensive. 250 GBP for a standard 50s suit. 80 GBP for a standard 50s shirt. the women's was just as pricey. Who're they kidding? Are vintage fans truly paying these prices? I don't believe it.

The owner claims he's paying a lot for his stuff, and that people actually pay his prices. But it's hard to believe - when I was there, he had a 50s shirt there for £140, IIRC, well kept, but not like a new shirt. (The design didn't look so uncommon or interesting either, but I'm not an expert at all there.)

 

[Spitfire]

fftopic: Wild about your new avatar Dahrling :whistling :whistling

 

[Miss Sis]

Where are the good vintage places in Bath? My sister lives there so that would be an added bonus for visits!

Vintage to Vogue on Milsom Street (one of the main shopping streets). The others I don't know their names or what the streets are called - I just know where they are.

 

[Edward]

fftopic: Wild about your new avatar Dahrling :whistling :whistling

Me too. A touch Bettie Page, no?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Try Radio Days, too. Their bargain bins are always worth a root-through. If you're handy with a needle & thread you can pick up some great deals.

Or you can pick up a 1942 dated British army leather jerkin for £10, also from the bargain bin. (t'was a successful lunchtime, today! )

bk

 

[Darhling]

Why am I suddenly thinking that I need a guide to help me through all these fabulous places!!

Thank you Edward!

 

[Rufus]

We should have a London Meet up...

Rufus

 

[Darhling]

We should have a London Meet up...

Rufus

Oh my gosh! That would be so cool!

 

[Pip]

We should have a London Meet up...

Rufus

Ooh crikey yes