I think now one can feel pretty safe in saying that it's common knowledge that "thrift-store chic",…read moremore often than not, is a mere farce. The actuality of it is: the coolest kids on that block have spent far too much money on looking "cheap" to be able to consider them thrifty at all. Not that there's anything wrong with this... I'm by no means the coolest kid on the block, but I too (like most) have be known to indulge on items of clothing that are a little out of my budget. I do, however, also have a little trick up my sleeve: the Walworth Road charity shops, Salvation Army in particular. Charity shopping requires dedication. I may have an upper hand having easy access to Walworth Road, but more often than not I manage to walk away from the Salvation Army shop a happy man (and believe it or not, being tall and skinny it's incredibly hard to find well fitting clothes so give us a break!). Although these clothes haven't received the tailoring and haberdashery that you would find in a high end boutique, I have managed to find both lambs wool and cashmere sweaters; as well a fine array of jackets; and the odd guilty pleasure plaid shirt, all for very little money. Don't get me wrong, this isn't some kind of magic fashion shop were they sell everything you want for a few bob, but the odd finds you get from here seem to make it worthwhile. The staff are an admirable group of friendly locals who seem to love a radio station stuck in the 1960s; and aside from your fashion needs there is a fine selection of quick reads, as well as quirky trinkets to help decorate your home. No you won't be able to buy your winter wardrobe here, but it's worth a look in just in case.

Think you can open a new vintage shop eh? Think you're special do you? "Vintage Heaven indeed!" I…read morewas prepared to scoff after leaving this new store. I had to eat these words before they even came out of my mouth. Vintage Heaven does live up to its name by being not only very competitively priced but also stocked to the brim with goodies. They even have bloomers and although some people might draw the line at second hand pants, I say if you're going to do it, do it right. You could actually get an entire outfit here from bloomers to coat and hat for under £100 although you might be put off trying it on in their skanky cupboard of a fitting room. Despite that little inconvenience, I have to say, I am rather impressed and this shop might even make it possible on a rainy day to knock off walking all the way down Cheshire Street to Beyond Retro.

"I started wearing vintage as I'm a cheapskate" - A quote made by one of my friend's. Ah yes 'tis…read moretrue I am I am I am a c.s lol A simple shop with a touch of vintage, this shop IS what it said it is "Vintage Heaven" (excluding the white fluffy clouds, golden pavements and Angel's). They sell/stock classical menswear, ladies wear, kids wear and accessories at reasonable prices. The members of staff are polite and very helpful. If you want to experience the true essence of vintage then Vintage Heaven is the place to be.

Junk, the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up [syn: debris, dust, rubble,…read moredetritus] Shop, a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services; "he bought it at a shop on Cape Cod" [syn: store] Basically this is a place where you can purchase nonsense that you didn't even want or realise you needed. It's also a little bit amazing! Run by 2 old geezers Alice S is right, there is a ramshackle collection of stuff the you just wouldn't put together, Actually if you are in the business for a bargain you may find one here, I can't put a name on what they sell but there is a huge collection of nonsense to browse. Seriously, It's a lovely place, go visit!

I don't know where else in South London you can find an antique javelin, a birdcage and an…read moreautobiography of Frank Sinatra on the same table. The Junk Shop is an Aladdin's cave of rubbish/treasure on Greenwich South Street. The stock varies from biographies and historical artifacts (mainly right wing paraphernalia- a Daily Mail series on the modern monarchy, an enormous hardback on the Third Reich and a Thatcher biography) Amongst all the military-themed bits of tat, there are actually some very good finds- there were some cool old 1950s Christmas cards, some 1960s newspapers in excellent condition and some beautiful vintage postcards. It is a funny old place but definitely worth a rummage through.

Very fun vibe! Curling set up under covered area, the whole place felt indoor outdoor and was very…read morebusy! Definitely worth checking out for something different than a pub. We had great drinks, service and enjoyed our experience.

Not the best place in my opinion. Too much attention being given to a private business anniversary…read moreparty next to our seating area as far as we could tell. The covered area ruins any views of the shard. The retro bar upstairs never opened and no one could tell us when or if it would that night. On a good note, we found a cool metal working shop with large windows next to bathroom and a guy was working on his art. Good to watch. Food was also good. You order from the QR code and they deliver to you. Daughter had vegan pizza and I had a lamb burger. Good food.

Do I like this shop? Yes. Do I think it is a little overpriced? Yes…read more So being the queen of vintage that I am, I have my eye out for good quality, affordable retro clothes. Soho Vintage, well, it kinda ticks my boxes. It's not huge but it has a decent enough selection. It also seems to stock some great men's wear. Need a leather jacket? You'll find one here boys. The shop is hidden off a back street and can be missed but if you're in the area it's worth popping in. The lady behind the counter was very friendly and helpful if a little distracted by the phone. Vintage enthusiasts, check out this space!

Yesterday I happened upon a perfectly respectable little vintage store hidden away on an an…read moreotherwise abandoned and un-trafficked corner of Soho. Encouraged by an easel sign on the busy Broadwick Street, I headed down the quiet Ingestre Place to the open door (and arms) of Soho Vintage. The tiny space was filled with a plethora of styles. From an antique Victorian skirt to the 80s off-the-shoulder sweatshirts that are all the rage right now, Soho Vintage represented all. The prices were a bit on the dear side but, considering its prime location in Soho, not surprisingly so. If you find something you absolutely must have, a little light haggling might work for you here, since the shop is so small - rue the fact that those vintage boots are £35 and you might get them for £30. Overall, this proved to be a solid vintage store with a wide variety of items (at a variety of price ranges) that belied the shop's size.

Stromboli's Circus is a shop for the consummate vintage lover, selling not just fashion and…read moreaccessories but furniture and collectibles to boot. Despite the occasional gem from the seventies Boutique Movement to be found by the likes of Biba and Jean Varon, Stromboli's Circus lacks in its sartorial focus what it makes up for with its sometimes brilliant homewares. I'll forever regret not snapping up a strawberry icecream coloured fifties glass chandelier I spotted at Stromboli's last year, a relative snip at £150 considering you'd pay more like £250 at one of East London's vintage boutiques. This is Stromboli's strength and I'd recommend regular visits to find the best pieces. That said, prices for clothing and accessories can be on the silly side. I spotted a pair of eighties snakeskin courts at £120 which would retail at nearer £45 in even Blondie, East London's chicest vintage boutique. Central London is probably not the most economical place to find your vintage but if you do happen to find yourself on Carnaby Street Stromboli's Circus is, if not 'The Greatest Shop on Earth' then nothing if not an experience.

From the outside, this place looks really great. The window display is fantastic and always…read moreinspires me to take a little look inside. The shop itself is a lot bigger than it's vintage neighbour in Kingly Court, Sam Greenberg Vintage. They sell vintage furniture, clothes, accessories and other little bits and bobs. I'm a huge vintage fiend but, although this place seems to have an abundance of choice, I'm yet to find anything worth actually purchasing here. The dresses aren't out of this world and the shoes are pretty mediocre, although I must say everything is in pristine condition. I much prefer the furniture, housewares and accessories here. They are, again, in great condition and seem affordable enough too. This place is OK but nothing special at all. A nice addition to Kingly Court's slew of vintage stores but a little bit disappointing compared to the rest...

If the plague were to start ravaging the world tomorrow, I think I would probably gather a decent…read moreamount of food and water and then hunker down in Beyond Retro, because I'd want to spend the last of my plague-free days treating Beyond Retro as my personal closet. (Yes, I have been told that I need to reevaluate my priorities.) Beyond Retro is honestly the best thrift store I've ever walked into. It's tucked away on a side street just a stone's throw away from the bustling Brick Lane Market. My first impression was that the store was extremely well-organized and clean... like so clean that it could've matched the standards of a soulless corporate chain. But the clothing here was nowhere near as sterile as whatever you can find at your dime-a-dozen Zara. Every single item in here was high in quality and had its own vintage, retro character. Hands down, Beyond Retro has the most well curated, eclectic selection of clothing ever. A lot of thrift stores suffer from the musty, outdated '70s closet syndrome, where you'll have to do a godforsaken amount of digging to find that single diamond in the rough. That won't happen at Beyond Retro. I wish I could have had a shopping spree here, but I guess I'll just have to wait for the next plague.

I've lived in Shoreditch five years and it took a newly made Northern friend to introduce me to the…read morewondrous Beyond Retro not long ago. A sprawling vintage emporium with more of an emphasis on clothing than its obvious rival, Absolute Vintage, Beyond Retro sells vintage from the twenties through eighties at very reasonable prices. Its friendly staff are a breath of fresh air; its resident cat adorable; its stock varied and good quality; and its pricing so right on you'd be forgiven for thinking it was run by a philanthropist. Particularly noteworthy is Beyond Retro's premium vintage section which has a beautiful selection of vintage silk chiffon prom dresses and twenties beaded shifts and its astonishing Kimono rail which will not disappoint. As the name suggests, Beyond Retro is more than polyester sixties frippery and faux-vintage rock t-shirts. This place is the real deal and vintage fanatics would be mad to pass it up.

Just off lewisham way, i drive pass this lovely small boutique every day...! on my way to work…read more Its a little paradise of vintage clothes...LOVE, LOVE..! A really nice owner who always they to happy if needed.

I'm not a big fan of vintage, so it's unsurprising that I left without buying anything. But if you…read morereally like vintage, and you really like designer brands (Hermes, Prada, etc) there's a pretty good selection here. They tend to label the pieces with gigantic tags that includes the brand name, year, and price. Downstairs is a Bargain Basement, and I seriously felt like I was going to get murdered there due to how small the room is and how low the ceiling are. If I'd gone missing, nobody would ever know... but seriously though, there's some more interesting stuff to browse through downstairs. I saw some Salvatore Ferragamo women's shoes.

"I got you babe. I got you babe." As I walked in the door, this is what Retromania informed me…read morewith the crooning voices of Sonny and Cher. No matter how hard they tried to convince me, however, I managed to evade the fingers of 'being got' in the elusive game of shop tag. What i mean by such convoluted words is that although Retromania was fine, it failed to get my attention in any way. A bit over priced with hats between 10 and 60 pounds, a Gianni Frattini dress at 100, and a slightly stained 30's-style dress at 70, I was not enchanted just like a Snow White who didn't eat her apple. Retromania's got your run-of-the-mill vintage and your run-of-the-other-mill "is it really worth this much?" prices. On the reverse-run-of-the-mill, the shop does have a good, funky feel to it and their music selection which went from Sonny and Cher into the Beatles was unobtrusively nice. Now like Ionesco, I'll write "I'm waiting for the aqueduct to come and see me at my windmill," because that involves very non-run-of-the-mill mill situations.