This shop has filled a gigantic gaping hole in the stoke Newington market. Lots of rich people…read morelive here, most of them have kids which means at some point they probably had nice clothes which they used to go out in and catch other rich people to make babies with. Now they have the kids, they wear clothes that you can put in the washing machine in case they get baby poo or baby vom on them, some of them had to get new clothes because making babies sometimes makes you a bit fat. So what did they do with all of their nice clothes? Probably tore them up and used them as eco friendly nappies but Strut has opened now, so every bodies problems are solved. Strut is a vintage store, specializing in designer labels and selling peoples stuff. Amazing. You can imagine how many Burberry and Aquscutum trenches were kicking around the back of all the yummy mummies walk in wardrobes in Stokey. Well, now they are all in Strut and that's just the start. Fancy a vintage Dior dress anyone? How about a barely worn red riding jacket? Tallyho I say and if this credit crunch gets any crunchier they'll probably have daddies silverware in there soon and I'll be waiting at the door to watch the good times roll in.

I'm going to be nice and give this place a well deserved 5 stonking stars! The other ladies are…read moretotally right about this store, it really has brought something fantastic to the street. What separates it from all the other vintage stores down this street is the fact that these gems are designer... From Vivienne to Coco, you'll find all the ladies here, at a price and vintage but thats what you expect from a store that stocks itself at Chelsea Antique Fairs. It's a wonderful place to browse through even if the price tags are a little unrealistic, but you can try stuff on and have a play and the staff are friendly and helps and actually quite okay with that if you don't take the piss. This is a happy place, where I can browse and shop until my little shopaholic heart is content!

I visited this resale shop yesterday, and walked away with a stunning purple Alexander McQueen…read morescarf at a bargain price and a Marc Jacobs sweater--the latter was only £20 and it was a Marc Jacobs piece, not Marc by Marc Jacobs, and it was in pristine condition. The staff was very pleasant and fun to chat with--and they also shop there. There was a great selection of obviously carefully selected pieces including quite a few Alexander McQueen scarves, rare dresses by Vivian Westwood, pieces by Issey Miyake, Marni and so many more, all reasonably priced and all in lovely condition. They also sometimes receive some Chanel pieces, although there were not any in stock when I was there. Be sure to look up at the bag selection hanging from the ceiling, and do a couple strolls around the shop so that you don't miss anything. I was informed that pieces sell quickly, so it is a good idea to at least pop in once a week. You will find both mens and womens items here. As a bonus, there is a decent chinese take-out right next door if you are shopping so hard that you work up an appetite, and then you can take a stroll along the Kingsland Basin afterward.

Strolling down Stoke Newington Church Street on a lazy Sunday afternoon, we discovered this little…read morehome decor shop. It's all too cute and and fits in perfectly among all the vintagey shops catering to the local stroller-pushing crowd. - I might say that with a slight tone of irony, but I'm actual quite a sucker for these kind of stores and love visiting them. Here at Homage we fell in love with their rustic pottery in Danish style. The glazes were all very pretty (see my pictures) and we ended up buying a set of 6 rustic mugs that will soon serve as water glasses during our dinner parties. Aside from ceramic goods, they sell vintage furniture (more made to look like actually vintage) and other decorative items.

Aah, Another Beyond Retro store now located in Dalston. Very handy for the local hipsters…read more If you like to keep up with the Hipster/80's/90's trends, then this shop is for you! Lots of second hand clothes, bags, shoes etc. 1980's, 1990's styles. This one also has a coffee shop, so you can hang out there whilst looking Hip! It's massive!!! I personally think it can be a bit overpriced for what you get, most of the stuff looks like it would not have cost much back when it was sold originally (say like New Look back in 1992) so I think pricing these items high is not nice;-( If you are a good bargain hunter you can find better & cheaper in general charity shops and you will get more satisfaction from your bargain hunting too! But, if you find yourself in the area & need an emergency outfit to wear on London fields, then you should head here!

I like it here. It's fun to look around but it's a bit pricey for me. £20+ on average for a…read morepullover with cats and sequins? Even ironically it's just not worth it. Then again, the last two times I came by I was with someone who wasn't as interested in scouring the shop. Ok so, if you have time to rummage through everything, do it. You just may find that dress you can't put down no matter what. ALSO! They have a lovely cafe attached. So you can reward yourself with a brownie after you find that perfect shoulder padded jumpsuit.

This is amazing. What a shop. Just full of brilliance. They sell ethnic trinkets, actually quite…read moregood ones. Incense. Jewelry. Retro record players. 70s ashtrays. And a rail of really good (like really good) vintage clothes. Proper, like old Levis jackets. So that side of the shop is brilliant. And then, out the back, is racks and racks of incredible vinyl. Amongst the best I've seen. Just quality reggae, loads of old African stuff. Old Soul. Jazz. 45s. Amazing. Absolutely amazing. One of the best shops I've ever been in.

Tiny wee shop stuffed with vinyl, too many to be honest which means it's not aspleasurable an…read moreexperience as it could be! Still, it's all part of the fun of going to 2nd hand record shops I guess. The owner is really friendly though. You will need a day here!!!

Pelicans and Parrots is a treasure trove of stuff. Beautiful, twinkly, pretty stuff. From carefully…read moreselected vintage clothing to stylish, second-hand furniture, this shop carries aestetically pleasing options of just about anything you might wear on your back or place in your house: dresses, jackets, antiques, art, bookends, typewriters, posters, stuffed animal heads, books, cards - the list goes on. This is a shop created for browsing: so plentiful is its choice, so unexpectedly delightful is its merchandise. I'd advise a pre-browse on a Saturday afternoon, post-breakfast at Barden's and pre-drinks at one of the many fine bars that surround the area. Highly (highly) recommended.

Now up in Stokey, Mint is a welcome addition to the 'hood. Wondering where all the used Levi 501s,…read moreold 'stoner' jackets, Pendelton's and corduroys are to be found these days? They're here. Curious to find varsity coats a la John Travolta's Grease or Laugh In-style 60s flower-power dresses and slacks? Mint has those, too. Funky shoes, purses, belts and a bit of jewelry are also to be had. This place sells things one wants, one didn't know one wanted and what one has yet to want. The proprietor is super chill as is, in general, Mint's vibe. Dig it.

Mint Vintage Clothing, formerly known as Loewy, is a small vintage shop located right in between…read moreShaftesbury Avenue and the Seven Dials. I love to step into this shop when I am in the area since it has a nice selection of good quality vintage clothes. Located on two levels, the top floor has all of the clothing for both men and women, while the downstairs area holds a good collection of shoes, boots, bags and sunglasses. I am especially fond of the colourful sunnies and the variety of different nifty dresses that are made my Mint themselves. Come here for a perfect timeless Vintage find.

Packed with interesting paraphernalia, this little store is an essential visit if you are in Lower…read moreClapton. I have always found something of interest at this little store, and usually don't walk away empty handed. The selection of jackets and books out the front are always worth going through. Looking through second hand books can be tiring, but I have never found it to be a fruitless endeavour at this place. It is the kind of place that has old and interesting wallets, bags and other accessories. I picked up a little coin purse here once that I still love and use. Overall, it is definitely one of the best charity shops in Hackney.

As far as chazzers go this one is cracking!…read more It's tiny for one with such a huge collection of stuff it's like Aladdin's Cave with shoes, electrical, baby stuff and handbags galore. It's also one of the cheapest charity shops I have ever been in. I once bought a pair of boots in here, real leather I'll have you know, for £3.50. The fact they were a size 7 and I'm a size 4 is irrelevant when it comes to s fine specimen of footware. They guy who works here too is a dream, even let me use his loo once when I was caught short while browsing. What adds to the joy of this place is that no one actually knows how good it is as there is so much crap falling out the main entrance that it can be daunting.

Love this place. Truely authentic and cool bit of East London. Great music. Fairly priced booze…read more Been a bunch of times and love it

While they didn't have a particularly large selection, they did had cute pieces. Staff was also…read moresuper friendly and helpful. Definitely worth checking out when in the area.

A proper bookshop...but more importantly, and independent one!…read more I really like this place and am so happy that they still exist despite the convenience of online shopping. But it's actually at shops like this where I get inspired for a next book. I'm pretty much fed up with the personalisation of Amazon; while they probably know what I like, they cannot tell me what I might also like. And this is where the independent book sellers like The Stoke Newington Bookshop have a real margin: they have passionate and friendly staff who love to read themselves and they in turn can recommend their customers something totally unique...as long as you're willing to let them take you to undiscovered territory.

This large and popular bookstore is a good place to pick up a weekend's worth of reading. I find…read morebookshops cozy places to browse around in, and I enjoyed the experience of this small but well stoked local bookstore. Frequented by many of the literati that live in the whereabouts of Stoke Newington, this spacious store also hosts book readings by local authors, and an occasional poetry night. They have a good range of children's books, as well as several magazines on arcane and current subjects. I found an interesting philosophy journal here, with short articles on the most challenging ideas of our times by eminent philosophers. Another addition to the overflowing bookshelf!