As a bona fide vintage fan and sometime purveyor, I'm almost ashamed to have only discovered the…read morelegendary London Vintage Fashion Fair earlier this year. Taking place every 4 - 5 weeks at the great Modernist Hammersmith Town Hall, The Vintage Fashion Fair is where celebrities, stylists and many of London's overpriced vintage boutiques go to get their vintage wares. For a first timer the fair can be a little overwhelming, with dozens of knowledgeable sellers offering vintage fashion, accessories and textiles dating from Victorian times to the eighties and early nineties. Prices, predictably, are not cheap, but then this is high-end vintage. An original full length seventies Janice Wainwright dress will set you back around £100, a vintage Yves Saint Laurent jacket around £250 and original costume jewellery by the likes of Kenneth Jay Lane and Givenchy starts at around £50. My only criticism is the changing room situation. Although my reticence about stripping in front of dozens of other shoppers has decreased a little over years of buying at sample sales, the incongruity of trying on sixties Parisian couture in a town hall's toilets was not lost on me. Nevertheless, this hallowed fair is definitely worth a visit. Even if only for a browse because its friendly, charming sellers and magical atmosphere make this much more than a vintage shopping trip, The Vintage Fashion Fair is an experience.

This is a great place to go if you want vintage fashion away from Brick Lane, as the fair is quite…read moreestablished and usually has some great finds if you know where to look. It's not the cheapest place to buy vintage, but it is usually of a high standard, so you end up saving time by not having to trawl through so many piles of junk. Some of the sellers really know what they're talking about and have beautiful clothes. The reason I haven't given this five stars is that because due to the fact that it's indoors, it can feel a little crowded and chaotic, but as far as vintage fairs go it's comparativeley well organised, and the crowds are inevitable.

If you're sick of Westfield's rampant big name commercialism, TRAID offers you a very different…read moreoption just one street over. It's the new chain of charity shops, and focusing entirely on wearable items. You can even pick used shoes here - not everyone's cup of tea, but becoming more and more acceptable. It's about 2/3rds for women, so finding something decent for guys is not so easy. Prices are obviously very low, but not quite as low as traditional charity shops. At least your cash is going somewhere good. I'm not sure I'll return, no matter how good the business model is. I didn't find it any better than a typical Oxfam and it's a far reach from the for-profit vintage/used clothing stalls in Camden. It's somewhere in the middle and until I blag a true bargain here I'll be recommending it, but not frequenting it.

I like the idea of Traid. It's not really like the usual charity shop / thrift store. They pride…read morethemselves on selling good vintage clothes and giving the money back to the environment. Traid stands for "Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development". A worthy cause. More info can be found on their website. The actual stock in here varies from shop to shop and I've found that Traid on Uxbridge Road is one of the worst. I would rather just give the money to them direct instead of buying anything in here as the clothes are just awful and pretty much the same as any cheap charity shop. Not their best store, there aren't many in London but this one doesn't fit the bill...

A real blast from the past this one, Located on Chiswick High Road near the High Road Brasserie,…read moreyou will find a small and unimpressive entrance to this weird and wonderful collection on nostalgia, antiques, American, art deco and retro furniture and other household items. It is a labyrinth of corridors, stairways, rooms and mini shops offering an amazing collection of everything old and antique that you may want to buy for your castle. Go there just for the spectacle, it is a truly amazing experience to walk among all of this clutter and stuff (I wanted to say junk) but I am sure they have some really expensive pieces. 1950's and 60's table lamps, fashion, table, chairs and chest of drawers are everywhere, as are the chandeliers - you don't go here to buy something, you go here to find something.

This has got to be one of the more interesting shops on Chiswick High Street. The Old Cinema is…read moreLondon's only department store selling antiques, vintage and retro furniture, décor, lights and gifts. It's a great place to come if you're looking for something to complement the IKEA or whatever brand forms the majority of your household furnishings. I didn't go with anything particular in mind but then I think that's probably the best frame of mind to be in when it comes to this sort of shopping. This way you allow yourself the true novelty of emotion when you realize you've found the stuffed owl you never knew you wanted. I quite liked the look of a few of 1950's American diner style kitchen stuff, cocktail shakers and drinks trolleys, that sort of thing but on this occasion I left as I came in. It's all about taste somewhere like this, it's eclectic and nothing will appeal to everyone but pop in, have a look around, something probably will.

I stopped into this little shop while I was strolling around Hammersmith, not expecting much. The…read morecool music playing in the background created a funky browsing atmosphere. The bags near the door begged to be tried on my shoulder. While I awkwardly attempted to see myself in a small and awkwardly placed mirror, one of the girls behind the counter graciously pointed me toward the dressing-room mirrors. (+3 points for conscientious and helpful service.) I browsed around the clothing selection and found the more vintage stuff at the back (with some truly enviable pieces for sale at pretty reasonable prices perhaps due to the shop's location outside of London proper). The middle of the store contained some more contemporary, though by no means mundane, stuff. Everything was well priced. I was quite impressed with this charity shop, as it seemed filled with more funky and vintage items than it did with patterned jumpers from the wardrobes of those with questionable fashion sense. I was moved to buy a cool faux snake-skin bag. About a month later I thought I was being mugged on High Holborn. It turns out the strap on the bag just broke. That's probably not Traid's fault. (P.S. As of the submission of this review, the Yelp information states the store is in Covent Garden, but it is in Hammersmith, as evidenced by the the obvious W6 postcode.)

I am such a fan of Traid, initially because it was almost next door to where I used to live…read more Secondly, they arrange their clothes by colour, which I used to do as well (until I started doing it by style). It is such an easy place to browse and more often than not you will find some second hand clothes that you wonder 'Why did they get rid of this?' As they say 'someone's trash is someone else's treasure'. Trousers, jackets, sweaters, skirts, dresses, bags, hats, shoes, shirts, t-shirts, everything to wear and at good prices. When there is going to be a change in their stock they begin having massive sales were everything in the store is £4, then £3 and finally £1! O.k so most of the good stuff is already gone when that happens but if you really take your time you will find something. Take a look at their re-made label, they give second life to old garments by re-designing them in really basic but effective ways. For instance, and old black sweater updated with some lace trimmings on the shoulders, for £25. Finally, Traid is a charity committed to divert waste from landfill and fund sustainable development projects in some of the poorest regions of the world. An excellent reason to shop here. Honestly.

Of course everyone knows Oxfam and their charitable work with poverty, climate change, equality,…read morefair trade, education, debt and aid, food crisis, natural disasters and health. They have many ways in which they get their funds. One of the ways is by having charity shops, which not only sell used clothes, but also receive any donations and sell ethical brands. It is all really good and admirable. However, as I had look around the shop I felt as if the salesman was watching me like a hawk. I had gone in with with my friend and my baby in her stroller. The shop is not massive and there were quite a few people in there. Anyhow, as I had a look at the bags and 'People Trees's' clothes, the salesman came all he way from the counter desk way behind to see whether or not I has replaced one of the bags I had accidentally dropped; or if maybe I had hidden it under the stroller. I assumed he'd had that kind of situation happened to him before and was just being safe, rather than sorry. I did not feel comfortable and left, but my friend came out wit a really nice winter coat for a tenner.

This is a funny little place in an odd location. Not sure…read morehow they survive as this is mainly a residential area. On the few occasions that I visited the shop I was alone in the shop. They stock an eclectic mix of vintage-style furniture and accessories. It's a lovely place and I hope it's here to stay.

a good place to get old-skool furniture at a reasonable price the old stuff doesnt fall apart!…read moretake note ikea!

We were looking for a coat, and ended up here. This is your typical off-price retail store. Lots…read moreof different items at a discounted price. The clothes are sorted on racks by size and type. Like other discount stores, you can walk in not knowing what brands to expect. Because of the variety and size differences between brands, the racks are always a mess. Everything must be tried on for fit and functionality. The prices are nice, if you can find what you're looking for.

It was my wife's birthday i have ordered 12 different items. It said in the website it should…read morearrive in 5 days. 5 th day didn't arrive.6th i have contacted them didn't arrive evri by the way wortd delivery company you can't contact them .day 7 I contacted tkmaxx custemer service again they said sorry just wait. My wife birthday passed . I was checking the parcel every day day 12-13 goes on same story. At the end day refunded me which is i lost 14 days plus up to 14 days to get my money back. Ruined the birthday for me. I hope you dont do the same mistake. Sorry they offered me 10£ gift card for it all. I said keep it and spend it to customer service