We had the best time shopping here, great selection, the staff was extremely helpful and we left…read morewith tons of great items.

From the owner: FARA Charity Shops sell a wide range of well selected, high quality and good value items in our…read moreshops across London - all generously donated by FARA supporters. Filled with designer/high street men's and women's clothing and accessories, books, media, bric-a-brac, and small furniture, our shops and friendly shop teams raise funds for FARA's vitally needed programmes helping some of Romania's most vulnerable children and young people. Donations always welcome. Open seven days a week.

I'm not a great charity shop shopper, really - I haven't got one of those waifish frames that crap…read moreclothes hang well off. But I do like this one. It's in support of the Notting Hill Housing Association, and we've given a lot to it over the years - and maybe it's because it's local that it has good stuff - last week I found a really fantastic suit, perfect fit, for £20. Probably belonged to someone dead, come to think of it. Or someone who got even fatter than me. I guess this doubles as our local second hand bookstore, too - in that way that bookstores are being replaced by charity shops. And it has a good range of VHS and DVDs, and all kinds of pretty things for gifts.

Such lovely finds and very helpful and friendly staff. We passed this while heading to our hotel…read moreand I'm so glad we stopped in. My daughter found a vintage dress that has plenty of wear left in it. I purchased an inexpensive ring (costume jewelry) that I get compliments on whenever I wear it. Please don't hesitate to stop in and have a look around. It's tiny but packed with nice things.

If this weren't a charity shop in a good cause I would keep it to myself (even though I live in the…read moreUS and don't get to visit that often). Forget about the overpriced vintage shops en route to and on Portobello Road (unless you're a label hound with a mission). Walk the opposite way from the tube station, and just before you get to Clanricarde Gardens you will find this place. My only regret is that I had to toss the little block of incense in the exquisite enamelled Moroccan covered jar that I got for 3 pounds, because the US customs people might have thought it was something else. (And maybe it was.) That, and having bought about five pounds (weight, not price) of books I hadn't even seen yet in the US (Rendell, Walters and McEwan), which distended and weighted down my minimalist luggage. I brought a 20-something friend by there later and she found a couple of flashy yet tasteful 80s evening purses and hair ornaments that enabled her to compose her sister's birthday present in five minutes for under 10 pounds. On top of which it's next door to a friendly internet cafe that also does phone calls. Nice staff too.

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...

What a great find! I found this store while wandering the streets of Portobello, away from the…read morecrowd. This store is located at the end of the street. They have some great vintage coats, purses, luggage bags, and BOOTS BOOTS BOOTS!!! I say BOOTS BOOTS BOOTS because I've never considered buying a pair until I came to this store. When I saw the mass amount of vintage boots this store had, my mouth dropped! It was amazing. I kept thinking, "Now I'm really going to look like a Londonian (do they even use the term Londonian?)" I was happy with my vintage boot purchase. I loved it and it was way more comfortable then most of the shoes I had. The people there were really nice and they helped me pick out the best one. They were very welcoming which made my visit even better. I asked if I could take a picture of the place and told them I'm a Yelper. They didn't know what a Yelper was until I explained to them my job description. HAHA! Keep in mind this YELP was still being established in the UK when I visit back in Feb 2009.

I walk downstairs in 282 Portobello Rd, "The Antique Clothing Shop". I browse a while, and come…read moreback up. Snobbish shop lady (I think it was owner Claudia Vispi): "Downstairs is out of bounds, (mutters) f*cking hell" Me: "I didn't realise it was out of bounds, sorry. But no need to swear." Lady: "Well, you freaked me out!" Me: "I didn't do it on purpose. The stairs weren't cordoned off so that wasn't clear to me, at all." Lady: "Well, it's clear to me" Well, glad that's cleared up then (!) Obviously, that's meaningful to the customer who comes into the store with ZERO information about your store layout. Oh, and note to self: "freaking out" a lady in a shop is legitimate grounds to be sworn at. Shame really, because the shop is nice.

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.

Such a hidden gem! The staff are wonderful, the overall selection of items is unmatched, and the…read moreprices are remarkable. I adore this shop.

Really cute selection of women's clothing upstairs! Items and men's clothing downstairs. I thought…read morethey had picked a wonderful selection of modern clothes for quite cheap. Large selection of books and some knifty trinkets. I bought a very cool princess rubber duck!

A small charity shop with quite a bit a variety for its size - very close to the South Kensington…read moreTube station. I'm sure most people come in here looking for the locals' cast-offs... and while there are a couple of slightly interesting pieces, this shop is certainly not a bevy of buried fashionista treasure. But you're a die-hard thrift store browser, I would definitely recommend persistence when it comes to this place - from what I can tell, they have a good influx of stock, and if you get here early, there's certainly a chance you'll find something worthwhile before it all gets picked over. In addition to clothes (and shoes), there's also a decent selection of books and accessories, as well as some home accents. Men should also know that there's a section for them as large as the women's - pretty unusual for such shops! If you have any interest in browsing charity shops, definitely stop in if you're in the area - it's so small it certainly won't take you long to have a look around!

Traid in Westbourne Grove is part of a small chain of thrift stores that raise money for an…read moreInternational Development charity. Within the quite small shop they sell men and women's clothes and shoes. I pop in quite often to look for things, and whilst there is quite a high standard in terms of brands, in the men's clothes there isn't that much exciting stuff. So the clothes seem to be more traditional charity shop rather than retro fashionable. The shop is laid out well, the staff are really helpful, and, whilst the collection isn't the best, it is certainly a great cause.

Traid -- we get along fine! If you are living up in Bayswater/Notting Hill and need a break from…read morethe heat your wallet is taking e'ery day, check it. Very well priced and though clothes are "pre-loved" they are typically in great shape, newer styles, etc. Brands range from Next, New Look, H&M, etc...and also good selection of vintage separated in the back. *Cards accepted, £5 minimum. *Fitting rooms provided. *Shoe selection is iffy at best. *great selection of blazers, working gals. Worth checking out if you are accessorizing on a budget or need to spruce up your look without crippling your bank! Oh, and it supports a charity. Can you say that about Forever21? Newp. P.S. They own the bins that collect clothes/shoes (black/green letters) -- there is one near the Shoreditch Firestation (And I'm sure a million other places) - a great way to donate, save the stuff from a landfill and help Traid fund programming, all without having to lug a big box somewhere. Pretty convenient. Wins all over the place.