One good thing about recession - it makes second hand cool again. In a time when everyone is…read morewatching the pennies, charity and vintage shops are making a killing. This store opened up in 2009 and seems to be doing very well. I love going in for a wee hoke about and while, like at most second hands, the results are varied, I've managed to find a few little pieces amongst the rails. It is predominately clothing, but there is the odd bit of furniture which tends to be beautifully crafted dressers or wardrobes - just what you need to hold all your beautiful vintage items, right? The staff are always very welcoming, the prices are right and there's always something new to find, rather than the same old stuff you see on the high street normally. Plus, it's run by the East Belfast Mission who do a lot of good work in the poorer parts of East Belfast, engaging with young people and homeless outreach, so everyone's a winner!

'Vintage, re:use, re:style, re:store'…read more I love the idea of this shop. I hate waste and I'm always one for restyling my own clothes. This isn't just another vintage shop, it's slightly better quality than the others. They do a great job with mannequins, I'm always impressed with their window dressing skills. The clothes in the shop front was the first thing I ever noticed about the place. It's always a really good job. So kudos to whoever sets this up. Inside the store it's always laid out brilliantly, some vintage shops are a bit like TK Maxx at the best of times, you need a good few hours to sort through the jumble until you find the gem you're after, but in Vintage they've got everything in order around the shop and you can immediately find some real gems. They sell (amongst a myriad of others) trousers, skirts, dresses, shoes, jackets, formal and casual wear. Anything and everything. Paradise! Even their furniture is for sale (so pretty too!) Like most vintage shops they don't offer refunds but do offer a credit note exchange. I find this particularly handy if you don't have the time to try items on. You're always going to find something you're after anyway.

I'd never even heard of this place until I heard about it from a fellow Yelper, and while on a trip…read moreround town I spotted it and just had to pop in. It is so aptly named, as the moment I walked in my eye was drawn to pretty things at every turn. Furs, fabric, patterns and jewellery all fight to catch your eye, and they have a good range in all sorts from the conservative to the 'out there'. As it is vintage, you won't find loads of things in your size, but if you find something you love that fits, buy it before it's gone. You'll love it and even better no one else will be wearing it.

Raspberry Beret is a an attractively laid out vintage clothes shop where there is a choice of good…read morequality bags, scarves, gloves and jewellery at not too vast a price. The clothes range from 1920s pieces to 1970s and you would have a good chance of finding some pretty, upmarket evening wear which though not especially cheap should still be a good buy. The range of stock covered mainly summer and evening wear, probably to reflect the current summer season. There can be something very satisfying about vintage clothes, probably because they are well made items which have stood the test of time. Not much is here is less than 30 years old, apart from a few 1980s items to reflect current interests. As with all good vintage shops, Raspberry Beret is an excellent place to get something a bit different and I, who am not the keenest clothes shopper, am still mulling over the pretty things that I can remember seeing there.

It's such a shame to see small local businesses like this going out of business! I wandered in here…read moreafter ready some great reviews and then seeing the huge 'closing down' stickers on the windows! I think this place is more a victim of it's location rather than anything else - I'm confident that if it had been in the city centre or the Queens Quarter it would have been a real success. The shop itself sell a whole range of vintage items including clothes (I spotted a wedding dress), board games (there's currently a vintage Monopoly Board for sale) and other trinkets. It's a real throw back and a fine example of a well maintained vintage shop. The good news is that it's still open until at least mid June so if I were you I'd get down there and grab yourself a unique bargain.

Love this place…read more Lots of vintage alt clothes. Also crafts etc from local artists that are good for presents. The shop is an enterprise linked to Mersey street church I think. There is a food donation basket usually outside the door for the community larder. There is also a change one room. Upstairs is a book shop called the Book Well also I think linked with Mersey street church. The shop is run by numerous volunteers.

This place was the best!! Definitely one of my favourite vintage/secondhand clothing shops to date…read more We noticed clothes plastered along the upper windows of a building and knew we had to check it out, so we eagerly followed the sign. The place is simply covered in everything you could ever want! I love finding quirky, original pieces, and it couldn't get much better than this. The man (who seemed to be the owner) was perfectly lovely, let us browse in peace and was very cheerful. He informed us that everything was half price- this was amazing considering how low the prices already were. It was overwhelming to look over everything but so much fun. We found great pieces and took our time trying them on in the spacious changing rooms. Dresses, blouses, skirts, jackets, pants, from all the various time periods. All the while, he was playing 60s hits and dancing and singing along! Adorable! He was incredibly helpful and not at all pushy- when a tunic didn't fit, he went into the storeroom to find more options. I ended up getting one of those and a gorgeous jumpsuit for a total of £7.50! He doesn't accept card but there's an ATM right across the street. I'm definitely planning my next trip to Belfast just to come back here!

I had never been in nor heard of this fabulous little shop until today…read more I took myself out on a stroll in the glamorous Lisburn Road (I don't remember it being that glamorous many years ago when I was crawling home in the early hours with half a kebab all over my beck and several drunken students singing the the best of Take That!) The housing in this area is expensive and this attracts a well to do lot to the area. With well to do ladies comes lovely expensive clothing that they want to sell. And so Deja Vu was born. The shop works by a client leaving in a high end piece of clothing, shoes or accessories and then the shop sells it for them for 50% of the price. There are loads of beautiful tops, dresses and skirts from really posh designers - gorgeous. It's like a second hand shop with a difference. They also stock mother of the bride/groom outfits that have only been worn once, originally cost hundreds, even thousands and are in perfect condition. I wish I had have had more time to browse but I didn't - the woman who runs this place is the best sales assistant I have come across yet - lovely to chat to, no pressure, takes time, points out bargains and really seems to want to help. I'm sitting here wanting to go back for another look about. Great!

The Lisburn Road can be pretty pricey and sometimes a little conservative for a fashion-savy lady,…read moreand for that reason alone thank goodness for Deja Vu. Selling pre-worn designer (and not so well known, ahem, designer) ladies clothes, this place is a treasure trove of joy, often with quite unusual and rare pieces, perfect for when you don't want to turn up to your posh do with someone else in the same frock! That's what I love about here- the individuality. Super reasonable pricing too for what you get. They do turn around a good lot of clothes here and as they are second hand they may not have a huge variety of sizes, so if you see something you like don't dwell on it, just buy or it will be gone!

I was cutting through Wellington Street on my way to Upper Queens Street yesterday when I stumbled…read moreacross Octopus's Garden. Belfast used to be a wash with Vintage stores but over the years these have slowly become extinct so it's always good to see a new one rise from the bottom of the ocean - much like an Octopus. Octopus's Garden has many strands or arms/tentacles (may as well continue down pun street). It sells vintage clothing for both males and females, old school vinyl and various other retro artifacts. The main thing I liked about Octopus Garden was that their was a varied choice - the rails were jam packed with everything from flannel shirts, band T's to leather jackets and potentially bum cheek exposing denim hot pants. The prices were reasonable too - you often find that vintage stores inflate the prices of their stock but it seems that Octopus Garden have made a concerted effort not to extort their clientele. I was only going in for a browse but I ended up walking out with a loud shirt that has already proved a controversial choice - but that's the beauty of buying vintage items - they always divide opinion and create a talking point. I recommend popping in here for a wee duke round - you never know you might come out with your (not everyone's) new favourite shirt.

If I was trapped in the Garden of The Octo I would never have a time of misery or boredom. This is…read morethe slickest place so far and I would tell anyone who visits this city that loves music and old clothes to begin their journey here. I love this place!

As I drive up and down the Newtownards Road I've always wondered what lies inside More Junk, mainly…read morebecause of all the randomness they have sitting outside. I was doing a message along the street and thought finally it was my chance to check it out. More Junk is perfectly named, it is filled with junk of all sorts. Crockery and cabinets, pictures and lamps, DVDs and old coins, it is all there. I nearly had a heart attack as I walked in to find myself face to face with a life size, pretty scary Jack Nicholson statue, random indeed. It reminded me of the flea markets in Berlin, but without the hipsters and beautiful surroundings. It was a bit more junk than kitsch for my liking, but I'll be in again, you never know what a magpie like me might find.

Ideal for collectors of unusual old items, mostly easy to find old items and as the shops title…read moresuggests a lot of it is junk but its worth a look in just for nostalgic reasons, I still believe one day I discover something worth a fortune and not have to work again, one of those Russian eggs or a bit of Faberge glass, I'm not giving up looking!

This isn't you're average charity shop, the idea behind Vintage Glow is to regenerate old and used…read morefurniture or up style it in girly terms. They are really on point with this idea as this seems to be a real trend gripping Belfast. I popped in on Monday and some of the items they had on offer you would expect to see in High Street shop windows, the beauty of this place is that all the furniture is reasonably priced and not only that but it will be a one off. Glow isn't just a great shop but it's also a great cause - the idea behind GLOW is that it provides women from both communities the opportunity to develop confidence and self-belief through creation and craft. The beauty of this place is that you can either purchase items that are donated to the GLOW team or you can bring in your own tattered furniture for a makeover. I would definitely pop in for a look next time you're on the Lisburn Road - you could pick up a bargain and help a good cause.

I love clothes, I love quirky labels and I love not wearing exactly the same as 100 other ladeees…read morein Belfast so therefore, I love Lulu Blu. This little gem is loaded up with gorgeousness from St Martins, Desigual, Custo and Almost Famous to name a few. Every piece is quirky and makes you feel you really need it sooo badly it hurts. Every rail has got something which will make you throw a hissy fit to get it. What do you mean that's only me? Doesn't everyone stamp their feet in public? When times are good, I love to go to Lulu Blu and treat myself to something fabulous and although there are some pretty expensive pieces in there like Custo dresses for over £200, there are also some really affordable little gems like summer dresses around £30. Be quick though as those are the bits that are only on the rails for a few days. The more expensive stuff is perfect for special occasions when you don't want to run the risk of wearing the same as someone else. Social suicide darling, no? A word to the recessionista - the sale is fantastic, but again get your pretty little skates on as the bargains don't wait around for snoozers! Ps the jewellery is always fab and always affordable. Who actually needs food?!

A sunny, bright and welcoming shop that suits the quirky patterned dresses, tops and some very…read moregrand coats, that I would regard as best for getting dressed up for going out in the evening, embroidered with a gold and appliqué. I don't normally go for this sort of thing but I am inclined to have a good look once in a while, just in case there is something to change my mind, because it's a pleasant shop to be in and the people are friendly. Though not cheap you could be making a sound investment in buying something from here and if you don't see yourself in the clothes there are some beautiful bags of the same vein which should cheer up any outfit.