What a gorgeous shop! Situated in one of the more run down arcades in Leeds, Upstaged Vintage is a…read morewelcome addition to the thriving vintage scene. The thing that makes this one distinctive for me, is I could tell that the owners are very selective when buying stock. In many vintage shops, it seems evident that a large order has been delivered from wholesalers, and it doesn't always seem completely genuine. There is an old-fashioned, celebratory feel on entering the family run local business. With bunting and fairy lights decorating the place, and an iconic washing line hanging from the ceiling displaying 50's style lingerie, it feels special. I can't speak highly enough of the pieces on sale. The faux fur coats and numerous jackets are absolutely stunning. I tried on a classic pilots waistcoat and jacket. Complete with gold buttons and a stripe on the cuffs, it was beautifully tailored to fit a women. Collections of tea dresses and evening gowns from the 1930's to the 1980's adorn the interior. There is an interesting shoe section of the shop, with some truly unique pairs on show. Upstairs, there are further delights in store. It is a burlesque pin-up boutique; filled with a wide range of corsets, gloves, burlesque accessories and pin-up style lingerie. Dita Von Teese would be in her element. The woman running the shop was absolutely lovely, she was patient and attentive whilst I dithered over what to try on. There is a men's section of the shop and they also sell goods online. Although Upstaged Vintage is not in an obvious location, the treasure you uncover when discovering it, is reward in itself.

Who would have thought that tucked away in the Grand Arcade was a shop that is some kind of vintage…read moreheaven? No, not me, and so imagine my surprise to nip in the other day and discover it?! According to the guys in there people often say that they had no idea that it existed, which is really quite shameful, since it has been here for over a year! Imagine that. And all the delights that I have missed. The ground level shop space has two changing rooms, which you will need, and all the glorious vintage items that you could possibly wish for. There are beautiful eighties puffed sleeved dresses, glorious gorgeous full length coats - one in particular which was absolutely divine but sadly a size wrong for me. They also have some beautiful classy hats, gloves, scarves, shirts - you name it. It's hard to actually describe the amount of beauty within, you really must go and see it for yourself. The people in there are lovely, friendly and vintage fans themselves so you won't be short on advice either! Prices are ranging, but considering they are selling high end clothing for a fraction of the original price I would call it bargainous - investment pieces. The upstairs section also deserves a special mention in its own right. Set out as a burlesque boutique it has a number of beautiful items especially collected for ladies who perform burlesque acts. There are fitted corsets galore, of the finest quality, in a range of sizes. I couldn't sing louder about such a cool and exciting place to shop. It's beyond fancy dress in every sense of the word 'fancy', it is divine! You absolutely must visit, if only for a browse.

I thought I'd give this five stars because as charity shops go it really is a great shop. It is…read morevery large for a charity shop and has a good range of stock. In the foyer area there are women's clothes, accessories, shoes and jewellery. The main room houses men's clothes, shoes, children's toys and clothes and a large range of crockery, home ware and other bits and bobs. I found many a cute vintage-style china ornament, some lovely jewellery and two pairs of shoes I liked - in most charity shops I find none! The products were mainly of very high quality and you got the impression the staff, who seemed lovely, really take pride in their shop. The beautiful old historic-looking building and large easily visible signage also gives the shop bonus points.

Everyone must have heard of the good old Salvation Army. They are a church and a registered charity…read morethat have been running for nearly 50 years. Now working in over 117 countries worldwide, with over 1.6 million members they have grown immensely and are providing huge support for those who need it. They run programmes helping places such as drug rehabilitation centres, schools, hospitals, community centres and medical centres. Their shops are like any other charity shop, raising that extra bit of cash towards their cause. They are full of random bits and bobs and somewhere you are bound to find something you could do with, and usually for very cheap. I love charity shopping and will be returning to this place in the New Year.

This secret haven of bargains is yet another hidden spot that I would have never unearthed had it…read morenot been for Yelp. And, I'm glad I found it -since it really is out of the way. Basically, the chances of me randomly wandering about Mabgate (or there abouts) and stumbling upon it are zero, truth be told. Don't let that put you off finding it too though, it's dead easy to get to. Go through the car park behind the West Yorkshire Playhouse, and cross over the bridge. Turn right up the road and it's there in a minute. As you walk in you'll be confronted by a sea of knick-knacks, furniture, bric a brac. It's not tidy, it's not overly organised, but it's full and it's a proper treasure hunt. In some ways, it's similar to Poverty Aid -a huge space filled with a range of things, tons of antique cheap furniture, from wardrobes to chests to beds. There was even a piano and an old school writing desk, cheaper than you'd expect to pay as well. After all, it's still a charity shop, which means bargains are abound. The clothing section was a jumble, pretty messy, but that's where your inner explorer comes in. Seek and ye shall find, etc. I did come across a mental pair of home made harim pants, in the most bodacious blue ever, but even at a single English pound I wasn't sure I was cool enough to pull them off. There's a wee cafe too, if you need a caffeine break, and tons of literature on other local charities, events, and what Emmaus get up to to keep you clued in. Bonza. Basically, it'll always depend on what you're after as to whether you'll succeed in a shopping mission. But, it's well worth a right rummage for all you bargain hunters, treasure seekers, vintage magpies and so on. Take a wee wander, and have a look. Who knows what wonders you might find!

Emmaus is a total gem, if you manage to come across it. It is tucked away on the edge of town near…read morethe West Yorkshire Playhouse and Quarry Hill, in the kind of place that you wouldn't really go wandering around for fun unless you had a reason. Make that reason Emmaus. It is a charity shop with a difference because it is also a community that helps homeless people out of homelessness. I fist heard about it on Radio 4 a couple of years ago and decided to see if there was one in Leeds. It was set up in France in the 1940s and is now a worldwide organisation. People in the community renovate and resell furniture to develop theirs skills and help them out of homelessness. The shop part of the community in Leeds is pretty large. Most of this is dedicated to second hand furniture but there are also clothes, brick a brack and a book area around a cafe where you can get cakes and very cheap meals. It is possible to donate to Emmaus and it is definitely a worthy cause or you can support the cause by visiting the shop. I believe there is also a small branch in Leeds City Market.

It used to be PDSA, I think, and it was a vintage charity shop before, but the guys at Sue Ryder…read morehave done an incredible job of making this charity shop a consistently excellent source of vintage goods. When ever I'm in Headingley I pop in, no matter what schedule I'm on, as there's always a quick, amazing bargain to be had. I love their window displays -- they always catch my eye, and more than once I've bought something from the mannequin. If you're in any way a fan of vintage clothing, this place has to be on your list of spots to have a browse. As well as great threads (often with really ace old school labels or handmade items) they have some really great antique bric a brac -- leather handbags, scarves, ornaments, crockery, records, sewing machines, and all sorts. The staff are always lovely too! If you're about town, pop in and have a rummage. It's a feel-good buy all round!

This place is a haven of beautiful furniture. I had a recent trip here with my Mum, after…read moreChristmas, and we ended up buying a hoard of items-they've just so many wonderful things! Basically, if you're after unique antique furniture, this is a must-visit shop for those fabulous writing desks, blanket boxes, retro lampshades and so on. I bought an absolutely gorgeous writing desk, which is part display cabinet, for only £60 and for an extra tenner they delivered it to my door. (Of course, I had to persuade the lads I live with to carry it upstairs, but they got paid in coffee and mince pies.) The staff were excellent, helping me to mark which items I wanted to buy, and even searching through a bag of keys to find the right one for my desk. They've a number of clothes as well, although typically I find them a little more hit and miss, but essentially if there's anything you need in the way of furnishings you should definitely visit here first. They've odds and ends as well, chimney pots, large doors, glassware, tables -you name it and you'll probably find it. Essentially, it's so cheap compared to quality new furniture and it's all in the name of charity. I'm so pleased with my purchases! Awesome.

I discovered Poverty Aid as a student living in Hyde Park in 2004. It was amazing back then and the…read moreamazingness remains! Some of my best purchases have come from poverty aid, including my legendary purple velvet sofa, 1960's cage dressmakers mannequin, and no end of random kitchenwares! they have a really good furniture selection, absolutely loads of bric a brac, vintage items, clothes, books, records - you can find all sorts hidden away in there! The prices are great, they like to do some bartering and they now do delivery of any item to anywhere in leeds for £10. When I bought my sofa the 2 staff lifted it into my living room for me. Poverty Aid, I salute you! (And will be visiting very soon on a mission for a vintage wardrobe!)

You know me. I can't help it, I get drawn in. Having perused the readymades for sometime I…read moreeventually went back in and purchased one of my very own. (And promptly forgot to update my review.) I'd been eyeing up their wrap around skirts for a while, and finally got to the point where I wanted to try one on. They've two basic dressing rooms, and after a bit of jiggling I came out in search of some advice -I was shopping solo, so asked the chap at the shop. He let me know that it was the other chap who'd made the skirt, so called him down to give me an idea of how to wear it. This was the best idea ever, since it turns out there are several ways. As it has poppers in various positions, it can doubly wrap as a shorter skirt, wrap low and loose as a more boho style, or wrap gathering at the back in an almost Victorian manner. I was delighted! And since I wear it so often, it was £60 or so well spent. As for the rest of the shop, it's still very jumble esque, and you really have to rummage for the gems. I can't say I'm as enamoured of the selection as some of my other favourite vintage haunts, but that's mostly as I'm more into dresses and what they've in abundance is 80s stone wash jeans, cool t-shirts, checked shirts, chunky knits, faux fur and a variety of other garments. It's not likely I'll be drawn in for the flotsum and jetsum, but for the quality independently designed pieces in their Redneck Clothing section, I shall certainly revisit. Plus, the customer service was fantastic - all you need do is ask!

This is my favourite charity shop in Headingley. I usually nip in to most of them if I'm walking…read morethrough and have a spare hour, but this one I will always check out. On first glance you could think it's a dead loss - inside there's not always a lot to see. But once you delve a little deeper the substance becomes apparent. For a start, their window displays are second to none for creativity. They always have wonderful sign writing on the glass, and change the visual management of the window area every week to something new, exciting and themed. It is always themed, halloween, christmas and even more specific things like harvest or autumn. They also have offers on, which in some ways is almost ridiculous since when it comes to charity people shouldn't squibble over a few pounds. Nevertheless often when I go in I notice they have the "All clothes £1" sign up - and I can tell you, when you rumage to find a MaxMara jumper for a quid, you are going to be pleased as punch. Finally, I think that this shop gives everything a nice personal touch. I went in once looking for beads to make some jewellery and found a bag of broken necklaces. I told the lady how useful it was and she said that she would tell the other volunteers and that it would be a regular thing - if the necklaces went unsold for an amount of time, they'd be broken up and put into a bargain bag that I should look for on a regular basis. How kind! And sure enough, they are still doing it. Of course, now I've given away my supply source, but hey. They are so awesome it was worth talking about it.

Until recently I'm ashamed to say I didn't even realize The Martin House Shop was a charity shop!…read moreAll the products in the window look so squeaky clean and brand new that a quick glance when walking past led me to believe it was some sort of gift shop. This shows the effort the staff put into the window displays - they take pride in their stock. The Martin House Shop is a great little charity shop with some interesting finds to be found! They have some unusual pieces of crockery and home ware and a large selection of picture frames of different sizes and styles. For anyone with babies soon to be appearing in their lives there's a whole rail of delightful hand-knitted baby jumpers and cardigans, each one unique! And much cheaper than a similar item on the high street (which would actually be pretty difficult to come by!). And in case you felt like making your own they sell loads of wool as well as various balls of cotton and craft materials. The Martin House Shop seems to sell all the usual charity shop items but with a bit of added character. They had a few vintage items in the clothing section and most of their stock seems just that bit more unusual than your standard charity shop. I think I'd agree with Rowena - Martin House is my favourite Headingley charity shop!

Leeds City Books is a charity book shop selling a wide range of books and a small selection of…read morejewellery. The charity it supports is Leeds City Mission, a Christian charity - thus many of the books sold are of a Christian or religious nature. When I popped in for a browse though, the woman running the shop asked whether I was looking for religious books, then kindly pointed out the non-Christian literature. I then felt welcome to browse the substantial collection, with much of the fiction of high quality and many books looking brand new, but at good prices. For any fan of second-hand book shops, whether Christian or not, Leeds City Books is definitely worth checking out.

Whilst the Leeds City Market has an abundance of fruit and veg, cosmetic and cheap clothes stores,…read moreit really lacks anywhere selling books. So I was happy to stumble upon this place. When I went in the three people sitting around having a chat paused their conversation, asked if I needed any help and then carried on. As my eyes scanned the titles I quickly realised that most of the books where of a Christian nature - many copies of the Bible and one about the ethics of abortion. I didn't see many books that interested me so made a hasty exit, nearly knocking over the single stand holding cheap jewelry on the thresh hold.

Emmaus is a charity shop specialising in second-hand furniture and books. The charity supports…read morehomeless people to "move on from homelessness, providing work and a home in a supportive, family environment. Companions, as residents are known, work full time collecting renovating and reselling donated furniture. This work supports the Community financially and enables residents to develop skills and rebuild their self-respect." (www.emmaus.org.uk). The furniture is generally of a high quality and very reasonably priced with some quite charming vintage-style cupboards and shelves. The books are very cheap at 50p for paper backs and £1 for hard backs. Although there isn't a huge amount of books, what they do have covers a wide variety of types and genres. I would definitely recommend checking out Emmaus if you're looking for decent furniture at an affordable price, especially if you want something with a bit of character. It's great to know you would be giving unwanted furniture a new appreciative home while supporting a very worthwhile cause.

This branch of Emmaus is great. It sells second hand furniture and a few books in support of this…read morecharity helping people out of homelessness. There is a larger branch on the edge of the town centre but it is a bit out of the way. This one provides cheap, good quality furniture whilst making people aware of the cause. They have tables, shelves, sofas and lamps. The staff are pretty friendly and if you can't find what you want here, are happy to point you in the right direction of the larger shop.

Though relatively small, this charity shops makes the most of the space, making use of every nook…read moreand cranny to store a wide range of quality products. The shop is well lit and the products appear more varied and interesting than in most charity shops. They have a wide selection of shoes neatly displayed and a large range of quality handbags. They are also very well stocked for trousers and jeans and sell a range of new jewellery that is brightly-coloured, chunky and fun. I bought one of my favourite dresses here a while ago for £9.00 when they used to have an interesting vintagey section at the back with corresponding higher prices...but this section appears to have vanished - I wish they would bring it back! Overall this British Heart Foundation is a quality charity shop and well worth a visit!

There is something about charity shops that makes me feel good. I'm not sure whether it's the…read morebargains, or the pleasure in seeing stuff being given a new life, it might be just that it enables me to feel good about myself..... BHF is one of my regular charities so i try to call in and have a browse rarely leaving without treasure, this branch always has a good selection and the staff seem very pleasant.