Just because you can see everything that's on display here does not necessarily mean that it is a…read morelesser antique and collectibles store than your usual dusty and cluttered affair in which clambering around things and digging underneath piles is the usual course of events. I was, however, prevented from doing any sort of digging whatsoever as the shop was still closed and left under the care of the hippies from a nearby store. Apparently the woman who owned the shop was running a bit late today and would not be in til 14.00. The shop normally opens at 12 as well. However the store had an impressive display of cameras, old toys, art and a bright turquiose typewriter I was bit taken with - if only I could get to it.

Ah, Collage! I love you! :) After two years of living in Merseyside I finally found Gostins and…read morediscovered the delights of the many adorable shops and all they afford. Collage is by far one of my favourite shops in Gostins. They are an antiques and collectables shop and as the name suggests, they offer a fair variety of items all arranged artfully and happily on shelves, glass display cabinets, and baskets and boxes. Here you will find antique buttons, china, toys, books, collectables, decorations, jewellery, tableware and other kitchen items, and so much more. My favorite items were the old buttons (I need to go back for some!) and the little collectable animals from Rose Red tea boxes--I used to collect those back home in America when I was a kid. I bought a fox one four £4. I'm very pleased with my little critter. :) The shop also sells a small number of crafty items like packs of new buttons and charms. Everything is reasonably priced and the lady is very friendly and chatty. :) I highly recommend this shop!

Yes, I'm a little bit odd and like owning stuff nobody else has, and usually this means either…read moremaking it myself, having it made by somebody else, or finding really old stuff that doesn't get made anymore. As far as the latter goes, it seems this is a catching on trend, and is known as 'vintage'. Everyone wants something vintage. Which makes me want it less. However, 69A manages to keep me grounded. It's just off-the-cuff enough to stay out of mainstream, and has a feeling that you've clambered into the boot of a Lada at a car boot sale (those not as old fashioned as me may want to google Lada cars...) It is packed with goodies from all eras, and has enough variety to keep you sifting through for a whole afternoon, should the feeling take you. Hopefully not about to be hijacked by the kids who view it as a fad, 69A has been around long enough to hold its own in the vintage stakes and outlast the craze. And then I can go back to liking vintage again.

I always come here for a browse, just because I'm never really sure what I'm going to find!…read more Dust-covered hardback poetry and prose share shelving happily with Dance and Acid House records and 18th century chinese dynasty clocks share cabinet space with tatty looking curios. It is all seemingly a jumbled explosion of antiques with an Art Deco style figure, worth £450 rubbing shoulders with a disused chimney pot. However, clearly although there are second hand clothes, earrings, ties galore, records and brooches, knick-knacks and badges there are also some pretty good buys if you fancy yourself as a bit of a collector (or at least have seen enough episodes of Antiques Roadshow to think you can spot a bargain). Mainly you need to look up to see these, the expensive stuff tends to be locked away or like the vases which line the walls, a little out of reach. In the glass cases at the front I noticed 69A has a great selection of pottery from Poole's to a really cool 1960s Wedgewood blown glass art vase. The wierdest thing that sticks out in my mind which I've seen in one of the back cabinets is an unused pair of 1965 pajamas Age 2-3 still in its cellophane. Odd. So come here if you want an interesting and strange trip back in time!

It seems odd to class this place as an antique shop as that is not quite true. Barry's…read moreCollectibles in fact trades in any sort of collectible item especially within a pop culture framework. This leads Barry's to house tons of different gear from comics, cartoon and superhero figures and loads of football memoribilia. There is a lot of footy collectibles ranging from scarves to kits, matchday programmes to sticker annuals. With many of the items including toys and merchandise even from very recent films such as Batman it is the type of place that makes you wish you had kept hold of some of those toys, or maybe slightly envious of those kids who kept hold of all their toys and boxes - mind you I had fun playing with my toys and getting them scuffed up was just a sign of how much, who kept these toys safely locked away in their boxes?!

Oooooh! So much to look at! Bright and colourful, filled with all sorts of vintage and antiques,…read moreBarry's is packed with collectables for the child at heart and the older generation who remember the way things used to be "back in the good old days." Probably my favourite part of Barry's is the display of old children's books along one wall. I love children's books anyway, but old ones have a certain charm, and they remind me of the books my parents had when they were kids and passed on to us. They also sell antique coins, figurines, war memorabilia, china, etc. There is something for nearly everyone here, even if you are only window shopping. :)

Rachel Zoe would have a field day in Somewhere in Time…read more Seriously. There's so much great stock in this vintage boutique, she'd probably have to buy a couple of crates and charter her own private plane to haul them back to L.A! Beautifully decorated like an old Hollywood actress's attic, Somewhere has wooden floorboards, old cabinets packed with jewellery and accessories and lots of old black and white photos that give it a genuine boho feel. There's racks of incredible vintage dresses, skirts, suits, blouses, knitwear and coats dotted everywhere you look and a few select dresses hanging from the ceiling. I can't claim to be be able to spot an Ossie Clark dress from a hundred feet but I can tell that the owner of SIT is clearly a dedicated fashion follower that has encylopediac knowledge of different styles and periods in fashion history.

I have a soft spot for shops named after movies (and movies named after shops for that matter!)…read moreSomewhere in Time is one of my all time favourite movies, so stumbling across this little treasure of a shop was quite a delight for me. Somewhere in time is a vintage clothing shop and antique shop in one. Here you will find vintage dresses in excellent condition, like the 1940's white tennis dress I spied, as well as vintage shoes with a lot of wear left in them, and all kinds of antiques from hardcover books to teacups. Some neat collectable items I spotted: antique dollhouse furniture, cute earrings and other costume jewellery, and a shelf of classic novels. So, if you like vintage clothing as much as I do, and if you love the movie Somewhere in Time, why not pop in here and see if you can find a dress worthy of Jane Seymour's character, Elise McKenna.

When I popped into this little charity shop, the first thing that caught my eye was their book…read moreshelf. It wasn't their books though, I actually couldn't believe my eyes when I saw them selling a Tomb Raider game just above their books which I once owned. Well not actually mine but I have an identical at home dating back to 1998 (if I can recall). It was my favourite PC game back then and it brought back many memories. I must have bought it for about £30 but now you can buy this for £1.99 at Red Cross (second hand); out of fashion obviously but I'd treat it as an antique if anyone would buy it! It just shows that you never know what to expect at charity shops so it always makes an interesting browse in addition to the clothes they have. And don't forget other items such as little glass ornaments and china; they have a cute collection here too.

This charity shop is fairly ok. There prices are cheap and cheerfull, but yet lacks a decent…read morevariety of clothing. The staff are nice and is located right by a bus stop in Town, so with the high traffic of people around here, I think that they should find better stock to attract more students for example!

I walk past this little, seemingly ever-shifting entry to the Petticoat Lane Arcade on Bold St,…read morewithout ever being able to find my way back to it, however, you would seriously be missing out if you didn't find yourself wandering up to the extravangant pillared entrance of Hope and Winkle. A vintage store that is an eclectic mix of old and new, it's like rooting through your grandmother's jewellery boxes but with quirky contemporary touches. Each dresser is artistically set up with items from brooches to elegant feather hair clips and with a wide range of prices to suit all bank balances this is a little British gem of the traditional with a twist. Each piece is an eccentric and fun, up-to-date antique (oxymoron if I ever saw one!) that looks as though it's been handed down and needs to be treasured! Also, if you're a vintage hoarder get onto their facebook page 'Hope and Winkle Vintage' for frequent updates on offers you wouldn't want to miss out on!

Hope and Winkle Vintage is less a vintage shop and more a shop of upcycled, repurposed jewellery…read moreand accessories. Items are made from vintage and found jewellery, buttons, and bits and bobs. According to their brochure the shop offers "an inventive British lifestyle and accessories brand inspired by traditional English heritage, the 1940's austerity and the elite aristocracy." Think Accessorize without the guilt factor, and with a one-of-a-kind flare. These items are handmade to the highest quality by a small business owner, and you won't find the same items anywhere else. I was very impressed by the collection of pretty rings for sale. I guess I kind of have a fetish for finger rings, so when I see truly unusual ones, especially affordable ones, it makes me happy. Whether you like big, sparkly bangles, or cutesy ladybugs, birds, and turtles, there is something here for you to deck out your fingers in style. You'll also find vintage and upcycled necklaces, bracelets, broaches, tea cup candles, hair clips, earrings, headbands, watch straps, and much more. To see tons of photos, visit the fan page on Facebook by searching for Hope and Winkle Vintage. But as with visitors to Little Red Vintage, also on Bold Street, you are going to have beat me back here if you want the good stuff. What a great shop!