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 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!

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.

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!

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.

Ah, Rusty Zip. Anyone reading my reviews (hi Mum), will probably infer correctly that I love shops…read morelike this. Selling all sorts of vintage and outlandish get-you-noticed gear, the shop itself is very well laid out and colourful, with cheerful helpful staff. I love all the scarves wound around the rail to the top floor, and usually unravel and buy at least one when I'm in. Great shoes and bags too, and oh how I love my floor length purple velvet cloak bought here for just £18. I haven't got up the nerve to wear it out beyond the pub yet, but hopefully that day will come soon. As with most vintage clothes, the sizing is a bit off sometimes, especially for trousers. And no, that's not a lard-arsey excuse along the lines of 'That damn dryer shrunk my jeans again'. A 2010 size in a contemporary shop is not the same size in Rusty Zip, so be prepared for a fair bit of trying on and an even higher level of disappointment when those tartan flares, supposedly in your size, won't even make it past one thigh. Still a great shop though, highly recommended.

This place is great if you want to wear the stuff. But how often can a man get away with a disco…read moreshirt that even Travolta himself would have thought "eyy.... no thank you"... The clothes are not entirely appropriate for going to class or having a sandwich, but if you want to wear something thats a bit special and with a chunky price tag, this place is the only shop you need to go to. Some call it vintage. Others say it's old expensive junk. I'm lost somewhere inbetween the groovy 70s and the poor student in 2010. It's definately worth a look.

Here was me thinking that Vintage shops were extinct in Belfast yet I have walked past four in…read morethree day, although I was in the trendy Botanic area of town. Anyway, I love a good vintage shop. My favourite shirt, a controversial plaid number was actually purchased for a tenner from a vintage shop and it's been worth every penny. So now and again I pop in to vintage shops to see if I can grab a bargain and a new talking point I was attracted in to Yellow Submarine by the rails of clothes at the foot of their stairs - they had hundreds of shirts for both men and women carefully colour coordinated making a really pleasent browsing experience. I then decided to pop upstair to the main store. As you walk up the narrow stairway you are presented with loads of cool retro items on the wall that help you get in to the mood for shopping vintage - I suppose those stair can be compared to Delorean. Anyway, once upstairs you can really get looking - there's walls of clothes for you to sift through all neatly arranged. There was the biggest choice of leather jackets I have ever seen in a vintage store and as I browsed the shop assistant busied himself arranging the denim jackets. I noticed there was a load of old records on sale too as well as a good selection of footwear that you don't often get in these shops. Definitely worth visit if you're in to retro clothing - I didn't see any bargains in my visit but who knows, it could be your lucky day.

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.

Describing itself as modern vintage, I think this is more of a sweet shop for grown ups. From the…read moremoment you walk in your senses are overwhelmed by Kidson's trademark flowery designs on everything from lunch boxes to wellington boots. It is a bit twee for some, but for pieces here and there, there is always something for an ideal girly gift or something to perk up your pantry. It isn't cheap for what it is, but for a hint of pretty I'd be glad to take any of it.

Belfast gems in Belfast gem run by Belfast gem!!…read more Delightful shop run by the magical Mandy, assisted by her beautiful mother. Had a blast on my visit, picked up some gorgeous jewellery & the kinkiest shoes (which are also somehow tasteful?). Ordinarily I'm not a fan of much chat when browsing places, but the owner of Pretty Vintage is such great company, so helpful & so knowledgeable, you can't help but melt.

Place has more variety then most vintage shops in the area. However, the greatest part was the…read moreexperience with the owner. She was super friendly and helpful in finding the right piece. I love supporting local businesses and this one made my morning. I left when a peice of jewelry that I am treasure for life! Reasonable prices. Cheers!