I always want to carry everything home from Carry Me Home- one of the cutest kids stores in London…read more The shop stocks some great childrewear designers like Oh baby and Beauty and the Bib. If you don't have children but your friend has just had a baby then you HAVE to head to Carry Me Home for a cool present. The 'Been Inside For 9 Months' sleepsuits are so gorgeous that I am planning on buying one for a friend who is due any day now. The fruit shaped bibs make meal times a little less messier and are so stylish! If you cannot get to the West End store the owner also has a stall at Spitalfields market on a Sunday. The website is excellent but a little dangerous to my bank account because I always see something I want to get for my son or friends' babies! Carry Me Home will also personalise vests and bibs which make perfect presents. custom

Took me a few minutes to find (on the 2nd floor), but once there all was good…read more I'm not a baby clothes aficionado, but this store made my life easy. Their selection is really well procured: cute, unique and a thoughtful array that felt the opposite of generic. I wanted a unique gift that had some character and I felt like the store owner had a bunch of options that fit the bill. The owner (don't recall her name) was very helpful, not pushy, and pleasant. Also, I don't know what baby clothes are supposed to cost but I thought the prices were quite reasonable for the quality.

Not the best-known "baby boutique" around London... but it just might be my favourite. I love…read moretheir take on kids clothes... it all just seems more contemporary and "styled" than other similar outlets - this is where you'd head if you wanted your kid to look like a little Audrey Hepburn or George Clooney... more adult, I guess you could say... which I know some people are ardently against - but what can I say? I don't have kids of my own yet - merely friends with them - so maybe I'm a little biased... I like the fact that even the *baby* stuff involves layering of fabrics and colours and luxurious detailing. They've got plenty of both dressy and casual fashions. Cute little coats and sweaters... plus gauzy dresses with plenty of glittering overlay - a fashion that never fails to appeal to a little girl. Also, a whole range of great accessories - sunglasses (sunglasses!) and blankets and pretty silver baby cups. A bit pricey, but well-made, and sure to please someone if you're giving a gift.

If you like Cath Kidston definitely visit this store when you get to London. Cath Kidston products…read morecould be Five Stars except I had a couple bags that didn't hold up under daily use. I'm hard on bags at times. The oilcloth typically covers a cardboard liner. Don't expect it to hold up if you're out in the rain for very long. I do love the zippered pockets and bright colorful prints. It's like the Shabby Chic of handbags! I love to switch bags depending on the occasion and destination. The adjustable strap provides various options for over the shoulder or cross body. Typically there's a second set of handles to carry the bags over your arm. In most styles the bottom of the bag has protection for when you put it down. They're just all around versatile and pretty. I recently found a Cath Kidston dish towel in my cabinet. The colors are vibrant and it looks new. The material is very sturdy and naturally there's her logo sewn on perfectly. I make all my purchases online. Frequently there's a deal on shipping. It was very interesting the first time I ordered as I never purchased anything from outside the United States. Everything went very smooth. I'm recommending you check out the website.

Popped into this location of Cath Kidston & was surprised to find them nearly wiped out with a 70%…read moreoff closing sale. Doors close June 30th, but the brand has been purchased by NEXT, who will carry items in-store. I've always thought their playful patterns were so cute, glad I could pick up a few bits & bobs before the original store went away (at deeply discounted prices, to boot.)

From the outside the shop already looks cheerful but when you go inside it even makes you happier!…read moreThe shop is made out of very bright clothes and accessories! They all have cute/funny prints on it. Often food/animals/monsters ate portrayed on it! The prices are very good and affordable for something as fun and cute as this! The shop is mainly for girls but downstairs they also have a small collection for men!

I'm a huge fan of David & Goliath clothing and accessories - their T-shirts are adorable…read more My favourite things are the luggage tags and keychains - they feature very clever designs and my friends always ask me where I got them. My favourite lines are "Boys are stupid, throw rocks at them." "Come to the dark side - we have cookies!" and "Spooning leads to forking." The graphics are so cute and the taglines are so funny. I don't fit into most of the clothes here, so it's a bit hit and miss - the "L" pants are made to fit a size 8 (US) and even the XL sized T-shirts are tricky because they shrink down a size when they are washed. If you use your dryer to dry your laundry (i.e. North American tourist), definitely buy a size up because all of their cotton shirts and PJ pants will shrink. If you're a UK-er who uses a laundry rack to dry most things, then that isn't necessary. There are lots of cute t-shirts (usually on sale) in the basement. If you're in Soho, check this store out.

THE quintessential aesthetic London department store…read more Harrods is for tourists with a lot of money. Liberty is for anybody with taste. An authentic London shopping experience that offers unique items you can't find elsewhere. A long history of beautiful design in a stunning Tudor-esqu building without a single escalator! (There are elevators) Gorgeous fabric from designers like William Morris. Come here for genuine London products, and for an authentic only-in-London shopping experience.

When tariffs kicked in, I made it my mission to buy the advent calendar from here in person. Did it…read moretake up 2/3s of my check in luggage? Yes. Saved on shipping and taxes. No regrets. So if you happen to find something made in the UK, buy it in person! My Mason Pearson brush was almost $100 less here. Same with the DS Durga fragrance sampler I treated myself to. On top of all that, the customer service is lovely. They leave you alone but are also genuinely helpful when you need it! Speaking of the fragrances, when my flight left before my click and collect was ready, they price matched the item I had bought online for Black Friday and let me buy in person since it was in stock. Honestly love this place more than Harrods for their more personal human interactions.

For those who appreciate the Polo brand of Ralph Lauren this shop adds a fresh style to your…read morewardrobe. Anything from vintage style shirts, jackets and rugby tops to dresses and tweed bow ties. Lovely boutique.

Another good trip to this location. They have so many festive items, including; homeware, clothing…read moreand decorations. Great place for stocking stuffers and their bath bombs selection is one of the best! So many to choose from, including Disney and Christmas designs, all either £1 or £1.50! Staff on the floor are a bit useless and unwilling to help but the register staff were pleasant. As always - come early to avoid the crowds!

Your enjoyment or appreciation of this place is going to be entirely dependent on who you are, and…read morewhat your lifestyle is. I am not local (American) but I have lived in London as a young poor 20 something. Primark was a Godsend for me. It's also really interesting now that they have expanded into the states (although not where I live) to come back and see how it has changed. When I lived here and had no money this was my go to for anything trendy, or needed. When I moved back to America quite unexpectedly I went there to stock up on inexpensive suitcases to pack up my life and carry back across the world. Any fast fashion or trendy items, this was my go to. Needed something for my home that didn't need to be high quality, Primark. I got a job at AllSaints a few blocks away and we were supposed to wear their clothes exclusively, but we only got a 60% discount (that's a big discount but still not inexpensive for a college kid) so I got a lot of my work shoes here and they never noticed. Now that I visit as a tourist, it's my go to for things like I need an umbrella that I can leave behind when I go home, or it's raining and I didn't bring my raincoat with me today...or it's colder than what I planned for on this trip so let me stop by and grab a few pieces of layering clothes or a coat. The Disney selection makes me wonder why there isn't a Primark in Orlando (because they get very unique Disney licensed items). If you don't have a big budget or are in need of souvenirs, I also recommend Primark. But if you're looking for a luxury experience, this isn't for you. If you're anti fast fashion, please just skip this. It's busy and loud and sort of a cattle call at the till, but it's great novelty spot. The layout has shed over the years bit it's still a great spot for cheep gifts, replacing broken or lost items and getting an unexpected suitcase for any souvenirs if you are a tourist (my favorite suitcase going on 11 years was £25 from here & yes we got another this most recent trip) 3 stars because I've definitely had some weird experience here over the years but generally if you go in knowing what it is and what to expect, it won't disappoint you.

I went in with my pregnant wife and when the women working asked if we were shopping for a gift or…read morenot they became incredibly unhelpful and said nothing.... I never jump to homophobia but this was so bizarre and obviously that. Will not be dressing our child in Bonpoint.

Would you come here if you didn't have a child? Non. Would you come here if you weren't…read morefabulously loaded? Non. Would you come here if you were a bit worried that your lifestyle and shopping habits had become a little bit pretentious? Non. Bonpoint is a french couture childrenswear shop. The only reason I went in was with a friend. And she didn't find anything. The interior looks like a museum, all Louis XII furniture effects and stunning lighting. Would the kids themselves like to hang around here? Non. Look, I'm sure all the clothes are high fashion, all handmade, organic cotton and all of that. Brilliant. But as a firm believer that kids probably aren't the people to swathe in designer labels, I think the whole idea of this shop is a bit silly. A 'Mal-point' maybe...

This place is a veritable riot of colour, from as soon as you walk in to when you leave, feeling…read moreslightly nauseous. There are loads and loads of amusing clothing here, probably the most I've ever seen in one place. The name is definitely deceptive though - what does David & Goliath have to do with clothing merchandise? They obviously have some very young and 'hip' influences over at HQ, because these clothes are trendy. I recognise almost everything, having seen them sported on many a teenager. One popular one is 'Trendy Wendy' who I think is a little brat personally but girls love her sassy persona! The whole place seems very girly, but there are small pockets of male clothing to be seen if you're willing to look hard enough. There are three floors to this place, an upstairs and a downstairs. Upstairs is kind of the bedroom.. alot of indoor clothes and pyjamas to be seen. Downstairs is a basement and it looks really kind of morbid, selling punky/rockchick kind of clothes. I like this shop alot but I wouldn't shop here. If you're into it, by all means check it out. A very alternative style of clothes shop!

Exchange rate, or normal pricing... I'm not sure what kills this store or keeps me from buying…read morestuff here. but 20L, for a t-shirt, translated to $30US isn't gonna fly. I can't even imagine if the exchange rate was 2:1 and the shirt equating to $40. The shirts or pretty cool... funny... but for the time and mess, I'll bust out some puff-paints at home myself and write the same words.