Can we actually believe it? The shops are finally reopening after a year in a pandemic which left us quite lost. However during this year of uncertainty one sure was certain, sustainability, ethical practices and conscious choices are the future and need to be more than a trend.

While overconsuming is more than negative for the environment, your finances and your mental health it is important to remember that the economy and society we live in is based on the exchange of money for a product or a service.

While I am an activist towards less consumption I do believe we should some times empower ethical business by purchasing some of their offers.

Whilst I would not recommend going on a shopping spree, I would think that after this period we should help small businesses and people in need. In fact, during a year charity shops have been closed and have been relying on donations: less than any year.

London is full of thrift shops. In the UK are second-hand shop or charity shop. Just go on a walk in any neighbour and you will find them everywhere but here are a few of the most famous ones:

A little guide to thrift shop:

You can easily get so overwhelmed inside those shops full of incredible findings. You need some help to be ready so here are 5 steps you should follow to ensure a successful thrift shop day.

1– Be prepared

If this is your first time get ready: find the shops you would like to visit. Make a list. I would recommend doing it by area so you can enjoy a full day of walking shopping and discovering the city. Dress for the occasion! Forget heels little gala dress or other excentricities! Be ready to walk a lot, to try a lot of things ( some charity shop/second-hand shop do not have a fitting room.

2-Think

You do not have to buy what you don’t need. A lot of people feel overwhelmed by the treasure they can find at such a cheap price but remember overconsumption will just make you spend more money on something you do not need. Make a small trip to your closet and search for what you want: what you want to look at and what you need. If you think you need new pants, try to find an alternative first, if you cannot find any then put them on your list.

3- Bring cash

Don’t buy impulsively: you should not buy all the pieces you like, just because you like them, more because you need them and will use them several times. One tip is to use cash! Before your trip ask yourself how much you are willing to spend in cash, go to an ATM, and spend only the cash you took out. Lots of psychological analysis proved that using cash instead of a credit card makes you more aware of the money you spent.

4- Your size

Buy at your size! Unfortunately, there is an oversized trend: don’t get me wrong I do love the style and the figure it shapes. However, thrift shopping is not fully inclusive of size and it is quite hard for shops and shopper to find plus sizes. While you just buy an oversized shirt you might make the change for someone to buy a second-hand shirt fitting them.

5- Enjoy

Enjoy the process and do not get frustrated: yes it will happen. You will not always find the perfect fit, the perfect pieces but it does not mean you should give up, Au contraire, go back several times, there is always something new! Also if you can go first to a charity shop: you give your money to an amazing organisation that works for the better!

Here you are ready to begin your research! Here are 5 thrift shops/charity shops in London. However, even if those are considered as the “best” or “most famous” ones new second-hand shop open every week in London and just walking around the non-Touristique London streets you will find a lot of new small shops which can be as good as the famous ones.

Beyond retro: a classic:

This second-hand boutique is a must check out. It can be found in three different locations in London: two in east London and one in Soho. They also often do a pop-up store: you can find one currently in Selfridge in central London. You can also find them online.

Looking at their style they offer a really wide range of options for everyone. You will find women and men clothes as well as a lot of different accessories. Their shop can easily feel a bit crowded. They have a lot of product at a ridiculous proud. Whatever your style is or what vintage piece you want to find I would recommend going there as you will find treasures. Their price goes as low as £3 for a second-hand tee shirt, to a gorgeous jacket for £50. Here are some of the pieces you can find.

East end thrift store:

Like its name, this thrift shop is located in the end east of London, after Shoreditch. This shop is not the most decorated nor attractive however this is the most treasure finding shop you will have. After a bit of research, you will find amazing pieces… However, it is one of the most famous thrift shops in London and can get overcrowded quite easily. Be prepared to queue for up to an hour! I tried to find more information about them, such as a website to see if they also were selling online, or if there was more information about where the clothes come from or just see some product, but unfortunately, the website looks like an old blog with their last posts from 2018. On one of their first post about the best thrift shop in London they do not even put their shop, a bit of a weird marketing strategy… but still, a good place to find cheap clothes in a thrift shop ambience.

Atika:

Before my first second-hand shopping trip, my researches made me discover Atika. This shop is situated in Shoreditch and offers a nicely restored warehouse shop. I would not say they concentrate on one style as you can find a lot of different pieces for every genre. However, I would say they try to be as colourful and playful as they can on their website. It is a professional website, definitely needed during the pandemic! However, it does not seem their website displays everything they offer. This is understandable as, if doors are open and people are shopping the pieces which are being sold at the same time on the website, you could imagine some issues. The prices are higher than what you can find in beyond retro. One of their new initiatives is an In house Brand called Remix by Atika. This is kind of the Repair reuse repurpose type of brand you would expect from a company trying to offer so many different sustainable options to conscious consumers. They use the fabrics from vintage garment to rework them and propose a new products.

Trinity hospice

This one is a charity shop offering second-hand accessories, and clothes. The money you spend on those will then be used by the charity to help caring about patients or the carer to help support the hospice.

They have three shops in London but my personal favourite is on portobello road. I often go there to find small treasures. I do believe their style is quite subtle and would be perfect for someone who is starting thrift shopping or has quite a simple style.

You can also donate, so if you are decluttering your dressing and find perfectly intact pieces that could easily be sold, go there and offer your clothes! It will help so many people that need care. Trinity does not have a shop online however they sell through a different platform such as Depop, eBay or Asos marketplace. I would recommend going directly to their boutique, as through those platforms often a commission is taken (around 10%) Leading to an increase in the prices. They do not only sell clothes but also books, or home pieces.

All aboard shop:

This charity shop has around 20 boutiques in London. They are considered one of the best charity shop in London for the treasures you can find. They offer clothes but also a lot of accessories, home décor and other treasures.

Their website offers an online shop that is linked to eBay if you want to have a look before going. On their online shop, they have no negative rating, 286 positive. You will find that the pieces are a bit more expensive than another shop because they propose a bit more brand than other shops. However, you can still find pieces around 10 pounds. but you will also find pieces above 100 pounds.

Let me know which is your favourite thrift or charity shops.