Shop: discover yesteryear’s vintage wares in London

Vintage shopping in London can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to look. There’s more than one treasure trove in each and every suburb, and navigating the tatty to the tremendous can be a bit of a nightmare at times. Here are a few suggestions:

The best boutiques:

Hunky Dory Vintage, 226 Brick Ln, London E1 6SA (@hunkydoryvintage)

Hunky Dory is a treasure trove of vintage garb, situated in the trendy East End. Each item of clothing is hand-picked from all over Europe by the wonderful ‘Ian & Ian’ who have been in the vintage clothing business for more than 30 years.

Hunky Dory offers a wide variety of menswear and womenswear dating from the 1920s through to the 70s at affordable prices. Presented over two floors, the ground floor offers ready to wear items, and the basement showcases evening and party wear.

Chi Chi Ra Ra, 8A Upland Rd, London SE22 9EF (@chichirara_vintage)

If you’re heading south, make sure to pop into Chi Chi Ra Ra – it’s a small shop, but jam-packed with lots of goodies at very affordable prices. Both menswear and womenswear are hand-picked by the very stylish Heather, so you’re always guaranteed to find a few treasures on your visit.

Paper Dress Vintage, 352A Mare Street, Hackney Central, E8 1HR London (@paperdressvintage)

By day, this is a marvellous shop run by the fabulous Hannah with items dating from the 1920s to the 80s – mainly focusing on womenswear with a small selection for men. However, by night, there’s live bands, art events, dance classes and amazing cocktails on offer.

Bimp Tulip Vintage (@bimptulip)

These guys don’t have a shop, but you HAVE to check out their stock on Instagram, or you can catch them at events such as Frock Me! vintage fashion fair and some of the rockabilly weekenders. All items are hand-picked by John and Andy, mostly from the United Stated. Now, if you’re looking for pure 40/50s Hollywood glamour, then Bimp Tulip are your guys. Their stock includes the most amazing furs, Lilly Dache hats and Lilli Ann suits. Bimp Tulip specialises in womenswear only, and prices are a little more expensive.

Columbia Road vintage stores, Columbia Road, London

If you can can drag yourself away from the distraction of Columbia Road’s bright blooms, you’ll spot a plethora of stores stocked with vintage wares lining the market stalls. Pay a visit to Glitterati, Jess Chorley and Buddug, Marcos & Trump, and Tanner & Lawson for all your vintage shopping needs.

Lesser known, but also worth a visit:

• Spitalfields Flea Market (every Thursday), Horner Square, Spitalfields, London E1 6EW
• Past Caring: 76 Essex Rd, London N1 8LT

The best tailor for alterations

The problem with vintage shopping is that often you find something so beautiful, that you sure don’t want anyone else to have it…even if it just doesn’t quite fit. Whether it needs to be taken in or out, or anything else, it’s vital to have a really good vintage tailor on hand. Jenny Schwarz is brilliant at alterations – she has a huge amount of knowledge on vintage tailoring and runs her own menswear label of the same name. She is also very reasonably priced. Phone 07779361727.

What are your vintage shopping tips? Tell us in the comments below which shops or markets you frequent, and what’s your best ever find. Tag @khoollect in your pics.