I am a big fan of thrift stores. I love having a mooch through the rails to try and find that one…read moreoff or hidden treasure. Thrift is a new addition to the Birmingham scene and they have really excelled with this new shop. Oldschool decoration and vintage furniture sit alongside both branded and unbranded pieces of vintage from the 70s,80s and 90s. From the minute we walked in the people working were so friendly and happy to help, they explained that they have only been here a couple of weeks so if you are in the area go and have a look for yourself, get involved and possibly meet that one off special item you didn't even know you were looking for.

Reasonably priced mens & women's quality vintage clothing…read more Top Banana and many of the shops on York Road share the ethos of the old-fashioned shop keeper. The staff like to have a natter with the customers, offer them a hot drink if they're having a good mooch and often give discounts if you buy more than one item. There aren't many places to buy quality vintage clothing for men so Top Banana has an edge over most other shops. The focus is mainly American vintage from the 60s-70s and the majority of the stock reflects this, but they have everything from 40s to 90s - you just need to have a good rummage! Fans of converse and vans if you haven't heard of Top Banana where have you been?! They have LOADS and prices range from £15-£25. Prices are very reasonable but don't expect bargain basement prices like £1 etc.. this is quality merchandise which would set you back a pretty penny down south! Grab it while you can before someone else does! While you're here pop next door to Cherry Reds for some yummy food or two doors down to Polar Bear Records,

Vintage gold converse, weathered denim shirts and an abundance of classic pieces from yesteryear -…read moreTop Banana offers something that few clothing stores do these days - and that's authenticity. They have some really nice stuff, some of it I imagine would make you look like Tony Soprano, a 70s mobster or Dirk Diggler. Their range is enormous for a small shop - from vintage varsity, leather and demin jackets to knitwear, polos and an array of slick shirts. All of the items I have bought from Top Banana have a timeless quality about them that only get better with age. With Top Banana you're guaranteed to get some fine clothing for a fair price that even a young Jean-Paul Belmondo would give a nod of approval to.You will leave a (fashion) law unto yourself, swaggering like a don, whistling 'ain't no stopping us now' and ready to share your new-found slickness with the world. At least I did.

Revival is a great little vintage stall in Birmingham's alternative fashion store, The Oasis. They…read morehave a wide range of clothing for men and women spanning 50s - 80s eras with the odd exception. They stock Modj favourites such as Harringtons, button down shirts and desert boots but also have a great range of women's dresses for very reasonable prices; I picked up a lovely 50s print shift dress for a mere £10 the other day, which would have cost me double that anywhere else in Birmingham. I also found a Burberry trench for just £25 which might still be there if you're interested. There is a small changing area which is handy and the owner was pretty helpful when I enquired about a style of dress that I was after. I've visited the stall a few times now and he always tells me when his next delivery of dresses is due. All in all a great little stall where you might find a real gem if you look hard enough. If you have any enquiries you can contact Revival via wintcane@aol.com

I was quite surprised to see items that are familiar to me, a great place to dig for treasures…read more Burmi has a lot of selections when it comes to thrift shops and that's appreciate. Looking forward to visiting again someday.

I am always a big fan of places where the items on sale feel like a random collection of things…read morethat someone has collected over the years......If you are a fan of one offs and items with charm this little place in the Custard Factory is well worth a visit. You can pick up furniture and household items right through to clothes and accessories if you are not afraid to have a bit of a rummage. The things on sale here change all the time so it's not the kind of place I go looking for something specific. This is more a curiosity shop type vibe to browse through and discover what it is you went in there for along the way.

If I am after something new to wear for the weekend this is usually one of the shops I think about…read morefirst. Situated on Digbeth high street just a few minutes walk from the bullring, it's a great shout if vintage is your thing. The rails are full of both men's and women's clothes, some of which have been adapted in house to give them a different look or effect. You can find anything from a tie dye t shirt right through to a pair of old school Nike hi tops dotted around this large warehouse space. I do think Cow is slightly high on some of the prices, but the clothing is always in great condition and has been well selected. It cuts a lot of time out of a vintage shopping trip when you don't have to go through thousands of below average items to find what you are looking for....or didn't even know you were looking for!

Four years ago hailed the onset of my vintage pilgrimages, and Digbeth Cow became my Mecca…read more Previously only acquainted with the rare fruits of charity shops, the abundance of second-hand goodies took me to vintage Heaven. Never before had I seen so much paisley and so many shoulder pads! The best aspect, in my modest and honest opinion, is the building itself. It's like a warehouse, stripped down bare. It's raw. The clothing rails descend from a rather lofty ceiling on chains. If you are anything like me, you will forget this, and get quite a fright when the rail in front of you starts to swing...all part of the fun though, naturally. The overall effect is jolly impressive, to my simple mind. Once you've finished gazing at these suspended rails, you'll pick your jaw back up off the floor only to drop it again when you take in what it actually on the rails. Clothes. Reams and reams of beautiful, eccentric, retro, old-fashioned, elegant and quirky clothes. Once you've picked your jaw off the floor a second time, you will start to grin. And then, then you will rush excitedly to the nearest rail to begin your feverish rummaging through this magical offering of treats. Exaggerating? Hardly. I will offer some advice here. In order to appreciate Digbeth Cow to the extent it deserves, requires at least an hour of your precious time. Otherwise you will leave worrying that you've left behind some lovely shirt hanging undiscovered in the corner you never made it around to. Trust me. I now even have a method to prevent this from happening. I start in one corner and snake my way up and down the rails from one side of the shop to the other, stopping every so often to escort the growing pile of clothes on my arm to the fitting room. I don't leave anything to chance! Think beyond the dresses and jumpers you have come to expect in these establishments (though you will of course find them aplenty also), but think also of high-waisted trousers, cast-off denims, pointy shoes, leather handbags, collections of old-school prom dresses and treasure chests of belts and scarves and hats. Oh it makes me swoon. There is one problem I have with this store. I have never been able to leave empty handed. Never. Thus I have resolved to avoid it like the plague when the stability of bank account is threatened. Desperate times, desperate measures. They even accept cards now, so I can't even protect myself by not carrying cash... To this day Digbeth Cow remains my favourite of the 'chain' (there are also stores in Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham, and Cow 2 in Birmingham city centre) and my preferred place to shop for frills and frocks and all things made of cloth (and leather!)

I must admit that until I moved over West Bromwich way, I'd never heard of Betel. Having swung by…read morethis shop a few times, I was very interested to learn that it deals mostly in furniture restored by people taken in by the Betel charity and taught, among other things, how to restore furniture. The amount of stuff in the shop on West Bromwich High Street is staggering. There are tables, bookcases, chairs, stools, footrests, wardrobes, chests of drawers, the lot. The prices of a lot of the stuff are quite high - we're talking £150 for a restored bookcase. Generally this is because it's proper old-school hand-carved stuff and not horrific 1970s cast-offs which line their aisles. Most of it's not particularly my taste (or in my price range) but the quality is fantastic and probably far better than you'd find in a lot of antique shops.

What a fantastic little shop in the Great Western Arcade! I am afraid to say I've walked past this…read moreplace more than once and not popped in. In all fairness, I normally head through Great Western to get somewhere or of an evening (when things are closed), so I do have a whole bunch of valid excuses. This place is a vintage charity shops which supports two homeless charities (SIFA Fireside and Trident Reach the People). So not only are you recycling by buying here and reducing waste, you're also stylin' for a good cause. It's a win win for everyone! I popped in here to look for a dress for a weekend away. I was greeted by the lovely staff and soon we were all in a conversation about Vintage shopping and the bargains to be had at kilo sales. I asked them if I was ok to snap some pictures (because I couldn't resist) only to be assured I could snap away to my hearts content. There was a fantastic mix of crockery, hats, clothing and lots of odds and ends (vintage woollen tea cosies anyone?) about the shop at really great prices. As you can see from my pictures, I spotted a gorgeous typewriter, vintage bears and silver spoons. Why don't you take 5 minutes and pop in? I'm sure you could find a great item at a fantastic price and all in aid of a great cause!

Great little vintage shop hidden away in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham. This one's a little…read morebit out of the way and there are no other shops like this in the area so I don't find myself here too often, however there is a great selection of vintage on offer and I always end up leaving with something when I do make a visit. Everything is pretty reasonably priced and always in excellent condition. The staff seem to know what they have in stock are happy to find pieces that they think you will like. If vintage is your thing this is well worth a visit, it is not very well by vintage lovers in Brum and it really should be!

Cute little shop next to The Eight Foot Grocer on Caroline Street, just off St Pauls square. Mostly…read morethey sell shirts and tshirts, I would say mostly more for men than women, but they do have a large table at the back where they seem to do alterations, so I guess you can have it made to fit:) they also have some cool jewellery made from old buttons and beads and old vintage brick a brac-reminds me of home;)

I've sold and bought stuff at Encore. I have been pleasantly surprised by some of the items I've…read morefound. They sell primarily women's second hand, designer clothes that are in very good condition, however they also have a small men's section that I've snapped up a few pieces from - a Jaegar dress shirt, a few nice polos and some formal trousers. The shop presents itself as upmarket; it's sell products of high-end clothing stores or designers, but at a smaller price due to their second hand nature. Some of it is a bit dated, I imagine for the older man or woman, but nonetheless it has a nice range. You can bring unwanted clothing here and they will sell it providing it meets their standards (designer, good condition, in season etc) So, you can either find a fresh ensemble or make some money (or both!) with Encore.

I like places such as Encore and that is because they offer high end fashion but at prices which…read morewon't do your bank balance an indeterminable amount of damage. They specialise in nearly new designer wear at Encore and the idea behind it all is that the savings are then passed on to the paying public. I have to say that I was impressed by what I found, the selection is mainly women's clothes but men should keep their eyes peeled as there are some gems to be found in store. As well as being able to buy high end fashion they also offer the option to sell your own designer wears, however be sure to note that they are specific in terms of what they take. Don't attempt to bring in a Prada shirt you found in a charity shop ten years ago as they require in season clothing.