I was looking forward to rummaging through Oxfam in Richmond on account of the theory that Richmond…read moreresidents must be donating some grade A clothes - plenty of them make enough money to have designer wardrobes, so I surmised that a least a percentage would end up in the charity shops. Alas, the young Richmond residents don't seem to be donating much to there local charity. While there were quite a few rails of clothes, they were mainly in the 50+ age bracket. Well done middle aged Richmond! Shame on the youngsters! What I was impressed with though, was the amount of books that were on offer. So many that they were categorised; Literature, Biography, History and Mind Body and Spirit. This gives you a sense of the reading materials of Richmond. The Mind Body Spirit section was big! I was also surprised to see sweets and chocolates. You don't get this at my local. There was a lot of Fair Trade chocolates, and the Divine chocolate range, which I often see in Selfridges for three times the price. There was also a bit of the Burnt Sugar range sold here, this is the organic fudge made in different flavours. I know where all my family are going to get their Christmas chocs this year!

this is a great oxfam , always worth a look as stock good quality clothes including max mara and…read moreralph lauren plus excellent home pieces at very good prices

Pretty Choicy. Part of the ever-brilliant Buy-Sell-Trade lot in Notting Hill, this is their…read morevintage and second hand clothing emporium. I rate it. Because, they actually choose and promote their best stock. So whereas with other vintage or retro shops, this only stocks really nice items. Which means it's pricey, but I think worth it. This shops sells mens' stuff, womens' stuff and jewellery. And I actually just like coming in to browse. Think I've only ever bought anything in here, and that was a fit pair of lambretta leather shoes. But whatever, they sell choice old gear... highly rated

In spite of the large size of the shop, nothing much really stood out the few times I've browsed…read morethe racks. Yes, it's fairly neatly laid out with clothes vaguely organised by colour, but the range isn't really great. Fair enough, it advertises itself as a retro store more than a vintage one, but, still, with clothing primarily from Karen Millen and Almost Famous, I'd still think this place is misrepresenting itself. If you're looking for proper, fairly decent quality retro/second-hand/possibly vintage, you should take a short walk to Pembridge Road where a much better selection of shops can be found.

Now, I have to confess that I don't usually shop in second-hand clothes shops. Why is it that you…read morealways feel like you have to 'sneak' into one - just in case you are perceived as not being able to afford to buy new, or is that just me...... ?? However, I will make an exception for The Second Look shop in Sheen. The shop sells lovely designer clothes, shoes, handbags and all manner of interesting accessories, and all at very reasonable prices considering they are designer brands. Their merchandise is in good condition, and the shop is laid out in such a way that makes it all very easy to look around (no sharp elbows needed here ladies!) The staff are helpful and don't pounce on you when you enter, so you feel comfortable just browsing around and not pressured to buy anything. With this relaxed atmosphere you don't feel that you have to wait for the next person to come into the shop before you take your leave without purchasing. The shop has also recently benefited from a refurbishment on the outside, so it now looks contemporary and not at all 'second-hand!!! Well worth a visit for a quality designer bargain.

Such lovely finds and very helpful and friendly staff. We passed this while heading to our hotel…read moreand I'm so glad we stopped in. My daughter found a vintage dress that has plenty of wear left in it. I purchased an inexpensive ring (costume jewelry) that I get compliments on whenever I wear it. Please don't hesitate to stop in and have a look around. It's tiny but packed with nice things.

If this weren't a charity shop in a good cause I would keep it to myself (even though I live in the…read moreUS and don't get to visit that often). Forget about the overpriced vintage shops en route to and on Portobello Road (unless you're a label hound with a mission). Walk the opposite way from the tube station, and just before you get to Clanricarde Gardens you will find this place. My only regret is that I had to toss the little block of incense in the exquisite enamelled Moroccan covered jar that I got for 3 pounds, because the US customs people might have thought it was something else. (And maybe it was.) That, and having bought about five pounds (weight, not price) of books I hadn't even seen yet in the US (Rendell, Walters and McEwan), which distended and weighted down my minimalist luggage. I brought a 20-something friend by there later and she found a couple of flashy yet tasteful 80s evening purses and hair ornaments that enabled her to compose her sister's birthday present in five minutes for under 10 pounds. On top of which it's next door to a friendly internet cafe that also does phone calls. Nice staff too.

Great shop with great staff. Recently renovated and doubled in size, they always have a good range…read moreof donated clothes and bricabrac (though always appreciate new donations too!). Nice personal touches such as providing water for dogs on hot days, dressing the window imaginatively and keeping everyone informed with neighbourhood news.

From the owner: FARA Charity Shops sell a wide range of well selected, high quality and good value items in our…read moreshops across London - all generously donated by FARA supporters. Filled with designer/high street men's and women's clothing and accessories, books, media, bric-a-brac, and small furniture, our shops and friendly shop teams raise funds for FARA's vitally needed programmes helping some of Romania's most vulnerable children and young people. Donations always welcome. Open seven days a week.

I stopped into this little shop while I was strolling around Hammersmith, not expecting much. The…read morecool music playing in the background created a funky browsing atmosphere. The bags near the door begged to be tried on my shoulder. While I awkwardly attempted to see myself in a small and awkwardly placed mirror, one of the girls behind the counter graciously pointed me toward the dressing-room mirrors. (+3 points for conscientious and helpful service.) I browsed around the clothing selection and found the more vintage stuff at the back (with some truly enviable pieces for sale at pretty reasonable prices perhaps due to the shop's location outside of London proper). The middle of the store contained some more contemporary, though by no means mundane, stuff. Everything was well priced. I was quite impressed with this charity shop, as it seemed filled with more funky and vintage items than it did with patterned jumpers from the wardrobes of those with questionable fashion sense. I was moved to buy a cool faux snake-skin bag. About a month later I thought I was being mugged on High Holborn. It turns out the strap on the bag just broke. That's probably not Traid's fault. (P.S. As of the submission of this review, the Yelp information states the store is in Covent Garden, but it is in Hammersmith, as evidenced by the the obvious W6 postcode.)

Brutally honest review…read more Pros: The only positive was my colleagues and meeting other drivers on the road. They made the job bearable. Cons: Everything else. Hours were removed without notice, you work like a donkey for peanuts, and my van was overloaded by 500kg. Management is slow, rude and lazy. The job is dangerous with long, tedious hours. It is the worst company I have worked for. Staff turnover is extremely high and drivers are having accidents daily. There is a culture of one rule for some and another rule for others, and the warehouse / site facilities are poor. I was not paid for weeks/months of overtime. They owed me 5 weeks of holiday pay and only paid me £365 in total, which works out at £73 per week.

Old Hat is *the* place for vintage menswear / vintage men's suits. It's a great shop. My boyfriend…read morewas always moaning that East London and other vintage shops just don't have really high class, proper matching suits for *all* sizes (he's quite slim and not a big tall buff guy, if you know what I mean but not a whippet either), he always finds it hard to get fitted suits that are vintage. This place is now his mecca. The attire is proper gentlemen's clothes / suits and something a little more special than some of the trash in East London or the cheap nonsense in Central London. If you are a man and a fan of vintage clothes, this should be your first stop - these guys pride themselves on specialising on vintage suits and they really are the best I've found.

Does what it says on the tin…read more This Aladdin's cave of an emporium, just North of Putney Bridge is a great place to get second hand clothes. Especially good if you want to get things like Morning Suits or DJs. There is a lot of stock, so you may have to search for what you need. Go and have a browse around if you have a spare minute or two. They also do alterations. I still have the wedding outfit I got from there, and it has paid itself back many times now. This is the second hand part of David Saxby (http://www.qype.co.uk/place/preview/uk-2231579-david-saxby-fulham-london) a couple of doors away

A real blast from the past this one, Located on Chiswick High Road near the High Road Brasserie,…read moreyou will find a small and unimpressive entrance to this weird and wonderful collection on nostalgia, antiques, American, art deco and retro furniture and other household items. It is a labyrinth of corridors, stairways, rooms and mini shops offering an amazing collection of everything old and antique that you may want to buy for your castle. Go there just for the spectacle, it is a truly amazing experience to walk among all of this clutter and stuff (I wanted to say junk) but I am sure they have some really expensive pieces. 1950's and 60's table lamps, fashion, table, chairs and chest of drawers are everywhere, as are the chandeliers - you don't go here to buy something, you go here to find something.

This has got to be one of the more interesting shops on Chiswick High Street. The Old Cinema is…read moreLondon's only department store selling antiques, vintage and retro furniture, décor, lights and gifts. It's a great place to come if you're looking for something to complement the IKEA or whatever brand forms the majority of your household furnishings. I didn't go with anything particular in mind but then I think that's probably the best frame of mind to be in when it comes to this sort of shopping. This way you allow yourself the true novelty of emotion when you realize you've found the stuffed owl you never knew you wanted. I quite liked the look of a few of 1950's American diner style kitchen stuff, cocktail shakers and drinks trolleys, that sort of thing but on this occasion I left as I came in. It's all about taste somewhere like this, it's eclectic and nothing will appeal to everyone but pop in, have a look around, something probably will.

As a bona fide vintage fan and sometime purveyor, I'm almost ashamed to have only discovered the…read morelegendary London Vintage Fashion Fair earlier this year. Taking place every 4 - 5 weeks at the great Modernist Hammersmith Town Hall, The Vintage Fashion Fair is where celebrities, stylists and many of London's overpriced vintage boutiques go to get their vintage wares. For a first timer the fair can be a little overwhelming, with dozens of knowledgeable sellers offering vintage fashion, accessories and textiles dating from Victorian times to the eighties and early nineties. Prices, predictably, are not cheap, but then this is high-end vintage. An original full length seventies Janice Wainwright dress will set you back around £100, a vintage Yves Saint Laurent jacket around £250 and original costume jewellery by the likes of Kenneth Jay Lane and Givenchy starts at around £50. My only criticism is the changing room situation. Although my reticence about stripping in front of dozens of other shoppers has decreased a little over years of buying at sample sales, the incongruity of trying on sixties Parisian couture in a town hall's toilets was not lost on me. Nevertheless, this hallowed fair is definitely worth a visit. Even if only for a browse because its friendly, charming sellers and magical atmosphere make this much more than a vintage shopping trip, The Vintage Fashion Fair is an experience.

This is a great place to go if you want vintage fashion away from Brick Lane, as the fair is quite…read moreestablished and usually has some great finds if you know where to look. It's not the cheapest place to buy vintage, but it is usually of a high standard, so you end up saving time by not having to trawl through so many piles of junk. Some of the sellers really know what they're talking about and have beautiful clothes. The reason I haven't given this five stars is that because due to the fact that it's indoors, it can feel a little crowded and chaotic, but as far as vintage fairs go it's comparativeley well organised, and the crowds are inevitable.