This place is the Holy Grail of vintage as far as I'm concerned. I ALWAYS find something I want…read morewhen I come here! The owners Sparkle & Cad are very friendly and knowledgeable, and are always happy to help if you're looking for something special. Everything they sell is hand picked, so you know there aren't going to be rails of dubious looking stock like you find in so many vintage shops nowadays. If you're looking for authentic clothing and accessories then it doesn't get better than this: everything in here is a gem! Happily there's also something for every budget, as they have a discounted section upstairs. The main floor is pricier - but worth it.

The best vintage shop in London indeed. It is a treasure box in the middle of London-I could move…read morein there! Hats, shoes, dresses, amazing pieces from 1920's-1970's, especially their 1940's/1950's collections... late 1930's Garbo hat from Ninotchka, Marilyn dress, the most amazing 1950's earrings and gloves (and I've been collecting these for some years now and they have wonderful choice) all in perfect condition and one off's! I seriously wish that shop was my cupboard... Sparkle and Cad, the owners of the place are uber friendly and all you have to do is ask and they will tell you all about the designers, eras of the items...you'll really feel million dollars to wear a dress which was worn by a Hollywood starlet of a very famous movie sometime in 1956!!! Marilyn dress is pricey but a wonderful find for a collector.. there is something for everyone and you can certainly find a bargain (especially in Hell to Pay upstairs) too (also get your self on their mailing list and see when they have a sale or special deals!)..and another thing you'll never know who you might see in there (Kate Moss,Whoopee Goldberg,Immodesty Blaize,Duffy,Paloma Faith,Eva Green, Sharleen Spiteri, to name just a few!!). I am overexcited about The Girl Can't Help it, love it! MUST visit!!!!

The Dispensary. It all sounds a bit clinical doesn't it? Are they taking the retail therapy idea…read moreand running a marathon with it? Is this claiming to be some sort of fashion pharmacy handing out cures for cash? Who knows. I don't. I could really afford much that was on offer here. I went in because I was taken by the Portobello Pirates hoodies for kids, I have a five year I have to buy presents for (it's not mine) and they seemed interesting enough to warrant the stop. Anyway, they were too expensive. They also do women's and men's stuff by designers like Oliver Spencer, Without Prejudice, Penguin and their own label. I wasn't hugely excited by anything to be honest, I found it a little bit uninspiring and nothing about the shop itself cries out for love. Good perhaps if you are a particular fan of one of their stocked brands but less useful for the casual browser. Check their site.

Your review about 'The Dispensary' is absolutely correct. They routinely stock an eclectic and…read moreinspiring collection. It's been a while since I last purchased anything from the boutique but I have bought many items in the past. My most memorable purchase is a pair of slim fit, dark blue suede loafers. They are absolutely great, perfect for dressing up or down in. They have lots of character, which is attributed to its shape, and clear conspicuous stitching. On one occasion I wore them to a friend's garden party and received many compliments on the evening. I love shoes (and bags). And I'm also keen on fresh brands. Brands that are not necessarily as popular like Prada, Gucci or YSL but share the same fundamentals to how premium shoes are designed and made. I recently purchased a pair of red snakeskin, peep toe, 4 inch heels from peregun.com and the shoes, I must say, are off the hook! It's been one of my treats this summer. For those of you who think 'The Dispensary' is a new brand (or outfit), it isn't. The boutique has been around for a very long while now (c1994) and if my memory serves me well, they also stock causal menswear. 'The Dispensary' is one to add to your boutique list, and particularly one to visit.

I went here during my weekly voyage to the Portobello market this weekend. From the outside it…read moreseems to be a real treat; photos of past customers Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Victoria Beckham etc cover the windows, and there is a doorbell system on the door which means you cant just stroll in from the street. After a five minute wait outside in the freezing cold we were eventually let in to what is essentially a small room with women's apparel and another tiny room behind it with menswear. The clothes are amazing quality and not just reams of eighties gear like you find in the market, there are some lovely 1940s and '50s pieces here. It is so expensive though, the bag and dress that I liked were each £150 so i swiftly made me way to the door. Its expensive but if you needed something really special this is a good place to go.

One of A Kind is my favourite vintage store on Portobello Road. And Notting Hill. Actually, it's…read moreone of my favourite vintage stores in town. Sure, the doorbell system is a bit wanky, but with clothes like this, it's easy to see why they need to monitor who comes in and out. The shop is tiny - but they have packed it with more stuff than you could believe could fit in such a small space. It's got an absolutely superb range of vintage things - from 1920s sequinned flapper dresses to some phenomenal 80s snakeskin boots. Sure, it's pretty expensive but some places have to be, right? Last time I was here, Kate Moss was also browsing. Only difference was she could afford to buy things, whereas I could not!

What a great find! I found this store while wandering the streets of Portobello, away from the…read morecrowd. This store is located at the end of the street. They have some great vintage coats, purses, luggage bags, and BOOTS BOOTS BOOTS!!! I say BOOTS BOOTS BOOTS because I've never considered buying a pair until I came to this store. When I saw the mass amount of vintage boots this store had, my mouth dropped! It was amazing. I kept thinking, "Now I'm really going to look like a Londonian (do they even use the term Londonian?)" I was happy with my vintage boot purchase. I loved it and it was way more comfortable then most of the shoes I had. The people there were really nice and they helped me pick out the best one. They were very welcoming which made my visit even better. I asked if I could take a picture of the place and told them I'm a Yelper. They didn't know what a Yelper was until I explained to them my job description. HAHA! Keep in mind this YELP was still being established in the UK when I visit back in Feb 2009.

I walk downstairs in 282 Portobello Rd, "The Antique Clothing Shop". I browse a while, and come…read moreback up. Snobbish shop lady (I think it was owner Claudia Vispi): "Downstairs is out of bounds, (mutters) f*cking hell" Me: "I didn't realise it was out of bounds, sorry. But no need to swear." Lady: "Well, you freaked me out!" Me: "I didn't do it on purpose. The stairs weren't cordoned off so that wasn't clear to me, at all." Lady: "Well, it's clear to me" Well, glad that's cleared up then (!) Obviously, that's meaningful to the customer who comes into the store with ZERO information about your store layout. Oh, and note to self: "freaking out" a lady in a shop is legitimate grounds to be sworn at. Shame really, because the shop is nice.

This used to be a store that I would avoid at any cost. Not because it's cheap with cheap quality…read moregoods, but father it was a mess, and the queue was always so long. If I saw something I wanted to buy, I would pick it, look at the queue, put it back down and walk out. If I really wanted something, I would come back at a later date, but make sure that I arrived and got served before the hoard of shoppers arrived. I have to say, since the opening of the two huge Primark stores on Oxford Street, things in this particular branch have inproved enormously. The display no longer a thrift shop appearance of jumbles clothes. Also the queues are not as bad as they used be. I think the die hard Primark shoppers would rather make the trek to Oxford Street, where the chioce of goods is that much greater. For any American visitors coming to London wondering what kind of store Primark is, think an even cheaper version of Old Navy for clothes and Walmart of bedding and household accessories. The reason this store only gets three stars is due to the size of the store means that the selection is limited and does not cover the full range of Primark goods.

I came here probably much like everyone else, hoping they could find some PRIMARK goodies without…read moremaking a trip to the 24-7 INSANE Oxford Circus location. But, after my visit to the Kilburn location I learned that each store is very (VERY) different than the next. Crap is EVERYWHERE. I seriously didn't even see anyone working there picking things up. I know Oxford Circus is the huge, flagship store, but they always have about 50 workers scrambling around the tourists trying to fix up the shop in order. Any retail business should care as least a little bit if their merchandise is all on the floor. It shouldn't matter if it's only 1 quid either. Not only is this location a complete and utter disaster, but the merchandise isn't even any good. Yes, the store is smaller, but I found what is in store not to be really any worth buying. Suck it up, wake up at 9 and go to the Oxford Circus location. TRUST ME.

Lovely clothes and 1st class friendly and helpful service…read more For those with good taste and a love for the finer things in life this is a lovely boutique. They are the top end of the market and seem to have good refined, fashionable and classy taste. They have a nice little section downstairs for toys aimed at young children and babies. It is not cheap and quite small so it is a lovely convenience for locals rather being designed to pull people in from far and wide. A lovely store with lovely service and clothes, with a very convenient and tasteful toy section for babies and young children.

A great selection of women's and childrens clothes and accessories. Fabulous service and styling…read moreadvice. A small business worth supporting instead of high st chains. Has lovely gifts too.

We had the best time shopping here, great selection, the staff was extremely helpful and we left…read morewith tons of great items.

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.

Notting Hill and its aura of manicured money and square buildings maintained to cream perfection…read more There are so many boutiques servicing this area and for the most part are very very glittery ... -Then there is the boutique " Couverture". This beautiful boutique with its several floors feels like a mix of homely style with good quality, vintage detailing and a dash of quirkiness. All the products feel handpicked and handmade. Products range from children's wear to home pieces. Wooden floors, wooden hangars and wooden vintage furniture mixed with new collections all create a general look - as if from a different era. They also carry lots of labels - Sigerson Morrison "belle" shoes - which I am a big fan of and downstairs is the men's shop called "The Garbstore" with more designer lines. A total united vision - everything looks as if it should be there -and somehow relates - not easy with so many products but done in such a more-ish way

I only came across this shop last week, already I think I am a bit obsessed. A mix of men's,…read morewomen's and children's clothing, shoes and accessories, concept products, toys and furnishings. The pieces featured and the designers are less well known, making them more unique and slightly different to anything else on the market. I love the large, spacious yet homely layout of the shop. However, the prices are Kensington prices, the only cheap thing I found in the shop was a £6 child's ring but when the identical ring is being sold for 50p in my local sweet shop it is not really that cheap at all.

This boutique definitely aces the transition from to trendy to trendy enough to make a fashion…read morestatement. I love the way the use trends that could be too edgy and make them so wearable. Also the prices are not bad at all, especially on the items of their own line, when you realize that they are located in the heart of pricy Notting Hill. Also they carry this cool Japanese line of shoes called Misaki, they are so cool. Check their website because they sometimes have special offers and sales posted.

Nancy Pop puts the fun back into fashion which is a refreshing change from many of London's snooty…read moreboutiques. The staff are always very friendly but not imposing allowing me to browse in peace. Set over two floors, Nancy Pop has a great selection of European designers including Danish designer Lizette Snorgaard, Joanna Luuch and Swedish jeans label Dr Denim. If you love your jeans then you'll adore Dr Denim for the great fit and selction of colours. Unlike many nearby shops, Nancy Pop's sale is a proper 50% off sale. so if you didn't spend all your money buying Christmas presents get down there soon.