Second-hand in London?

[bartil]

Godday! I'm going to London in the summer, and wondering if you know some good second-hand stores there? I'm particularly looking for leather duffel-bags and classic/vintage Burberry trenchcoats.

I also wonder if you know appr. which size I should go for if I find a classic Burberry trenchcoat on Ebay. I have a Charles Thyrwitt raincoat in size 38 which I bought in USA, but I think it's a bit too small in chest. Therefor I think a US-size 40 would fit me, and what's that in UK-size do you think? I also heard that the classic Burberry trenchcoats are quite large generally in sizes, so that makes it even more difficult, hmm...

 

[ysc]

Good quality stuff second hand seems to be less common here (in the UK) than in other countries, at least based on what people here claim to have found in thrift stores etc. I only seem to find crap and oddly shaped tweed jackets. Second hand stuff seems to split into stuff from charity shops targeted at hobos and vintage shops targeted at art students/scensters etc. However I believe that several of the big charity shop groups (oxfam etc.) have a shop or two dedicated to higher end stuff, so it might worth looking at their websites/calling them up to find out where these shops are, or just finding charity shops in wealthy areas where more good stuff is liable to be dumped. The most famous of the vintage clothing shops is beyond retro http://www.beyondretro.com/ it might also be worth your while checking some of the markets, Camden Market http://www.camdenlock.net/ for instance is meant to have vintage clothing, you might even find some, all I have ever found is military surplus and crumby old leather jackets. http://www.timeout.com/london/shoppi...ft_stores.html is worth reading

 

[Ich_Dien]

There is no such thing as cheap second hand in the UK anymore. You pay a premium because all of a sudden the item is no longer used, it is vintage. I have real trouble finding anything at all decent in any of the charity shops in London, and I check regularly all of them in central London. Don't bother with the Oxfam shops selling "higher end" stuff, they'll see you coming a mile off and charge you £60 for a second hand suit. This is likewise when you start trying out the charity shops in the more affluent districts, shirts at £17 &c. All in all, the second hand clothing thing here isn't too great. Camden is a waste of time unless you're some kind of strange goth, and again, any of the retro shops sell hideously proportioned 70's monstrosities that any man worth his sartorial salt would eschew. The only decent store I have found is Old Hat near Putney Bridge. They sell quite a few vintage Savile Row suits, I was flirting with a 40's bespoke Norton & Sons evening suit in there the last time I went, but the trousers would have been hell to alter. If you are a size 38-40, don't go with very high expectations at all, their selection is very devoid, unless you are a 42+ then you'll have a whale of a time. J

 

[Holdfast]

Originally Posted by jimmyoneill

There is no such thing as cheap second hand in the UK anymore. You pay a premium because all of a sudden the item is no longer used, it is vintage.

I have real trouble finding anything at all decent in any of the charity shops in London...

I saw an item on the news the other day saying that charity shops were doing roaring business because of the recession, but they now had the problem of running very low on stock because fewer people are donating and more people making do with what they have.

 

[doctorfeelyg]

You might have some luck at Greenwich Market (I think Saturday mornings are busy), I have seen a few old burberry trenches and random bags, hats, shoes etc there in the past (mostly rubbish and over priced but the occasional gem to be had). Can't guarantee it's on over winter though.

 

[barims]

It's a pretty sad state of affairs indeed. I did the run of the Pimlico "vintage" and charity shops in November and all I came away with was a paisley cravat, although I'm getting a lot of use out of it at least

 

[LS7]

I can only echo the descriptions from my fellow forum members. It's very rare to find anything resembling a "wearable" item in any of the shops I've visited in London. A solitary visit to the Salvation Army shop on Princes Street is the only occasion when I've ever found something interesting. That was only a Canali shirt, very nice though it is (basically new given its condition).

 

[VKK3450]

Pointless. Most of the 'vintage' stores charge more than new prices, and as others mentioned, the charity stores are filled with... crap.

K

 

[manfield]

Hornets, High Street Kensington

 

[Edward Appleby]

Isn't there that place in Chelsea that sells vintage clothing from a more Men's Clothing than SW&D angle? I think it's quite pricey but the stuff is supposed to be good. I heard about it on SF a while ago but I've never gotten around to going.

 

[Ich_Dien]

Originally Posted by Edward Appleby

Isn't there that place in Chelsea that sells vintage clothing from a more Men's Clothing than SW&D angle? I think it's quite pricey but the stuff is supposed to be good. I heard about it on SF a while ago but I've never gotten around to going.

Old Hat, Putney Bridge.

 

[jkw]

Hornets is pretty good.

I wasn't aware there were so many londoners here!