Charity Shop Crawlin' in London
If you watch my videos on Social Media, you'll know that I've recently added a special Charity Shop crawl to my list of services due to my love of second hand fashion and my attempt to be more sustainable. Like the title, a charity shop crawl is similar to a bar crawl. I pick a line on the London underground and (try) and go to a charity shop at each stop. Sound like fun? It really is.
It's not new news that I love charity shops, my mum used to take me in them when i was young, however I didn't appreciate them back then and used to stand outside, but it was as i got older and moved to Manchester that my love started. I used to scour the Norther Quarter looking for old Levis and then finally found a pair in a charity shop and that was it! I can honestly say some of my most worn items are pieces I have picked up in a charity or vintage shop - cue my MaxMara trench coat i got in a charity shop in London last year and wear regularly. I always enjoy wearing pre-owned items as I'm curious about the history behind the item is, who wore it before me? and just its story in general - I also love that i'm being more sustainable too as this means a lot to me.
I know a lot of people love charity shopping as much as i do but struggle to style the pieces they pick up, or just don't know where the best shops around are which is why my charity shop crawl is right up your alley. On a recent trip with new client Julie, we stopped by the following places and picked up some real gems!
So which Charity shops did Julie and I check out?
Barnardo's Brixton
We went here first as I already do a lot of work with Barnardo's and love their Brixton store so much. Here, Julie picked up a vintage Aquascutum coat for £50, a gorgeous dress from F+F and a blouse from River Island, overall spending under £60.
Traid Brixton
Next up, we went to Traid Brixton which is like an Aladdin's cave as soon as you walk in and honestly, you will love it. They have signage all around educating you on Landmines and where the money goes. Julie picked up some lovely bits of statement jewellery.
Sue Ryder Camden
We then took to Camden and headed to Sue Ryder which is one of my favourites. I picked up some great faux leather jeans (which were brand new) for Julie and she looked great!
Traid Camden
We went to Traid again! Actually love this place. Julie picked up a lovely leopard print scarf and i got a bag! It's really great for accessories but the sizes in the clothing is quite small just FYI.
AGE UK Kentish Town
We popped into Age UK and had a look around, we tried a few bits on nothing we fancied! Nice jewellery here.
OXFAM Kentish Town
This is great for books, DVDs and other bits and bobs, the fashion is a little bit scarce here, but still worth a look!
Octavia Foundation Kentish Town
Last but not least, we headed to one of my favourite charity shops in London, Blustons. In a listed building, it has been around for years and is a bit of a stalwart on the high street. It's merchandised really well and everything is where it should be - it's like a wonderland! We picked up Julie some fab leopard print boots!
Overall, we had a great day and Julie got a number of great pieces which I styled! Head over to my Instagram and keep your eyes peeled for my styling vids and other great charity shop finds!
