by Alice Lambert
While sustainable fashion is always a top priority, September is the month to celebrate all things secondhand.
Originally launching in 2019, ‘Secondhand September’ is a campaign initiated by the charity organisation Oxfam, asking consumers to try and only purchase pre-loved goods for 30 days. The purpose? To encourage shoppers to think more carefully about the consequences of fast fashion, whilst also finding innovative ways to liven-up your wardrobe away from high street style.
Secondhand shopping is not a new phenomenon, having originated with charity shops and resale traders, but its popularity has seesawed through the centuries as the concept of shopping pre-loved has gone in and out of fashion. In fact, selling secondhand clothing has been a concept for centuries and become a major industry way back in the early 1800s.
However, more recently there has been a rise in the conscious shopper movement as we look to purchase with our planet in mind. The boom of online platforms such as eBay, Vinted, and Depop have further helped increase accessibility to pre-owned clothing and have encouraged secondhand styling to gain popularity in preference to following the latest unethical trends.
When it comes to the fashion, vintage styling is more popular than ever. The streets of London are full of individuality, inspired by pre-loved style and fuelled by the abundance of secondhand spots.
So, where are the best places to get the London look?
It’s a big city, so to narrow down our vintage-loving focus we’re limiting the location of our picks. Home to must-visit areas like Dalston, Hackney, and Brick Lane, East London has a rich fashion history and is a recognised key reason for London's title as a world fashion capital.
Paper Dress Vintage
Based in Hackney, Paper Dress Vintage offers a range of picks from the 1920s through to the ‘80s.
Think vintage style bathing suits, Americana denim jackets, and ‘70s inspired florals; the list is endless. Their Instagram also highlights their online shop where you can browse their selection without having to be there in person.
But, it is much more than just a pre-loved fashion haven. The space also hosts live events on most evenings, from club nights to live music, so its definitely a spot that’s worth visiting at night too.
Instagram: @paperdressvintage
Address: 352a Mare St, E8 1HR
Beyond Retro
Beyond Retro’s roots began in East London, with the first store opening in 2002 near Brick Lane. Although the original store is now closed, London now boasts three shops throughout the city; Soho, Coal Drops Yard, and Dalston.
Their Dalston store is brimmed full of pre-loved goods that, although might take a bit of digging through, offer so many great finds. Look out particularly for their fantastic selection of jackets.
They also offer regular pop-ups, events, and now have homes in multiple cities across the UK, including Bristol and Brighton, allowing it to be a national hub for the fashion community. With reasonable prices and seasonal sales, its accessible quality too, making it a destination for fashion inspiration for the local community.
Instagram: @beyondretro
Address: 92-100 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 7XB
ATIKA London
If you’re looking for somewhere to get lost for the day, ATIKA is your best bet! The huge supeestore is set over a two storey Victorian warehouse and their collection of pre-loved items seemingly goes on forever.
Their owners have been collecting vintage stock for over four decades so their large collection boasts many designer and one-off items.
ATIKA also has a great selection of books, prints, and even stocks handmade boob plant pots, courtesy of @theboobpotcompany.
While the prices are on the higher side, the shop does offer fairly regular sales and discounts. Currently, ATIKA is offering a ‘Buy 3, Get Another Free’ deal so head there soon.
Instagram: @atikalondon
Address: 55-59 Hanbury St, E1 5JP
Shop from Crisis
Crisis is a national charity that supports people experiencing homelessness. With many ‘Shop from Crisis’ locations, East London is home to four shops in Hackney, Dalston, Walthamstow, and Brick Lane.
Each offer a great range of quality items, from basic pieces to high-end finds. All stores offer an organised and relaxed layout, supported by friendly staff and feel free to donate your own items as well as purchasing new ones.
With large numbers of the country experiencing homelessness (Shelter shared that at least 309,000 people were homeless in 2023), you can also assure that your money goes towards supporting a brilliant cause. In London alone, Chain counted that between January and March 2024 over 4,118 people were found sleeping rough - a 33% increase from the previous year.
Instagram: @crisis_uk
Walthamstow:
@shopfromcrisiswalthamstow
201 High St, E17 7BH
Hackney:
@shopfromcrisishackney
330 Mare St, E8 1HA
Dalston:
@shopfromcrisisdalston
74 Kingsland High St, E8 2NS
Brick Lane:
@shopfromcrisisbricklane
78 Quaker St, E1 6SW
Spitalfields Crypt Trust
If you’re looking for style and substance with second-hand shopping that supports charity, why not head somewhere focused on supporting East London specifically.
Spitalfields Crypt Trust operates in Hackney, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest, supporting people in recovery from homelessness, addiction,
and other complex needs. They have shops all over the area, from Hoxton to Bow, and with hyper organised collections and quality items it’s a great option for finding pre-loved pieces throughout the city.
Instagram: @spitalfieldscrypttrust
Hackney address: 324 Mare St, E8 1HA
Bow address: 589,591 Roman Rd, Bow, E3 2RW
Bethnal Green address: 385 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 0AN
Hoxton address: 140 Hoxton St, N1 6SH
Gold Dust Vintage
If bold and colourful patters are what you’re on the hunt for, look no further than Gold Dust Vintage. With most of their stock coming straight from the ‘80s, their carefully curated selection can help add vibrancy that’ll liven up your wardrobe. With size inclusive stock as well as a sourcing service (meaning they can help you find something in particular), there really should be something for everyone in this Hackney store.
While their East London store is by appointment only, they provide a whole range of ways to shop secondhand. This includes items listed online via gold-dust-vintage.com and curated weekly edits which are posted to Instagram every Wednesday at 7pm (which you can nab via DM or leaving a comment).
Instagram: @gold.dust.vintage
Address: 343-344 Beck Rd, E8 4RE
Brick Lane Vintage Market
Here, you’ll be spoilt for choice. As the UK’s biggest vintage market, with over 40 independent traders, make sure you give yourself a LOT of time to wade through the sea of vintage goods.
Open 7 days a week, the market offer everything from retro jumpers to quirky shirts to handmade jewellery to Burberry jackets; there really is something for everyone. For us, a highlight is the many cowboy boots throughout, so head there to grab 2024’s comeback shoe.
It’s so huge we would recommend checking out their Instagram before visiting for more detail on all the individual traders so you can plan your way through. Although not the cheapest option in the East London vintage shopping scene, look out for student discounts at some stores or the hilarious ‘Dance for a Discount’ at the Lemon Belly shop.
Instagram: @bricklanevintagemarket
Address: 85 Brick Ln, E1 6QL
Traids
Traid’s mission is to change the fashion industry for good, so it felt very applicable to focus on their shops during ‘Second Hand September.’
Like many vintage stores, their stock comprises of carefully selected pre-worn clothing, but the donations to their organisation also help to fund global projects that advocate a fairer fashion industry such as support for organic cotton farmer and garment workers.
With shops in Walthamstow and Dalston, head here for a great selection of vintage items. Although sometimes priced higher than the average shop, it does offer lots of regular sales opportunities.
Instagram: @traids
Walthamstow address: 106, 106a High St, E17 7JY
Dalston address: 106-108 Kingsland High St, E8 2NS
While we’ve just about scratched the surface on what East London offers in terms of vintage stores, pre-loved clothing, and charity shops, this list is a great go-to for those new to the area and is a perfect starting point to achieve your slow fashion style. With ‘Second Hand September’ coming to a close, let’s hope that the love for pre-worn clothing never fades.
Edited by Emily Duff