Beyond a charity shop.

Most people start to freak out at the thought of shopping at a charity shop. I know I used to. I thought charity shops were old, smelly and boring. But there is a whole other type of charity shop called vintage shops. I know you’ve heard that word ‘vintage’ a lot! Most celebrities throw that word around like it’s the only word in their dictionary.

Vintage shops are very particular about the type of clothes they accept. S, some insist the clothes are in good condition or that they are branded. The clothes you find in these shops are best described as ‘classic pieces’. That means they are not made to fit into trends and have been around for a while and are of good quality.

During a lunch break at work, I hopped down to the Beyond Retro store. It humorously describes itself as ‘selling dead people’s clothes to meet the satirical challenges of east London’s beautiful people’.

It was stacked with shoes, clothes, bags and lots of familiar brands from Ralph Lauren to Hermes, without the bank breaking price tag. I was really impressed with the quality and different styles to shoes from. You do have to spend a bit of time looking for the perfect piece but it pays off when you do! I found a blazer that I have already worn to work and out a few times.

Vintage stores are a great way of keeping up staying close to fashion without becoming a part of the demand that makes workers work harder for less. Have you visited any vintage stores? Let us know!

Image Credit- themostinept on Flickr at Creative Commons