Ah, isn’t the city of London just fantastic? With so many opportunities for a spending spree, it’s very easy to shop til’ you drop in the big city!

When you’re living and studying in London, you don’t need to worry about being too far away from the best vintage shops, because there are absolutely loads here.

Whether you need a cute vintage dress for a special event, or you’re after some edgy t-shirts to pair with your jeans, you’ll find it all in this buzzing city.

Vintage shopping is the best way to add some pizzazz to your wardrobe with unique pieces, it’s also a big money saver too!

That’s why we’ve done our research and gathered a list of the best vintage shops for students in London, to give you a head start.

But first, let’s take a look at the popular shopping spots in London just in case you fancy a quick mooch before your vintage shopping spree!

Best Places To Shop In London

Oxford Street

Oxford Street is the world’s biggest high street, offering a fabulous 1.5 miles of unrivalled shopping with around 131 shops, wow!

Enjoy super popular high-street brands such as River Island, Topshop, Gap and Selfridges at this ultimate shopping paradise.

If you’re feeling hungry after your shopping trip, don’t worry, because there are more than 500 restaurants within five minutes walking distance of Oxford Street!

It’s super easy to get to and has it’s very own Tube stop ‘Oxford Circus’ that places you right in the heart of all the action.

Regent Street

If you fancy treating yourself, Regent Street is the place to be!

Named after Prince Regent, this street is filled with all the boujee stores like Burberry, Coach, J.Crew and Kate Spade.

You’ll also find some scrumptious award-winning restaurants, perfect for when you fancy a bite to eat midst shopping.

The best news is, Oxford Street isn’t too far away from Regent Street either (about a 5-minute walk to be exact) so it’s a nice easy walk for you!

Covent Garden

Buzzing with plenty of fashionable shops, Covent Garden is a fabulous shopping destination attracting foodies and fashionistas!

Located in the London’s West End, Covent Garden is home to the likes of Apple, Mulberry and Lacoste.

Hop on the Tube and be at Covent Garden in minutes, ready to spend, spend, spend!

This really is a must-see destination for anyone who enjoys shopping, theatre, bars and culture.

Camden

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If you want an eclectic mix of edgy stores and damn right cool fashion shops, Camden is where it's at!

Camden Market is filled with vintage fashion and unique clothing items, oozing with colour and good vibes.

It's easily accessible via Tube, great for shopping, and is totally Insta-worthy for when you want that perfect picture on the Gram.

So, now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s take a look at the top vintage shops for students in London, guaranteed to transform your wardrobe.

Best Vintage Shops In London

1. East End Thrift Store | Stepney Green

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This shop is tucked away in an old warehouse in an alley off Mile End Road and is a thrift lovers paradise!

The rails are filled with colourful second-hand clothing from frocks, coats, jumpsuits and knits, perfect for bargain hunters.

This vintage shop is just a 20 minute bus ride from the Poland House accommodation, but If you don’t feel like making the trip to town, you can cosy up in bed and find it on Asos Marketplace, a bonus if you fancy some online shopping.

Usually, most of their goods cost less than £10, which is something the East End Thrift store are very popular for! Don't be discouraged though, you can certainly find some rare fashion staples here.

The first floor is home to more boujee, expensive items if you feel like treating yourself, where you’ll find loads of fancy branded goods.

They also hold events such as “Fill-a-bag” where you can choose between a £10 and £20 bag and fill it with as many clothes as you can, pretty cool right?

Open from Monday- Wednesday from 11am-6pm, Thursday-Saturday from 11am-7pm and Sunday’s from 11am-6pm, you’re guaranteed a bargain in this vintage London store.

As soon as you walk through the door you’ll get buzzing vibes, as this place is incredibly popular amongst students of all backgrounds because of their fab money-saving deals and vintage branded finds!

2. Rokit | Camden

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A 2-storey vintage store in the heart of Camden you say? Sign us up!

Rokit began as a market stall in Camden in the 80s, and they now have four vintage stores across London including Brick Lane and Covent garden, so take your pick. But just so you know, their Camden store is only a 5 minute walk from our Hawley Crescent accommodation.

They also have an awesome online shop so you can stay in the comfort of your own cosy accommodation if you want to!

With an eye-catching collection of all the best retro clothes and vintage fashion, you’re bound to stand out from the crowd after visiting.

Open from 11am-6pm every night and from 7pm on Saturday’s, it’s time to explore Rokit and completely revamp your wardrobe.

Fact: This place is known for their cool jewellery, rings in particular, so keep your eye out for some interesting and unique accessories!

3. Portobello Green Market | Portobello Road

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Whether you’re searching for a particular look, or just fancy sprucing up your wardrobe, Portobello Green Market is London’s leading vintage fashion market on the famous Portobello Road.

Whilst shopping around, why not grab yourself some street food at the market to seriously satisfy your taste buds? That’s right…food and shopping!

As well as trendy clothes, this London vintage shop also has a vast array of fashion accessories and jewellery, which are perfect for adding individuality to any outfit.

They also have a range of music and antiques and collectibles if you want to purchase some other unique bits and bobs to decorate your student room.

Attracting over 10,000 visitors each week, Portobello Green Market spans from Ladbroke Grove Tube Station, to the Westway, to Portobello Road. If you live in our Janet Poole House accommodation just hop on the Circle line for 20 minutes and you'll be there.

Open from 9-5pm every Friday and Saturday and 10-4pm every Sunday, get yourselves down there for a nice weekend treat!

Did you know? There have also been a few celebrity visits to this market, from the likes of Taylor Swift to Kendal Jenner, how cool is that?

4. Beyond Retro | Soho

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Choose your era, 60s, 70s, 80s, or 90s, because Beyond Retro in Soho have it all! The team at Beyond Retro take trends very seriously to determine what’s next in fashion, and what their customers want.

Labelling themselves as “data nerds”, they use specially developed software to track crucial fashion stats of each unique item that arrives at their East London HQ. If you're a budding fashionista, and want to make sure you're following the latest trends - you can't miss out on a visit.

This vintage Londong shop is huge on sustainability, and even has their very own range of recycled vintage clothing ‘Label’, designed by the in-house creative team and manufactured within their own factory in India.

With two stores in Brick Lane and Soho, Beyond Retro is open Monday-Saturday from 11am-7pm and 11:30am-6pm on Sundays.

With super reasonable prices, you’ll love this vintage store, guaranteed to add flair to your wardrobe!

5. Ominos Vintage - Shoreditch

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Located in the buzzing Shoreditch area is Ominos Vintage, who pride themselves on providing the highest quality vintage clothing handpicked from all over the world.

With an online store, and a shop on Asos Marketplace, Ominos are pretty much everywhere at the moment, and for a very good reason!

Choose between colourful vintage crop tops, 70s skirts, fluffy jumpers, and many more to add some serious style to your wardrobe.

Right next to the Shoreditch High Street Tube stop, this vintage shop gives off some seriously cool vibes, in a very convenient location for students staying at Landale House - just 20 minutes on the Overground.

It’s open from 11am-7pm every day too, even Sundays, so get yourselves down there, you’ve got no excuses!

So, there you have it, our top vintage shops in London, these hidden gems are destined to add some colour and style to your outfits without breaking the bank! Which store will you be visiting?

Just moved to London and have tons of questions? From the best places for afternoon tea, to travel hacks and tips on making friends - follow our blog for all the helpful tips and advice.

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