If you like to shop, London is calling you! From vintage to designer, there is something for everybody. Even though I have been to London several times, I’m always finding new stores, neighborhoods, markets and towns to explore. On this trip, as in several previous trips, we had to buy an additional suitcase to bring home all our goodies that we found. Since we get free bag check, it’s cheaper than shipping it home. Next trip (to Italy in May!), we are taking a new fold-up bag, so we are prepared to bring home more treasures that we find on our shopping adventures without having to buy new luggage-I’m running out of luggage storage room!

DEPARTMENT STORES

UPSCALE

Harrods | The World’s Leading Luxury Department Store is THE luxury department store in London that you must visit just to check out even if you don’t have the $$$ to buy designer duds. They do have a nice souvenir department in the lower level where you can find reasonable items. Make sure you check out the food hall with so many tasty options. Word of caution-jam/honey/mustard is considered a liquid (anything that spreads!) when you are leaving London and have to go through security, so pack those goodies away in checked bags or you’ll be sad when they confiscate it from your carry-on.

My new favorite store is Fortnum and Mason, a luxury department store with floor after floor of amazing housewares, including their famous picnic hampers and foodie merchandise. Founded in 1707 as a grocery store, the flagship Picadilly store is beautifully decorated, especially during the holidays, and has been a shopping destination for the Royals, as in Queens and such. After our initial shopping trip where we picked up “biscuits” aka cookies, they were so good that we picked up some additional biscuits or as I now call them “bites of heaven” at their outlet in St. Pancras train station. They also have a shop in Terminal 3 at Heathrow, where we picked up cute British cars stuffed with fudge for the grandkids on our way home. Who’s the best NaiNai and GiGi?? Yep, the people who bring back the best souvenirs and tasy treats to share. I particularly love the F & M premium packaging, from curved beautifully decorated boxes filled with dark chocolate biscuits to their tea tins and musical containers. There are gifts for all ages. If you get hungry while you shop (and don’t we all?), they have a fancy tearoom, a food hall with every kind of food, a wine bar and a café serving famous ice cream confections. Cheers!

Thom had never been to Liberty, a luxury department store located in the West End near Carnaby Street, so we had to go on this trip. The façade of this mock-Tudor building with its ages old timbers is absolutely beautiful and the inside doesn’t disappoint either with wood floors and an atrium that is always spectacularly decorated for the holidays. This merchant is known for its fabrics, housewares and fashion. Founded in 1875, Liberty supports new and emerging designers within its historic walls.

After wandering around Liberty, we headed over to Carnaby Street which is filled with specialty shops like Levi’s which we didn’t need to shop at, but I did visit Doc Martens, a British classic. Thom has a pair of these, purchased after he saw Bruce Springsteen wearing them at a concert (of course, right?), and I have always wanted a pair, so I finally decided to just go for it. YOLO and all. It helped that they had a really cool limited-edition Year of the Dragon tassel loafer style that I can’t wait to wear. Unfortunately, we took public transportation everywhere in London and you do NOT want to wear nice shoes on the Tube. On one Tube trip, a guy was asleep and had a latte on the floor precariously wedged between his feet and it eventually tipped over after a hard stop and spilled all over Thom’s shoes. Thom was just glad it wasn’t vomit but that experience convinced me that the Tube is not the best place for my beautiful new Docs.

REGULAR FOLK DEPARTMENT STORES

Your everyday Londoner does not shop at the fancy department stores like Harrod’s or, if they do, they are rich. Popular go-to places to get clothes for most people are Primark and Marks and Spencer. There are many locations of these stores all over town. Have fun buying reasonably priced outfits and accessories to take home.

SPECIALTY STORES

VINYL

Vinyl lovers should bring an empty suitcase in London. You could spend a week visiting all the vinyl stores located all over London. Check out this good list: 56 Best Record Stores in London by Neighborhood | Discogs – Record Stores.

On this trip, we checked out Third Man Records, which is musician Jack White’s cool space in Soho. “Mind your head” is not just a sign but a caution as the entry to the basement section of this shop has a very low doorway that unfortunately Thom had hard contact with resulting in a big bump on his head. Not only do they have vinyl but a nice assortment of merch and a book machine plus a jam (for playing music not eating a delightful spread for toast) area.

Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, go to the Vinyl Market (oldspitalfieldsmarket.com) to find some good bargains. On my last Girls Trip to London, I was able to find Thom a Bruce Springsteen concert bootleg album that seemed pretty rare. Score!

BOOKSTORES

The Hatchards Bookstore in Piccadilly was founded in 1797 and is London’s oldest bookshop and bookseller to the Royal households. When you sell merch to the Royals, a store gets to display a sign on the outside of their store that is a Royal Warrant. Hatchards has three Royal Warrants. They have lots of stores but the five-story location in Picadilly is the one to visit-it is beautiful and located next to Fortnum and Mason, one of my other favorite stores. It is also opposite the Royal Academy, which is worth a visit to see their museum (and a good place to use the bathrooms!).

Check the Hatchards online site for book signings. They also have in their assortment first and special edition books for the collectors. A book is always a good idea for yourself or to take home for a present.

OPTICAL STORES

MOSCOT Beak Street Shop in the Soho district has a fantastic assortment of frames to pick from. Thom and I both have sported Moscot frames in the past and they not only look great but are super well-made and comfortable. Buying frames wherever we travel is one of my favorite souvenirs. I take the frames home to my local Costco optical and get my prescription lenses put in. Every time I wear my new glasses, I remember my vacation!

On this trip, we discovered a new brand of frames that have lots of fashion styles to pick from at reasonable (about $150 GBP) prices. Buy Eyeglasses | Designer Eyeglasses For Men & Women – Jimmy Fairly (UK) has locations all over London and the suburbs like Hampstead. I love that they have an espresso machine in their stores and offer shots as you shop. Get all caffeinated up and buy some frames to take home!

MUSEUM GIFT SHOPS

I have to call out museum gift shops because I have gotten some of my favorite gifts there to take back home. Usually well priced, every museum in London has at least one if not multiple gift shops with everything from pillow covers (British Library) to Winston Churchill rubber duckies (Churchill Rooms) to booze (all of them have hard liquor including Buckingham Palace, which had an unusually large selection of sloe gin-why?). So, make sure you take time to check out the merch at the museums!

STREETS/NEIGHBORHOODS

Regent Street London – Shopping – Dining – Wellness (regentstreetonline.com) is a major shopping street in the West End of London. It runs from Waterloo place at the south end through Picadilly Circus and Oxford Circus to All Souls Church. Retailers who can afford this pricey real estate have their London flagship stores here. Check out technology at the Apple Store or the Microsoft Experience Center and then shop for fashion at practically every retailer you could want.

MARKETS

There are so many cool markets in London that you can’t possibly visit them all in one trip so every time we come, we try to at least go to one or two. On this trip, we made it to Covent Garden and Spitalfield’s. Come to these markets hungry and ready to shop. Enjoy the journey!