Who doesn’t love a bargain? Whether you want to upcycle those thrift store finds or wear them as you find them to style an original look, London is the perfect place to find unique fashion pieces at great prices.

I’ve always loved shopping for unique items not only for the thrill of the “find” but also for affordability and sustainability. Instead of “throw away” cheap fashion like you would find at H & M and the chain stores which only really last for a few wearings before they are no longer in good shape, some of my finds have lasted for years for myself and the previous owners. A Levi denim shirt at a “boot” sale in London, jewelry galore, a vintage scarf, and lots more from this trip-so much that we had to buy more luggage to go home! Plus, instead of looking like everyone else, you are able to style a unique outfit that looks like no one else but you. We discovered two great stores next to each other in the Covent Garden neighborhood that you should definitely check out next time you are in London.

PICKNWEIGHT https://picknweight.de/pages/london

Whatever you are looking for, if you have the time and dedication to go through all the racks crammed full of items, you won’t be disappointed. PICKNWEIGHT sells their vintage and secondhand clothes by the kilo. Based on the color of the security tag, you pay a certain price. There are convenient weighing stations throughout the store with pricing signs so you can weigh your purchases before going to the register to see how much you are going to spend.  With stores all over Europe, this is obviously a popular concept. There was a wide variety of American brands like Levi’s, Carhartt, Dickies, and American sports team’s t-shirts and hats. We even found a Boise State University Broncos shirt, which is the college football team in our hometown in Idaho. We picked up a vintage t-shirt, denim shirt and sweater vest for about 50 GBP, which I felt was very reasonable.

Rokit Vintage Clothing

Vintage Clothing | Retro Clothing | Rokit Vintage Clothing

From Kate Moss to Amy Winehouse, Rokit Vintage Clothing has styled London celebrities; unique outfits for nearly 40 years. Starting in Camden Market and expanding to multiple locations in the UK, Rokit not only sells second-hand and vintage clothing but upcycles fashion into limited edition pieces they sell at their stores.

A much different shopping experience from the next door PICKNWEIGHT store, where racks are packed together and merchandise is displayed from top to bottom, Rokit has space to walk between the racks. Separated by categories, you can easily find what you might be looking for and each piece is individually priced. Here, Thom scored a black velvet tailored blazer that appeared to be never worn with pockets and back vents still stitched shut for only $55 GBP. He plans to style this jacket with jeans, a white t-shirt and his Docs. Perfect! I got a Joseph Abboud men’s denim shirt for $15 GBP, again in perfect condition.

Now, how to get all this good stuff home to Idaho?? The options were to ship or buy another piece of luggage and check it on the way home. I’m not a fan of checking luggage ever but for this trip being gone for over a month in the winter, we just had to check some and, because of my airline status, we didn’t pay to check 2 pieces of luggage each. So, it was much cheaper to buy a suitcase (at TJ Maxx or thrift store for under $50) which I have also had to do on every previous Girls Trip, rather than shipping a big box home. For our next trip to Italy in May and all future trips, we bought two collapsible bags that I’m sure we will fill up with all kinds of finds. No more luggage will fit in my basement! I plan to hit the resale stores in Milan, the fashion capital of Italy. Who knows what kinds of designer deals I’ll get???? Enjoy the journey!