In this next installation in my ‘Exploring London’ series. Allow me to let you in on some of my favourite spots in the regions I’ve had the most chances to explore—the Covent Garden and Soho area. Unlike the previous guide, this one will help you to plan out a packed but eventful day (or even days) within the area itself. If you’re like me, you might just find happy places you just can’t stop yourself from returning to!
Thrift stores
If you’re looking to save money on a good deal, the shops that I’m about to recommend are not for you. As the word ‘vintage’ in their name suggests, these stores are more of curated thrift finds, and hence you’re more likely to find name brands and their according price markups here.
- Picknweight and Rokit
Right outside the main Covent Garden shopping area are two thrift stores side by side; they are Picknweight and Rokit. As the name suggests, items in Picknweight are tagged with colour codes to reflect their price, and weighing scales are situated at different points around the shop will tell you how much they cost. Personally, despite the prices being on the higher side, I quite like Picknweight for their classic selection of clothes and the variety of objects they have on sale (accessories, hats, badges, magazines). Also, the shop’s décor, filled with vintage objects, gives it a retro vibe and a personality.
Rokit next door has a more organised layout that allows for efficient thrifting. Clothes of a certain style are grouped together by their colour and are displayed accordingly on their racks. From what I’ve seen, Rokit’s clothes tend to be a mix of current trends as well as a retro inspired look, so if that’s what you’re looking for consider dropping by Rokit for a look. Rokit’s prices also run on the higher side but if you’re lucky you might be able to find a piece of clothing for less than 25 pounds (I found a black slip dress for 16, which is already on the low side in Rokit).
- Reign Vintage
Moving away from Covent Garden, Reign Vintage located along Berwick street is also worth checking out if you’re into name brand pieces to add to your wardrobe. The quaint, modern boutique spans 2 across levels: Women’s and accessories on the ground level, Menswear in the basement. I’ve spotted some Valentino, Moschino, Levi’s, and Kappa while I was there. They also stock relatively unique statement pieces in store—I spotted a teddy bear knit vest and my friend bought a furry black hat with a tassel here.
While these are the shops I frequent the most, there are actually many more thrift stores scattered around Soho such as Goldsmith Vintage, Oxfam Covent Garden, Loot Vintage, and Blackout II which I’d also recommend looking into!
Shopping
- Clothes and Makeup
Within the Covent Garden area, you can also find the usual fashion chains for those of you who are looking to revamp your wardrobe. Urban Outfitters, Brandy Melville, Allsaints, Doc Martens and more are all located within close proximity to one another.
However, one shop you definitely can’t miss is the Glossier London outlet, and if you can’t already tell—I’m a Glossier fan. Apart from the obvious need to shop till you drop (because Glossier is super inaccessible in Singapore), the minimalistic pink interior of the shop is gorgeous and the factory-like belt mechanism transporting your orders from the underground packing room in the order collection room just adds to the novelty of the whole experience.
Apart from the Charlotte Tilbury around the corner, there’s also a Boots store nearby. If you’re unfamiliar with Boots, Boots is a health and beauty retailer similar to Watsons or Guardian, just with a larger food section and a wider range of luxury makeup. At Boots, you’ll be able to find makeup from Clinique, Dior, Fenty Beauty, Urban Decay, Too Faced and more. If you’re a prospective student here, remember to apply for a Boots membership card—you’ll gain access to even more sales offers at Boots.
- Books
If you’re more of a Bookworm looking to escape the bustle of the shopping district, consider popping into Cecil Court, a surprisingly quiet street in Soho with a range of small specialist book shops and antique shops. Some interesting shops include Tenderbooks which stocks books and publications related to contemporary art; Watkins, with a vast selection of occult books in their basement; and Marchpane, which stocks rare and first print children’s books. Even if you’re not looking to purchase any books, I’d highly recommend stopping by and going through the shops just for the experience alone!