Vintage Shopping In Berlin

I thought that PARIS VINTAGE SHOPPING was hands down the best that I have ever come across but Berlin’s offering comes in at a close second. Unlike in Paris’ Le Marais, London’s Brick Lane or Camden Town or Stockholm’s Sodermalm, there is not one particular area of Berlin that is dedicated to vintage and secondhand clothing and as it is a vast city it was impossible for me to discover all of Berlin’s vintage shops in just four days. However, I was seriously impressed with those that I did – from clothes sold by weight, enormous charity shops and markets to shops selling carefully selected pieces and upcycled clothing. Welcome to my guide to vintage shopping in Berlin.

PICK N WEIGHT
Alte Schöhauser Straße, 30, Mitte.

Buying clothes by weight is not a new concept but it certainly is a great one. Not only does it make shopping fun – you can weigh the items yourself at scales in the shop - but you can find some real bargains. Pick And Weight is a small shop in the heart of Mitte, which is crammed full of treasures and where you buy clothes by the kilo, the price of which depends on the colour of the item’s tag - red is 25€/kg, yellow is 35€/kg, green is 65€/kg and blue is 85€/kg. This exact concept is extremely similar to KILO SHOP in Paris where I used to work so I felt right at home here. Just as I am used to, the clothes are arranged by colour and the rails are jam packed so embrace it and get stuck in.

GARAGE
Ahornstraße, 2, Schöneberg.

Garage is another vintage shop where you buy by the kilo but this time you just need to remember 25€/kg and you are golden. There are some fixed price items but these start from just 3/5/7 euros so how can you complain? This shop has everything, literally EVEYTHING, a bargain hunter could wish for – from vintage tea dresses, printed blouses and woollen jumpers to a shoe and boot collection that is to die for. Even though Garage is rather isolated – away from an area where there are other vintage shops and in a basement of what looks like a housing estate – it is certainly worth going out of your way to visit this enormous store full of bargains just waiting to be discovered.  I picked up a beautifully androgynous velvet blazer on my visit to Garage and as I had been looking for one for a while, I thought 16€ was pretty damn good.   

MADE IN BERLIN

Neue Schönhauser Straße, 19, Mitte.

Made In Berlin is Garage’s more hip, more expensive and more centrally located old sister boasting carefully selected pieces in a beautifully decorated boutique in Mitte. I think we can all agree that the vintage sign and decor behind the cash register (that is the title image to this post) is the prettiest thing ever. From the outside I thought it was going to be quite a small shop but it just keeps going! You might not get any bargains here but you can certainly expect quality, on-trend vintage items such as Levi’s 501 jeans from 30 euros. Plus it is just down the road from the aforementioned Pick N Weight so you can pick and choose where you plurge and where you rummage.

HUMANA

Frankfurter Tor, 3, Friedrichshain. Plus various others. 

There are numerous Humanas around the city and the first one that I discovered was just off Alexanderplatz on my previous trip to Berlin. At the time I impressed by its large floor space but I now know that that was just an average Humana shop. On this recent trip to Berlin, I discovered their four-story “department store” at Frankfurter Tor where any bargain-hunter will feel like they have died and gone to heaven. The first three floors contain a vast selection of secondhand clothing for men, women and children with prices starting from as little as 1€! The fourth floor is dedicated to vintage and although these items are more expensive to those on the lower floors, it is still pretty cheap for vintage.

SING BLACKBIRD
Sanderstraße, 11, Neukölln.

This chic boutique is at the opposite end of the vintage shop spectrum from stores like Humana and Garage but it depends what you like and sometimes it is just nice to have the selection already done for you. Some of us just are not natural bargain hunters but why should that mean you should be deprived of unique items and saving the planet? It should not, so enter Sing Blackbird, which has some gorgeous vintage and secondhand clothing that is all presented beautifully by colour and item across four rooms. Of course this all comes at a price – think 30€ for a blouse, oh and if you do need to think about it, Sing Blackbird also have an adorable little cafe for relaxing and vintage ponderings.

SHIO

Weichselstraße, 59, Neukölln.

On a quiet street in upcoming neighbourhood Neukölln you will find Shio, a rather unique boutique that I instantly fell in love with. Shio has an impressive variety of pieces on offer for such a small space. Firstly let’s talk about their upcycled clothing, which is very reasonably priced (20€ for a crop jumper) seeing as the pieces have clearly been carefully selected and lovingly improved or moderated. In walking round to the back of the shop from the two/three upcycled rails you will find Shio’s own label – new, modern and minimalist clothing for both women and men. I absolutely loved their simple grey men’s tees and cotton midi dresses with striped hemline detailing. Finally they also sell cute jewellery, printed wrapping paper and even soap! Shio, I will definitely be back with a wad of euros on my next trip to Berlin.

MAUERPARK MARKET 

The secondhand and vintage market in Mauerpark takes places every Sunday (come rain or shine) in the beautiful area of Prenzlauerberg. If you are heading to the market, make sure you take a pre or post shopping stroll in the charming streets of Kollwitzkiez. The market is vast and you can expect everything from carefully selected vintage clothing, a large choice of secondhand sheepskin coats (a Berlin favourite) and antiques to retro furniture, independent designers and jewellery. Once you have finished browsing, grab lunch from one of the many food trucks at the back of the market – we went for vegan falafel, which was delicious. If I lived in Berlin, this is definitely where I would come to deck out my flat with old tables, retro armchairs and cute trinkets. Oh Mauerpark Market alone is almost a reason to move to Berlin!

So there you have it! I hope you have enjoyed this guide to just some of the best places for vintage and secondhand shopping in Berlin. Let me know if you have been to any of these shops, if I am missing an major ones and which are your favourite!

Oh and watch my vlog from Berlin just below!

Izzie x

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I Love Bristol | A Guide to Vintage & Secondhand Shopping

Hello from the beautiful city of Bristol! This post - a guide to vintage and secondhand shopping in Bristol - is long overdue. I have always been a thrifter, a bargain hunter and a vintage admirer so without further ado, here are the best of the best by a proud Bristolian born and bred. It is a long 'un - I've been very thorough - so grab yourself a cuppa and enjoy!

GLOUCESTER ROAD

REPSYCHO - 85 Gloucester Road

Repsycho is certainly to thank for my early love of vintage as I grew up near Gloucester Road, a unique road filled with independent shops, restaurants and pubs. In my teens, I would come here regularly to search out cute dresses and patterned jumpers and while my style has moved on since then, Repsycho is still my go to store for retro clothing in Bristol. On the ground floor, you'll find everything (for men and women) from beaten up leather jackets, cute blouses and faux fur to 90s sports jackets and Levi's jeans. On this visit, I was particularly impressed by their fringed and embroidered women's suede jackets from as little as £30. Up a winding staircase is everything you could wish for to create the perfect retro home like mirrors, armchairs and just general knick knacks, all at reasonable prices. Finally, downstairs they sell vinyls. So if you want lots of variety in one small space - check out Repsycho!

CLIC SARGENT SHOP ON THE GLOUCESTER ROAD - 97 Gloucester Road

Half charity shop, half vintage shop, Clic Sargent's Shop On The Gloucester Road offers the best vintage and secondhand goodies, carefully selected from public donations. From the inside, this place is so well merchandised that could definitely pass for a proper vintage store…until you see the low low prices. Oh wow this place is thrifter's heaven! Most items do not cost over £10, even coats, and they have a great selection from colourful blouses and jumpers to retro jewellery and leather bags. They also sell their own range of up cycled clothing under the brand name 'Fix Up Look Sharp'. So go find your best bargain and help a charity at the same time. 

There are many other excellent charity shops on the Gloucester Road - on the same strip as REPSYCHO and CLIC - including Marie Currie, St Peter's Hospice and British Heart Foundation. The one that I particularly like is Cancer Research UK because the choice is excellent and they have their own 'Vintage with Love' section, which is pretty darn good!

PARK STREET & TOWN

RISE - 70 Queens Road

Once just an independent music store, Rise has gone through many changes since its opening but their current formula seems to have stuck. Downstairs is a noodle bar but upstairs is the home to music, books and their Rise Revival vintage clothing brand. The selection ranges from secondhand denim jackets, Levi's shorts and patterned jumpers to vintage style new shirts, printed dresses and reworked wax Barbour-style coats for just £45. 

UNCLE SAM'S AMERICAN VINTAGE STORE - 54A Park Street

I always think of Uncle Sam's as the dark horse in Bristol's vintage clothing game because I am never sure if it will be open when I go there. But if you are lucky to catch them open (I have no idea what the deal is with their opening hours), then you will be in for a right treat. This shop is raw, rugged and filled with authentic American vintage at decent prices. Find your perfect western style shoes from £35, cute silk shirts for £9 and a large selection of dungarees for £30. 

 SOBEYS - 24 Park Street
Formerly consisting a small corner in multi-brand store BS8 just up the road, Sobeys expanded and moved into MOTEL ROCKS' former flagship when they sadly closed. The clothing is a nice mix of new vintage style pieces, reworked items and genuine vintage but of course I was particularly interested in their choice of old Dr Martens. The shop itself is extremely aesthetically pleasing - just look at those cute changing room doors (below)!

 URBAN FOX - 58 Corn Street
Owned by the same retro genius as Gloucester Road's Repsycho, Urban Fox feels more upmarket thanks to its impeccable visual merchandising and super central location. There are not many shops on Corn Street (mainly restaurants and bars) so Urban Fox is really owning this strip. There is the perfect selection of everything that is bang on trend from gorgeous sheepskin coats, sparkly sequins and a suede skirt collection to die for! Their bag and boots collection ain't half bad either with lots of cowboy boots, chunky DMs and pointy lace ups. The clothes are pretty reasonably priced despite its central location - you'll pay £20 for a shirt, £30 for cute retro dress and £50 for a super warm and sturdy sheepskin coat.

CLIFTON

 FOCUS ON THE PAST - 25 Waterloo Street, Clifton Village
Focus On The Past is a bit different from the other shops in list because, although it boasts a decent section of vintage clothing, handbags and jewellery, its main trade is in homeware and bric-a-brac. I absolutely love coming here for a rummage whenever I am in Clifton Village - the shop is just such a mess, especially in comparison to its super sleek surroundings, which makes it extra charming. They sell everything from anything from Bristol related books, furniture and kitchenware to gorgeous rugs and retro lamps. This is an absolute must visit if you are looking to deck out your home with reasonably priced secondhand gems.

Elsewhere in Clifton, you will find some charities shops worth visiting on Whiteladies Road, Cotham Hill and Regent Street back in Clifton Village. 

So there you have it! I hope you have enjoyed this very in-depth guide to vintage and secondhand shopping in Bristol. I must admit that when I started thinking up this blog post, I did not fully appreciate how amazing Bristol is for your bargain hunters and vintage lovers out there!

Let me know if you have been to any of these shops and which are your favourite!

Izzie x

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Vintage shopping in Amsterdam

This post has been a long time coming seeing as I went to Amsterdam two months ago but it's always useful information that never really becomes irrelevant to you travellers out there. Vintage shopping in Amsterdam is excellent - it almost rivals Paris, which I have already cited as the best city for vintage clothes - check out my Paris vintage shopping guide here. Anyway, back to Amsterdam. Most of the vintage shops are located in the Nine Streets District, along with lots of other boutiques and amazing looking cafés so here are my picks.

Ça fait longtemps que je voulais écrire cette poste vu que je suis allée à Amsterdam il y a deux mois. Bref, c'est pas grave parce que l'info est toujours utile pour les voyageurs. Le shopping vintage à Amsterdam est génial - il pourrait être un rival de Paris qui j'ai déjà dit est la meilleur ville pour acheter les fringues vintage - regardes ma guide du shopping vintage à Paris ici. Bref, on reviens à Amsterdam. La plupart des friperies sont dans le quartier des 'Neuf Rues', comme beaucoup d'autres boutiques et des cafés, alors voici mes préférés. 

Episode - Berenstraat, 1

Episode is certainly the most well known vintage shop in Amsterdam, thanks to their various other European locations, such as Paris and Copenhagen. Their selection is extensive, covering two large floors at their shop in the Nine Streets district. You can find pretty much anything you have been looking for here, from Burberry trench coats to retro Adidas trainers and cropped Lacoste polo shirts. The prices are good too - pick up a much sought after pair of Levis jeans for 25€, t-shirts and custom tops for just 12€ or sunglasses for 10€. Highly recommended.

C'est sûr qu'Episode est la friperie la plus connue à Amsterdam, grâce à leurs autres boutiques en Europe, genre à Paris et à Copenhague. La sélection est considérable - la boutique dans le quartier des neuf rues est sur deux grandes étages. Tu peux trouver presque tous que tu cherchais, comme des trenchs Burberry, des baskets rétro d'Adidas et des polos crops de Lacoste. Les prix sont géniaux aussi - trouves le jean Levis de tes rêves à 25€, des tee-shirts et des hauts personnalisés pour 12€ et des lunettes de soleil à 10€. Bien conseillé. 

Other locations / D'autres adresses:

- Nieuwe Spiegelstraat, 61

- Waterlooplein, 1

- Spuistraat, 96

Zipper - Huidenstraat, 7

A cute little vintage shop with just an amazingly decorated ceiling and chandelier! There's a great selection of velvet, modern dresses as well as seventies flared trousers and vintage skirts for 25€. Accessories are cheap - just 5€ for a woollen scarf or beanie. Downstairs, amongst the vintage flannel shirts, sequins and army jackets, you'll find a good choice of brand new Weekday and Cheap Monday jeans, including some velvet ones, which I was lusting after!

Une friperie mignon avec un plafond incroyable et un chandelier! Il y a une bonne sélection des robes modernes en velours ainsi que des pantalons pattes d'eph des années 70s et des jupes vintages touts à 25€. Les accessoires sont des belles affaires - juste 5€ pour une echarpe en laine ou un bonnet. Au sous-sol, parmi des chemises en flanelle, des paillettes et des vestes militaires, tu trouves une bonne choix de jeans neufs des marques Weekday et Cheap Monday, inclus ceux en velours que j'ai trop kiffé!

Marbles Vintage - Ferdinand Bolstraat, 28

We stumbled across Marbles Vintage quite by accident after a lovely brunch in De Pijp and I'm so glad we did! The selection is great - you can find some more individual, different items that I didn't see in other vintage shops, such as velvet bodies and hippy, boho tops. The prices are pretty good too - great leather jackets for 50€ and Levi denim shorts for 20€. The shoe selection is also a treat.

On a trouvé Marbles Vintage par hasard après un bon brunch dans le quartier du De Pijp et je suis trop contente qu'on l'avait découvert! La sélection est géniale - tu peux trouver des pièces différentes que dans les autres friperies, genre des bodies en velours et des tops hippy. Les prix sont bons aussi - des perfectos magnifiques à 50€ et des shorts en jean Levis à 20€. La sélection de chaussures est juste top. 

Other locations / D'autres adresses:

- Nieuwe Hoogstraat, 12

- Haarlemmerdijk, 64

Laura Dols - Wolvenstraat, 7

A much more up market vintage shop, well boutique. It definitely has that boutique feel - everything is beautifully presented and there are some really unique pieces. There is even a fancy dress floor downstairs where there are big Moulin Rouge style petticoats, ball gowns and sparkly bustiers. Expensive, but worth a look just for the pure pleasure. 

Une friperie plus haute gamme, plutôt une boutique qu'une friperie en fait - tous est bien présenté et il y a des pièces vraiment uniques. En plus, il y a même une étage au sous-sol pour le déguisement où tu peux trouver des jupes du style du Moulin Rouge, des robes de soirées magnifiques et des bustiers qui brilles. Cher mais il vaut le coup de regarder, juste pour le plaisir. 

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