Pimlico and Belgravia second-hand guide

So, I have a friend who works in Belgravia and she’s been telling me about this cluster of great charity shops in the area. I rarely go to this part of town as I quickly become fed up with the stiff upper lip “I-buy-all-my food-at Harvey Nic’s-foodhall” segment that seem to populate the white stucco houses.

But, armed with a map, we decided it was time for an excursion. First we headed for the Red Cross Shop in Ebury Street. I’ve been to this one before, around 3 years ago and it hasn’t really changed: it’s small and quite overpriced but has a decent selection of clothes and accessories. We spotted a nice Courregès coat but it cost 80 pounds and had a big stain on it. No way. It’s one of these shops where you might be lucky but be prepared to pay the price.

Verdict: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars

Red Cross, 81 Ebury Street

Then we left Belgravia and walked past Victoria and towards Pimlico until we found Warwick Way, where four charity shops lie almost side by side.

First up on the righthand side is Hospices of Hope (charity that provides care for terminally ill children and adults in Romania). Very nice and quite spacious shop with a good and broad selection of clothes and accessories and a bit of bric-à-brac and furniture. Reasonable prices.

Verdict: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Hospices of Hope, 40 Warwick Way

Next up, on the opposite side, was the Sue Ryder Care shop (charity that provides care for people with terminal or long-term conditions). Ok little shop with a small and a bit boring selection. Prices are reasonable.

Verdict: 2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Sue Ryder Care, 35 Warwick Way

Stay on that side of the road and a bit further down you find a very nice Oxfam shop. Upstairs are clothes, shoes and accessories for her and him and downstairs you’ll find the books & bric-à-brac. Quite a good and big selections with many high-end brands. Prices are ok but not low. I found two very nice big (and brand new) white tea mugs for 5 pounds.

Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars

Oxfam, 15 Warwick Way

Last up on this street is the neighbour shop, the Fara Charity Shop (Fara works with orphaned and abandoned kids in Romania). I honestly don’t know how great this shop normally is, but the day we went they had an amazing 1 pound sale and my friend and I both picked up very nice silk dresses (will show you later).

Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars (because of the amazingly cheap prices)

Fara, 13 Warwick Way

After that you turn left and walk up Upper Tachbrook Street. If you’re feeling tired and need to boost your blood sugar levels (or maybe you’re accompanied by some kids that you need to bribe)  you should pop into this lovely candy & chocolate store, Chocodeli – apparently the have a miniature train running under the roof, how magical is that…

Enough about candy. We had a more important mission, as we were heading for Retromania further down the street. It doesn’t look like a charity shop at all, more like one of the many annoying and privately owned “vintage” stores where everything is sooo retro and “hand-picked” and priced accordingly. But this is actually another Fara charity shop. And yes, the things have been handpicked and the prices are a bit higher than in your average charity shop but at least you know that your money goes towards a charity.

I loved the cosy dark and cave-like interior with rows of 70’s jumpsuits, fancy hats and sequined dresses. The staff was very nice too. This is where I found my (already very) beloved animal print scarf.

Verdict: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Retromania, 6 Upper Tachbrook Street

Last, but not least, we headed for Churton Street. We were aiming for the brilliant Crusaid Shop (Crusaid supports people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS). But alas! they had just locked the door when we arrived. After taking a look at our sad faces the two guys behind the counter let us in any way for a quick browsing. Lovely, lovely shop with a good selection (lots of designer brands, and apparently they often get never-used donations from various high-end designers like Ralph Lauren and Nicole Farhi).

Behind the counter was the most cheerful and energetic charity shop manager I’ve ever met. We both left the shop with a smile on our face after that encounter. Clothes, accessories etc. are in the front and the back room has been made into a cosy library, where you can test drive your books before you buy them.

Verdict: 5 out of 5 stars

Crusaid, 19 Churton Street

Second-hand shopping guide: Highgate

Området omkring Highgate byder skam på andet og mere end fin kirkegård. Blandt andet nogle lækre genbrugsbutikker, endda ret billige og med super flinkt personale i dem alle. Man spotter dem så snart man træder ud gennem den lille dør på Highgate Tube Station. Jeg vendte mig nemlig mod venstre for at tage et billede af Sam og “hov, hvad var nu det grønne der i baggrunden?” (jeg, jeg har en indbygget genbrugsradar):

Highgate is not all about the beautiful cemetery: the lovely green area is home to some pretty brilliant charity shops and the staff was very friendly in all of them. You don’t even have to run around looking for them, as the two first two are right in front of you when you exit Highgate tube station. I was busy photographing Sam when my finely tuned charity shop radar spotted a green shop front behind him:

Jeg susede over de regnvåde gader og ind i den to-delte Mind genbrugsbutik, og det er en af de bedste, jeg har set i et stykke tid. Bøgerne kostede kun 1.49 pund og tøjet var også billigt – så blandet Ferragamo-sko til 15 pund og andre fine mærkevarer. Butikken var overskuelig og rar at være i, og helt sikkert en af dem jeg ville besøge i tide og utide, hvis jeg boede tættere på.

I hurried across the street and through the doors of the fabulous Mind charity shop. The shop is divided into two parts: one for clothes and accessories and one for books. The books were really cheap, 1.49 for the paperbacks, and so were the clothes. I spotted a pair of Ferragamo shoes for 15 pounds. The shop had a nice vibe to it and a very friendly woman behind the counter. I would pop in every other day if I lived in the area.

Mind, 329 Archway Road

Ville ønske at jeg kunne sige det samme om RSPCA naboen med den skriggule facade og temmelig højtråbende skilt om, hvordan man stopper katteaids. Den var en lille proppet rodebutik, virkede halvbeskidt, lugtede ikke for godt og udvalget var r–kedeligt. Hvem ved, måske jeg var der på en dårlig dag.

I wish I could say the same about the RSPCA charity neighbour with the screaming yellow shop front and the “neutering cats against aids” slogan but it was not nice at all. Small and crammed and kinda smelly-dirty. The clothes selection was pretty zzzzzzzzz too.

RSPCA, 335 Archway Road

Fortsæt mod højre indtil du kommer til Southwood Lane og drej så til venstre ad den.

Now it’s time to head in direction of Highgate Village, so continue down Archway Road until you can take a left up Southwood Lane.


Fortsæt ligeud (og husk at nyde den gode udsigt ind over London på vejen) indtil du ender i Highgate High Street, dvs. hovedgaden i Highgate Village. Hvis I kigger godt efter på billedet nedenunder, kan I se endnu en grønlig facade helt ude til venstre.

Walk up Southwood Lane until you reach Highgate High Street and Highgate Village ( make sure to admire the amazing view over London on your way). If you look closely at the picture here, you’ll spot a green shop front to the very left:

Jep, den er god nok – endnu en dejlig genbrugsbutik: en Oxfam dedikeret til bøger, spil og musik og den slags lir. Super fint udvalg men samme priser som i resten af London, dvs. 2.49-3.00 pund for en paperback.

Yup, it’s an Oxfam. This one is dedicated to books, games, music etc. and they have a good and broad selection. Paperbacks are around 2.49-3.00 pounds, so same price as London’s other Oxfams.

Oxfam Books, 47 Highgate High Street


Og hvad ser man så der, på den stik modsatte side af gaden?  Her ligger den anden del af Oxfam-butikken, og den her er dedikeret til tøj og den slags. Priserne var lave og udvalget godt (gjorde et godt fund, som jeg snart vil vise jer). Dog temmelig rodet og præget af pladsmangel. Men butikken skulle til at lukke for renovering, da jeg var forbi, så forhåbentlig bliver der rettet op på dette.

Luckily there’s another Oxfam on the opposite side of the high street, dedicated to clothes and accessories. Prices were really good (I found something very nice that I’ll show you soon) but the shop is small and crammed. When I visited they told me that they were going to renovate the shop, so hopefully it’ll get a needed face lift. But all in all a nice little shop.

Oxfam, 80 Highgate High Street


Den sidste butik i denne omgang ligger lige til højre for Oxfam-butikken. Cancer Research UK har et ok og ret moderne udvalg og alt var i pæn stand. Jeg fandt ikke noget, men vil helt klart kigge ind igen, næste gang jeg er i området.

Last shop is the Cancer Research charity shop a bit further down the street. I only had 5 minutes to browse but it looked really nice. The selection was pretty modern and prices not too high. I’ll definitely be back.

Cancer Research, 72 Highgate High Street

Og hvis du er gået sukkerkold efter shoppinganstrengelserne, så bliver du altså nødt til at kigge forbi hos High Tea of Highgate. Jeg havde kun tid til et hurtigt kig gennem vinduet, da Highgate Cemetery kaldte lidt længere nede ad vejen. Men det så super hyggeligt ud, og jeg skal helt sikker tilbage og prøve deres “cream tea“.

If your blood sugar levels are a bit low after all the walking and charity shop browsing it might be a good idea to head for the lovely little tea shop High Tea of Highgate. We were in a hurry to get to Highgate Cemetery so I only had a sneak peek through the window. It looked very cosy (and they seem to get good user reviews) so I’ll be back soon for some “cream tea“.

High Tea of Highgate, 50 Highgate High Street

Favourite shop: The Salvation Army in Princes Street

Photo: Mette Bassett

Hvis du løber rundt i indre bys highstreet-butikker som en hovedløs, stresset og lettere svedig shoppe-kylling, så giv dig selv en pause og smut ind i  The Salvation Army genbrugsbutikken her, der ligger i Princes Street, en stille sidegade til Regent Street, der løber parallelt med Oxford Street.

Butikken er stor og sjældent proppet med mennesker. Til gengæld er den proppet med tøj til både ham og hende. Efter sigende er det her, Sohos mange PR-agencies donerer deres aflagte vareprøver i form af ubrugte sko, tøj og accessories. Og det er her de studerende fra Londons nærliggende College of Fashion henter inspiration.

Det er en af den slags butikker, hvor man bliver nødt til at komme ofte for at gøre gode fund, og priserne er ikke lave. Jeg når sjældent forbi, men for snart længe siden lykkedes det mig at finde disse ubrugte sko fra spanske Fluxá til 15 pund. De var turen værd.

English: If you’re running around Oxford Circus like a headless and rather exhausted and overwhelmed shopping chicken, then take a break and pop into the The Salvation Army charity shop in quiet Princes Street, just off Regent Street.

The shop is big and never too crammed with people. Apparently this is one of the places where Soho’s many PR-Agencies donate their press samples, so you’ll often see a lot of unused clothes and accessories.

Their  prices are a bit high. And, as always: the more often you stop by, the more likely you are to stumble upon a second-hand treasure. A long, long time ago I managed to find these (then unused) shoes from the Spanish brand Fluxá. They cost 15 pounds.

Photo: Mette Bassett

Second-hand guide to St. John’s Wood

Photo: Mette Bassett

Så er tiden kommet til at introducere jer for et af mine yndlingsområder i London, når det gælder genbrugsshopping. På hovedgaden i St. Johns Wood i det nordvestlige London, St. Johns Wood High Street bor nemlig tre gode butikker. Er du på ferie i London, så er der også meget mere end genbrug at komme efter i området, som ligger side om side med legendariske Abbey Road og ikke langt fra det smukke kanalområde, Little Venice.

St. John’s Wood er nobelt og pænt og befolket af en blanding af ældre damer iført stram overlæbe og højt hår og mænd i små sorte Porscher. Her er tale om “ooooold money” og lejligheder der går i arv gennem generationer. Til gengæld følger den gode smag ikke altid med pengene, så gaden er også fyldt med halvdårlige cafeer, der har haft succes med at installere et par italienske søjler og skråskrift på menukortet og på den måde skruet priserne i vejret.

English: Time has come to introduce you to one of my favourite second-hand shopping destinations in London. St. Johns Wood High Street is home to three shops that are worth the detour. The quiet area makes a nice change from the busy centre and while you’re there you can also cross the famous Abbey Road and see beautiful Little Venice – both areas are within walking distance.

The St. John’s Wood area is affluent and noble, and to be honest quite boring with  a snooty atmosphere. We’re talking oooooold money and women with high hair and stiff upper lips, men in black Porsches and overpriced cafées that are trying to justify their inflated prices by serving French-inspired food and writing their menues in cursive. But hey, their second-hand shops are great!

Photo: Mette Bassett

MEN, men, men. Der er mærkevarer i omløb i områdets genbrugsbutikker. Start i den nordlige ende i nr. 86 i St. John’s Hospice, som er klart den bedste af de tre. Her har jeg fundet alt fra Thierry Mugler jakke til Loewe toilettaske og en Burberry jakke til 30 pund. Personalet er ikke super venligt, hvilket er en skam. De har åbent alle ugens syv dage. 4 1/2 ud af 5 stjerner.

English: Start your second-hand expedition in North in number 86, St. John’s Hospice. This is the best of the three shops and where I’ve found a Thierry Mugler blazer, a Loewe cosmetic bag and a dirt cheap Burberry trench (30 pounds). Not the friendliest of staff though, and that is a shame. 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Photo: Mette Bassett

Næste butik ligger på den modsatte side, lidt længere henne og hedder Octavia Foundation. Det er den dårligste af butikkerne og priserne er ofte ret høje. Her har jeg dog fundet en Moschino-taske, læderbukser og sko fra Ferragamo. De har flere butikker i London og du kan følge deres sortiment på Twitter. 3 ud af 5 stjerner.

English: The next shop is one of the Octavia Foundation’s many shops. It is not that good, as their prices tend to be too high and the stock doesn’t change that often. I have managed to find a Moschino vinyl bag, leather trousers and Ferragamo shoes here. You can keep up to date with the foundation’s different charity shops on Twitter. 3 out of 5 stars.

Photo: Mette Bassett

Og her er den sidste. Denne to-delte Oxfam sælger bøger i den ene afdeling og tøj og tilbehør i den anden. Fin lys og velholdt butik, hvor sortimentet ikke er stort, men til gengæld nemt at overskue. Her har jeg fundet tonsvis af bøger, Moschino-ørenringe og andet godt. 4 ud af 5 stjerner.

English: Last up is this lovely Oxfam shop. It’s divided into two parts: one for books and one for clothes etc. It’s bright and clean and it’s easy to navigate through their stock as it’s never cluttered. I’ve bought a lot of great books here plus a pair of vintage Moschino earrings. 4 out of 5 stars.

Photo: Mette Bassett

Og kan du overhovedet ikke holde genbrug ud, så er der også en håndfuld andre fine butikker på gaden, blandt andet Gerard Darel og det dejlige, og ikke alt for dyre, engelske økomærke Neal’s Yard.

English: And if you just can’t stand charity shops: don’t despair and pop in at one of the other nice shops on the high street such as the Gerard Darel shop or British eco skincare brand Neal’s Yard.

Photo: Mette Bassett

Go’ shoppetur! Og husk den gyldne regel om at des oftere du kigger forbi, des større chance er der for at gøre et fantastisk fund.
Enjoy your shopping! And remember the golden rule: the more often you stop by the shops, the bigger your chances of finding a second-hand treasure.

Second-hand shopping in Chiswick

Foto: Mette Bassett

Jeg har det sidste halvandet år arbejdet i Chiswick og brugt de fleste af mine frokostpauser på at trawle bydelens genbrugsbutikker tynde. Så her er min shoppingguide til de bedste butikker i Chiswick. Start turen ved Gunnersbury Station og gå til højre ned ad Chiswick High Road og end ved Turnham Green stationen (eller omvendt):

In English: Here is my shopping guide to second-hand shopping in Chiswick. Start your walk at Gunnersbury Station and end up at Turnham Green (or the other way around, if you so prefer). You have to turn right when you get out at Gunnersbury to get to beginning of the high road. All the charity shops are then located at the opposite side:

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Cancer Research – 1 star
392 Chiswick High Road

Butikken her er kun et besøg værd, hvis du er desperat efter at fyre penge af. Udvalget er ok med en del designerbrands og en forkærlighed for retrolook, men priserne er helt kørt op. For eksempel kan en slidt jakke fra Zara eller H&M nemt koste 40-50 pund. Jeg undgår altid denne butik.

Only worth a visit if you’re desperate and have too much money to spend. Their selection is ok with quite a few designer brands and a lot of retro styling going on. But it is sooo overpriced. An old coat from Zara can easily cost you around 50 pounds. Avoid.

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Cancer Research – 5 stars
278 Chiswick High Road

Fortsæt i stedet hen ad gaden til du når til den næste Cancer Research, som er min absolutte favorit i Chiswick. De har en fantastisk manager, Esther, som har et super øje for lækre ting og altid rammer den rigtige pris. Her har jeg blandt andet fundet min Jean-Louis Scherrer blondetrøje, min Celine jakke, en Mulberry Roxanne taske, Issey Miyake jakke og Thierry Mugler jakker og meget andet godt. Som altid gælder reglen om, at man skal komme ofte, da udvalget virkelig kan variere.

Continue down the street until you spot a second blue Cancer Research shop. This one is my absolute favourite. They have a great manager, Esther, who really knows how to handpick the good things and price them so that you don’t feel ripped off. This is the shop where I bought my Jean-Louis Scherrer top, my Celine jacket, a Mulberry Roxanne bag, my Issey Miyake and Thierry Mugler jackets and lots of other goodies.

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Oxfam – 3 1/2 stars
190 Chiswick High Road

Moderniseret Oxfam, der udover brugte ting, byder på omsyede tasker og tøj og lidt nye smykker. Udvalget er ok, men priserne er høje, og jeg må ofte gå tomhændet ud igen. Her fandt jeg dog den smukkeste gulvlange Amanda Wakeley silkekjole, som jeg skal have på til stort bryllup i Bangkok. Pris 95 pund.

One of the Oxfam shops that recently has had a face lift and now also features customized clothing and bags. The selection is ok but quite expensive. My favourite buy from this store is a long Amanda Wakeley gala dress that I’m going to wear at a big wedding in Bangkok next week. Price 95 pounds.

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Kort efter når du til Turnham Green Terrace. Drej til venstre op ad den for at komme til de sidste butikker….

Shortly after, turn left at Turnham Green Terrace where you can find the rest of the charity shops…..

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Trinity Charity Hospice – 3 stars
25 Turnham Green Terrace

Den eneste forretning på venstre side er Trinity Charity Hospice. Den plejede at være fantastisk, men en ny og meget ukritisk manager har skruet helt ned for kvaliteten og lidt op for priserne, som dog stadig er billigere end hos de tre forrige. Her har jeg blandt andet fundet en hjerteformet Mulberrypung til 7 pund og en Marni trøje.

Only charity shop on the left hand side is Trinity Charity Hospice. It used to be quite amazing and very cheap but a new manager has turned up the prices and down the quality of the stock. However I recently managed to find a Marni top there.

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Fara Kids
Turnham Green Terrace

Gå over på den modsatte side, så kommer du først til Fara Kids, en ret ny genbrugsbutik, dedikeret til børnetøj. Jeg har ikke været inde i den, men den ser super fin ud.

Cross the road and the first shop your eyes meet is Fara Kids, which is dedicated to kids clothing. I haven’t been inside but it looks really nice

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Octavia Foundation – 2 stars
46 Turnham Green Terrace

Næste butik er Octavia Foundation. Super kedeligt udvalg, og priserne er også ret høje. I de halvandet år jeg har arbejdet i Chiswick er det vist kun lykkedes mig at finde én ting derinde, en super fin cashmere jakke.

Next up is Octavia foundation. The selection is super boring and the prices are a bit high. During my 1 1/2 years working in Chiswick I’ve only managed to find a couple of things in this shop.

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Barnados – 2 1/2 stars
72 Turnham Green Terrace

Barnardos er lige så kedelig som Octavia og jeg har haft utrolig svært ved at finde noget derinde. Til gengæld er priserne rimelige.

Barnardos is just as boring as Octavia, and I find it really hard to dig out anything in this shop. The prices are reasonable.

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Foto: Mette Bassett

Oxfam Books – 4 stars
90 Turnham Green Terrace

Sidst men ikke mindst er der Oxfam Books i nr. 90, kort før Turnham Green stationen. Den hyggelige secondhand boghandel har et dejligt udvalg af bøger og en roman koster ca. 2 pund.

Last, but not least there is the very nice and quite cosy second-hand book store, Oxfam Books in number 90, just before Turnham Green station. It has a good and very varied selection of books and a novel costs around 2 pounds.

Held og lykke med genbrugsjagten!!

Good luck second-hand hunting!!