The London Dossier
Clothes Shops
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the following information is correct, shops do unfortunately sometimes close down or change address, particularly small vintage boutiques. If in any doubt, please contact the shop before setting out.
Key: (m) = Menswear (f) = Womenswear (mf) = Menswear and womenswear
NEW
Recommended shops and websites for off-the-peg clothing
Adam (m)
Unit 11, Portobello Green Arcade, 281 Portobello Road, W10 5TZ. (020) 8960 6944
Slim-fitting, mod influenced suits and shirts for men at reasonable prices. As well as the more traditional colours, they also sometimes stock limited edition suits in more unusual and interesting fabrics.
American Apparel (mf)
3 Carnaby Street, W1F 9PB. (020) 7734 4477
and various locations (see website)
Excellently priced casual wear for men and women, including some nice T-shirts, tennis shirts, shirt dresses and swimwear. Unlike many high street stores that sell cheap clothes, American Apparel is a sweatshop free manufacturer that produces all of its clothes in a single Los Angeles factory.
Bally (mf)
116 New Bond Street, W1Y 0HB. (020) 7491 7062
and various locations
Quality shoes for men and women, though prices aren't cheap.
Barker Shoes (m)
215 Regent Street, W1 7DD. (020) 7494 3069
English shoemaker that stocks some nice dress shoes. Well worth the prices.
BeCheeky.com
(mf)
Online retailer selling elegant and sexy, vintage styled underwear at really affordable prices. The men's range includes smart hipster shorts, briefs and boxers, whilst women wanting to go for a 1950s burlesque look are well catered for with corsets, bullet bras, seamed stockings, camisoles and kimonos.
Berluti (m)
43 Conduit Street, W1S 2YJ. (020) 7437 1740
4 Harriet Street, SW1X 9JR. (020) 7823 2300
Possibly the greatest shoemakers in the world, and hence very expensive. Their hand-made shoes are like works of art. They specialise in bespoke, but also carry some lovely ready-to-wear shoes at about a third of the price of a pair of bespoke shoes.
Brooks Brothers (mf)
132-134 Regent Street, W1B 5SJ. (020) 3238 0030
Flagship UK store for this classic American Ivy League outfitters, famous for pioneering the button-down collar and for dressing the likes of Cary Grant, John F. Kennedy, Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn and countless modern jazzers. A nice range of their famous button-down shirts are offered, as well as a made-to-measure service. If buying men's shirts off-the-peg, make sure you go for the "slim-fit" range, which despite the name I would actually describe as semi-fitted rather than slim fitting.
Clarks (mf)
15 Oxford Street, W1R 1RF. (020) 7437 2593
and various locations (see website)
This classic shoe shop is always good for desert boots. Sadly, however, they no longer stock them in light brown, though they are still available in sand and chocolate brown. They also sell a small range of Barker shoes and occasionally have other shoes worthy of consideration.
CX London (mf)
Online boutique that sells some nice 50s style dresses (including a range by Vivien of Holloway) and lingerie, as well as retro bags and T-shirts for both men and women (designs include Tamla Motown, Blue Beat, and film and pop art prints).
DNA Groove (mf)
DNA Groove's London shop has now sadly closed down. However, their range of stylish Italian clothes are still available to buy online or at Mendoza in Brick Lane (see below). I highly recommend the men's shirts, which are of a beautiful cut and are for sale at an equally beautiful price. They also sell nice hipster trousers, men's suits, women's shirts, and other items.
Forzieri
(mf)
Beautiful Italian clothes available to buy online, including some slim-fit men's shirts, narrow woven and knitted silk ties, silk pocket squares, handbags, men's and women's shoes and boots, and lots more.
French Sole (f)
6 Ellis Street, SW1X 9AL. (020) 7730 3771
A huge range of beautiful quality ballet pumps for women.
William Hunt (mf)
41 Savile Row, W1S 3QQ. (020) 7439 1921
This tailor also sells off-the-peg suits and shirts. Worth visiting during a sale as prices aren't cheap.
Jones Bootmaker (mf)
112 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6EE. (020) 7930 8864
and various locations (see website)
Historic British shoemakers who have recently undergone a reinvention. They stock some beautiful well-made shoes for both men and women. They also sell their shoes online.
Levi's (mf)
174-176 Regent Street, W1B 5TL. (020) 7292 2500
Flagship store for the classic American jeans brand. Unfortunately they no longer sell sta-prest trousers.
T. M. Lewin (mf)
103-106 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6EQ. (020) 7930 4291
and various locations (see website)
One of the few Jermyn Street shirtmakers selling slim-fit, off-the-peg shirts for both men and women. Look out for their (frequent) sales where their normally expensive shirts are sold at very affordable prices.
Mendoza (m)
158 Brick Lane, E1 6RU. (020) 7377 5263
Mendoza stocks a range of smart 60s influenced clothing including shirts and trousers. Particularly worth visiting as they are currently London's only stockist of DNA Groove's wonderful lines (see above).
Omram Boutique (m)
5 Sicilian Avenue, WC1A 2QH. (020) 7405 4563
Stocks Rael Brook shirts and Farah trousers at very cheap prices. Good for those on a tight budget.
Fred Perry (mf)
Unit 5, 14 The Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2E 8HD. (020) 7836 3327
12 Newburgh Street (off Carnaby Street), W1F 7RP. (020) 7734 4494
Nice polo shirts and casual wear for men and women from this classic British sportswear label.
Reiss (mf)
Kent House, 14-17 Market Place, W1W 8AJ. (020) 7637 9112
and various locations
A chain with an ever growing number of branches around London. They usually stock a nice range of well-cut men's shirts and knitwear in quality fabrics, and sometimes nice ties and overcoats too. They also stock womenswear. Prices are not cheap though.
Ben Sherman (mf)
50 Carnaby Street, W1F 9QA. (020) 7437 2031
Ben Sherman's flagship store, which sometimes stocks limited edition 60s style slim-fit shirts.
J. Simons (m)
2 Russell Street, Covent Garden, WC2B 5JD. (020) 7379 7353
Having opened his first (now legendary) shop in 1965, modernist John Simons is the original UK stockist of American "Ivy League" collegiate style clothes. His current shop in Covent Garden has been open since 1981 and continues to stock classic items like Harrington jackets and Bass Weejun penny loafers, which have been popular with mods since the 1960s.
John Smedley (mf)
24 Brook Street, W1Y 1AE. (020) 7495 2222
19 King's Road, SW3 4RP. (020) 7823 4444
Beautifully made, classic knitwear from Derbyshire, England. The small flagship store on Brook Street generally has limited stock, but they do also have a larger shop on the King's Road.
Tod's (mf)
35-36 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LP. (020) 7235 1321
2-5 Old Bond Street, W1S 4PD. (020) 7493 2237
Famous for their gorgeous driving shoes which are handmade in Italy. These moccasins have a distinctive flat leather "Gommino" sole comprising of a number of rubber pebbles for grip. Not cheap, but excellent quality.
Underground Shoes (mf)
Underground's only shop (off of Carnaby Street) closed down a few years ago, but their shoes are still available by mail-order and through select stockists. Their "mod" styles include bowling shoes, winklepickers and Cuban heeled Chelsea boots.
Sam Walker (m)
65 Endell Street, WC2H 9AJ. (020) 7240 9975
This small shop stocks a range of quality menswear, including shirts, John Smedley knitwear, overcoats and accessories.
Zara (mf)
242-248 Oxford Street, W1C 1DH. (020) 7318 2700
333 Oxford Street, W1C 2HY. (020) 7518 1550
and various locations (see website)
A Spanish chain store that sometimes stocks nice shirts, suits and shoes at cheap prices.
VINTAGE
Recommended shops and markets for vintage and second-hand clothing
Camden Stables Market (mf)
off Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH
A number of decent vintage boutiques.
Cenci (mf)
4 Nettlefold Place, SE27 0JW. (020) 8766 8564
Some nice (albeit not cheap) vintage and deadstock Italian and American clothes and accessories. Just make sure you check for moth holes!
Empire Vintage (f)
1st floor, Alfies Antiques Market, 13 Church Street, NW8 8DT
Opened in Spring 2008, this small shop inside Marylebone's famous antiques market specialises in elegant women's attire from the 1930s-1960s.
The Emporium (mf)
330-332 Creek Road, Greenwich, SE10 9SW. (020) 8305 1670
A wide selection of second-hand and deadstock vintage clothes and accessories including evening wear; everything from 1930s tail coats through to 1960s minidresses. Some bargains to be found.
Greenwich Village Market (mf)
off Stockwell Street, SE10
This small market has a variety of stalls selling vintage clothing at great prices. There's one stall in particular that often carries nice 60s men's shirts and suits.
The Observatory (mf)
20 Greenwich Church Street, Greenwich, SE10 9BJ. (020) 8305 1998
A friendly two-floor boutique which stocks menswear, ladieswear, and accessories from the 40s to the 70s. Downstairs is mainly casual attire, whilst upstairs you'll find a range of smart clothes including suits and dresses. Shopping here is good fun thanks also to the great decor and free play jukebox.
Old Hat (m)
66 Fulham High Street, SW6 3LQ. (020) 7610 6558
284 Fulham Road, SW10 9EW. (020) 7352 5662
Classic English gentleman's attire sold by The Chap magazine's "sartorial agony uncle" David Saxby. As well as the main shop on Fulham High Street, they have a second shop on Fulham Road called Bertie Wooster. Amongst a wide range of second-hand tailor-made lounge suits and 1940s Trilby hats you're also likely to find some more dressy formal wear, such as silk top hats and 1920s frock coats.
Portobello Road Market (mf)
Portobello Road, W10 and vicinity
This world-famous market has some vintage clothing stalls at its northern end (near the Westway), including one or two that specialise in 60s and mod clothing.
Radio Days (mf)
87 Lower Marsh, SE1 7AB. (020) 7928 0800
Vintage and antique clothing and accessories (including hats) from the 20s to the 70s. A larger selection of womenswear than menswear.
What The Butler Wore (mf)
132 Lower Marsh, SE1 7AE. (020) 8858 2928
A small but quality selection of 1960s and 1970s vintage clothing.
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