London’s a big city. Just like any big city in the world, there’s a strong presence of fashion and people putting their strong foot forward when they step out their door. It’s a place where you’ll get inspiration for your future outfits and have your mind completely blown by what you see others wearing. It also has fads that you’ll see everytime you walk outside. The weather plays a big role in the taste here in London. It’s not like a state like Florida where you can rip the classic ‘beach bum’ fit everyday.
A PLAGUE AMONGST US Fast fashion haunts the world so many, including myself, love. Stores that produce cheap trash painted in gold so people think they have something nice on. While there’s not a Target here, London has Primark. Di, who owns one of the shops at The Camden Markets says she doesn’t hate it, she “envies it”. She’d go on to say especially since COVID came to be, people are more glued to their wallets. Simultaneously, people still want to go out and have new outfits to show off. This is one of the problems with the ‘fast food’ world we live in. Vendors like Di are struggling in these times and Primark appears to be their greatest competitor. Primark will sell cheap, low quality clothing that looks like flashy clothes that could appear like something nice at first glance. The clothes bought from here will inevitably end up in the trash in due time. When someone spends dirt cheap prices on clothes, they don’t think hard enough about their purchase to really have a love for what they’re buying. Just getting it to get it. Why not spend a little bit more money, supporting someone who truly has knowledge and care about the clothes they’re selling, on something that’s going to last longer. A tip I received is spending more money on something will make you more conscious about your purchase and ultimately make you buy the thing you know you love, not something that you’ll have no problem seeing in the trash once you’re ready to waste pocket change again. London has something special with their world of fashion, and with the times we’re going through, more and more people being satisfied with low quality for a low price could significantly impact the fashion scene that some people have dedicated their lives to. Avoid Primark at all costs. Support the vendors. I’m not saying go crazy with your money, but be aware of the clothes you’re buying while here and understand the prices have reasoning behind them. Simply put, quality over quantity, and London has a large quantity of quality, so don’t go wasting your money on fast fashion. So wherever you decide to do your shopping in London, it better not be wasted on rubbish you can get at Primark. Essentials It won’t take a lot of time looking around to see that there’s certain articles of clothing that everyone in the city has. So, if you’re coming here and want to somewhat fit into the crowd there’s a few things you’ll want to get. First, get a peacoat. Whatever you call it, it’s a long coat to go over the top of whatever you’re wearing. It doesn’t matter your age, it doesn’t matter how much you care about how you look. Everyone in London has one of these coats (usually gray, black, or camel). No doubt, it’s going to keep you warm, while also lifting your outfit to a whole new level. Turning ‘Average Joe’ into the monopoly man. This is something that can last you your entire life, so don’t short yourself because it seems expensive. It’ll end up being something you could be buried in at your funeral hopefully far in the future. Next, get a puffer. I know, another jacket to throw on your outfit. The puffer acts differently than the peacoat. The coat seems to be a little dressier than the jacket, and you’ll see them a lot more in the younger crowd(teens to late 20s). It’s definitely a different flavor than the coat while doing the same thing. You’re not going to wear a coat alone at night in East London, but the puffer will keep you hidden in the shadows from pickpockets looking for targets. Don’t get an all black one, that’s basic. Get a neutral color that goes with most of the clothes you already have. The North Face seems to be the go-to, but if you don’t want a brand new one, you’ll be able to find these at any second hand store in the city. Get some Docs. They’re popular anywhere you go, but go around. Look what people have on their feet. Doc Martens have a firm grip on the footwear scene here. The brand is based out of London so every pair you’ve ever seen, was born here. Once broken in a little, they will be some of the comfiest ‘dress shoes’ you’ll own. But they’re more than that. They’re a versatile shoe that you can wear for any purpose from a lazy trip to the store, or trying to impress your date on a night out. There’s many different styles, and the brand has many collabs with other brands so there’s still a chance to have uniqueness to your own pair. Similar to the food scene here, you’ll find every kind of style there is on the planet. With what I’ve seen in my time here, these three things seem to be things that unite them. They’re not fads or the latest trends though; they’re pillars to the London style. Things that are going to be in the past, present and future of what people will be wearing here. It stays generally cold, at least cold enough to wear these out 90% of the time. (An essential to a local) It’s not just a certain article of clothing that some here see as a staple to London Fashion. It all has to do with a brand and a legendary design that you’ll see here in London. While it’s a beautiful tan flannel pattern, they call it the ‘Burberry Nova Check’ here. For those that know what I’m talking about, you can picture it in your eyes clearly. For those who don’t, step outside and walk around for not that long. You’ll be sure to find it quickly, and will start to notice it everywhere you go. The tan flannel pattern can cover an entire article of clothing, or what’s most popular you’ll notice the entire inside stitch of someone’s jacket has the famous ‘nova check’. Rory Brown, an employee at one of the vendors at Brick Lane’s legendary Vintage Market, said, “The Nova is essential. Everyone has at least something.” He couldn’t be more right. When it comes to the ‘designer brands’, (Louis V, Gucci, Dior, etc) London’s most popular is with no doubt Burberry. For such a luxury brand, you can find almost any second hand clothing stores. If there were Goodwills here, you could probably be confident in finding it there too. Trends Today London is another fast moving city in this fast moving world of fashion. Just like anywhere you go, there’s going to be people that need to be in with the latest trends. Some are hot while others… not so much. It all depends on your taste. However, there’s people that chase these trends, and their desperation to be with what’s ‘in’, exposes their flaws in an authentic taste for fashion. The women love black leather pants. Now I know this has been a trend for a year or so world wide, but the amount you’ll see in London is incomparable to any place in the world. It seems every street you walk on, women are wearing leather pants everywhere. I don’t know how long this trend has been going on, but it was noticeable upon my arrival(late January) and might have even become more prevalent since then. This is one trend that makes me feel bad for the people that are buying low quality just to look like they’re with what’s going on today. It doesn’t take a keen eye to notice. Some of these pants are better material than the rest. It has to do with the texture, the way they fit, and the way they’re worn. They are not a pair of pants you’d replace your regular black pants with. They’re a stand-out piece that isn’t worn for subtlety. You can see just how bad it is when you look at someone’s pants. They look like borderline latex, almost ripping at every bend of the leg, and wearing a top with nothing special about it. The few times I’ve actually seen the pants and not immediately gagged were some of the favorite outfits I’ve seen here. It was obvious how heavy those pants were, and stacked with clothes to show a feminine elegance but also rough look. I remember one girl paired it with a white silk like top, with another heavy leather trench coat over it. The juxtaposition of the two materials and ways they fit turned her into an angelic version of Blade the Vampire Hunter. The baggy clothed skater look has reached London. Ok, now this trend isn’t just in London. I’d see it all around the States, and even I mainly wear clothes a size or two more than what my mother would say fits me. While it’s been popular in the States for some time now, it seems that this 90s era trend has just recently been relaunched on this side of the pond. A few years ago, it would’ve been skinny jeans and those Gucci shoes which have been saturated enough that they seem like a 500 dollar Mcdonald’s order at this point. However, this detail about the love for designer brands here in London could be the cause for this trend coming a few years later than the States. Within the last year, these brands have changed direction. Instead of the classic, rich, posh look(you know damn well what I mean), these brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Balenciaga, etc have been releasing clothes/accessories intended for the skateboarding world. I remember when it first started with Louis V showing their stuff at their spring summer runway last year. Heads were turning and all their competing brands (if they were restaurants you’d see $$$ beside the name) following suit. This along with London being home to the most prominent streetwear brands like Supreme, Stussy, Bape, Palace, etc,(if they were a restaurant they’d have $$ next to the name) means this baggy clothes look has a vice grip on the city of London. Someone with a knowledge of clothes and different brands, basically only has one option when they go to their favorite brand stores. That option, baggy streetwear/skateboarding clothes. If you don’t want to spend a pretty penny on these high end fashion brands, you can take to the vintage markets, but no promises they’ll be cheaper than getting it new. Vintage Markets One of the things London has going for is time. It seems every trend in music has done its course through London. The music world and the fashion world go hand in hand. Many of the older people you’ll find that work or own clothing stores will agree that throughout the years, many trends have gone through London, and can still be found in certain stores today to bend the trends into people’s own specific taste. That’s why when it comes to the vintage scene here in London, it can’t be compared to any other city in the world. And a strength to all vintage stores not just in London, you could go once a week and always find new things. A quick warning Even without the conversion of pounds to dollars, these Brits love to put a hefty price tag on anything they label the deadly but beautiful title of ‘vintage’. Whatever you do… don’t buy vintage Carhartt in London!!! It’s a scam. I know it’s one of the best (my favorite) brands that’s out there. It’s material that will last not just one, but multiple lifetimes, but there’s something about 150 pounds for old carhartt pants with some rips and/or paint stains on them. Why not just go buy a new pair for 40/50 and give them tough love yourself. If you’re going to spend a pretty penny on the brand, go to their WIP store. It’s their streetwear brand and you can only buy it in the UK. Brick Lane and Camden Markets There are many markets in London to shop at, but Brick Lane and Camden Markets take the cake when it comes to vintage clothing. Just walk through these areas and you’ll see. No two people are dressed alike. What’s beautiful is the number of similar replies people will give in these areas when asked what their biggest fashionable pet peeves are. Damn near all of them will tell you they don’t have any. As long as someone is comfortable and confident in what they’re wearing, let it rip. Truly a place where you can find whatever you’re looking for, and if you’re not looking for something in particular, you’ll find anything you can imagine and then some. I never thought I’d crave a leather jacket, but the euphoria I felt when I found the perfect one could be compared to giving birth and holding your child for the first time. As you may guess the name Brick Lane is all along one street so don’t worry about being lost. At least when you’re not inside the shops you won’t go missing. Inevitably, the first place you go will be the first place you see, Brick Lane’s Vintage Market. You walk in and immediately go down a flight of stairs. Once you’ve reached the bottom, welcome to the market. You will be overwhelmed at first, there’s no way I can prepare you for it. Catch your breath then explore the endless vendors. Like I said, there will be any clothing and/or accessories you can imagine. Get some good leather pants, sparkly dresses, all types of glasses and hats, even hats with glasses built in them. It’ll be easier if I just say everything. The vendors vary in age and have their own unique style, but are all geniuses of the fashion world. Just some examples, there’s a vendor with only old army camo, a man who does custom prints on the back of Burberry jackets, people just selling pink clothes, and people selling what you’d expect in a vintage store. It’s a place you can treat like a museum because everything just seems so overpriced, but if you have that love for clothes so many people have here, you’ll hunt for the piece you need (cause it’s definitely somewhere in there) and not give a single care about the price because you know you have to have it, and you know you won’t find something even remotely similar anywhere else. Oh but wait there’s more to Brick Lane. Once you’re out of the market, you’ve only just begun your journey here. Continue down the street and you’ll see, stores upon stores lining up the streets. These stores offer breathing room you didn’t have in the market. They are more of your typical vintage stores you find anywhere on the globe. Just remember, most vintage sellers travel to the States and get clothes there to sell in their stores. So prices might be more than what you’re used to, but that’s why people love vintage shopping. The hunt. Hunt for vintage clothes from London in the swarms of classic band tees or old pairs of Dickies. (anything more than 30 pounds for Dickies makes me sick). Take your time at Brick Lane. Go once and get a feel for the shops that you like the most. The overwhelming amount of clothes that will be in your face will probably make you not get anything because of the stress it can cause. I’d say go with intention, it’ll make it easier. Pick out a certain article of clothing and tell yourself, “I need a new ____”. That way you can densen the lens with all the options around you, and hey, if you find something else you like, no shame in that. Spend that money. Even when I go just to browse, I’ll end up being fixated on something and have no choice but to buy it. The Camden Markets are another spectacle to the eye. Upon first arrival, you’ll be overwhelmed by food options. You’d think it’s the only thing there if you didn’t know any better. Once you shuffle through the hoards of people getting food, you’ll eventually break through with a gasp of fresh air as buildings have formed a hallway for you. Go down that hallway, and the stores will start to appear. While there’s a few in this hallway (including my favorite ____) you’ll see a glimpse of light at the end. Once you go into that doorway at the end, the world opens up to vendors everywhere. It’s endless corridors of little (sometimes large) holes in the walls with people selling any and everything. Majority of it is vintage clothing, and you can tell the owners have their own vision of what they want to be sold in their shop. It’s an atmosphere where you can glance into a shop and immediately know if they’ll have something you might like. If you’re into all black, high platforms, and unnecessary straps, they got a few shops for you. Vintage sports? Yup. I could go on, but just like Brick Lane, whatever style you have, you’ll find it here. I’ve noticed the employees there seem to be older than the crowd you see at Brick Lane, and with how they handle their customers you can tell this is their passion and they’ve been doing it for a while. As you go from shop to shop, you’ll eventually, and abbrutley end up at the fire exit. You’ll be confused, but when you look at the time you’ll notice you’ve spent well over a couple hours just browsing. When you try to find where you entered, you’ll realize you’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg of all the shops in the market. Without a doubt, a place that needs to be hit a few times if you want to try covering it in its entirety. Prices everywhere in London may seem a little extreme, but once you’ve gotten used to it, you’ll realize Camden Market prices are reasonable with the option of haggling to make that special piece even more of a victory once you own it. It’s been the market where I’ve bought the majority of my things here in London. Specifically, Outerlimitz Vintage owned by DI and her two Chihuahuas. I’ve bought three jackets from there (including my cherished leather one) and all of them are women’s. That just shows that it doesn’t matter what the article of clothing you decide to buy was originally made for, if you love it, and wear it with confidence, London will accept and appreciate you for expressing and owning your taste to the fullest.
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