Central London >> See the shops, share your favourites

Covent Garden

Perhaps as a result of their central location, these vintage stores have a high street feel. They are cleaner and smaller than other retro shops, in London. Plus, unlike the umber trendy Shoreditch anyone can shop in them and feel comfortable and the best thing is that they are not more expensive. Then again, if you are a real vintage lover you will probably like Shoreditch more.

Oxford Street

Oxford Street is mainly crammed with people and the standard high street shops. Off Caranaby Street, however, there is Kingly Court, a nice and relatively peaceful shopping complex filled with vintage goods, but they are uninspired and overpriced, you're better off going to Beyond Retro on Marshall Street. If you're looking for menswear don't forget the Paul Smith sale shop.

Victoria

These shops are not worth the walk from the tube station. They are run down, badly organised and smell.

Waterloo

Lower Marsh is a market road. It has a great vibe, filled with ethnic food stalls and is a fun place to stroll down. There are a couple of surprisingly good shops, but it is not worth going out of your way to get there.

North London >> See the shops, share your favourites

Camden

Camden is an angst teenager's idea of heaven. It was established as a crafts market, in 1974, now it's well known for its alternative scene. The recent increase in popularity means the market has been renovated, leading the range of goods and visitors to expand drastically. It has, however, kept the way it was laid out and key architectural features. This is a bonus as it is still an interesting place to visit, yet with the rise in shoppers and stalls the whole place feels like a hectic maze. While hunting for the vintage shops you may stumble on a couple of good buys, for instance leather jackets for £10, then again you are more likely to come across tourist tat.

Hampstead

It may commonly conjure images of expensive stores, but the well-to-do Hampstead surprisingly has one of the best bargain stores, Designs on Her.

Islington

Islington boasts two very good swap shops, a decent vintage store and a Clarks factory outlet, as well as being home to one of London's longest established designer warehouse sales. There's quite a lot of variety - start out at Angel then head north along Upper Street to Holloway Road.

South London >> See the shops, share your favourites

Earlsfield and Wimbledon

Unfortunately the further South you go, the more dilapidated secondhand and vintage shops tend to get... You will find less designer items but there are some fantastic deals on second hand high street brands in good condition. You also tend to find offbeat one of a kind shops such as 331, which solely stocks leather goods and Hawaiian shirts.

Battersea

Shops and markets in Battersea are quite spread out and as the area is relatively hard to access anyway, it is probably best only to visit if you have other things bring you into the neighbourhood. Having said that, Anita's market is worth a visit on a Sunday as it is jam packed with stalls selling clothing, textiles and accessories.

Greenwich

Greenwich is a fantastic area. It is buzzing and the shopping is fantastic. It's also a great place to eat out so pick a gorgeous day and go check out The Observatory!

East London >> See the shops, share your favourites

Shoreditch (Liverpool Street and Old Street tubes)

Shoreditch, the home of the young and trendy, is full of cheap up-to-date bars and cafes, giving it a buzzing atmosphere. Most importantly it has many fun and stylish vintage stores. On Thursday, Friday and Sunday Shoreditch hosts Spitafields Market, which Timeout has recently labelled 'the new Portobello' and we feel is currently the best fashion market in London. Thus Shoreditch is a great area to shop in and simply hang out. Yet most of the vintage shops feel very similar; the majority have generic atmospheres and stock. There are, however, a couple of stores that shone out from the imitative bunch. Plus, the merchandise is relatively well laid out compared to other London vintage stores.

Hackney (Hackney over ground train station)

Hackney is an exciting flourishing place, with organic cafes and trendy bars popping up everywhere. Sadly the shops have not quite caught on yet; the high street is full of run down pound shops. Furthermore, there are no tube stops nearby. The clearance stores are not worth the trek, but Broadway market is definitely a great place to spend Saturday morning.

West London >> See the shops, share your favourites

Notting Hill

Unfortunately, because its reputation precedes it, this is a very busy area, particularly on Saturdays when Portobello Market is in full swing. However, if you have a couple of hours and do not mind weaving your way down to Westbourne Grove, you will find vintage clothing stores and zany little boutiques aplenty. Some of the better known of them are a little over-priced so it's advisable to take in as much of what is on offer as possible before buying.

Richmond

Richmond is a beautiful area of London but take note that prices are quite lofty though the garments themselves are great.

Parsons Green and Fulham

There are quite a few vintage and secondhand shops snaking up from the New Kings Road by Putney Bridge into Fulham. Though most are relatively small, you will find designer labels aplenty and all at reduced prices. That's 'reduced' and not 'bargain'. Though garments are in excellent condition and relatively young if secondhand, they are anywhere between 30 to 50 per cent off which is still quite pricey.

Knightsbridge

The secondhand and vintage shops in this area are extremely upmarket. You will undoubtedly find some of the most stylish designer brands across clothing and accessories -but at a high price. Most of these stores will not accept anything older than the past collection and will only accept items that are in near-perfect condition. Vintage clothing is only carried if it's iconic of a particular era. All of this combines to make secondhand shopping in this area a costly experience and a bargainsita's money is better spent elsewhere.