If you like cheap, vintage clothing then look no further than the Stables market. It is literally littered with vintage stalls, and 'What goes around, Comes around...' particularly stands out because...
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Following a stream of Japanese tourists (Bicester is full of them!) I suggested a trip to 'Burbs' for a laugh. Little did we know we'd end up falling head over heels for an absolutely fabulous silver coat covered in huge stones. Instantly recognisable from the catwalk, it was beautiful but at well over £500 even with the discount - and with stones falling off - it was one to admire from afar...
After lunch at a pub around the corner (Bicester Village's food establishments stretch to Starbucks, Pret and a very busy Carluccios) we headed back the the shops for round two. French Connection's outlet store was full of bargains from last Winter, and we were surprised to see the hugely popular 'Serpent' dress in navy and bronze down to £80. It was a huge celeb favourite and a big seller during the party season, but it seems the appeal has been ...
The front of the fab Paul Smith store is full of menswear, but find your way to the back and it's a gorgeously decorated girly paradise, complete with a big sofa, a pink dressing room and a table full of the most fabulous frivolous shoes you could ever wish for....
We were wooed into LK Bennett by the big £10 signs on the shelves closest to the door. Talk about clever marketing! Unfortunately, the majority of these dirt-cheap shoes were, um, a bit dirty. Obviously the last few pairs from sale periods, or the in-store display shoes (thus faded from the original colour) they tended to be a bit worse for wear. Press samples and other random pairs were also on sale for £20, but the best bargains were the ...
First stop for us was Coast, that staple for overpriced evening classics and feminine separates. Prices - and discounts - varied depending on how old the stock was. We were - of course - seduced by the drastic discounts on old Summer stock....
About an hour from London by train is Bicester Village, one of the country's premium outlet shopping destinations. We turned up, Sony Vaio at the ready, to discover it's called a village for a reason! The whole place is set out like a toy town, with brands like Dior, Jimmy Choo, Versace and Mulberry nestled in cottage-like buildings along cobbled streets next to high street names like Monsoon, Karen Millen, Coast and French Connection.
Still on Drury Lane, we thought the accessories at Wow Retro deserved a post of their own, since there are so many amazing finds. If you like old shoes, funky worn-in boots and 80s clutches, this place will be your nirvana. The shop is a treasure trove of pretty accessories and quirky bits and bobs...
Covent Garden is full of great vintage destinations, but Wow Retro's Drury Lane shop is one of our favourites, not just because it's two minutes away from the office - meaning we walk past it every day - but also because of how spacious it is compared to some of the others...
Neal Street is a shoe lover's mecca, lined with big names like Office and Shellys as well as newer, funkier labels like Vagabond, Offspring, The Vegetarian Shoe Store and Terra Plana, where we stopped by for a bit of a tour....
Nipping into H&M following a good hour in Debenhams, I was surprised to find myself drawn to a massive display in the children's department! They're now stocking Sanrio Hello Kitty merchandise - and some of the items are great for (kitschy) adults as well as the under tens they're aimed at. Cute little hairclips for £1.25, alice bands, handbags and my personal favourite, a pink knitted hat all tempted me from the rails. Sadly the kitty printed rain hat was ...
Portobello it is not, but if you're looking for dirt-cheap bargains and a chance to really experience life as a Brummie, the Rag Market it definitely worth a visit. A little bit ramshackle but very, very cheap, It opens its doors on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and sits directly behind the Bullring shopping centre, next to two other markets - the outdoor and the indoor (which is where you'll find yummy food like fresh seafood, yum!). ...
There are two city centre New Look stores, but the one in the Bullring is definitely the one to head to. With two entrances, one on the Bullring's lower level next to Debenhams and the other out the back facing the markets, this is a two level store with a huge selection of shoes and menswear downstairs, and womenswear upstairs...
Like New Look, the huge Debenhams in the Bullring (filling four massive floors) is brilliant at sale time. The last dregs of the sale have now been put into rails organised by size, and if you know where to look you can snag limited edition Butterfly by Matthew Williamson maxi dresses for £40, Jasper Conran skirts for a tenner and floozie bikini tops for £3....
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