Fashion on a student budget: Where to thrift near SOAS

MA student Lilly shares her favourite thrift shops near SOAS for vintage coats, cozy scarves and budget-friendly finds. 

When I arrived at SOAS last fall, I was bright-eyed, hungry—both academically and physically (that flight was long)—and perhaps most urgently, cold. Winter gear took up too much space in my checked bags so it didn't make the cut, and while I’ve no proof, I’m convinced that winter in London hits different. There’s something uniquely cruel about the alliance between wind and rain here, rendering umbrellas into nothing more than accessories. So I went on a hunt for some extra layers. 

If you too need something affordable, and ideally, fashionable, to bundle up in, here are some of the thrift shops around SOAS that might help you snag that iconic London trench coat or a fun chunky scarf. 

Oxfam 

If you don’t already know (you probably already know), Oxfam is a British chain of charity shops akin to Red Cross, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Humana…you get the gist. You won’t find better secondhand prices in London for either clothes or books. 

These are the three locations near SOAS: Oxfam Goodge St, Oxfam Covent Garden, and Oxfam Bookshop Bloomsbury. It can be a hit or a miss, but I recommend making a stop at one of these shops before getting lost in the pricier, popular options below.  

Goldsmith Vintage 

I’ll start with the most important information: everything in here is fifteen pounds. In other words, the heavy things—rain jackets, winter coats, boots, and sweaters—are the same price as something as light as a tank top. 

Fair warning, this shop is a bit of an adventure, and you should come prepared to dig around for the cool things, but trust me, the cool things are definitely there. I’m especially fond of the rack of bedazzled 80’s tops on the first floor.  

Rokit Covent Garden 

If you’re looking for cute, decently-priced winter accessories, this is your place. Beanies, gloves, and scarves, many of which involving retired and fake fur, seem to cover every wall in Rokit. 

That’s not to mention the extensive range of coats; I swear I saw leather of every shade, even lavender. A fun bonus is the rack dedicated to Lululemon clothes for the more athletic of us (I truly envy those of you who can summon the will to exercise in 0°C weather).  

Skoob books 

Okay fine, they don’t sell second-hand clothes here, but perhaps more importantly, they sell second-hand books. We are students, after all. Besides, how are we supposed to bundle up for the winter without a novel in our hands? 

Once you’re on the backside of The Brunswick Centre, follow the stairs down into this biblio-paradise and lose yourself in a maze of forgotten and well-loved literature. I snagged a very cool vintage poster of Dracula on my last visit.  

Beyond Retro 

My fellow Nordics might have heard of this thrift shop before—like London, the small but mighty Beyond Retro chain is a huge hit in Sweden and Finland. It’s perhaps the most expensive store on this list, but at the same time, it has the best-curated collection of clothes. 

You can find all of the greatest fashion eras in their winter gear, and despite their second-hand nature, most of the coats are in fantastic shape. This is the right shop for you if you’re looking for one cute but practical coat to get you through this dark season. 

I hope this list helps keep us all warm and as stylish as horizontal rain will permit. If all else fails, the Atrium of the Paul Webley Wing and the Student Union are my go-to spots when I’m desperate to defrost.  

Header image credit: Becca Mchaffie via Unsplash.