Bang Bang

Some v.rude staff : totally up themselves!
I would never return. A great shame,
because in amongst the detritus there
are some gems......

This second-hand treasure trove is one of my favourite shops, mainly because of their excellent selection policy. They buy vintage, designer and high-street garments and accessories, but only if it's interesting/quirky so you don't find yourself having to sift through rails of bland clothing in order to find one stand-out piece. They appear to have designer label obsessives and sample sale queens dropping stuff off on a regular basis, so it pays to keep checking back. I would recommend buying something straight away (or at least putting it on hold until the end of the day) if you really like it though, as their stuff goes fast!

As for the exchange part of the deal... it's great to have somewhere you can take good quality unwanted items and get money for them with minimum hassle, but do be aware that they are very picky. If you get store credit in exchange, you'll get 50% of the expected selling price which is great. However, don't go back in and check the price labels on the stuff you've taken in as sometimes they label them up for more than they initially said, and then you'll end up feeling a tad cheated. Still, well worth it to avoid the nightmare of selling on eBay these days!

This designer thrift store is actually addictive. I worked in the area for several years, and pretty much had a running list of stuff I wanted to buy from Bang Bang at any given time. I would save up for weeks to pick up fabulous (still heavily-discounted) designer items.

Definitely worth browsing on a regular basis if you are into fashion and enjoy wearing statement pieces that are going to get you noticed. The staff are a little sniffy (they weren't remotely interested in a treasured vintage Biba piece I once thought about selling to them) but they do know their stuff, and keep the stock fresh by changing it to fit the season, and colour coordinating everything - details that really mark this store out from standard vintage shops.

Love this store, picked up a vintage red and white stripe summer dress from here for a bargain £12.

They are quite particular about stock and only one of each item is ever bought so things are individual and a well edited mix.

The store is set out by colour which always pleases me immensely and extra special items are placed on display above the rails to give you inspiration.

Only downside is that the changing rooms downstairs are a bit hot, other than that, a must-visit.

Definitely a place to get lost in for a lunch hour, saturday afternoon or waiting to meet a friend. It’s second hand clothing, but think mod great vintage rather than hand-me-downs.
Some of the items in here still had the original clothing tags on them and brands vary from Topshop (£10 item) to more niche designer like twenty8twelve (£80 item).

They’ve also got som 'rad’ accessories from lavish hats and sparkly belts to more demure necklaces, all a standardised and somewhat affordable price. It’s not a bargain bin by any means and some items are really pricey, but I imagine regular visits would pay off for that special unique piece.

Mixed feelings. As a buyer it is great - some lovely and unique pieces at a great price. However, as a seller - have a a wardrobe policy of one piece in, one out - they are really quite rude at times and will give you nothing like what you could see your pieces for yourself on Ebay or elsewhere. But there is the crux - that is how as a buyer you are able to get the bargains you can find in Bang Bang - they can’t pay sellers top dollar and still sell on to us buyers without making a few £ themselves. However, that also explains sometimes why stock dries up. Dunno, torn how I feel about them.

I lost an entire lunch hour in here and I could have lost a whole months pay as well! This place is amazing! Small (thank goodness) and full of extraoprdimary treasures.

I have seen so many wonderful things that were all second hand but in beautiful condition it was just fantastic.

Stuff in here is constantly changing so visit no less than once a month for sure.

It’s impossible to convey how happy I am with Bang Bang right now. I’ve actually been avoiding going in here since I started work in the area because I just though ‘well I can’t afford anything anyway’. Wrong!!!

I’ve been looking for a leather satchel for ages (very old shcool I know.) And I’ve just bought a Marni one for £40. It’s brown leather and I love it. I also love the fact that it was probably about £250 when it was new. I’m not a huge designer label slave AT ALL. But I like pretty good quality stuff. Some of the stuff is expensive in here, but you’ll find some good high street stuff too.

It’s an exchange, so take (good quality) stuff in to get rid of it. This means that as everything is hand picked, you know you’re getting good gear without holes in that you don’t spot until you get home.

It’s a great shop. Full enough to have a rummage, but still well laid out so you don’t get annoyed. Plus I had a nice chat with the girl serving me about how expensive Topshop is these days. I liked her. I always thought the staff in here would be too cool and aloof, but they’re not!

So, I have my new bag, I’m a little bit poorer, and I’ve got a beaming smile on my face.

Not bad for a quick lunch break.