Ode to the Glasgow Thrift Store

Well well well...I have managed to leave my Christmas shopping until the last minute (again) but this time it's only because my boyfriend was eager to get a Christmas jumper and I couldn't find one ANYWHERE! So I have spent the last week raiding charity shops and thrift stores for a Norwegian knit-style Chrimbo jumper and been deeply frustrated at my lack of findings. I started in Edinburgh, making my way down the many many charity shops on Nicholson st, going to Armstrong's, Bernardo's Vintage and...well that's about all Edinburgh has it is rubbish. Of course I didn't make it to Morningside charity shops and I have heard they are excellent - especially if you're after tea sets!

So this took me a good chunk of time, made worse by the fact I was looking for other people's presents and therefore got distracted so ended up getting NONE and I was also restricted on time as I was heading to The Filmhouse on the other side of town to see the revamped The Red Shoes.


But then I went through to Glasgow and the first Vintage Shop I went into had THE Christmas jumper! It was brown and white with that lovely Christmas pattern resembling snowflakes and it was Norwegian knit and VERY WARM! There we go. Sorted. And it's because Glasgow has the most amazing concentrated selection of Charity and Thrift stores in the West End. Ever.

Vintage Guru (where I got the Christmas jumper) has to be my all time favourite right now. It's kind of dangerous when I go in there as I tend to always buy something. And the prices, for vintage, are fairly reasonable. You can buy a tweed men's jacket at the same price the charity shop next door is selling one (approx. £20) but here there is far more choice!! Right now they have just got in a selection of amazing 1920s hats; unfortunately some of them are made for 1920s heads and are TINY.

I also love Starry Starry Night for the location alone.

Continue down the alley and you have Glorious (formerly known as Glory Hole and you can see why that was changed...) Start walking up Great Western Road and you get to Watermelon: the original West End vintage shop! The there is Retro (makes sense) and the new NEW Glasgow Vintage Co. which I have yet to visit and I can't wait.

And they aren't even including all of the charity shops! But if you've done all of those and are still somehow sane and have money in your pocket then head over to Merchant City to the daddy of Vintage Mr Ben's.

I'd be surprised if you could control your cash after that vintage dash! Christmas jumper or no Christmas jumper...