A Single Regret? On Charity Shops in Edinburgh

Something I wish I had looked into earlier on in my exchange: I wish I had more actively explored opportunities for volunteerism within Edinburgh.

In particular, as an avid window shopper and browser, I've been quite impressed by the concept of charity shops in the UK. Basically these shops are run by charities, and form part of their fund-raising programme. Typically, the charity shop accepts second-hand donations in kind, which might include anything such as books, old DVDs, clothes and furniture. These items are then organized and categorized by shop volunteers and eventually sold, with all proceeds going toward the charitable cause in question.

The benefits of patronizing charity shops would include, (i) supporting a charitable cause which you might personally be invested in, (ii) benefiting from the reduced prices of quality second-hand goods, (iii) helping to recycle products which might otherwise have gone into the trash.

From Oxfam to Shelter to Barnados to PDSA, there are charity stores galore in the Clerk Street/Nicolson Street area. From time to time, I've even popped into some of them to poke around. The products on sale are generally in very good condition despite being second-hand - some clothes are brand new, and carry big-store tags like Marks and Spencer's. I've been quite pleased with my finds thus far!



Some of my charity finds in the past month: Sling bag from Marie Curie Cancer Cure (I think), £3. Checked shirt from Shelter, £4.

So now on hindsight, I wish I had spotted opportunities to volunteer within these stores which I've come to admire...perhaps in Shelter (fighting homelessness) or Baranados (believe in children!) Sadly the commitment period required from store volunteers is usually a couple of months - definitely out of the question since I only have 16 more days there!

Well, if you're coming to Edinburgh on an exchange and are looking for ways to give back to the community, do consider popping by one of these charity stores - whether as a buyer, or as a volunteer. For more information check out http://www.changeworks.org.uk/content.php?linkid=347 for a map of all the charity stores within Edinburgh! :) The individual charities would also have their own websites if you want more specific information.

Back to Grassmarket: Discovering a Retail Paradise

It's official. Move over temples of High street fashion on Princes Street. Bow your heads in shame tourist tats along the Royal Mile. I have crowned the Grassmarket area my new favourite shoppin' & browsin' spot in Edinburgh!

This marks my second trip back to the Grassmarket area in a week. While I scoured the adjoining Westport street for independent vintage finds on Sunday, this time I focused on Grassmarket itself, in addition to making little detours off to West Bow, Victoria Street and Candlemaker row. In sum: bigger and better vintage, awesome boutiques, antique shops, trendy bistros, and too-hip art book stores.

Sampled quite a few shops on my walkabout, and here are my top picks for retail fiends.

1. Armstrong's, 83 Grassmarket


Barnados Vintage along West Bow, is a sweet vintage charity store which uses all proceeds to aid young children and their families. However, it simply cannot compare to the behemoth just across the street on Grassmarket: Armstrong's is the grand dame of Vintage fashion and it's not hard to see why. It is a giant emporium stacked floor to ceiling with an assortment of vintage costumes, accessories, jewelry and day-to-day wear which is simply unbeatable.

There are pieces which are clearly intended for the stage (or a fancy-dress party): ornate mandarin-collared tunics, neon pink frilly showgirl pieces, ostentatious tartan kilts, and even 1970s-esque wigs drip off the racks. There is even a little corner dedicated to Vintage wedding dresses, all creamy white and flouncy.

If your tastes are less kitsch, head toward the back of the store and you'll find a large selection of daily wear (men's and women's), which are indeed, very wearable and at very reasonable prices to boot. I spied adorable dresses for around 15 pounds, and strings of faux pearls at just a pound.

I was very tempted by a grey checked top, with a delicate lace inner-lining. But quite sadly, washing instructions stipulated dry cleaning only. Not too practical in Singapore's sweat-inducing weather - sigh.

The grey checked top - 12 pounds

Swinging mini-skirt - five pounds.


So cute! Printed pussy-bow dress on mannequin. Forgot the price.

So definitely make Armstrong's a must-see when going on your retail rounds. It's not just a store. It's an institution.

They also have another smaller outlet along Clerk Street, and a spin-off at Teviot Place called Rusty Zip.

2. Red Door Gallery and Analogue,
42 Victoria Street and 102 West Bow respectively

Artsy bookstores which also double up as small gallery spaces. Analogue is a sparsely designed shop which stocks books pertaining to fashion, design and writing/publishing. Red Door has a quirky assortment of house-hold knick knacks, cards, planners and stationery including 'Film Diaries' by Otsu, with thoughtful blanks labelled 'Movie title,' 'Director,' 'Producer' and 'Analysis/Critique/Notes.' Perfect for that film student or movie buff!




Picked up The Locals' Guide to Edinburgh while at the Red Door and flipped through it briefly over lunch. It's given me new ideas about where to go and what to do in the next few days! Love how the places and activities featured come straight from native Edinburgh-ers, including students, taxi drivers and local DJs. The book is also lovingly designed and is a pretty companion to carry around in your handbag.

3. Swish and Joe
Somewhere along Victoria St, and Greyfriars place respectively

Swish is a tad pricy, but it stocks totally cute dresses with little, idiosyncratic twists. Had fun browsing even though the 40 - 60 pound price tags were out of my reach.

Joe features colourful jewelry and knick-knacks, including a gorgeous selection of bags against the wall which I simply loved.

In the course of my shopping trip, I've been amazed at the retail geography of Edinburgh. In addition to the usual mass chains along Princes Street, and the designer labels on Multrees Walk, I've also discovered so many cheap charity shops and independent boutiques. The latter in particular, are also really active in promoting local designers - drawn perhaps, from the nearby arts college on Lauriston place.

There is also a large emphasis on 'ethical' shopping - vintage shops invariably remind shoppers of the environmental benefits of buying second-hand, and the profusion of charity shops (like Barnados) also allow shoppers guilt-free retail trips as they know their money will go toward charitable causes. And of course, 'fairtrade' is a sacrosanct word which earns approving nods from consumers.

Overall a very different shopping and browsing experience compared to Singapore. Shoppers here seem more conscious about where and how they want to spend their dollar.