*Cue moaning old lady mode*  I remember the days when I could take a gander at Rokit in Camden Two or wander up to Stables Market and buy a dress for a tenner for a night out when a ritzy/razzly top from Topshop just wasn't going to cut the mustard.  Gosh those days were pretty sweet.  Sadly only a dose of good luck in a charity shop and jumble sales can score me some bargains nowadays.  That or trekking outside of London to lands afar.

So when I heard about   East End Thrift Store, touting itself as 'The Last Fair Deal in Town', I had to investigate further.  The Time Out team (don't knock this non-fash mag...they're pretty spot on when it comes to London shop spots...) recommended the store as part of their top 20 thrift stores.  Of course, by 'thrift' they mean vintage as I'd classify 'thrift' as 'charity shop' rummaging.  Still, the name is supposed to be self explanatory and the location being just a leeetle bit too far away from the Brick Lane/Hoxton/Shoreditch hub is in fact well-suited.

Once the alleyway walk is over, the store itself is well organised, clean and pretty packed.  It's not Virginia-vintage, it's not quite Peekaboo Topshop vintage but it serves you well if you hunt and look at each piece properly.  Whatever sort of vintage it's suppsoed to be, the real point is...practically everything is a tenner or less.  Again, exactly what it says on the tin.  The stuff that is a bit pricier tended to have some sort of heavy beading or bouffant prom dress qualities.  The tenner for outfit for a night out practise is clearly not dead yet....and it was well proven when some Art School Club Kids (they need capitals because of their louder than life outfits.... wire and perspex headdresses, leopard print, cartoon bags and tutu's....) were there hunting around and trying things on... definitely on the prowl for something to swirl around in dancing...   

Me?  I got boring and stuck to thing things that I actually needed... a beautiful white dress that although is a funny length could not be resisted because of the swirling crochet detail and a back fastened up with tons of white fabric buttons... it will be a 'swanning-around-oddball-sort-of-pretty' dress to wear with Converse.

Ok, whilst I was sticking to the white dress section and being boring... I did digress as the florals on this dress were just so...well.... juicy!  Of course, the puffball skirt thing underneath had to be done it to give it some Balenciaga SS08 oomph but sans puffball works too...