There are dozens of good vintage stores in London, but this remains a firm favourite. Blackout II has been providing bright and beautiful frocks, handbags, shoes and all the trimmings for more than two-and-a-half decades. Here, you will find a wonderful array of dress-up clothes, from 1930s cocktail frocks to full-skirted ’50s dresses and some slinky numbers that might have graced the sets of 'Dynasty', as well as more wearable men’s and women’s clothing and accessories from the ’40s through to the ’80s. The duplex store is heaving with stock, and you’ll need a great deal of rummager’s enthusiasm to prise through the stuffed rails, but the incredibly knowledgeable staff, together with signs on rails indicating era, make the shopping experience a smidge easier. An ideal place to go if you’re after a specific item from a specific decade, it’s a magpie’s dream of costume jewellery, and also does clothing hire.
As featured in the 100 best shops in London