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Fashion Shopping

Vintage Fill-A-Bag Sales

April 18, 2013

I’ve been to a few vintage ‘fill a bag sales’ in London over the last few years. Back in 2009 I went to Pick n Mix which was held behind a shop on Bethnall Green Road. I got two £20 bags and filled them to bursting with the most amazing things. I managed to get some stunning 60s evening dresses and some higher end eighties dresses. I was totally spoiled I filled the gaps in the back with silk scarfs including one which on closer inspection at home was a Christian Dior!

My next visit to Pick n Mix a few months later was also petty good, I got some beautiful 60s and 70s pieces and a 1950s prom dress which needed so much repair that I ended up selling it on Ebay as a project for someone else. his was back in the days when I used to sell at vintage fairs most weekends so anything I didn’t decide to keep got sold for a lot more than I paid for it.

Last year I went to pick n Mix’s new home in Dalston and actually left empty-handed there was nothing for me there sadly.

My other fill a bag experiences have all been at The East End Thrift Store in Whitechapel. This large warehouse style shop is housed in an ally off the main road and is a great place to stock up on more recent vintage pieces. It’s another shop I used to go to a lot more when I was selling vintage full-time. In around the 80s and 90s dresses it’s possible to find the odd older gem. Every few months the thrift store would have a fill a bag sale. This is mostly because they buy in vintage by the tonne and have to clear stock quite often. This sale was always a good one for mens shirts and cute 80s sweaters which I love. I never found anything incredible hidden in there but always got a few lovely cheap and cheerful bits.

Recently the thrift store has made fill a bag a permanent feature with two sized bags available at £10 and £20. I paid a little visit there with my husband a few weeks ago and I must say it wasn’t all for me, being 27 I feel a little old to dress in stuff that would look amazing on a 19-year-old east end student, however I did pick up a £20 bag and manged to nearly fill it with a few nice things from the 80s and 90s. as well as a lovely 1960s dress which sadly was much too small for me.

This isn’t everything I picked up as a lot of it is in my clean and repair pile and some of it went on Ebay as the fit wasn’t right for me. I got 15 items in all which for £20 is fantastic.

Sales 013 Sales 014

146 147 148 149 150 509

I would definitely recommend vintage fill-a-bag sales for picking up little extra bits to add a little vintage to your wardrobe. I have never made it to the vintage kilo sale which runs on a similar principle except you buy by weight, but it is one I’ve heard great things about.

You can visit the East End Thrift Store at Unit 1A Assembly Passage, London, E1 4UT

Visit their website here



  • Reply
    Grace
    April 18, 2013 at 7:07 pm

    You got so many pretty things! My friends from uni are always raving about amazing 80’s finds at the kilo sale, but I haven’t been yet either as it seems a bit hectic. That place in Stepney looks worth a trip though.

    • Reply
      vintagefrills
      April 18, 2013 at 7:11 pm

      Yes it’s really good as long as your willing to look through everything! Their non fill a bag section has a few cute dresses for £15-£20 each as well.

  • Reply
    Pre-loved and Vintage Treasures
    June 4, 2013 at 2:54 am

    You got a great bargain for 15 pieces! Love the frilly details on the blouses, and that last 1960s dress is amazing!

  • Reply
    Nina
    February 4, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Ive just left East End Thrift store empty handed. There is absolutly nothing! Ive been here a few times before the fill a bag became a permanent feature and I fear they are just stocking up with any old rubbish, just so the have the stock in. Really disappointed, will have to try discover a new place.

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