For several years I have made a conscious effort to avoid the trendy area of Shoreditch.
In my head it seemed to be a place full of girls parading around in polka dot dresses and men carrying tote bags- I wasn’t far off, but it does have a lot more to offer.
Such as Paper Dress- a vintage clothes-come-coffee shop. A bit of an unusual combination- but it seems to work- the smell of dead people’s attire even compliments the freshly made cappuccinos.
Owner of the shop is Hannah- a woman well informed on the subject of vintage fashion. She has owned the place for over 4 years and it is doing so well she has another shop opening in Leeds- and from what I’ve heard of the north a lot of their outfits are ten years behind already- a shrewd business move on her part I think.
If you do happen to be in Shoreditch make the effort to visit Paper Dress. It has a welcoming atmosphere and lacks the pushy sales environment of a lot of other vintage shops- and they sell cakes- Top Shop take note.
Another shop I would have never have come across was Westland- an antique and building salvage dealers. They sell more than the usual broken tiles and butler sinks of usual junk yards and specialise in huge ornate fireplaces- some dating back as late as the 17th Century.
Westland occupy the grade I listed building of St Michael’s church- an architectural masterpiece in itself. Walking among their stock is more like a visit to a museum of stately homes than a shopping trip. One of the best items I saw on sale was a statue of a boy and goose- the same as the one found on Poultry in the city of London.
I’m not sure if everyone is welcome to just go in and look around. I was lucky enough to be taken in by a friend who knows the owners quite well, but if you fancy it I’m sure a well planned lie regarding inheriting a mansion and needing to do it up should get you in without any suspicion.
