Godiva (Edinburgh, UK)

Back when I was a student, I remember procrastinating in a library by leafing through random magazines on display. One of them was an eco mag that regularly reviewed various brand-named products and gave information not just on their impact on the environment, but on how 'safe' they were with regard to your health (i.e. toxins, parabens etc.). If available it was also listed whether or not they were ethically produced. Safe to say, almost every single item would get horrific grades and I was so shocked by this revelation, I ended up sharing this with my friend M. the same evening. It lead me to replace most of my skincare products with those containing natural ingredients, but M. took it one step further. Already a fair trade and human rights campaigner, she not only started subscribing to that evil magazine, but began purchasing fair trade, organic and recycled everything-you-can-imagine. Very noble, I know and I also realized I had somehow just created a little monster (albeit a very charming one). Our shopping sprees now consisted of going to various fair trade grocers and clothing stores specializing in sustainable fashion. While I'm up for anything, browsing racks of hemp clothing isn't really my idea of a good time. Thankfully M. realized that despite her good intentions, showing up to class wearing something resembling a potato sack wasn't really an option, so in the end she would always cave and we'd end up in an H&M.

Vintage looks from Godiva (images: Godiva).

Indie labels, clockwise starting top left: Lost Forward, Johari, Tee & Toast, Kool Jewels, Hi-Dee jeans, Teresa Dowd (images: Godiva/designer's own).

Despite the current trend in anything eco or ethical, it's still fairly difficult to find suitable items these days, especially when it comes to clothing. It's why vintage is such an attractive option. And while I'm still doing my best to become the ultimate vintage shopper (as you can imagine, M. is better at this), I still lack the patience and dedication to browse such stores for more than an hour. Which is why, after having visited Armstrongs and another two vintage stores in Edinburgh back to back, I almost cried (not in a good way) when I sighted Godiva (not the chocolate), thinking it was yet another vintage emporium. Could I handle another one? Hell no. I kept walking, then paused at the windows. For some reason the dresses on display didn't really look that vintage. I spotted the word 'recycled' and 'reworked'. Maybe I was wrong. I decided to go in.

Pieces by indie labels Lost Forward (left) and ethical brand Johari (right).

Godiva is actually a great idea for a boutique, and while it does stock vintage items, it also sells so much more. Founded in 2003 by Fleur MacIntosh, who has always had a passion for second-hand clothing, the store not only deals with typical vintage garments, but also pieces by indie designers - many of them recent graduates from fashion institutes - as well as reworked vintage items. To top it all off, Godiva also sells it's own line of clothing, specializing in made-to-measure dresses meant to last you a lifetime. Basically Godiva is four stores jammed into one cute boutique. The owner has various contacts in the fashion community and all designers are mostly local (from the U.K.). Everything is handmade in the region, so rest assured there are no sweatshops involved. In addition, you'll also find a few ethical brands, such as Johari, who's entire profits benefit fair trade and other social programmes in Africa (predominantly Kenya).

Left: A comfy old-fashioned sofa near the entrance. Right: Shoes and other goodies on the table.

Reworked vintage (left) and more dresses on display (right).

What I loved the most though, was that I was fully unaware of this when I first started browsing. Everything I saw looked hip and cool. The reworked vintage didn't look eco-boring or remotely recycled. Nothing had that musky smell that accompanies your average vintage store. Most pieces were one-of-a-kind, which supports Godiva's philosophy to "strive against the soul sucking monotony of fast food fashion to provide a truly unique alternative". The front room, which was accessorized with a comfy old-fashioned sofa, various cute props (old trunks, baskets, baroque mirrors) and large wooden wardrobes that housed the clothes, is where I found most of the indie designs, some completely 'new', others partially or entirely vintage-sourced.

Overview of the store (left) - note the zebra print on the wall - and a selection of vintage scarves (right).

I spotted open suitcases full of second-hand scarves, wicker baskets filled with various belts, a large display featuring hats by milliner Jill Corbett and racks of feminine clothes by the local indie label Lost Forward. My favorite items were by Virginia Morley, who uses vintage and recycled fabrics, buttons and buckles to create edgy statement pieces. I also found a great selection of bags (most of them consisting of recycled leather or fabric), as well as jewelry, both new and reworked, by brands such as Dolls & Molls or Kool Jewels.

So many bags... (left) and a few belts (right).

If you're a true vintage fan and don't want any of that reworked stuff, the back room is for you. This is where you'll find the traditional second-hand items ranging from kilts and 50s dresses to 80s sequined tops. The selection is small - just how I like it, but it's full of gems. You'll find everything from daytime appropriate skirts to evening gowns. And don't be fooled by the girly interior of the entire store - the boutique also stocks quite a range of menswear and children's clothes as well.

The vintage room.

It's only when I went back to the front room that I found the small rack near the window with samples of made-to-measure pieces. Most of these items are designed by the Godiva label, but you'll also find dresses by Lost Forward and Rowan Joy. Getting your bespoke outfit is fairly straightforward: you choose a design from the rack and try it on, consult with the designer, then pick your ideal fabric combination and any other embellishments you may wish to include. You'll get your measurements taken, then come in for a fitting and - voilà! Your own custom-made dress - who said you needed to wait until your wedding to get one! And the best thing is, it's unique, well-made, locally designed and (of course) ethical.

The front room again, with bespoke dresses on the rack near the window (left). Samples of fabric and dresses that can be made-to-measure.

My only gripe is that they don't have more stores like this around - especially closer to where I live. It's the perfect place to go with your girlfriends and regardless of whether they love vintage, indie or tailor-made garments, you'll find something to suit any taste here. Oh, and I must mention that all items here carry the equivalent of high street pricing (in some cases even cheaper). In addition, you can get a bespoke dress starting at just £65. Some of the items by indie designers in the store are available online from other websites but Godiva is currently in the process of building a web-store, so hopefully we'll be able to purchase some of the goodies online in the near future. Until then, I'll probably have to tell my dear M. to take the next flight to Edinburgh...

Reworked vintage. Clockwise starting top left: Red Mutha, Oops, Virginia Morley, Zippy Lovelock, Rebecca Jane (both outfit and bag), Dolls & Molls.

Some of the made-to-measure dresses available from the Godiva label.

Address: 9 West Port, Edinburgh EH1 2JA
Opening Hrs: Mon-Fri: 10:30-18:30, Sat: 10:30-18:00
Sun: 12:00-17:00
Godiva Homepage

Totty Rocks (Edinburgh, UK)

So these last few days my Internet connection at home has decided to die, then live again, then die and now it's alternating between the two in 5-20 min intervals. Which is highly annoying if you're trying to do anything online, so apologies if it takes a while to get back to your comments and blogs. In any case, I hope it gets fixed this week and until it does, I'll just keep distracting myself by thinking about some of the pretty shops I've visited recently. One such store is the cutely named Totty Rocks (see here, for a definition of the first word) in Edinburgh, situated on the busy Victoria St. not too far from Armstrongs. When I first walked by, I paused at the windows, admiring the dresses on display, and was fascinated by the cosy-looking store interior. But for some reason I figured this place to be too touristy and kept walking. Thankfully I decided to go in on my way back and I'm really glad I did.

Looks from the SS09 campaign (images: Totty Rocks).

What I realized once I entered the store and read some of the descriptions of the collections, was that Totty Rocks wasn't a multi-brand shop, as I had previously thought, but a Scottish label run by two independent designers, Lynsey Miller and Holly Mitchell. They formed the brand in 2004 after having graduated from the Edinburgh College of Arts and following various stints at other design companies. The label has since been nominated as Scottish Designer of the year at the Scottish Style Awards and in 2006 this store, which had formerly housed a 300 year old brush shop, opened to the public. This probably explains why the interior and especially the cash desk area had a bit of a nostalgic feel.

A selection of clothes (left) and one of the many props (right).

I think the best word to sum up both the boutique and the clothes in it is 'charming'. Everything is very feminine but without being too girly, in a frilly pink way. Like the store, the items have a vintage look to them. Many of the dresses seem to have been inspired by the 50s or previous eras. Most pieces feature prints, whether it's floral, stripes or polka dots. The cut of the garments is meant to flatter a woman's body - the majority accentuate the waist, such as the cinched dresses or the high-waisted trousers.

Loved the old-fashioned cases behind the cash desk (left). Jewelry, hair accessories and belts (right).

And while the store itself was quite small, I didn't get the feeling it was particularly cramped or crowded. All the clothes were neatly placed on racks (some sale items were still available). There were interesting props, such as the ceramic horse head, the outstretched plastic hands attached to the walls or the various trinkets in the cabinets behind the cash counter.

Left: Some items were still on sale. Right: Colorful jewelry.

Left: The metal cabinet housed knickers, which I assume were for sale and not a decoration. More jewelry hanging from the 'hands' on the wall. Right: Pins, brooches and credit card holders.

Almost as much of my time went into looking at the smaller accessories, such as the jewelry, which could be found in glass cases or little bowls. Shelves were stocked with hats, ties, scarves and anything else you could need to spice up an outfit. Totty Rocks also designs bags, of which I only saw one during my visit and in addition, men's clothing and children's wear are available too, though I didn't see any of these pieces this time around.

Right: More clothes, incl. FW09 pieces and accessories. Left: Close-up of the silk tie-scarves.

A back area, with its traditional stone walls resembling those of an old castle, is where I found the changing room and a tall glass case with more jewelry. The one SA who was present, was friendly and helpful, but allowed you to browse without hounding you, so the experience as a whole was quite pleasant. The pricing is of course higher than what you can find on the high street (after all, this is still designer and everything is made in Scotland), but nowhere near as high as luxury pricing.

The back area.

Though the brand has been hyped a little in the media in the past years and also happens to be one of the places Kate Moss visited on her last trip to the city, it's still a fairly low-key label that can't be found in many stores. But fear not, they have an online shop which delivers worldwide, so take a look if you have time. It's almost as good as being in the actual boutique.

Address: 40 Victoria St., Edinburgh EH1 3JW
Opening Hrs: Mon-Fri: 11:00-18:00, Sat: 10:00-18:00
Sun: 12:00-17:00
Totty Rocks Homepage & Online Shop

Armstrongs (Edinburgh, UK)

Those who know me or this blog have probably realized by now that vintage shopping isn't necessarily my forte. I'm pretty impatient when it comes to going through racks and racks of clothes and accessories, yet I refuse to give up, as the perfect find justifies the time spent browsing. Many of the best vintage shops tend to be in the UK and Edinburgh is no exception. Armstrongs, situated on Grassmarket, one of the oldest streets in the city, was opened back in 1840 and was initially founded to give the less wealthy a more economical option of buying clothes. These days, this emporium is Edinburgh's largest and oldest vintage store and like most such institutions has garnered quite a bit of media attention as well as a celebrity fan base ranging from Kate Moss to the Kaiser Chiefs.

The jumble of clothes in the front room - where do I start?

The store windows gave me a first indication as to what I could expect once inside. Seeing the jumble of colorful frocks, antique dresses and feather boas , I knew I'd be greeted by a wide array of outfits from different eras - and I was well aware it would require a bit of digging. Nothing quite prepared me for the incredible assortment I found once I entered though. The shop itself is large enough, but every inch of retail space was maximized, whether it was the floor, walls or even the ceiling area. I was told that if I needed anything from above, I should feel free to use the various ladders standing about. I think I'll need to deal with the floor space first...

Kilts and kilt accessories, such as sporrans, for the gents.

The store's age already implies the type of pieces you will find here and in fact it does stock items dating back to the Victorian era (i.e. well before the 1900s), including bodices , jackets and skirts. Some of the more antique pieces won't be for sale, but are still great to look at. The front room included a lot of these older items which will probably be more sought after by collectors rather than people who want to wear something to a party. But there were also plenty of wearable pieces in this section, in particular the kilts and accessories for men and more floaty floral pieces for women. Looking up, I saw more dresses, boas and a great selection of hats dangling from the ceiling.

Left: View of the front room from the back. Right: Wellies & other colorful items.

The middle room, including one of the Egyptian mummy statues.

The items are roughly categorized by era and type of garment, though I never quite figured out which era was where. Safe to say, you'll find everything from 20s flapper dresses, 50s full-skirted creations, 60s hippie gear, 70s jumpsuits to 80s neon leggings. The owners are fairly secretive about how they source their items, but from what I could tell, most of them were in great condition and the pricing was decent as well. The most wonderful thing about the store were the props though. Despite being jam-packed with clothes already, the staff had somehow managed to squeeze in Buddha statues, Egyptian mummies, the odd stuffed animal or a dummy of a flying acrobat. Other memorabilia such as an old jukebox definitely helped give the store the vibe that you'd just stepped out of a time machine.

The furry flamingo was for sale as well (left). Right: A wide variety of scarves, stockings and yet another statue.

As I made my way towards the back, I spotted more trinkets, including vintage Polaroid cameras in a display and a nice selection of colorful wellies. The middle section seems to be the place to be if you're in need of a costume, with racks of wigs, more feather boas and the most colorful sequined outfits you can imagine.

The men's section in the back room.

The majority of the menswear had its own room with rows of (more) kilts, army jackets, leather coats, but also evening appropriate attire such as tuxedo jackets and bow ties. Despite the cramped area, this part actually had a nice skylight, which gave the room a less claustrophobic feel.

Jewelry and other trinkets.

On my way to the other women's department, I found some girly platform glitter pumps and a cute selection of costume jewelry. The main section was so full of clothes and shoes, I'm not even quite sure where to start. Boots (ranging from cowboy to casual riding boots) were laid out on the floor, while heels and elegant flats were placed neatly along a wall.

Shoes and a very cool jukebox.

Various dresses from 30s elegant couture to 40s romantic gowns, as well as more modern outfits (blazers, liberty print blouses etc.) were well represented. You could even get a vintage wedding dress if you need something for that special day. Many of them were hanging from the ceiling, which is also where I found a very interesting Santa outfit (still not sure if it was a dress or coat). Cashmere (as low as £25 for a cardigan), denim and accessories are the bestsellers, so be sure to check these items thoroughly.

This flying acrobat was a main attraction (left). More clothes, with wedding gowns floating above.

Left: Partial view of the women's section. The boxes held scarves & belts. Right: More dresses hanging from the ceiling, incl. the Santa-inspired one.

That's the great thing about vintage shopping - besides getting a truly unique item, shops like these aren't dictated by trends (unlike the high street or luxury designer stores), so if you are a hippie at heart and want flared jeans or have always wanted to channel Elvis, you're bound to find something here. I must admit that the store is not perfect for someone as impatient as I am, but I love browsing clothes from past eras and it once again reminded me of how timeless certain items can be, whether it's the leopard print (I found tons of scarves and jackets with this pattern) or the big shoulders.

Boots and more jewelry (left) & yet another figurine (right).

This might be a bit too much for a vintage novice, but it's still a great place to spend a little time. The store got busier as I left and you'll tend to see a lot of tourists, students or just groups of girls wanting to try on different cocktail dresses and crazy outfits. A second, slightly smaller Edinburgh outlet can be found on Clerk Street, but the great news is that even if you're not visiting this city anytime soon, Armstrongs also has it's own eBay store (accessible via their website) which delivers worldwide.

(images: Armstrongs)

Address: 83 Grassmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2HJ
Opening Hrs: Mon-Thur 10:00-17:30, Fri-Sat 10:00-18:00
Sun 12:00-18:00
Armstrongs Homepage

Impressions of Edinburgh (UK)

Whenever I'm in Scotland, I tend to spend most of my time in and around Glasgow. This past weekend, my Significant Other signed up for another race (an ultra-marathon which encompassed 43 miles/almost 70km in the Scottish wilderness) and me being the kind caring person I am did what any female would do... I decided to head to Edinburgh and do some shopping instead.

View of the 'New Town' , incl. The Balmoral Hotel, from across the city.

Now those who've been to Scotland tend to favor Edinburgh over Glasgow. The latter is the bigger city, better for shopping, entertainment and night life, yet Edinburgh is far prettier. It's the capital of Scotland and thus home of the Scottish Parliament. And because of the stunning old buildings and landmarks, it's definitely the place to be if you want to do a little sightseeing. Or if you're a Harry Potter fan, considering J.K. Rowling wrote her first book in various Edinburgh cafes (she still has a home here). A first glance at the different medieval houses might remind you of Hogwarts, which was supposedly inspired by some of the school buildings in the city.

Holyrood Palace.

Edinburgh is generally divided into the Old Town and New Town. Both have plenty of things to see, though the Old Town is definitely quirkier with little alleys, small shops (many of them vintage) and cosy pubs. Because August is the month of the Edinburgh Festival, which includes the Edinburgh Fringe - the world's largest performing arts festival - with many productions taking place right on the street, the city was busier than usual. I have of course sought out some cool shops, but if you're ever in town, you should definitely spend some time taking in the architecture ranging from the Edinburgh Castle (dating back to the 12th century and situated on top of an extinct volcano), the Scott Monument or the impressive structures on Calton Hill.

If anyone plans on traveling to Scotland I would recommend visiting both Glasgow and Edinburgh though, as they're only a 50 minute train ride apart.

The Old Town's main street: The Royal Mile.

Snapshots of street performers during the 'Edinburgh Fringe' festival.

A little bit of branding: Hotel Missoni.

Found this while walking along a little alley: White Horse Close.

Still Old Town: Victoria St. full of shops and restaurants.

Grassmarket.

What would Scotland be, without men in kilts?

Edinburgh Castle.

New Town's main thoroughfare: Princes St.

Scott Monument on Princes St.

Nelson's Monument on Calton Hill.

Dugald Stewart Monument on Calton Hill overlooking Edinburgh.