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If you want to avoid giving all your money to large clothes retailers with questionable ethics, or you simply want a more eclectic shopping experience (or wardrobe!) then head away from Oxford's big shopping centres and check out some of these smaller, independent clothes stores.
Stepping away from the big retailers doesn't have to be expensive - though if it's black tie and ballgowns, or top hats and corsets you're after, some of these shops will certainly help you empty your wallet!
Vintage Shops
Oxford Holographics (at the back of the shop)
71 High St, Oxford. 01865 250505
Open Mon-Sat 10-7 Sun 11-5
Vintage clothes pre-1980's, clothes for men and women, accessories, coats, gloves, shoes, hats, some contemporary and vintage jewellery. Will buy and sell on commission.
The Ballroom
5 & 6 The Plain, OX4 1AS. Tel 01865 202303 / 241054
Open Mon - Fri 10am - 5.30pm and Sat 9.15 - 5.45
Fabulous formalwear for hire and to buy. Mixture of vintage (some reasonably cheap), from 1930s onwards, and contemporary. Ball gowns, top hats, black and white tie, kid gloves, blankets, shoes, belts, jewellery...all squashed into a glass-fronted, two floor palace at the start of Cowley Road. Large wedding dress selection and fitting room. Knowledgeable staff to help with fittings. They will buy and sell on commission for you.
Unicorn
Ship Street, off Cornmarket. No phone.
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5.30
Treasure trove of almost everything and then some, all piled precariously together. Beloved by student drama productions, people with time on their hands and fans of Mr Ben.
Reign
136 Cowley Rd (on the corner of James St). Tel 01865 250004
Open Mon - Sat 11 - 6.30, Sun 12 - 5
Eclectic assortment of vintage clothing (mainly 60s-80s), gloves, shoes, hats, jewellery, coats and other accessories. New stock in regularly. Both genders catered for. They do not buy.
Revival Clothes Agency
60 St Clements St, Oxford, OX4 1AH. Tel 01865 251005
Open Tues - Sat 10 - 5
Boutique stocking a good assortment of quality second hand clothes and shoes, including designer items not too worn and reasonably priced, all recent (no vintage). They will buy certain 'this season' or remarkable items for sale on commission.
Uncle Sam's
25 Little Clarendon Street, OX1 2HU. Tel 01865 510759 / 07788 560263.
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5.30, Sun 12 - 4
Classic American 50s-80s vintage clothing for both genders. Leather jackets, fur coats, sunglasses, jeans, baseball jackets, ball gowns, hats, velvet jackets...
AnnaBelinda
6 Gloucester Street (by the Stage Door of the New Theatre). Tel. 01865 246806
...offer some of their past creations for sale, including suits, dresses and bridal wear from their 40-year history. Prices £25 - £500. Also new balldresses and bridal wear, ready to wear and made to measure. (Yes - this is the address from which genial dope baron Howard Marks ran his empire.)
Antiques on High
85 High Street, Oxford, OX1 4BG Tel. 01865 251075
Open daily. Vintage clothes, costume jewellery, bags, accessories and even vintage Japanese kimonos (!) stocked.
Charity Shops (and what they work for)
City Centre - West Oxford - Jericho - North Oxford - East Oxford - Cowley - Headington - Eynsham
British Heart Foundation
32 St Ebbes St, OX1 1PU. Tel 01865 726531
0870 120 4141 - National number
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5.30
Fund research, prevention, support, care and information for people with heart disease and their families.
British Red Cross
44-45 High Street, Oxford OX1 4AP. Tel 01865 721232
Open Mon - Sat 9am - 5pm in winter, 9.30am - 5.30pm in summer
Providing first aid training, emergency response, health and social care and more.
Exclusive Roots
8 Woodstock Road, OX2 6HT. Tel 01865 511992
Open Mon - Sat 10am - 6pm, Sun 11am - 5pm
Exclusive Roots is the trading arm of Tabeisa, a registered charity that seeks to support poor communities in Africa. As part of our work we help people to start their own business & sell them. All profits from our trading activity are donated back to Tabeisa. You'll find a colourful collection of handmade jewellery, textiles, clothing and homeware. Volunteers welcome.
The Helen and Douglas House Shop
107 Covered Market, OX1 3DX. Tel 01865 243291
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
In aid of local respite care / hospice provision facilities for children and young adults.
Oxfam (online)
17 Broad St, OX1 3AS. Tel 01865 241333
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5.30, Sun 11 - 4
The very first Oxfam shop ever, opened in 1948.
Oxfam Bookshops
56 St. Giles, OX1 3LU. Tel 01865 310145
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5.30 (Thurs open till 8)
and
15 Turl Street, OX1 3DQ. Tel 01865 248310
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5.30 (Sundays in the run up to Christmas 11 - 4)
Oxfam are dedicated to fighting for an end to poverty and suffering worldwide, by campaigning, development work and emergency relief.
Sobell House Hospice Shop
21 The Precinct, Botley, OX2 9LJ. Tel 01865 251204
Open Mon - Sat 9 - 4.30
Fund care for people in Oxfordshire with life-limiting illnesses, and support for their families.
Sue Ryder Care
5b or 27 Chapel Way, Botley, OX2 9LS. Tel 01865 204986
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5.30
Support people with a wide range of neurological diseases and life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families, carers and friends both in this country and abroad.
The Mind Shop
118 Walton St (opposite The Phoenix), OX2 6AJ. Tel 01865 310990
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5.30
Work to create a better life for everyone with experience of mental distress.
Sobell House Hospice Shop
4 Little Clarendon Street, OX1 2HP. Tel 01865 559927
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 4.30
Fund care for people in Oxfordshire with life-limiting illnesses, and support for their families.
Blue Cross Charity Shop
Gordon House, 276 Banbury Road, OX2 7ED. Tel 01865 516402
Pet charity, providing practical support, information and advice for pet and horse owners, and rehoming unwanted or abandoned pets.
The Helen and Douglas House Shop
268 Banbury Road, Summertown, OX2 7DY. Tel 01865 515383
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
In aid of respite care / hospice for children and young adults.
Oxfam (online)
223 Banbury Road, OX2 7HQ. Tel 01865 511018
Open Mon - Sat 9 - 5.30, Sun 11 - 3
Oxfam are dedicated to fighting for an end to poverty and suffering worldwide, by campaigning, development work and emergency relief.
Oxford Animal Sanctuary Shop
36 South Parade, OX2 7JN. Tel 01865 510082
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 4.30 (Close at 4 on Wed & Thu)
Does what it says on the tin.
Scope
Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road, OX2 7DE. Tel 01865 554770
Open Mon -Sat 9 - 5
Support and campaign for disabled people to achieve equality, with special focus on people with cerebral palsy.
East Oxford / Cowley Rd / St Clements
Age Concern
21-22 St. Clements Street, OX4 1AB. Tel 01865 722898
Open Mon - Fri 9.30 - 5, Sat 9.30 - 4 and occasionally other times including Sunday evening. Try the door!
Promote the well-being of all older people and to help make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.
Age Concern Retro Emporium
183 Cowley Road, OX4 1UT. Tel 01865 251539
Open Tue & Sat 10am - 8pm and sometimes other days too.
Sad as we were to lose the bookshop which stood here, we gained something pretty spectacular instead. It's not so much a shop, more Bagpuss's idea of heaven. Ideal for rooting out paraphernalia for vintage parties, equipping a kitsch kitchen, or just rummaging nostalgically through the board games.
Barnados
160 Cowley Road, OX4 1UE. Tel 01865 204593
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
Used to run orphanages, now campaign and work to protect children and young people from poverty, abuse and discrimination.
The Helen and Douglas House Shop
156 Cowley Road, OX4 1UE. Tel 01865 249988
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
In aid of respite care / hospice for children and young adults.
Oxfam Shop (online)
133-135 Cowley Road, OX4 1HU. Tel 01865 722951
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5.30
Oxfam are dedicated to fighting for an end to poverty and suffering worldwide, by campaigning, development work and emergency relief.
Age Concern
45 Upper Barr, Templars Square Shopping Centre, OX4 3UX. Tel 01865 771517
Open Mon - Sat 9 - 5
Promote the well-being of all older people and to help make later life a fulfilling and enjoyable experience.
British Heart Foundation
117 Pound Way, Templars Square Shopping Centre, OX4 3XH. Tel 01865 396134
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
Fund research, prevention, support, care and information for people with heart disease and their families.
The Helen and Douglas House Shop
29 Upper Barr, Templars Square Shopping Centre, Cowley, OX4 1UE. Tel 01865 396607
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
In aid of respite care / hospice for children and young adults.
People's Dispensary For Sick Animals
25 Upper Barr, Templars Square Shopping Centre, OX4 3UX. Tel 01865 715549
Open Mon - Sat 9 - 5
Non-campaigning, and non-political, PDSA provides free veterinary care for the animals of people in need.
British Heart Foundation
Unit 1, 80-96 London Road, Headington, OX3 9AJ. Tel 01865 308907
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
Fund research, prevention, support, care and information for people with heart disease and their families.
Cancer Research UK
79-81 London Road. Tel 01865 761029
Open Mon - Sat 9 - 5.30
and
114 London Road. Tel 01865 768199
Open Mon - Sat 9 - 5.15
The larger branch at 79-81 has adults' and children's clothing, books, and furniture, while the smaller branch at 114 sells adults' clothing and books, and media (DVD's etc).
Cancer Research UK are working to learn more about cancer and develop better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat the disease.
Clic
108–110 London Road, OX3 9AW. Tel 01865 744402
Open Mon - Sat 9 - 4.30
Provide individual support to children and young people with cancer and leukaemia and their families, through practical (clinical, emotional, psychological, social and financial) support, campaigning and research.
Four Paws Cat Rescue Charity Shop
8 The Roundway, Risinghurst, Headington, Oxford OX3 8DH. Tel 01865 875277
Open Mon – Sat 10am – 4pm (til 5pm on Wed)
In aid of Four Paws Cat Rescue, a small, voluntary run cat rescue based in Wheatley.
The Helen and Douglas House Shop
14 Windmill Road, Headington, OX3 7BX. Tel 01865 762555
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
In aid of respite care / hospice for children and young adults.
Marie Curie Cancer Care
108–110 London Road, Headington, OX3 9AW. Tel 01865 308158
Open Mon - Sat 9 - 4.30
Marie Curie Nurses provide free nursing care to cancer patients and those with other terminal illnesses in their own homes, and provide practical and emotional support for families and carers.
Oxfam Shop (online)
83-84 London Road, Headington, OX3 9AA. Tel 01865 742452
Open Mon - Fri 9 - 5.30, Sat 10 - 6 (but allow leeway as it depends on volunteers)
Oxfam are dedicated to fighting for an end to poverty and suffering worldwide, by campaigning, development work and emergency relief.
Sobell House Hospice Shop
119 London Rd, Headington, OX3 9HZ. Tel 01865 764400
Open Mon - Sat 9.30 - 5
Fund care for people in Oxfordshire with life-limiting illnesses, and support for their families.
West Oxford Animal Rescue
35 Newland Street, Eynsham, OX29 4LB. Tel 07580 202794
Open Mon - Sat 9am - 4pm
Outside the city limits, but founded and run by people in Oxford, the Eynsham WOAR charity shop has been selling clothes, books, toys and games, china, jewellery etc since June 2010. All proceeds go to animal welfare. Registered charity no. 1045203. Volunteers and contributions welcome. (Emergency Animal Rescue Tel: 07840 334217).
St Michael at the Northgate Fairtrade Shop
Cornmarket St (under St Michael Church), OX1 3EY. Tel 01865 722505
Open Mon - Sat 10 - 5
Everything that's fairtrade, ethical and organic. Some of it's edible and a lot is bejewelled!
Indigo (formerly Saree)
62 Cowley Rd, OX4 1JB. Tel 01865 794176
Open Tue - Sat 10 - 6, Sun 11 - 5
Saree is all about Ethical Living... there's clothing (men and women's), gifts and soft home furnishings. This includes Fair Trade crafts, local artists work, ethical shoes, kids toys, soaps and so on. Very useful for presents, and you might well end up buying something for yourself by accident. It's a good way to be conciencious in your shopping, and Sarah has visited some of the Fair Trade suppliers herself.
The Windmill Independent Fairtrade Shop
104 London Road, OX3 9AJ. Tel 01865 236944
Open Mon - Sat 9.30am-5.30pm
Independent shop selling fairtrade, ethically sourced, recycled and environmentally friendly (including Ecover refills) products.
