The high street chains have mass produced vintage replicas for many years. They almost had me at one point - I’m a sucker for a smart college tee. But in a time when you can’t escape seeing a Mr Man t-shirt, or a Thundercats logo on every corner, where does the modern youth go to escape the humdrum? Well, thankfully in London we have a choice.

Beyond Retro is a vast warehouse offering up all sorts of cool and is a favourite of students and indie kids. It tags itself as ‘selling dead people’s clothes to meet the sartorial challenges of East London’s beautiful people’ – and who can argue with that.

Places like Retro Mania in Pimlico are the real deal - as the name suggests, it specialises in retro items - even the smell is authentic. However, away from all of the retro vintage stores, much can be said for the traditional charity shop. Sure, you’re probably more likely to bump into a granny than a hipster, but I’m not sure that’s altogether a bad thing. Prices can be pretty sweet too – some nonsensical, as if the manager had a blindfold and a price gun – I challenge you to leave Cancer Research in Wood Green without at least wanting something.

If you can get yourself to Holloway Road, the CND shop (look for the logo, there’s no shop sign) – this is just a pleasure in every respect. Achingly cool t-shirts for a pound, jackets, jeans - and it’s huge. Rokit in Camden, Brick Lane and Covent Garden is slightly more expensive, and slightly more popular. The one thing I remember when I went there is how hot it was, but that may have just been the steam coming off the hipsters.

Often with charity, the ‘better’ the area, the ‘better’ the goods. Shops in more upmarket areas have the hand me downs of the rich and famous don’t you know. If the idea of wearing celebrity cast offs doesn’t make you nauseous, then get yourself down to Pimlico. The Trinity Hospice in Kensington, Barnados on George Street and the Marylebone branch of Cancer Research are good examples. There was recently a celebrity dress auction at Cancer Research. Mary Portas was there - probably. She advised everyone how to shop – rummage, shop earlier in the week as people donate at the weekend, look for that winter coat in the summer.

Notting Hill, Portobello Road and Camden used to be cool, a long time ago. There are still some shops worth checking out - Number 295 on the Portobello Road is run by a lovely husband and wife team, their vintage is lovely, and the garb affordable. Thea Vintage is in the stables area of the Market, it’s small but has an impressive range, and the staff are very pleasant. There’s also Lost n found which is full of 1950s Americana.

The vintage market on Bricklane is relatively new, and a bargain hunter’s wet dream. It’s open Friday to Sunday every week. Brick Lane has a smorgasbord of vintage, and it would be easy to overlook the shop in the Truman Brewery building – this would be a mistake; prices are kept low and it has a loyal fan base.

The East end thrift store was featured in Vogue UK’s secret address book, and since then customer service has been pretentious and stinkier than a stink bomb. Prices have rocketed in many shops – the market for all things retro is a lucrative one. It somewhat goes against the original ethos of the thrift store, but truly original items can be hard to come by, and this is sometimes reflected in the price. Sometimes it’s about luck, which I think is half the fun.

Mentions should also be made of Bang Bang at Goodge & Berwick St, Vien on the Church Road in Crystal Palace. VintageHart, and 360 Degrees Vintage at Greenwich Market. Geranium on the Norwood Road in South London is a hidden gem that seems to be constantly overlooked in the thrift lists - it’s affordable, and pretty cool.

Wow Retro on Mercer Street is a find for menswear, plenty of worn out classics – and it’s on both sides of the road. However, if you’re up against it and pay day is nowhere in sight, the three pound shop at Pembridge Road, Notting Hill might tick the box. You have to rummage to unearth the gems, but prices start at £2. A final mention should be made for Traid. It sits somewhere between the traditional and the vintage. It is good, and it has 11 shops in London and Brighton.

Oxfam and Marie Curie are overpriced, which is a shame. Word on the street is that a lot of the donations now get sorted with some of the more trendy stuff getting sold on for a profit to commercial vintage stores, or put into special charity shop outlets aimed at more fashion conscious consumers. Perhaps then, it’s time to embrace the car boots, the jumble sales - rework existing threads or get the Dylon out, borrow or swap, steal. Maybe not steal.

Oh yeah, and then there’s the free shops. A free shop is a place where you bring your unwanted stuff, and/or take other people’s unwanted stuff that you like. There was one at Non-Commercial House on Commercial Street but that got evicted. There is a small Free Shop at Pogo Cafe; essentially it’s just a box, people bring things to put in the box, people take things out that they want – what could be more thrifty than that?