Rokit - Vintage Shop in London

Vintage Shopping - Another way to build the ultimate eco friendly wardrobe.

I thought I should incorporate a few posts about my green life in amongst the regular postings on organic beauty and ethical fashion. My ‘greeniphany’ happened about 18 months ago and I have enjoyed the cross over to a more ethical lifestyle where I now take time to consider where my clothes come from and what ingredients I am putting on my skin. There have been challenges along the way (so long H&M and cheap European flights) but mostly there have been exciting discoveries, which is what prompted me to start Green Lashes and Fashion. I would love this site to be a resource for green girls who want to find the very best eco products.

Today I’ve been out and about in East London poking around Brick Lane, Spitalfields Market and Columbia Rd Flower Market (quite small but very cute, quaint shops behind the flower stalls). I made sure I visited vintage mecca, Rokit too as I had heard it was the place to buy vintage in London.

I must be honest, in the past I haven’t spent much time in vintage stores and was never too keen on wearing other people's clothes (it must be an only child thing). However, once I stepped into Rokit, I immediately saw the error of my ways. The store was filled with urban trendsetters, the rails lined with spectacular fashion and the price tags so low I had to keep double checking them. My inner stylist came out and I began reaching for clothes I would normally shun. Bubblegum pink coat? ‘Sure, why not?’ Orange polo top? ‘Yeah, it’s tight but do it while you’re still in your twenties’ I thought to myself. Okay, maybe I was in a slight vintage stupor!

Vintage Purchases – 3 items for £26
Pink Coat - £10
Orange Top - £4 (I know!)
Navy Sheer Shirt - £12

I seem to have channeled a ‘Samantha from Bewitched, 60’s vibe’ with the pink and orange colours.

Green Glee (how I was green today)
I refused the store paper bag in favour of my reusable bag which I had stashed in my handbag. Felt quite chuffed that I was proving you can get by without paper or plastic. Also walked away (some might say pulled away) from a divine aubergine cardigan at Spitalfields with sweet little buttons on the bracelet sleeves. It was £10 but because it was not made ethically and the fabric wasn’t organic or recycled, I said no. I had to be strong but I said no.

Mean Green (how I was not so green)
I don’t think this one is too bad but toay I got a tea to go in a paper cup. I read somewhere that Julia Roberts takes her own thermos to coffee houses to get her drinks (or maybe it was her own tupperware to the supermarket deli section). Either way, I wanted to be like Julia but instead I sheepishly drank from my paper cup. I should say I carried the cup all the way home because I couldn’t see anywhere for it be recycled! I don’t know if carrying it all the way home (along with my friend’s plastic dessert dish) was admirable or tragic?

I will definitely be stopping by Rokit more regularly, which won’t be difficult as they have several London locations at Brick Lane, Covent Garden and Camden. Rokit also have an online shopping site.