Three-Ring Oxford Circus
Baby broke the heel on her black boot. So Baby needed a new pair of boots. Time to boost the local economy with a little jaunt to Oxford Street and Regent Street, which meet in a little place called Oxford Circus.
FINALLY I got to experience the famous shopping streets of London. There were stops at many stores, including H&M, Topshop, the Body Shop (did you know they make body butter in strawberry now?), Zara and many more. Our walk down Regent Street brought us to Piccadilly Circus:
And there was -- of course -- a Virgin Megastore! I love Richard Branson!
We also took a diversion down Carnaby Street, made famous in the 1960s as a funky fashion mecca. Think Austin Powers.
Carnaby Street seemed to be a surfers/skaters kind of paradise, with Vans and Dr. Martens outlets as well as an O'Neill store. I can't wait to go back to the West End!
FINALLY I got to experience the famous shopping streets of London. There were stops at many stores, including H&M, Topshop, the Body Shop (did you know they make body butter in strawberry now?), Zara and many more. Our walk down Regent Street brought us to Piccadilly Circus:
And there was -- of course -- a Virgin Megastore! I love Richard Branson!
We also took a diversion down Carnaby Street, made famous in the 1960s as a funky fashion mecca. Think Austin Powers.
Carnaby Street seemed to be a surfers/skaters kind of paradise, with Vans and Dr. Martens outlets as well as an O'Neill store. I can't wait to go back to the West End!
posted by Mrs. Werbenmanjensen at 8:30 PM
10 Comments:
I have to say that Carnaby Street was a bit of a disappointment, in that I expected funky vintage wear and all I got was surfer stores. Nothing wrong with surfer stores, of course--it just seemed out of place.
Mrs. W sensed my disappointment when she said, "It's kind of like going to the corner of Haight and Ashbury and seeing a Gap."
Having given birth to two surfers, I'm sure they will love the area! It's just hard to imagine surfers in London. My friend from there who has been giving me advice on what to see during our visit, strongly recommended Oxford Circus. I naively assumed it was a circus!
Hey, London dudes. It's Andrea in Kansas. This posting brought back memories of Eddie's and my trip to London in 1999. We stayed in a hotel not far from Oxford Street (Durrant's Hotel -- look it up sometime, it's where the Nuffield Trust puts up its visitors). Anyway, we made a shopping ramble much like the one you described, even walking down (up?) Carnaby Street. But our cultural reference, being a tad older than y'all, was the BEATLES and TWIGGY, not Austin Powers. I shared Smitty's disappointment, however; it wasn't really all that.
Zeditor: My first (and only) memory of Twiggy was her appearance on the Muppet Show in the late 70s.
Oldest Kid: Oxford Circus is more like a zoo than a circus. But it's a zoo where all my favorite animals are on belts and shoes: crocodiles, snakes, cows, leopards...
When we went to London (16 years ago, now) I wandered around town a lot while my significant other was in a conference. I ended up on Carnaby Street and there were no surfer shops, but there was a fabulous vegan restaurant. I wonder if it's still there (I don't remember the name, just that I ate some delicious, unidentifiable concoction). We stayed at the Royal Horseguard Hotel while we were there (expense accounts are fantastic).
Oh, yeah, next time you're in the area, check and see if they have vegan Doc Martens -- in pink.
MK,
Didn't look for the pink Docs, but the Topshop for men, Topman, has these fabulous pink wingtip brogues--for a mere 120 pounds.
Some great shopping tips if you're new to the city! Try Portobello Market for funky vintage clothes, Carnaby Street has gone all commercial!
South Molton Street or the Kings Road are both great for shoes (and an escape from Oxford Street!)
I tell anyone who's visiting to avoid Oxford Circus like the plague - there are so many other amazing areas to shop in! Although Selfridges is well worth a visit.
Hey, thanks for the tips. I'll make sure Mrs. W sees your comment.
Carnaby Street is for tourists these days. Time Out's shopping guide is your friend.
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