The wonder that is Camden

If you are a lolita in England you can be somewhat limited when it comes to actual lolita shops. One day I want to save up and go to Paris to visit the actual Baby The Stars Shine Bright and Angelic Pretty shops (lucky French lolitas!). If you are living in England your best option is Camden in London. Camden is North/Central London and you will find Camden Town station on most standard tube maps.

Camden town is a haven for all things alternative. If you like punk and gothic fashions you could end up incredibly broke after a visit here. There is also a lot of vintage and retro shops plus some new age shops. Most of the Stables market smells like incense sticks. There are a lot of small food vendors offering a wide selection of different food from all over the world. If you are lucky you may see a celebrity popping into Gilgamesh (posh restaurant). Amy Winehouse's favourite pub the Hawley Arms is also in Camden. Camden is a place with so much variety so as lolita gradually expands, it was only natural that some lolita shops would start to appear in Camden.

Angel Pretty

The first shop of note is on the main road and is near the bridge going across the river. Angel Pretty (as you may have already guessed) is an Angelic Pretty rip-off from China. It is a small shop and probably the quietist lolita shop. The woman in the shop when I went was very friendly to me and is happy to give you advice on how you should wear various items. The dresses were very crammed together but mainly consisted of sweet and punky tartan designs (interesting mix). I was not as impressed with the dresses. Quite a few of the dresses had glittery strands running through them and I try to stay away from these dresses because sometimes other lolitas can be a bit dismissive and write them off as cosplay lolita (in other words not proper lolita). However, the punk lolita dresses seemed to be of better quality. I did not buy any dresses from here but the material at first glance appears quite heavy and thick. If you wanted something to wear in winter this may be a good option. The head pieces were cute. I got myself a pink one which had a 3D candy motif and ruffled pink gingham on it. The lady let me try these on and helped me to place them correctly. Dotted around the shop was some jewellery which was mainly pearls. This style of jewellery is actually readily available in Camden but beware of the prices. You may be better off going to your nearest Claire's. I also got a pink band with a piano key print. Most of the bags had a musical theme which although is popular, the shop could probably do with a wider selection.

GLP

Ignore the entrance to the Stables Market where Gilgamesh is and carry on past a display of rugs. Take your next left. GLP will be situated on the right. GLP is my favourite of all the shops because I really love the sales assistant! She will keep your friends occupied whilst you try on numerous dresses. One of the first things I shall mention is that this shop has men's clothing in it. The male clothing mainly sticks to visual kei, punk and gothic. One of my friends is after a velvet jacket they had. The great thing is that GLP does not rotate the stockas often as other shops. If you were to pop in a month later they are likely to still have the same item available (unless it is popular). GLP stocks Secret Shop socks which will set you back £10 for a pair. These socks are popular because they do brand replicas. There is also a shoe stand but you have to be careful with the sizes. If your feet are bigger than average you will be disappointed. The shoes are quite sweet and there were some cupcake style shoes (similar to the ones I am wearing in my London trip post). If you are after sweeter styles, head up the stairs which are dotted with Angelic Pretty replica bags and you will find the sweet section. I picked up a horse and cart dress in pink for £65 which came with a blouse underneath and a headbow. The headbow was a little wonky so I wear it off-centre so it looks nicer. I love the dress itself. The material is thick and the sewing quality was fine. A lot of these dresses can be short in length. They sit a little bit above the knee. Also the ribbon corset detail could have been a little better. One of the things I love about GLP is that sometimes you get men interested in the dresses. A man will come out the dressing room wearing a dress and not a single person in the shop bats an eyelid!

Sai Sai

A bit further on is Sai Sai. Sai Sai has moved locations but it is in a similar area to GLP so you should be able to find it. Sai Sai is GLP's sister shop and it carries similar stock. However, Sai Sai is considerably bigger than GLP. If you only have time to go to one shop, go to Sai Sai. You can even pick up a few Japanese magazines here. The atmosphere is not as warm and intimate as GLP but the staff seem relatively friendly. This shop is likely to have more people in it.

I also recommend that you check out the other Camden markets whilst you are here. Hello Kitty is a very popular stall theme here. Artbox is a good place for quirky stationary and homewares. The only market I would not recommend is the market which has the massive Camden Market green banner at the entrance. Not only is it crowded, but the shops are not as varied.

If you fancy a break from shopping the canal here is also very pretty. There are a couple of cafes along here which would make a nice place to have a little rest. It is quite peaceful watching the boats go through the docks.

Here is the dress I got from GLP. Sorry for the grumpy face- I was having a bad day! I wish there was room for a little more poof in the skirt but I still adore this dress.

If you are planning to go to Camden you will need the best part of a day to go around. Sometimes I head there after attending the MCM Expo to pop into a few select shops. To sum up Camden in one word- different.