I will be in London with my husband for a week in March. It will be our first trip to London. If I can only spend an afternoon shopping, where would you London experts recommend I go? I'm not into expensive designer shops, more interested in bargains and interesting or unusual items I can't find in the U.S. I'm thinking Covent Garden might be my best bet, but I'd love to hear some comments. Thanks!

In my expeience Covent Garden is very cute - and a nice place to browse and have a casual lunch. but there are no bargains here - everything is top price. and while there are some handicrafty type places there wasn't anything really unusual or specifically biritish.

for bargains, you may prefer to do one of the markets. Or perhaps there is a government-sponsored handicraft shop - I've been to these in Scandinavia and got some very interesting things at not bad prices but have not seen one in London.

I guess it depends on where you live in the US in terms of "items you can't find here." Everyone loves LUSH stores (there's one in Covent Garden) if you don't live near one in the US.

You might try doing a text search here for shopping AND London & have a read. There are NO bargains in London-especially right now with the strong pound. For more suggestions, it would help to know whether you're looking for clothes, gifts, antiques, housewares etc.

French Sole has a shop just off Sloane St. They sell a cute ballet flat in all kinds of colors and patterns. I would be the first to admit they aren't for everyone...but I love them. They are just up the block from Sloane Square walking in the direction of Harvey Nicks.
On lower Sloane there is a chocolatier who is marvelous. Almost at the end of the street.

Hi, I agree with mclaurie, LUSH is a great place to buy some unusual bath and body items. I think one is suppose to open sometime soon in San Francisco (if it hasn't already). It has has great soaps, shampoos and body creams. If you could spend some of the day at the Portobellow Road street market you should be able to find lots of things unusual and affordable plus it's a great "people watching" spot. Enjoy your visit.

First..visit Harrods..then Marks and Spencers..or an antique mall...find the local market..

If you only have an afternoon to devote to shopping, I'd head for Covent Garden. Although it seems the shops there have become increasingly chains, they are mostly chains we don't see in the US (Muji, Paperchase, Accessories, and Monsoon are a few).

Here are a couple of suggestions for what you might expect to find:

Bath & Cosmetics: Lush, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Neals Yard Remedies
Gifts & Toys: Pollacks Toy Shop, Hamleys, Oxfam, Past Times, Reject China

I think the Apple Market operates 7 days a week in Covent Garden and is arts and crafts oriented. Also some street stalls selling very touristy stuff (Tshirts, hats, tea towels etc).

Plenty of restaurants and cafes too.

A great street for shopping is the Marlyebone High Street between Oxford Street and the Marylebone Road. It is a collection of very interesting shops and a few "chains." Great places to eat too! Are you looking for clothes or home goods? If you're looking for antiques try one of the markets- if you go early! Kensington High Street has a lot of outdoor shops and european chain stores; while Kensington Church street has great antiques and upscale boutique stores. The high end shops are on Bond Street and Sloane Street. It all depends on what you're looking for! Then there's always the Burberry outlet in Hackey for great bargains....... Have a great trip!

My favorite places to shop in London are Liberty (on Regent Street), Jo Malone (just off Sloane Square)and the Victoria & Albert museum shop. Although they are spread out over the city, if you find yourself near any of them, it would be worth a stop. And I really think anyone on a first trip to London would enjoy a walk through Harrods - especially the food halls.

If you are interested in Covent Garden check out www.coventgardenlife.com. You can scope out the area and there is a listing of all stores, dates of markets and food in the area. It is a fun and compact place to shop. Enjoy London!

Covent garden is now fast becoming commercialised, perhaps it appeals to tourists, but lacks quality shops, or the "bargains" which you seem keen to find.

Perhaps try the Portobello Rd. it certainly has more character and charm than Covent Garden, which I really don't care for as a shopping area.

Kensington Church St. sells quality antiques, which are worth purchasing, but I feel that you aren't looking for proper antiques.

What unusual items do you crave? If you can be more specific I might even be able to reccomend a shop or area.

For vintage clothing and punk style, I believe Camden town (which I detest) would be the place to go. Also Upper St. in Islington and the Hoxton Sq. area have unusual one off shops. Try Exmouth market for some retro Clerkenwell chic. Bond St. and similar Mayfair high end boutiques and stores don't seem to appeal to you, so the Brompton Rd and Sloane St area seems pointless mentioning.

Lush cosmetics whilst visually and conceptually appealing are not wonderful quality, for the best soaps try Floris, Molton Brown, Jo Malone's perfumes are sublime too.

Thanks for the info everyone! You've given me a lot of ideas. I really don't have any more specific shopping needs - I just like to shop. I'm not interested in antiques or expensive clothes.
Re Lush: There is now a Lush store in San Francisco. I walked by it on a visit there in October - the scents were so strong I didn't go in. I'm not really into smelly stuff myself but I might pop in there in London to buy some gifts as everyone raves about it.

My hotel is near Marleybone High Street, so I was very happy to hear there is good shopping nearby. Thanks again to all and keep those ideas coming!

Hi
between Harrods and the V & A museum is a Reject China shop, , with your back to Harrods the store is on the left side as you walk toward the museum.
They carry both first quality and seconds, they ship wonderfully, and whatever is not on display can be ordered. The first quality items aren't huge bargains (especially if you'll be charged in US dollars eventually) but I always buy something.

Also mentioned above is Accessorize, a chain of shops that carry inexpensive handbags, shawls, scarves, hair do dads, etc.
Great for gifts. There's on on Knightsbride again near Harrods, but east of Harrods. But there are many locations.

Accessorize is aimed at the teen to very early twenties market, nice for gifts and little bits for younger family members.

Not wishing to cause offence, but the Reject China Shop quite simply sells the most depressing ceramics which are nothing special whatsoever, and don't really fit in with the unusual bargains you wish to buy.

Try Notting Hill, namely the Portobello Rd. which whilst not as good as it was years ago still offers interesting and quirky bits!

Check out this web site to take a virtual tour of Marylebone High Street:

http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/marybone/mh_intro.htm

Since you're staying nearby be sure to visit The Wallace Collection (a superb collection of French 18th-century pictures, porcelain and furniture and wonderful 17th-century paintings).

http://www.wallacecollection.org/

Enjoy!

Yes, the Lush stores do have strong scents...but definitely go in and check out some of the more mild products. They make a wonderful moisturizer than has no scent at all...its called Cream Cream. There is also Sympathy For The Skin which is a light banana/vanilla scent...but not overpowering at all. Our favorite soap is Red Rooster, which is an orange-cinnamon...but even my husband likes it so much that he doesnt mind me mail ordering Just had to relate this so you didnt pass up a great place.

up and down Oxford street and environs. the little side streets around there are great for that. check out Liberty if you get a chance, too.

Little streets off of oxford street? Park Lane, Regent Street, Tottenham Court Road, Edgware Road? South Molton Street perhaps with the fabulous Brown's, but this is not what the original request was for. Brown's stock the highest end fashions, hardly inexpensive.

she asked where to spend an afternoon! that's where I would... and Covent Garden isn't too far from it, either.

oops, cant spell! It is called Dream Cream