Shopping

I must admit I’m not the best in bargain hunting. Every once in a while I try to do my best at flea markets or vintage stores but most of the time I have to face the facts: I’m incapable of finding the nice clothes in the midst of all the junk. Still I keep on trying because I do know people that do succeed and I can’t stand the idea that I might miss out on a great bargain just because I didn’t give it a try…

So I gave it a try at the IJhallen in the North of Amsterdam. Every month there is a huge flea market here where people sell mostly clothes but also other things. For an entrance fee of 4.00 you are free to spend as long as you want to rummage around the piles and piles of stuff that are on offer.

The market is usually partly inside and partly outside. Make sure you dress up warm cause both places are cold in wintertime!! The stuff people sell is really very cheap so if you do have an eye for a bargain you rally can’t miss this.

Also the trip over to the market is worth while. You take the free ferry from Central Station over to the NDSM part of North, I always enjoy this!

(Check the website for the upcoming markets)

Friday Next is a lifestyle store, exposition room and café all in one, a concept which is not that common (yet) in Amsterdam. But this concept store has a great inspirational collection of design furniture, jewelry, great leather bags and more wannahaves.

The bright store feels like a very nice decorated apartment, where you will find the café in the midst of the store. Here you can enjoy a coffee or a lunch, prepared with the fresh products of Marqt next door (see the Marqt article). Given the amount of laptops I saw during the week, this spot lends itself perfectly to get some work done.

Every two to three months a designer or famous international brand is asked to expose their work here. Furthermore this store is an inspiration for everyone who likes to pimp their home with an unique item! Definitely worth a visit when you’re near the Overtoom.

Laura Dols is the most famous vintage store in Amsterdam, situated in the trendy Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets). Here you will find all kind of unique pieces, most of them originating from the 50s, like dresses, hats, clutches and pumps.

I like to go here for a special outfit for an event like Christmas or a ball/gala. In the basement they have a tremendous amount of the most beautiful glamour, ball and cocktail dresses, all nicely arranged by colour. The prices are very affordable and the staff is always willing to advise you or lend a hand to zip up your dress.

The staff is always busy ironing the new incoming clothes, since the collection is refreshed daily. Every piece is checked and cleaned, so no dirty or smelly clothes! Laura Dols only sells quality pieces, so it’s worth a visit to score your unique item to stand out of the crowd!

Beadies is a shop that makes me very happy every time I visit, due to the big collection of beautiful beads and romantic accessories. Everything is nicely arranged in wooden cabinets in this tiny store in the famous Nine Streets. They sell a large amount of beads of which you can design your own perfect piece of jewelry, like earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

From Monday to Friday you can make your own jewelry at the big wooden table in the back of the store. When you don’t feel like being creative don’t worry, they also sell the handmade pieces made by Beadies or you can tell the employees what you like and they will make it for you that same day, custom-made!

It can be a bit pricey, but most of the pieces are real eye catchers! I think the style you will find here can best be described by romantic Ibiza meets Sex and the City glamorous, most of the accessories are very feminine, classy and fashionable. It is worth a visit to find the perfect gift or just something beautiful to cheer yourself up!

Their webshop is already a favourite of many fashion lovers, but last year I Love Vintage opened up a boutique along one of the canals in the city centre. This cute, but bright and organized store is really a must if you are looking for some nice vintage leather boots or pumps.

Next to the big collection of vintage shoes and bags from the 50′s till the 90′s, they also have a nice mix of dresses and cardigans. But not everything is vintage, you will find new stuff as well like the cool collection of accessories.

The back of the boutique is also used as studio where they have photo shoots for the website and as storage for all the items on the site. So before you come to ILV you can write down the items you will like to try on or you can search through the whole collection on a touch screen in the store. Just give the details to one of the friendly employees and she will get the item for you.

I like to visit the store once in a while for some new inspiration and to score a unique item!