There’s something you have to know about me: I like dresses and I hate to buy in those famous (and not really cheap) chains around the world…

This said, I want to keep my addresses secret in order to be sure that no other girl wears the same. A woman has to keep some mystery, isn’t it?

Anyway, today, and especially for you, I decided to break one of my numerous principles: “Never say where you find your nice clothes” (in the same list, you can find “never have a relationship at the office”, “never eat more than one chocolate a week”, “never have a girly discussions next to your boss”, but don’t count on me to let you know which ones I have already – or are on their way to be – broken).

When I have time AND money: I just love to go to this shop: Look 50.

The shop is a legendary second hand shop open since decades. Laura (the owner, and daughter of the first one) has a big stock of second hand vintage clothes for men and for women. She also started to sell some new clothes, that she chooses only in collection of young creators.

Having a small shop, you don’t find the same model in many exemplars. Then, if you find a nice one: don’t wait to buy it, you may never find it back!

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Look 50 | Shopping
Rue de la Paix, 10 | Ixelles | +3225122418
Mon – Sat 10:30 – 18:30

As many girls, I don’t go outside without my bag. Thanks to it I can have with me anything I need… one of those things being a book.

I can read many books a week and I often even read while walking in the streets. Sometimes when I finish my work, I can also realise that I’ve finished the last book I’ve had. My nightmare: being the whole evening without a chance to read….

Of course, I can go to Cook&Book (check the Cook&Book article), they’re open late (as it is also a restaurant), but come on, I’m tired, I’m in Ixelles on my way home, and sometimes I don’t want to run to the other part of the city.

Fortunately, I found out that the owner of the bookshop “Place Voltaire” is not counting the minutes before closing her shop. If you arrive around 18:30, there is a good chance you will be allowed to come in and to take the time to choose a book.

I like the fact that I can arrive after business hours and still find it open, and I also like the warm and nice atmosphere and the nice chat with the owner. It has the colour, the smell and the impression of being back in the time where people get to take the time for the good things.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Place Voltaire | Art & culture, Shopping | Books from € 4.00
rue de l’Aqueduc, 101 | Ixelles
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00

I always felt that Place Flagey was missing a good bookshop, so I was very excited when a branch of Brüsel opened there recently. It’s a fun place to go and browse as it has an incredible selection of Belgian and international comics, as well as art books, literature and posters.

I love the relaxed atmosphere and the fact that they’re open on Sunday, a bit of a rarity in this part of the city.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Brüsel | Shopping | Books from € 10.00
Place Eugène Flagey, 29 | Ixelles | +3226490211
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 19:00, Sun 10:00 – 17:00

Have you ever had a suede urge to read an art magazine from 1997, or a book of German poetry in German? Well, at Nijinski you easily can. The beauty of this secondhand bookshop is that you never know what you will find, so it allows you to pick up something on a whim, start reading, then buy it at a very good price.

I love the amazing selection of books in various languages and the plants and comfy chairs, which make it feel like the living room of a very intellectual friend. I have never managed to come in here and leave empty-handed. You can try, but you’ll miss out on something weird, wonderful and unexpected.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Nijinski | Shopping | Old art magazine € 1.50
Rue du Page 15 | Ixelles | +3225392028
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 19:00

Les Petits Rien is an organization that collects second-hand items from all over Belgium, and then resells them in their stores. With the profits they make from these sales, they set up social projects, specifically aimed at helping homeless people and struggling families.

There are many Les Petits Rien/Spullenhulp second hand stores in Brussels, but none compares to the one on Rue Américaine, where you can get lost in the huge quantity of objects people have gotten rid of… It’s located in a huge building, which is stuffed with books, furniture, clothes, paintings, televisions, and so many other items you wouldn’t even know what to do with…

If you enjoy flea markets, you’ll definitely like Les Petits Rien. You’ll get to rummage around to find hidden treasures, buy interesting presents, and leaf through the pages of old history books…There’s a whole universe to discover in there! Also, there are many bargains to be made as the stuff is usually quite cheap.

Next door, Les Petits Rien have opened ‘Retro Paradise’, where they sell a selection of the vintage garments they’ve received. No doubt aimed at the more fashionable consumers, they sell a selection of the clothes collected by the organization.

The area around it is also really pleasant for a stroll as it has beautiful late 19th – early 20th century architecture, a vibrant cafe (check out the Framboisier Doré article) and a good restaurant scene (check out the Auberge espagnole article for example) .

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Les Petits Rien/Spullenhulp | Shopping
Rue Américaine 101 | Ixelles | +3225373026
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 17:30

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