London calling! If you’re planning to travel to the English capital, this shopping guide is for you.

Read on for a comprehensive Goth  / punk/  hipster tour of London’s most alternative districts, Shoreditch and Camden! 

I was overjoyed to reunite with my long-time friend Kat Williams of Rock n Roll Bride (we went to Prague together years ago).

We spent the day exploring two of London’s “youth culture” neighborhoods: Camden Market (Gothic punk rave) and Shoreditch (hipster and artistic).

If you’re in a shopping mood, this post comes at a good time because…

It’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday! From Nov 24-27, there are major sales on Gothic / alternative / kawaii clothing online. If you love dark fashion, I’ve rounded up some of the best deals for you.

❤ Some of my favorite Goth clothing brands — Disturbia, Killstar, Iron Fist, Valfre and Morph8ne — are currently having sales! (Click these names to see.)

You can also find tons of discounts at the following sites. Just check out the URLs below:

❤Dolls Kill  ❤ Amazon ❤  Hot Topic ❤ Kat von D  ❤ Sephora ❤Etude House ❤ Valfre

Feel free to share / re-post this to let your friends know!

Here’s a compilation of my favorite items. For details on these Iron Fist goodies, click the thumbnails:

If you’re a fan of Killstar – there are lots of sale prices here…

Morph8ne – click for reductions.

Disturbia – #blackfriday #cybermonday promo codes below, and more here. Have fun!

Here’s another version of my outfit of the day (shot in my apartment; more photos of my home here.) My skull and roses Gothic sweater is by Jawbreaker Clothing.  The light knit keeps me warm, and the Gothic embroidery design truly stands out!

I paired it with After Hours No Tongue knee-high leather boots by Sorel Footwear (this style comes in both redwood and black.)

Now, back to my alt shopping guide of London UK. Kat and I started in Camden Market, the long-time hangout of British punks, Goths, metalheads and other alt youths.

To get here, take the tube (subway) — Northern Line to Camden station — and walk outside. You’ll immediately come across all sorts of alternative stores (such as the Gothic Lolita boutique, Sai Sai) and Camdenlock (where I stopped for a shot of fresh orange juice).

The vibe reminds me of St Mark’s Place in NYC, but larger (there are over 1000 stores). I first visited Camden over 10 years ago, and was mesmerized by the scene. Today, this remains the go-to place for tattoo and piercing parlors, and dark fashion. 

The storefronts are creatively decorated with giant shoes, elephant heads, dancing girls, and even a dragon that appears to be twisting around a building.

New Rock has a shop, with an entire wall displaying hardcore stomper boots and leather shoes.

London was one of the earliest centers of Goth and punk subculture, with bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Damned, Alien Sex Fiend, and the Sex Pistols. These influences live on in various parts of the cities, but especially Camden Lock.

Camden is also a wonderful place for food, with lots of small stands selling ethnic cuisine, sweets, and creative takeaway. Kat and I saw a man at a Chinese fast food station, joyously singing “I’m a Barbie girl!”

When I visited, I encountered the Stranger Things pop-up food truck, which doled out fresh waffles. The lineup was too long, so I went around the corner and got a fresh ginger-lemon-honey drink that hit the spot.

Camden’s alt stores differ in quality. The main streets mainly have inexpensive souvenirs, so we gravitated to the smaller, inner alleyways. Here, you’ll find beautiful handmade goods such as this peacock feather neckline. Many of the shops are run by the designers, giving you a chance to meet them and make a custom order.

The shops are constantly changing around, but there’s always a great mix of underground styles. I  snapped these photos at Tainted Prince, a Victorian / steampunk / elegant Gothic aristocrat / kodona dressmaker. Kat and I also went inside a few K-pop streetwear and vaporwave / Tumblr aesthetic boutiques.

My favorite Camden store remains Cyberdog, which seems to contain an entire universe of futuristic fashion.

Cyberdog blasted off in the 1990s, and continues to innovate with rave clubwear and high-tech accessories. The mothership (and largest store) is this one in Camden Market, located in a building that was once the living / rehearsal space of punk band The Clash.

(Cyberdog address: 842 Chalk Farm Rd, London NW1 8AH, UK)

Inside, you feel like you’ve stepped into a scene from the Hackers movie. Two floors of clothing, jewelry, shoes and toys, lit up with neon lights and pumping with the sound of EDM.

The space was decorated with cobwebs and other Halloween elements for “Cyber-Ween.” I imagined I was being abducted by the UFO, and posted with the giant robot with flashing green eyes. 

I was blown away by the staff’s attention to detail — their makeup and fashion skills were A++. The store goes all out to maintain an immersive sci-fi environment. Note the escalators with flashing rainbow lights and moving 8-bit characters! 

True to its concept, many of Cyberdog’s designs creatively incorporate futuristic components. These include space-age fabrics (florescent, holographic) and tech (flashing lights, electronics, LEDs). On this wall, you can spot my light-up mini backpack.

The sweet staff illustrate two of the many looks you can put together at Cyberdog. Whether you’re into Goth, Industrial, rave clubwear, Burning Man, flower child… there’s something unique to be found.

(The store also has relatively “normal” shirts with the mecha-devil-alien logo, for those who are less experimental dressers!)

I first visited Cyberdog about 10 years ago (when it was in a smaller Camden location), and was delighted to see the brand maintain its subculture roots. The staff welcomed me enthusiastically, and I could tell they were truly passionate about underground music and lifestyles.

The Camdenlock store is immense — I felt like I was exploring an extraterrestrial city. One section is adults-only, and dedicated to Cyberdog’s “Futurelovers” brand. Launched in 2012, it sells sex toys and fetish clothing (displayed in what appear to be alien pods!)

It’s amazing to see how much Cyber Dog has spawned, from a small Camden Market stall in 1994. The founders, designer Terry Davy and business manager Spiros Vlahos, named the label after their pet chihuahua, “Chichi the Cyberdog.”

The rave days of the 90s are over, but electronic / club music continues to evolve and thrive. Today, EDM festivals like Ultra are held worldwide, and Burning Man attracts record numbers. I’m personally loving synthwave (future 80s synth sounds) — this devilish headpiece would be perfect for a Perturbator concert.

From goggles to vinyl skirts and O-ring necklaces, the company has a huge selection of items. You can shop for everything from Cyberdog’s website (I remember ordering from their site in the early 2000s!)

Cyberdog keeps a pulse on the latest beauty trends, such as glow in the dark makeup, and LED false eyelashes.

There’s a section for home goods too, and gifts from the year 3000.

I could see the Jetsons in these intergalactic dresses. And how about this fuzzy pink hat?

There were even live Industrial / club dancers in the store… and I wonder what those robotic arms can do.

If you’re in London, ride a rocketship to Cyberdog. Their Camden Market store is full of eye candy, and lets you dress (and feel) as if you’re in outerspace. 

The shop is easy to find: just look for these two silver robots guarding the entrance!

Kat then took me to Shoreditch, which has become London’s “hipster neighborhood” in recent years. Quite a few alleyways are emblazoned with colorful murals.

To get here, take the overground to Shoreditch High Street, or take the London Tube to Aldgate, Bethnal Green or Liverpool Street and walk.

Shoreditch is the place to go if you’re into indie and vintage shopping. We admired minimal jewelry, and ducked into a Halloween charity shop. Kat and I couldn’t resist snapping a photo of these spooky donuts by Dum Dums Donutterie (I spot a ghost, Frankenstein’s monster, spider, and zombie eye).

Be sure to stop by Boxpark, a retail complex made from shipping containers. There are lots of hip boutiques and pop-ups here, including The Ordinary (inexpensive science-based skincare). Kat’s holding a pink bag from Skinnydip, the London soft grunge / pastel cute brand (below is more info):

Located in the East End, Shoreditch has an eclectic, artsy feeling. You can find lots of ethnic food here, including a row of Indian curry houses that all claim to have won a “best of London” award.

I was impressed by the street art that runs through Shoreditch. Many of the works have an ear to politics, such as this S&M commentary on “Mistress May.” 

“I am an Immigrant” sits next to the Queen of England.

Young Brits have been pondering “Brexit?” ever since the unexpected vote to leave the EU. It’s fascinating to see the notes and art, scrawled in response to these current topics.

I’ll have to come back soon to spend more time in this vibrant neighborhood. I left before a taste of Shoreditch nightlife, but noticed some original themed bars (a circus-themed one, and a Ballie Ballerson ball pit).

V-fingers for a fantastic day with Kat! (I paired my Jawbreaker Clothing skull and flowers wide-neck sweater with a leather biker jacket.)

If you haven’t heard of Kat’s website, Rock n Roll Bride, you’re missing out. She features alternative weddings from around the world, from Victorian to glam rock. It’s the ultimate resource for anyone planning an offbeat wedding (or simply looking for inspiration), and also features Kat’s travel, lifestyle and fashion adventures in different countries. Kat also publishes Rock n Roll Bride print magazine, which we spotted in WHSmith and other British newsstands!

More from London to come — for now, here’s my previous Goth guide to London.

❤ And don’t forget to shop those Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals while they last!
❤  If you don’t know where to start, try Dolls Kill — and here’s a compilation of my top sales picks.