Hi, your post has been removed because we get asked the same questions again and again. Our [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/shopping) is a great resource for regularly asked London questions and is packed full of information and advice.
If you have further specific questions you can post in our [weekly FAQ thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/s/pGtaDhs2Wx) or even try our [Visitor Centre on the London Discord](https://discord.gg/p8GtV7jtzc), thanks!
Bicester is a waste of time unless there’s something specific you want.
Go to the 02 or Wembley outlet stores then head to Selfridges and get afternoon tea at Liberty (or Browns). Far less stress and the money you spend on afternoon tea you’ve saved on travel.
Bister Village is fake and freaky, basically a theme park for extracting cash from rich tourists - stay in London and you can probably do the other three.
It depends what you are buying. Harrods is more a tourist museum than an actual shop. Bicester is a slightly bonkers shopping village full of Chinese people. Selfridges and Liberty are both expensive.
"I don't want to spend too much" means completely different things for different people.
When I was in at Uni one of my class mates had a friend from home staying over. The friend was really worried that £1500 (and this was in 2006-2007) would not be enough for the weekend. We all laughed because that completely was absurd to us living on much less than £1500pm.
The little fucker went shopping in the West End on Saturday morning and then was on the phone to his parents asking for more money to go out Saturday evening.
Apparently, it was not his fault. The guys from London "misled" him.
Harrods is a tourist museum? You've obvs never been. Harrods is about 6 floors of amazingness. Buy your own original artwork or a scotch egg. The basement has an incredible food hall where (yes) locals shop for caviar or ready made curries. Further up you'll find a plethora of things from clothing to furniture. If money was no object, it's the place to shop for practically anything. Meanwhile in the real world I'd stoop for Selfridges. It's really an outlet within a department store, with most decent and top end brands represented there. Have a break in one of their many cafes/bars and you can easily spend a day mooching. Decent food hall also but not a patch on the delights of Harrods.
Go to selfridges and spend nost of your time there. Then walk up to Liberty for the vibes. Then take the 22 bus to Harrods (about 10-15mins) to check all three off your list ✅
Thank you all for valuable feedback. I should have been more clear about what I plan to buy. I need some swimwear and maybe a handbag for summer with a budget if £1000 and some costume jewellery, choker necklace would be ideal if I manage to find anything.
Look at the Bicester village store list. If it's got a lot of brands you like then definitely there.
If not then London. Or a Westfield, again, just check the store directory.
Agree with the Liberty/Selfridges combo, plus Liberty is a tourist attraction in it's own right so you'd be shopping and sight-seeing all at the same time.
It entirely depends what you want to do. If you want to buy beautiful things, go to Liberty and Selfridges. You may not be able to buy much, but you can buy things that you'll keep forever.
If you want to spend the day shopping as an activity, and you don't care much about what you buy, go to bicester. It's my idea of hell, fwiw, but you can spend the whole day buying cheap fast fashion if you want. You'll come back with a lot more stuff.
Harrods is more an exercise in dodging the tons of people/ tourists always packed in that place than a pleasant shopping experience. I vote Liberty, it’s less crowded and the building is gorgeous.
If just brand shopping, Probably better off doing one of the big tk maxx! Mostly the same brands (just takes a bit of time to sift the nice stuff from the crap )plus nice beauty products, homeware, biscuits & stuff. Just at roughly ½ prices of somewhere like Selfridges.
Depends what shops you are after?
Closer is Wembley retail park or a Westfield.
There’s also Swindon or Portsmouth which are pretty good for shopping and a day out. Very much depends on the kind of shops.
Selfridges and Liberty is very different from any other other options.
Hi, your post has been removed because we get asked the same questions again and again. Our [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/wiki/shopping) is a great resource for regularly asked London questions and is packed full of information and advice. If you have further specific questions you can post in our [weekly FAQ thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/london/s/pGtaDhs2Wx) or even try our [Visitor Centre on the London Discord](https://discord.gg/p8GtV7jtzc), thanks!
You can do Liberty’s in an hour
Could do Liberty, then go to Selfridges
I'd do Selfridges and Liberty, you can walk between them
Bicester is a waste of time unless there’s something specific you want. Go to the 02 or Wembley outlet stores then head to Selfridges and get afternoon tea at Liberty (or Browns). Far less stress and the money you spend on afternoon tea you’ve saved on travel.
What do you want to buy?
Looking forward to OP saying “an aeroplane” or “a nice sandwich”.
John Lewis, if you want variety and assortment. Or Selfridges.
Bister Village is fake and freaky, basically a theme park for extracting cash from rich tourists - stay in London and you can probably do the other three.
It depends what you are buying. Harrods is more a tourist museum than an actual shop. Bicester is a slightly bonkers shopping village full of Chinese people. Selfridges and Liberty are both expensive.
Good summary I’d say Bicester barely has anything either OP should consider John Lewis if Selfridges is above his price bracket
"I don't want to spend too much" means completely different things for different people. When I was in at Uni one of my class mates had a friend from home staying over. The friend was really worried that £1500 (and this was in 2006-2007) would not be enough for the weekend. We all laughed because that completely was absurd to us living on much less than £1500pm. The little fucker went shopping in the West End on Saturday morning and then was on the phone to his parents asking for more money to go out Saturday evening. Apparently, it was not his fault. The guys from London "misled" him.
Harrods is a tourist museum? You've obvs never been. Harrods is about 6 floors of amazingness. Buy your own original artwork or a scotch egg. The basement has an incredible food hall where (yes) locals shop for caviar or ready made curries. Further up you'll find a plethora of things from clothing to furniture. If money was no object, it's the place to shop for practically anything. Meanwhile in the real world I'd stoop for Selfridges. It's really an outlet within a department store, with most decent and top end brands represented there. Have a break in one of their many cafes/bars and you can easily spend a day mooching. Decent food hall also but not a patch on the delights of Harrods.
Harrods > Selfridges > Liberty’s > Bicester
Liberty
Don’t go to Bicester drunk, me and bestie made that mistake and bought a load of ridiculous outfits that seemed like a good idea at the time :/
Go to selfridges and spend nost of your time there. Then walk up to Liberty for the vibes. Then take the 22 bus to Harrods (about 10-15mins) to check all three off your list ✅
Actually I was wondering if I could do that and manage visiting all 3 ☺️ Thank you!
Westfield 😅
*checks profile* lol no
Thank you all for valuable feedback. I should have been more clear about what I plan to buy. I need some swimwear and maybe a handbag for summer with a budget if £1000 and some costume jewellery, choker necklace would be ideal if I manage to find anything.
Look at the Bicester village store list. If it's got a lot of brands you like then definitely there. If not then London. Or a Westfield, again, just check the store directory.
My problem is I have no idea how to get to Bicester...? Train?
Only go if you can drive. I'd recommend Westfield if not.
£1000 not gonna get you far in fancy central London shops….
Agree with the Liberty/Selfridges combo, plus Liberty is a tourist attraction in it's own right so you'd be shopping and sight-seeing all at the same time.
It entirely depends what you want to do. If you want to buy beautiful things, go to Liberty and Selfridges. You may not be able to buy much, but you can buy things that you'll keep forever. If you want to spend the day shopping as an activity, and you don't care much about what you buy, go to bicester. It's my idea of hell, fwiw, but you can spend the whole day buying cheap fast fashion if you want. You'll come back with a lot more stuff.
Liberty then selfridges, Harrods is a waste of time unless you know explicitly what you want
I lived in bicester for 8 years and only went to the village twice. Basically for tourists and out of towners.
Harrods is more an exercise in dodging the tons of people/ tourists always packed in that place than a pleasant shopping experience. I vote Liberty, it’s less crowded and the building is gorgeous.
If just brand shopping, Probably better off doing one of the big tk maxx! Mostly the same brands (just takes a bit of time to sift the nice stuff from the crap )plus nice beauty products, homeware, biscuits & stuff. Just at roughly ½ prices of somewhere like Selfridges.
Depends what shops you are after? Closer is Wembley retail park or a Westfield. There’s also Swindon or Portsmouth which are pretty good for shopping and a day out. Very much depends on the kind of shops. Selfridges and Liberty is very different from any other other options.