FLIP - Covent Garden

[KidKruger]

If you recognise the name of this shop, hopefully you had the same memory thrill as I !

I think it closed in the late 1980s/early 90s.

I dressed solely from there for 5 or 6 years because it was soooo cheap and I was broke as.

Almost entirely Goodwill Store kinda surplus plus huge job lots of old denim, yards of racks of dungarees, ridiculously coloured socks, workmen's/women's shirts (with logos emblazoned - my short sleeved work shirt read "Del's Wrecking" across the back), Hawaiian shirts (not for me), old boots, old baseball outfits, zoot suits, 50s/60s formal wear, seriously funky ties, the list goes on.

Two big floors rammed to the gills with 'vintage' as we call it now. Today it would be an absolute gold mine full of folks with too much money, then it was just for broke people and those sick of the High St options.

Anyone remember it ?

Used to buy there ?!

[red devil]

When I was a student there was a Flip in Glasgow, it sounds identical. Essential student clobber of it's time...

[maxxi]

Loved the jackets and had a couple of them - kinda 'flecked' 50s sports type 2-button things, and the shirts (racks of bowling shirts) - the good stuff was always in the basement as I remember (spent ages going through the imported 'used' 501s) - upstairs was all overpriced raybans, watches and some camo gear - otherwise yeppers, Flip was definitely a reason for going to Long Acre. Remember Johnsons (La Rocka) down and around the corner in Endell St. a little later? Great fake-50s biker jackets and poker shirts.

[steveo]

I think cocaine had a lot to do with the demise of Flip

[LondonLogCo]

I lost about ?600 in there once whilst trying on some jeans, fell out of my pocket in the changing area.

Mind you, I like to think some poor student got kitted out for the whole year on it.

Great shop, remember the Big Mac flat back denim ?

My karma rides over my dogma.

[MrBen]

Big one on the bridges in Edinburgh too. Full range of Doctor Martin's, Airwalk skate shoes and baggy Acid House Tee's. Tie-dyed stuff, big checked lumberjack jackets, German army shirts and Converse. It wasn't actually the cheapest in town but it's one-stop-shop appeal meant that six of you could go in and come out as the Village People in about 5 minutes.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

I still wear my Brotherhood of Electrical Workers t-shirt bought from Flip in Edinburgh. Lucky my waistline hasnt expanded too much over the years.

[????]

Brilliant early 80s soulboy look or the 'hard times' look of 84-86, half the clothes on show at the Wag/Mud Club were from there I reckon

[KidKruger]

Yeah Quids I was gonna mention the Wag Club, I defo wore my FLIP clothes there, as did mates !

Also to Sol Y Sombra, Heaven and the Latin nights around Hoxton i.e. Bass Clef

The fashion generally available then for me was weak, so FLIP was a perfect escape.

[womanofdulwich]

I remember their closing down sale mid 80's - they gave you a bin liner and you could fill it up for ?5.I think there was one in the Kings Rd too.

[????]

whilst we are on cheap clothes shops - Dicky Dirts anyone?

[steveo]

Camberwell cinema

[????]

Yup.

[giggirl]

Yes I remember Flip and Dicky Dirts in Camberwell. I feel old now. Flip was a lot of Americana I remember. Does anyone remember Laurence Corner on the Camden Road? I bought something from there once. What was I thinking?

[steveo]

Laurence Corner sold the best onesies - fighter pilot suits with all the tubes and map pockets

[Loz]

I used to work opposite Laurence Corner. Great place and had an awesome fancy dress place upstairs that used to supply film and TV.

[KidKruger]

Yeah Laurence Corner was an institution !!

It's I think a chemists or opticians now, but they've kept the name (or refer to it somewhere on the sign).

Also the FLIP carrier bags were a great design, think I might have one in the loft - the sort of placcy bag you wouldn't chuck.

[GSJ57]

I loved FLIP! I had just started going out with an American (now my husband) and I remember buying one of those American high school letter jackets for about 15 quid, and quite a few flannel plaid shirts. The denim racks were amazing.

[Huguenot]

My karma rides over my dogma

My dogma rides over my zen

My zen doesn't know where it's going

So bring back my karma to me

Bring back, bring back etc.

[sanity girl]

Yes I remember Flip. Was it where the M&S is now? Also remember Dicky Dirts

[Sue]

giggirl Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Yes I remember Flip and Dicky Dirts in Camberwell.

> I feel old now. Flip was a lot of Americana I

> remember. Does anyone remember Laurence Corner on

> the Camden Road?

xxxxxx

Oh dear, I remember all of them too :(

[KidKruger]

Wow, maybe at some point we were all on there on the same day and it was all sort of cool and stuff !

[woodrot]

flip was the only place I could shop and look cool for a tenner- them hawaiian shirts & GI Vietnam era camo pants were truly the making of me. especially when worn with an NCB donkey jacket.

[tfwsoll]

I loved FLIP too - I had a pair of their purple jeans and a pair of green ones. Their stuff was good quality as well as being hip.

Wasn't Dickie Dirts tagline 'Dicky Dirts for Jeans and Shirts'?

Are there any modern equivalents?

[KidKruger]

Yeah one thing about Flip was colour, there was no shame in their stock - turquoises purples pinks reds greens etc.

They sold these long thick sort of towelling socks in SO many shades, they lasted for years.

Found a 2-tone suit at the weekend which I bought there, it shimmers between yellowy-green and deep blue, depending on the angle of light !