If you would like an Oxford Street shopping experiance but hate the Oxford Street crowds, then High Street Kensington will be the place for you.

It feels nice to be able to walk down a high street that has just as many good stores as it's West End rival but without being constantly held up by tourists or battered from behind by pushchairs. (Although some of the super buggies being pushed around here probably cost more than my car!). Either way you turn out of the High Street has a variety of shops to offer you, but a rough guide would be that to turn left out of the tube station is more high street shopping, and to turn right out of the tube station means you have money to burn! (Or possibly spend on a nice designer addition to your wardrobe!)

All the best fashion shops are here - Kookai, Zara, Next, Morgan etc and a good tip is to buy accessories from these stores - most of the main clothes shops now do amazing additions whether its sparkley belts, fashionable jewellary or gorgeous handbags. So if you like the clothes from Zara for example - check out their accessories - as these will be made to fit in with the fashion collection and can look much more smart than buying from all over and trying to fit an outfit together. Although Boho chic is still hanging on with a thread (ho hum!).

There are some good clothes shops for men too, lots of smart casuals and slick suits to be found around here. For other items beyond clothes there are bookshops and giftshops, as well as supermarkets to stock up for the week - or maybe just to grab a take home bottle of wine...

If you want upmarket designer, then turn right out of the tube station and take a stroll along Barkers Arcade. Here you will find shops such as Jaegar, Karen Millan and department stores like House of Fraser.

It is also worth going down the side roads like Campden Hill Road and Church Street. The shops along these roads have great gift ideas within them, and Church Street is also home to the 'new' Kensington Market (those of us who remember the old Kenny Market - 'Goth hangout extraordinaire' are still sad that it is no longer - those cramped narrow walkways, the smell of old velvet jackets - sigh!). The new location is (I guess!) much nicer though - and you can still find the velvet jackets so that's ok...

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