As one of the busiest streets in the world, Oxford Street is the perfect place to shop until you drop.
Along this two-mile stretch, right from Tottenham Court Road tube to Marble Arch, there are tons of chain stores and cut price shops, many aimed at tourists.
Most of the shops are of the high street variety; you'll find Next, River Island, Dixons and Top Shop along here.
There's also a few large department stores such as Debenhams and John Lewis and the largest of them all, Selfridges.
As well as stocking every shade of lipstick, hue of tights, and range of ties under the sun, Selfridges offers a free advisory personal shopping services for customers.
So if you aren't sure whether neon pink is really you, or you can't decide if the latest kinky boots can be worn by middle-aged mums, the suitably stylish assistants will give you an honest answer to all your fashion dilemmas.
After an initial consultation, clothes are selected according to your taste and budget.
And for the ultimate pampering, make-up and massage facilities are also available.

Another Oxford Street institution is the Marble Arch Marks & Spencer.
This flagship store stocks many items you won't find in any other branch because new lines are introduced here, and, if prove popular enough, are then sold on nationwide.
The arrival of new lines is greeted with such greedy anticipation that if you hesitate you'll miss out.
Rails and rails of popular designs can sell out in less time than it takes the shop assistants to pop them on their hangers.

Another side street enjoying a revival (thanks to the designers' current obsession with the sixties) is Carnaby Street.

Until the 1950s Carnaby Street was dominated by sweat-shop tailors who made the suits for Saville Row.
But in the mid-1950s Bill Green opened a shop called Vince selling outrageous clothes for the growing gay population.

A string of trendy boutiques followed and by the 1960s Carnaby Street became the heart of funky street fashion.

Today it is largely populated by tourists and tacky souvenir shops, though there are a few hip clothes shops in between.
But Newburgh Street, which cuts across Carnaby Street, has become home to a number of innovative designers such as John Richmond, Pam Hogg and Jean Paul Gaultier.

So whether you want wild style or conservative chic, Oxford Street and its many cooler back streets are sure to have something to suit.