Over many years of online shopping I've developed a high quality list of my favourite online quirky shops; selling gifts, fashion, accessories, homewares and more.
I should share this aladdins cave of unique treasures with you, because sharing is caring and as I type Christmas is only 165 days away so you need all the help you can get as Christmast races towards us like an unmanned freight train.
Most of my list consists of quirky original independent designer makers rather than big brands, because that's who tends to deliver the most original and interesting products. The big brands have their place, but they simply cannot compete the independent designer-makers for originality and quirk.
Indeed even the big brands often stock their stores with an amount of wares from independent designer makers because they simply don't have enough in-house talent to compete well in their marketplace.
One example of this is Paperchase. Paperchase have a team of in house designers but welcome greeting card submissions (click on 'careers'), and stock unique quirky cards from independent designers such as sisters Cat and Liz of Jelly Armchair, Gemma Corrall and more.
Onto the list of top ten quirky online shops to fulfill your shopping dreams at:
The House of Wonderland, also known as 'HOW store' has gone from strength to strength in a few short years. With an adorable constantly updated product range you're sure to see something new on offer each time you visit.
Visit HOW store for cute pins, mermaids, feminist slogans, unicorns and a hella lot of pinks and pastels. Always on trend you're sure to find the latest trendy gift in store.
2. Dupenny
Another shop I've followed for some years. Dupenny are an illustration led home and giftware shop who have developed over time a comprehensive range of just insanely original products. Black and white is very much their theme but it's anything but boring.
If you love retro, if you love a bit of cheeky vintage saucyness (think pin up girls), and you love extremely high quality products, this is the shop for you.
Dupenny stock wallpaper, ceramic tiles, fabric, stationery, cake tins, mugs, coasters, tea towels, trays and more.
If you need a hair fascinator, or a head dress or hair piece, I emplore you, do NOT go anywhere else other than Pearls and Swine, owned by the most creative woman walking the earth, referring to herself as 'Bink' on social media.
I did not over sell this.
Visit Pearls and Swine to view the most divine, unique hair accessories you have ever seen, most of them one off designs and bespoke is available too. If you want something a bit more mainstream and off the shelf Bink also provides a portal for that in the form of Temptress of Waikiki.
Many of them are plain bonkers most likely only to be worn if you're a burlesque performer or walking a catwalk, but many others are just slightly eccentric enough to be worn as an utterly fabulous wedding hair piece, or for a photoshoot for instance.
4. Anorak
On the classy side of quirky, Anorak stocks a huge range of repeating print homewares and outdoor goodies, definitely suited to nature lovers and camping enthusiasts.
"Childhood memories of camping trips are where it all started for Anorak's founder and creative director Laurie Robertson. Equipped with little more than a map, a campfire and a packet of marshmallows, these simple family holidays gave Laurie a love of simple pleasures, family time and a keen eye for the beauty in nature. These values, which provided the inspiration for Anorak when it launched in 2009, are absolutely integral to the Anorak brand today."
All of their products feature modern minimalistic animal and nature prints in bold statement colours.
Don't be put off by the dollar signs, this shop ships worldwide and so you can still get hold of their amazing products even if you live in Blighty like myself.
Stocking a substantial range, Little Drom Store feature a selection of the very best products from designer makers and brands including Gemma Correll, Audrey Jeanne and Moomin.
Find pins, melamine plates, books, jewellery and more. All posted to the UK for as low as £3.75 postage costs for many items.
6. Blafre
Lunch boxes, tins, bags, lunch boxes, drink flasks and more, Norwegian shop Blafre is child centric and filled with items that your kid would basically look really cool taking to school.
Not to say that you wouldn't buy some of it for yourself too, so it's worth a visit even if you don't have children of your own, and indeed you may have family children to buy for. The vibe here is distinctly Ikea but in it's own unique quirky way that's also somewhat different.
Blafre stock a hell of a lot of plastic goods, but do inform us of their policies regarding manufacturing processes, plastic safety and approach to sustainability.
7. Little Moose
While focussing heavily on jewellery as their core offering, Little Moose also stock a small selection of bags and greeting cards too. You'll find oodles of modern jewellery here, including a prawn necklace, a stegasaurus brooch and sloth earrings.
Their greeting card range is small but high quality, the perfect accompaniment for a jewellery gift. Prices are reasonable for what appears to be high quality products.
8. Howkapow
First of all, the website is a delight in itself ... clean, bright, cheerful, it's just pleasant to be on there and enjoy the general vibe of their brand, let alone the eye pleasing and capacious product range.
Howkapow is new on my radar and stock a very diverse range of products; homeware, jewellery, apothecary, kids, stationery, food even!
I'd describe Howkapow as an online department store, a really cool one.
Shoe heaven for quirky fashionistas and with a just about affordable price tag. Irregular Choice have named themselves perfectly, you probably can't even imagine how irregular these shoes are if you've never heard of the brand before.
Popular with the Rockabilly crowd, Irregular Choice shoes range from totally bonkers to totally wearable, but each and every shoe is a practical work of art. I'd describe them as 'theatrical'.
10. Plusheez
For those days when you really need to source the very best bariatic pillow, a gastric band cushion or a tampon plushie.
Never fear it's not all gritty things made cute! It's also cute things that are just actually cute like bunnies and donuts.
Launched in 2012 on Etsy to start (and still to be found on Etsy) Plusheez is gaining quite the nororiety with their quirky cushions being featured in a range of high profile magazines, and in 2017 adorning the Celebrity Big Brother house.
Oh, and at Taylor Two we're pretty quirky too by the way - you should check us out.
