Badger

Badger caters for the discerning fella who takes pride in his appearance. There’ a mix of top notch brands from Levis Vintage and Penguin, Pepe Jeans, Fred Perry and many others. If Steve McQueen found himself naked in Brighton he’d probably head here to kit himself out. Shorts, jeans, t-​shirts and G Star jackets. Unfortunately it’s not cheap, Penguin sports jackets will set you back at least seventy quid

Badger has a ladieswear shop and a menswear shop just next to each other on Bond Street. I’d been into the menswear shop before and not been overly impressed, it was quite expensive and not to my tastes (not that I generally wear mens clothing — but it wasn’t what I wanted to see my men in, if you get me). I went into the womens shop with fairly low expectations, which is probably partly what helped me be pleasantly surprised. That and they sold the most beautiful scarf I have ever seen. I bought a silk/​cotton mix scarf for £40. I’m not the sort of person to generally spend £40 in on a scarf, I’m more likely to sorrowfully decline, telling myself I could make it for cheaper. But this I just couldn’t resist — and you know what, I don’t regret it. I think it is worth every one of those 40 quids. In terms of clothes generally, it is the upper end of high street midrange prices. They stock brands like Great Plains and the new (?) Penguin clothes label (inspired by Penguin books) which has a preppy look, sort of Vampire Weekend meets Betty Draper. In my opinion, it’s the sort of clothing that looks by far the best on people with very small bums, so I don’t think I will shop in their regularly, but I am certainly very chuffed with my scarf. The two staff that I encountered were also very friendly and helpful.

Shops like Badger tempt me and annoy me in equal measures. Yes, I would like to buy one of your ridiculously expensive Barbour jackets. And yes, I’d like a pair of your overpriced G-​Starr jeans too, while we’re at it. I could go on– in short, Badger is full of lovely, pricey clothing that I would like to own. And the reason I get annoyed is not that I can’t afford to shop here (though of course I can’t), it is more that I begin to convince myself that I can, when I’m engulfed by enticing, expensive items. The shop is also slightly irritating in that some of the clothing just isn’t worth the price… I don’t care if it’s Fred Perry, a polo shirt is just a polo shirt. Scarves come in at anywhere between £45 and £70…what are they made of… 14k gold thread, I hear you ask? No, just plain old wool. It annoys me when shops are indiscriminate about overcharging, just so that everything in the shop is expensive, allowing them to maintain a certain image. Things just don’t need to cost as much as they do in this shop. However, if you like your labels and you’ve got the cash to splash, Badger will probably be your kind of shop. The shoe section out back is a little more reasonable and they have a good selection of smart shoes and winter boots.

Badger is another of those higher-​end clothing stores that I can’t quite afford to shop in at the moment. Still, it’s nice to look, and imagine what I would buy if I could.
The shop sells clothing and footwear — mostly boots at the moment. They range from comfortable –looking Uggs to fancier knee-​highs with pointy heels. Clothing and accessories for both men and women are on the racks — the average top is around £60, while most jeans are £85.
There is a sale area, though, with several pairs of jeans on for only £25.
I may return to Badger once I have a high-​paying career… but at the moment, I’ll find cheaper shops.