Our Ethos

We Believe in Style Not Fashion 

In a World of ever-changing, short -lived  fast fashion trends, we believe in quality over quantity. Styles from the 1920s to the 1960s are beautiful,  traditional and timeless. We encourage people to invest in classic pieces such as the flirty full circle dress, high waisted trousers, the wardrobe staple that is the pencil skirt and the humble cardigan. All pieces that can be worn year after year, surpassing fad trends and standing the test of time.

We strive to stock products made from primarily natural materials, such as our 100% Cotton embroidered cardigans to our 98% cotton summer dresses and our fair trade bamboo cotton skirts. Where possible we try and source items from UK based companies as well as products made in the UK.

 Encouraging Individuality and Celebrating Diversity since 2014

We believe in celebrating the unique, the creative and the positivity of being Your true self. At Wonderland Awaits we embrace with open arms those who are flamboyant, eccentric and enjoying Their best life. Regardless of age, gender identity, race, size, sexual orientation or personal beliefs we welcome you to a place you can feel comfortable in. Some of our clothes may be labelled 'Ladies' or 'Gents' simply to give ideas on sizing, but all our items are unisex and we offer Gender Neutral changing rooms so you can try on anything you desire.

Our Shop is ramped and fully wheelchair accessible,  with one of our changing rooms purposely designed to be wider with seating facilities for the less able.

Understanding that not all disabilites or personal issues are visible is a big thing for us. This means we will always greet our customers when they come in but then allow them to browse the store at their leisure. If they need help/ advice we are always on hand, but we understand that some individuals who suffer with anxiety (or are simply shy) just want to look in peace without being bothered.

Pushy Sales people are the worst! We offer friendly and honest advice on clothing and sizing, if something isnt quite right for your shape/ height etc, we will gladly recommend something more suited if you wish.

Some of our customers are impaired or Neurodivergent ( such as my wonderful younger brother who has Autism) and we know sometimes people, crowds or loud noises can be upsetting or frustrating. We are happy to turn down/off our music to make You or a friend feel more at ease during your visit, just ask! We also offer a 'safe haven' for anyone who is struggling/panicking in Town and needs somewhere to calm down/feel safe/ or contact a family member using our phone.

At wonderland Awaits, all members of the LGBTQIA+ community are welcome. We understand that some individuals are at different stages of their transition or coming out journeys and can sometimes feel anxious or nervous trying on clothes in a shop as they aren't sure on size or are worried about people they know seeing them. If the first is the case, We are happy to convert sizes and give advice on what styles are right for You. If the latter is a concern, we can simply lock the door to offer You a private appointment with no other customers in the shop.

Our aim is to make everyone feel comfortable and if You think of anything else we could do to make Your visit better, please let us know.

Rescue and Reuse 

In our quirky Boutique we use vintage furniture and retro props as part of our shop fittings and displays. From old china cabinets to the re-purposed chairs hanging from the walls,  each item has been rescued from house clearances, skips or fires to be reused and given a new lease of life.

Our Boutique's Carpet tiles are factory seconds with slight imperfections, which would normally have gone to landfill, wasting materials , energy and resources. But here in Wonderland we feel imperfections add character.

Planet Friendly Packaging 

When you purchase products in our Boutique, they are placed in unbranded yet patterned paper bags to encourage people to reuse them as gift bags. Once they are no longer useable they can be recycled along with other paper products. 

Items bought online are packaged in brown cardboard boxes or double thickness water resistant mailing bags with paper padding for delicate items. All these packing products are made from 100 % recycled materials and therefore are themselves recyclable and biodegradable.

We also stock our own range of Wonderland Awaits 100% Cotton Natural Tote Bags which can be purchased instore and online for those who love re-useable products. These bags are designed Instore and printed locally to keep our Carbon Footprint to a minimum.

Zero Waste Aim

We are conscious of the effect Business waste can have on our planet and so we strive to recycle, re-purpose or compost as much as we can.

Our shop is situated on the ground floor of our 4 storey building and has a large flat roof where we grow a huge range of fruit, vegetables and edible flowers. This allows us to save rainwater to be used in the garden instead of it simply washing down the drain. Cardboard boxes that our stock arrives in are reused instore and once they are no longer fit for use they are recycled or placed in our wormery to be turned into compost. Brown paper packaging we receive in parcels is re used within the parcels we send our Online sales in. Unwanted tissue paper from shoe boxes is removed at the point of sale in store and composted. Where possible, all plastic that can be recycled is recycled. We hope that when recycling facilities expand the range of plastics they recycle, in future we can send 100% of our plastic there.