2020 has shown that while the fashion industry still hasn’t cleaned up its act and most brands are still lagging far behind in curbing their enormous environmental impact and ending worker and human rights abuses, there have been some positive developments in the industry as well – like the growing popularity of vintage and second-hand shopping.
*Note: Though often used interchangeably, vintage and second-hand are not the same. All vintage is second-hand, but not all second-hand is vintage. There is no consensus though what constitutes vintage, some use it to describe items that are more than 20 years old, others go further back, and define vintage as clothes from previous eras (the 90s, 80s, 70s, and so on). I usually consciously use the term vintage regardless of the item’s age, just because I think it helps shift the stigma that some people still attach to second-hand shopping.
Vintage shopping is beyond question the most eco-friendly way to shop. It doesn’t require additional resources; its carbon offprint is significantly lower than buying new, and it extends the lifespan of clothes. So whenever you choose vintage and second-hand you can definitely feel good about being a responsible and conscious shopper. And if this wouldn’t be enough – vintage shopping is also incredibly fun.
Gone are the days when you had to rummage through suspicious-looking, stained garments in tiny basements to maybe have the chance of finding a true vintage gem. And you don’t have to live in a fashion capital like New York, Tokyo, or Paris either (which have an unfair amount of truly incredible vintage shops) to find amazing deals thanks to the growing number of online vintage shops.
Until last year I wasn’t aware of how versatile the world of online vintage shopping was. I’ve stopped buying fast fashion years ago and I’ve started to discover more and more sustainable brands, but vintage shopping was not really accessible to me (or so I thought) because we didn’t have a lot of good vintage shops in Budapest (this is starting to change as well, though). But then I’ve realized that there are so many amazing shops and sellers to choose from that it’s perfectly doable to find clothes that fit my style and aesthetic second-hand. Of course, online shopping is never the most ideal option due to shipping, but with some planning and limitations (e.g. not shipping from overseas, not buying unnecessary things), it’s not that bad either. Nowadays, whenever I want to buy something, I always check the vintage sites first. If I don’t find the right fit, size, or style, I buy from a sustainable or slow fashion brand, but the first check is always vintage.
There’s a special type of joy you get from buying vintage – that’s why I’ve said it’s not only eco-friendly, it’s also fun. It’s fun because you can find things you know not many people will have – either because it’s one-of-a-kind or out-of-season. It’s fun because you feel like you’re on a hunt and it’s a great feeling when you finally find that special item you’ve been looking for. And it’s fun because you can find amazing deals and let’s be honest, it’s always a great feeling to save a couple of euros. It’s not the instant gratification you gain from ‘traditional’ shopping – because of the wait and the build-up, it’s a lot more satisfying.
I love following shops and sellers that curate collections and drop them weekly or monthly (here are some of my faves). I like digging through Etsy and find true vintage gems (you’d be surprised how many great vintage items you can find there). And I love checking Vestiaire Collective to see the latest items on offer there.
You may have heard of Vestiaire Collective as a luxury designer market, where people from all around the world gather to resell their pre-loved designer goods. But it’s not just about vintage Gucci or #oldceline, though you can definitely find those as well. In my experience, apart from maybe some very niche designers, you can find anything on Vestiaire – from luxury second-hand through unlabeled vintage goods to current influencer darling brands, like Totême – everything at a fraction of the original price.
So, if you wanna buy (or sell) vintage or second-hand designer items, download the app, make an account, and start searching. Here are my tips on how to make the most of the site and find the best deals.
Some of my latest finds on Vestiaire: knit vest by ba&sh, leather belt by Filippa K, leather bag by Aeron, all either never worn or perfect condition, for a third of their original price
6 tips for shopping on Vestiaire Collective
Know what you’re looking for
The sheer amount of clothes available on Vestiaire can be overwhelming and can also lure you into buying things you don’t really need – which is not very sustainable even with secondhand shopping – so it’s important to make a list of what you need and wanna buy and then search in a targeted way.
Create an alert
One great feature of the site is that if you’re looking for a very specific item, you can create an alert, and Vestiaire will send an email once it becomes available.
Use as many filters as you can
As I said, there’s SOOO much stuff on the site that, in my experience, if you don’t narrow the search, you’ll never find that perfect item that otherwise may be waiting for you. Especially, as the search result page of Vestiaire is a bit confusing – it shows the overall number of results, but for some reason, it cuts them off at a specific page, so if you wanna see all of them, you need to constantly readjust the filters (mostly the price point). That’s why it’s better to narrow down as much as you can.
The filters I use every single time are:
+ Category (e.g coats)
+ Price (I set a maximum)
+ Size
+ Condition (see below)
+ Materials (I usually check natural fabrics like cashmere, cotton, wool)
+ Hide sold products
Sometimes I check specific designers, but not always as the list on the sidebar features mostly bigger designers and not smaller, more independent or niche ones.
Search for Never worn/Never worn with a tag/Very good condition items
This is an important step. I never go below the very good condition filter, because frankly, I don’t really trust the good or fair labels. It doesn’t matter whether I’m buying new or secondhand/vintage, quality is my most important criteria and I won’t compromise on that. I’m not saying you cannot find gems in the other categories, especially if you know how to mend stuff, but I just don’t wanna take any chances – and my sewing skills are rather limited, to say the least
By the way, you won’t believe how many items are there on Vestiaire that are brand new or have never been worn.
Put items on your wishlist to follow price reductions
So, once I find something that fits my criteria and I like – I buy it, right?
No, not yet.
I never buy anything on the spot for two reasons. First, putting things on hold is the safest way to avoid impulse shopping. I always wait at least a couple of days before making a purchase, just to see whether my decision truly sticks. This is incredibly useful even if you have a quite firm understanding of your style and needs.
Second, and this is specific to Vestiaire, if you just wait a couple of days, you may be able to buy the item at a lower price. If you put something on your wishlist, you’ll start following the price reduction – and it’s truly worth waiting as the price can get reduced multiple times. In fact, 70 % of the items I currently have on my wishlist are already offered with a discount.
Make an offer
If you’ve found something you like, but the price hasn’t been reduced in a while, you can also try to strike a personal bargain with the seller. You send them a price offer and they have 2 days to decide whether they wanna accept that or send you a counteroffer.
Actually, I always use this feature because why not? Sure, someone may grab the item at the original price while you’re negotiating, but then it wasn’t meant to be. Otherwise, you just don’t have anything to lose – either they accept the lower price or you still have the option to buy at the original one (by the way, most of the time, I do end up getting the lower price).
So simple, right?
Do you have any favorite vintage shopping sites or tips?
