Shopping Vintage: The Complete Guide
By Nona Dimitrova published 19/08/2022
New to shopping vintage? Learn how to find pieces you love, vintage shops and styles that work for you, and everything in between - in our ultimate guide to shopping vintage.
If you're not so new to the world of second-hand fashion, jump to a section you want to read by clicking the title below:
Finding the right store
Curated vs normal vintage stores? What's the best way to go?
Curated vintage stores have already done the job of picking out the best pieces to offer for you. The benefit? This makes it simpler for you as a shopper to find good pieces and good brands without doing the hunting and getting your hands dirty. Everything’s selected and sorted accordingly to the shop’s unique theme (Y2K? 50’s Victorian goth?), so all you need to do is pick one that suits your style the best and chances are you will probably find something you like.
Sometimes curated stores are more expensive than regular vintage shops, but that’s the price you pay for convenience, as you won’t need to spend as much time rooting around to find something you love.
Rental
When we think of rental, we usually think of dresses- but you can rent bags too! There are plenty of stunning bag options to rent from all over the web, why limit yourself to just bags you actually own?
Borrow
On that trend, why not borrow from friends? Sharing is caring after all. There’s no need to buy more, or even spend money on rental when you can pinch your besties handbag (ask first!). Borrowing and renting is the future of sustainable bags.
Subscription
Cocoon’s designer handbag monthly subscription is for the fancy girls out there. Have access to hundreds of designer bags and pay a fixed price each month to rent as many as you want. Sounds amazing, right? You can amp up your outfit with a stunning bag without having to splash the cash or risk over consuming.
Now, how about brands you can buy from?
Mashu
Have a little patience
Alexa, play Patience by Take That.
Jokes aside, a big rule in vintage shopping is patience. It takes effort to find vintage gems, so don’t be scared or disheartened to leave a store empty-handed. Searching for that perfect piece is a lot more frustrating than simply walking into the nearest Zara and picking up yet another synthetic top, but it’s equally as rewarding when you do finally lay your hands on that special pre-loved treasure.
We recommend trying to keep to your standards from the beginning and not settling for less. Let the waiting game begin. Is thrifting a form of meditation? Maybe, but don’t quote us on that.
Shop smart
Check the price of similar items to the one you are looking to buy, so you don’t get ripped off. For all our babes on a budget, a good idea is to set a benchmark for what you would be willing to pay for the item and then try to stick to it (unless it’s that one dream piece you’d think about and regret not buying for years to come, even if it was above your maximum price point).
Always check the material of the product and learn to look for good quality. This way you make sure you are not overpaying for something that should be much cheaper and recognize when you can make a bargain on a quality item.
Sizes can vary
Don't get us started on how problematic it is that clothing sizes aren't standardised!
It does annoy us that all brands don't agree on measurements for different sizes, but we can excuse this when it comes to vintage clothes, as sizes have changed over the years (for some reason).
Because of this, when shopping vintage it’s a bit tricky to get the right fit straight away. Why not take 10 minutes out of your day one time and write down all your measurements in advance? This will make your life a lot easier if you prefer shopping online, knowing your measurements guarantees you’ll always find a perfect fit.
Remember: you can alter
An easy and often forgotten solution (because we’re lazy gen z besties) is alteration. The best fashion tip you’ll ever receive in life is the following: make your tailor your best friend. These wonderful people can give a second (or now third?) life to garments and make them fit like a glove. If you found a perfect pair of Levi’s 501’s that are a bit too large at the waist, don’t give up on them. Take them to a seamstress, they will do their magic and you’ll have a perfectly-fitting pair of jeans. It’s a win win!
Styling is key
One of the most important things when it comes to shopping vintage comes after you've made the purchase: styling. When you're buying something a little bolder, as vintage items often are, it's important to style it in a way that makes you feel confident. That's where we come in!
Style your vintage finds on Whering using our Dress Me wardrobe shuffle to see what it looks like with your entire wardrobe in just a few taps. It's so easy to find an outfit you love that includes your new vintage find, because wearing clothes we buy is key to being sustainable queens, duh.
With that, you're ready to start your vintage shopping journey. Good luck girlie pops.
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