Best Ways To Buy Vintage Clothing Online
Say hello to vintage shopping online.
It’s sustainable, relatively low cost and you’re guaranteed to find something unique you’ll love forever.
We’ve rounded up 19 of our favourite vintage clothing brands you can shop on the internet whether you’re after r efurbished handbags, retro designer dresses or a whole new outfit.
Why is vintage clothing sustainable?
Vintage fashion was once seen as something only trendy people wore to beef up their unique style, by wearing something that nobody else was.
While this may still be true, vintage fashion is actually one of the most sustainable ways to shop, and it’s accessible to everyone whether trendy or not (anyone else still find it impossible to make shoulder pads look good?).
Tapping into the concept of a circular economy, shopping vintage is essentially a way of recycling fashion and preventing further waste production, by bringing life to pre-loved and pre-worn products.
The obsession with constant newness is exhausting and incredibly damaging for the planet, but we can give it a break by shopping from the diverse and plentiful selection from times past that we already have.
As an antidote to fast fashion, vintage embraces creativity and the opportunity for restyling, upcycling and personalisation without causing harm to our environment.
What’s Wrong With Fast Fashion? Our 5 Min Guide Will Catch You Up
If the most sustainable thing is something you already own, then the most sustainable way of buying clothes is to buy what’s already been worn.
The obsession with constant newness is exhausting and incredibly damaging for the planet
What are the benefits of buying vintage fashion?
As well as being better for the planet, vintage fashion offers a huge array of benefits.
Those original trendy vintage fashion adopters weren’t wrong — you can experiment with your own individual style and create a truly unique wardrobe.
Let’s face it, who doesn’t love being the only one to be wearing an amazing bomber jacket from the ’80s or an eye-popping vintage party dress dating back to the swinging ‘60s?
Better yet, styling retro clothes together gives you endless opportunities for unique outfits and era-crossing combinations.
Consuming less also means consuming better, and shopping wisely is often about finding those timeless pieces you know you’ll wear for years to come.
Trench coats, denim jeans and classic button-up shirts are just some examples of styles made fashionable in the past that are still going strong today, and with endless ways to restyle them, who can’t call that a smart purchase?
Vintage can certainly adapt in ways a lot of brand new fashion can’t, and there’s no better feeling than owning that treasured piece you’ll continue giving love and life to.
See our expert tips on what to look for in secondhand shops — How to (successfully) shop for vintage
“If the most sustainable thing is something you already own, then the most sustainable way of buying clothes to to buy what’s already been worn”
While there are no end of ‘vintage’ online stores out there, these are our favourites.
Don’t be fooled by everything that says ‘vintage’. There are a number of websites whose ‘vintage’ clothing looks suspiciously new.
Do your research, ask questions and check out our expert tips from this experienced vintage seller and market organiser.
Here are the best vintage clothing websites.
Depop is one of the biggest global online shopping communities, with over 16 million users buying and selling goods including clothing, accessories, jewellery and art.
As a fashion marketplace, you can expect to find things you love no matter what your style and the range of vintage on here really is something else.
You can spend time exploring vintage profiles and sellers, or use the app’s search engine and filter products around size, price, style and more.
Warning: you may lose many, many hours to this app.
2. eBay
Online commerce giant eBay isn’t just the place to pick up home decor, cleaning supplies in bulk or that last-minute gift for the friend who definitely needs yet another cat mug.
If you look in the right places, eBay has a huge selection of vintage fashion being sold from all around the world, and it’s made easier with the site’s dedicated section for vintage clothes.
Break down your searches using the comprehensive list of options, including materials, sizes and occasions.
3. Oxfam
Bring your favourite charity shop hunts online and help save lives while finding those second-hand gems with Oxfam’s online vintage shop.
Find everything from dazzling sequin party dresses to cosy cashmere knits, and you’ll even spot some authentic designer vintage pieces in their extensive range too.
New pieces are added every day, and you can check out their Instagram to catch new listings as well as style inspiration from other buyers.
4. Beyond Retro
From humble beginnings as a single warehouse-turned-retail store, Beyond Retro is now the leading vintage retailer across the UK and Sweden.
Gaining popularity for their treasure trove of vintage fashion sourced from around the globe, Beyond Retro have long made it their mission to support a lifestyle of less waste and a circular economy.
Last year alone saw them rehome 90 million items, and combined with their own up-cycled REWORKED collection, you’re sure to find something (or more likely, countless things) you’ll love here.
5. Rokit
Rokit has been on the vintage scene for over three decades now, so it’s safe to say they know how to source and hand-pick each one of their retro treasures for their environmentally aware shoppers.
Since their beginnings they have recycled over a million tonnes of clothing and accessories — that’s A LOT of relief for our struggling planet.
Shop a range of women’s, men’s, branded wears and upcycled gems, as well as a selection of rare vintage and designer fashion from their Rokit GOLD edit.
6. Etsy
We know you’ll love Etsy as we do for their amazing collection of, well, absolutely everything but Etsy also have an abundance of sellers offering their curations of clothing, accessories and jewellery in their dedicated vintage section.
A marketplace for unique, eclectic products from sellers all around the world, you’ll find everything from quirky ’80s jumpers to authentic ’20s embellished jackets, and there’s something for every price point.
7. Atika
Previously known as Blitz, Atika has been serving as London’s vintage department store for almost a decade, and you can now shop their mammoth collection of globally sourced vintage clothing online.
Similarly to various other vintage fashion stores, Atika also has its own in-house line of reworked and upcycled vintage garments, produced from pieces previously in an unsellable condition.
You’re guaranteed to find fresh-looking, stand-out pieces here, with each item as bold as the next.
8. Thrifted
We stand strongly with Thrifted’s brand statement of ‘ circular fashion, not fast’.
These guys know that the recycling and reselling of fashion is what’s most important here over pushing trends and cool looks, although they certainly still manage to do both.
Specialised sections make shopping this extensive range of men’s and women’s vintage a little easier to navigate, and include Essentials, Designer, Retro Sportswear and Festival.
You can even check out their own latest picks to see what’s popular right now.
9. Cow
Cool kids in Nottingham and Birmingham, Cow, offer a range of their handpicked vintage online, much to the rejoice of their non-local fans.
With the online offering at the lower end of the price spectrum, it’s the perfect place to pick up a sustainable treat on a smaller budget.
Cow have a real personable, neighbourhood feel and we love how they treat each of their customers like friends — just check out their Instagram feed to see how they share style and outfit inspiration from their shoppers.
10. Modes & More
Previously a part of Vintage Modes, based in the esteemed Gray’s Antique Market in London’s West End, Modes & More now sell their vintage finds online as well as at their Pimlico boutique.
Another source for luxury buys, you’ll find pieces spanning the roaring twenties to nineties minimalism, with a combination of rare, designer and couture vintage clothing and accessories.
Favourite designers include Missoni, Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, and you can check their Instagram for their latest inspiring window displays.
11. Gold Thrift Vintage
A long time favourite of ours, Gold Thrift Vintage is a treasure trove of bohemian delights just waiting to add a flurry of florals and a good pop of colour to your wardrobe.
You’ll find everything to dress you from top to bottom here, but we love the impressive range of beautiful decade-spanning dresses.
There is also a great range of retro bags on offer, and with sustainably-made bags often being a struggle to find, it’s certainly a smart (and stylish) move.
12. Persephone Vintage
It’s not hard to see why Persephone Vintage has such a following on Etsy and social media — their beautifully curated and stylishly presented range of tasteful vintage wear would be a challenge not to become obsessed with.
Shop their collection for more of a neutral and mellow colour palette, but with gorgeous sculptural shapes, striking textures and sumptuous materials.
Their Instagram feed is lovely and relaxing to take a browse through, too.
13. Vintage Vixen
Sunny Florida based Vintage Vixen have been selling online for nearly 25 years, so it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing when it comes to sourcing authentic retro fashion.
Their incredibly extensive collection of vintage pieces is spellbinding, including nearly every type of item you could want within womenswear, menswear and children’s clothing.
This online Aladdin’s cave even offers vintage finds for the home and for your own sewing projects, and their collection of jewellery is hard to look away from.
14. Vintaholic
Vintaholic offers a combination of genuine vintage with retro-inspired handmade pieces, reworked from older items and from upcycled materials.
Their mission to inspire individual style and combine modern fashion trends with classic vintage have seen them featured within the ranks of Vogue, but they maintain a down-to-earth and personable approach.
We absolutely love their range of colourful printed shirts and blouses and the beautiful embellishment details — perfect for pairing with your favourite jeans.
15. Dark Paradise Vintage
For a cool and modern spin on vintage fashion, Dark Paradise Vintage have a bold and peppy range of women’s clothing and accessories on offer to feast upon.
Find kooky slogan tees and embellished denim amongst colourful sunglasses and printed boots, to add an instant kick to your sustainable wardrobe.
If the eye-popping collection is overwhelming to navigate, they’ve even sectioned the pieces into handy edits for you to browse from, including animal prints and biker chic.
16. My Vintage
My Vintage stands out on our list as a family run business with a personal connection and genuine customer service at its core.
They promote positive body image by going above and beyond to cater to as many shapes, sizes and styles as they can, and are always happy to offer styling advice.
Clothing and accessories range from the 1940s to the 1990s, and you can even tidy up your vintage knowledge with their range of blog posts, articles, and themed infographics.
17. Slush
Take one look at Slush’s boutique page on ASOS marketplace or their Instagram feed for an instant pick-me-up, with bountiful doses of colour, pattern and positive vibes.
A forte in colourful prints and casual shapes has seen this brand build a cult following, where customers are encouraged to share photos of their buys and how they’re styling them.
Definitely check them out if you’re a fan of the versatile oversized shell jacket circa the 80s and 90s. All relatively affordable vintage clothing too!
18. Vintage Carrot Gals
If you’re not quite sure what sort of vintage style you’re after, Lithuanian seller Vintage Carrot Gals have a fabulously diverse range of products to whet your style appetite.
With vintage items spanning decades, seasons and price points, it’ll certainly be a challenge not to find something for you in this eclectic collection.
Find original pieces as well as reworked styles, and plenty of both women’s and men’s style inspiration over on their Instagram page.
If you still want more…
Don’t miss pebble’s latest sustainable features, reviews and best new products
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter below.
Take your positive impact to the next level
Join our FREE Ripples community for free in 2022.
Expect a friendly, virtual community packed with keen sustainable changemakers.
Come to free virtual events, a quarterly book club and meet 1000s of other people interested in growing your own, permaculture, soil health, regenerative agriculture, conservation and generally saving the planet!
Originally published at https://pebblemag.com.
