Fans of series like Stranger Things, Young Sheldon, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Downton Abbey, or even Bridgerton, this article is for you!
Yes, we are talking about vintage clothing. Be it the sexy seventies or the retro eighties, we love the feels of rock and roll fashion. Be it a swanky belt, extravagant glasses, colorful jackets, or glittery clutches; they do pick up the outfit. Thrifting is fun, and the joy of rummaging through a pile of clothes to find a perfect skirt for steal away price is next level. So, here is a list of the best vintage clothing stores to help you plan your next party ensemble.
Ganni
Founded in the year 2000, this Scandinavian label has defined most of today’s fashion trends. Touted as one of the most popular luxury brands today, Ganni also claims to have more affordable options. Their aesthetics are simplistic and minimalistic, with a touch of indie or hippie feel. Ganni has gauged the consumer pulse aptly, creating effortlessness in a fashion that we adore today.
Depop
Although today the brand is a part of Etsy, Depop operates independently. It started just with an app, but today it is a popular platform for influencers on Depop to resell clothes. One of the best places to buy vintage clothing, creators’ profiles are creative and transparent. Their payment is set up via PayPal, and their range starts at $5, going up to $500 or even more.
Swap
As the name aptly suggests, Swap is an online thrift store and yet another place where you can get your retro pill. Highly affordable, there are clothing options for all age groups. If you know what you’re looking for, then this online shop might just be the one for you. With the summer at its peak, do check out their pocket-friendly collection of swimwear for your next vacation.
Hardly ever worn it
Hewi or ‘hardly ever worn it’ is one of the finest luxury brand reselling and buying platforms online. Based out of London, their collection is well curated, and they also offer consultation services to sellers. They feature the best of brands and have a wide range of selections for everyone’s taste. Imagine laying your hands on a pair of vintage flared jeans from your favorite designer. Won’t that make you happy?
Recollection store
Confessed by the owners that it originated from a hoarder’s heart, UK-born the recollection store aims at making vintage clothing more accessible. Besides adding the value of nostalgia to the attire, reselling clothes also reiterates the importance of sustainability. Some of the items up for resale even have stories associated with them for us to read and relate to.
https://www.recollectionstore.com/
Oxfam’s online shop
Finding hidden treasures on the internet, aka vintage clothing, is a satisfying experience. The diverse Oxfam online shop in the UK is one such store. In addition to an extensive men’s and women’s wear collection, they also have vintage wedding dresses up for grabs. In today’s world of fast fashion, where everything is mass-produced, the joy of owning one-of-a-kind clothing is oddly pleasing.
https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/
Cordial Vintage
Yet another lock-down baby, Cordial Vintage truly gives you a sneak peek into sustainable clothing. Founded in 2020, the store is dedicated to vintage clothing. The collections are exclusively for women, and one look at the dresses will take you back in time. Bringing vintage clothing to modern women, they also operate a studio in Bristol catering to your fashion needs in person.
https://www.cordialvintage.com/
Beyond Retro
With the brand entering its twenties, the founders clearly had the foresight to build chains for their vintage clothing brand. Their process starts with predicting fashion trends 6 months ahead of time. Then they scour for the relevant vintage clothing and set up elaborate displays in stores. Their reach is inclusive, and their fashion is diverse, catering to all age groups and genders.
Tradesy
Tradesy is a part of the Vestiaire collective striving to make luxury fashion more accessible and affordable to people. Strong believers in the philosophy- what goes around, comes around, they aim to support and grow the circular economy in fashion. With a promise of authenticity, feel free to browse their vintage collections, knowing that it is as guilt-free as it gets.
Atika London
Based in London, Atika London is a vintage departmental store with a massive space dedicated to showcasing its collection. You can visit their space in-store at Hanbury to experience the magic. They also run a remix label under which they repurpose the vintage fabric and motifs to design inspired clothing. Promoters of slow fashion check out their social media for their latest trending items.
https://www.atikalondon.co.uk/
Thrifted
Self-explanatory, the store features vintage clothing for men and women. Thrifted has a curated collection of good quality authentic vintage clothing, including designer and sportswear. All their products are ethically sourced and sold. Circular fashion is becoming popular by the day. With items ranging from $5 to $500, there’s something for everyone. A greener way to keep your wardrobe alive!
Rebag
Trusted for its authenticity and prompt customer service since 2014, Rebag has established itself as a frontrunner in reselling vintage luxury clothing and accessories. Thinking of revamping your wardrobe, check out their buy-sell policies. It may interest you to know that you could even return a purchase within a year for 60-70% of its purchased value. Now, isn’t that cool!
Simple retro
Their fashion label is vintage with a twist. Creating effortless and hassle-free clothing since 2020, their fashion is inspired by vintage styles and fabrics. Over 90% of their team are women, and their brand supports sustainable fashion. Truly combining the best from both worlds, simple retro has set new fashion goals for modern women who adore minimalistic fusion fashion.
Vestiaire Collective
Enthusiastic fashion activists came together for the cause of sustainable fashion and founded this Vestiaire collective. Their collection features vintage clothing by designer labels for men and women. 11 years into the circular fashion movement, you will find all the leading luxury brands here, more affordable than retail. Imagine laying hands on a Dior dress without burning a hole in your pocket!
https://vestiairecollective.com/
Grey Bandit
Fashion and its correct use give us the confidence to get out in the world. Grey Bandit’s philosophy focuses on mental well-being. What’s unique is that the brand has one wing dedicated to vintage apparel while parallelly producing its own clothing line. A brand with a cause, 30% of the revenue from one of its collections goes to various organizations that raise awareness about mental health.
Cider
If you’re in love with vintage fashion, then Cider might just be something that you may have been looking for. The brand has found the sweet spot of blending vintage fashion with the current trends, a reason for Cider’s popularity with the younger generation. Using smart business models, they also have standardized their manufacturing costs so that the consumers get access to reasonably priced clothing.
Unique Vintage
What was once only a collection of resale clothes today is a perfect combination of vintage and contemporary fashion. Inclusive and diverse in all aspects, unique vintage has an online front and also an in-store experience based out of Burbank, CA. The true fun is that you can browse the website based on past years’ fashions- the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and so on, and choose which style vintage you want.
https://www.unique-vintage.com/
Selfridges
The world has crowned this store as the best departmental store four times, and who are we to question it? For vintage fashion lovers, it comes as a piece of great news that Selfridges has started a ‘Resellfridges’ brand. A part of the ‘Project Earth’ initiative is their contribution toward a greener tomorrow. They have the best brands represented with a ‘preloved’ or vintage tag that is now available for their loyal customers.
https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/
Second cousin vintage
A Toronto-based online shop for vintage clothing, second cousin vintage, was founded in 2018, and since then, it has served us with hand-picked vintage fashion. They have a good mix of luxury and designer options to pick from. Their Instagram will transport you to the 80s, and you’ll want to try on their jumpers and vests for sure.
https://www.secondcousinvintage.com/vintage
O La Roche
This is yet another carefully selected and curated brand celebrating vintage clothing. The presentation of the vintage clothes is very modern thus bringing out the contrast. Famous for its fashion sense and silhouettes, O La Roche is also inclusive and body positive. If you want to be surprised, just plug in your preferences, sizes, and details and order budgeted mystery boxes.
The Break
One of the hidden gems of New York, The Break is a one-stop shop for all your vintage needs. Believers and propagators of the cyclical nature of fashion, the brand is renowned for its contemporary vintage fashion. Interestingly, the founder believes that suits are timeless vintage pieces everyone should pay attention to. The key to reusing fashion is to layer, style, and reimagine clothes.
The Nxcvintage Shop
The Nxcvintage Shop is a dream of a young entrepreneur that went on the floor in February 2019. She and her team bring smart, colorful, bold, textured, and vintage clothing to this world. The range is flexible, and the collection is super-affordable. The variety of jackets and skirts is phenomenal. If repurposed retro fashion is your thing, then do check out their website and Instagram page for updates.
https://www.thenxcvintageshop.com/
Front General Store
Another US-based store featured by the GQ magazine as one of the best new stores in the World, Front General Store, houses a vintage section for men and women. If you love vintage t-shirts and blue jeans, then you’d get lost in their shop. From quirky superhero t-shirts, leather jackets, splatter jeans, and Hawaiian shirts to statement piece accessories, they’ve got it all.
https://frontgeneralstore.com/
I Am That
Contemporary vintage is getting a lot of momentum, and the increasing number of such shops is certainly a promising sign. ‘I am that’ is one such Oregon-based store that showcases curated vintage fashion promoting sustainable clothing that today’s youth can identify with. Together with like-minded people, their community of fashion enthusiasts is growing and thriving.
