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Think vintage, think crowded markets with endless rails of random (and oftentimes rubbish) clothes. It's an image that, on the whole, rings true for a lot of vintage shopping experiences, and unless you boast a natural skill for sourcing the stuff or you know the best times to dip in (ahem: Brick Lane at 5pm on a Thursday) the whole thing can feel a bit daunting.
The solution, we're pleased to reveal, is online vintage shopping. The market might have taken a little while to catch up with first-hand retail platforms, but right now the sector is booming, meaning it's a great time to delve in.
What's more, buying your vintage on the internet is not only convenient, but you're also much more likely to find what you want, primarily due to the fact that all the rummaging has already been done on your behalf — and by traders who know exactly what they (ergo you) are looking for.
So to save you scrabbling around to find the best websites, we've rounded up our edit of the hottest online stores for unique secondhand clothing, serving everything from American denim to military surplus and designer vintage.
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Vestiaire Collective
Best for: Verified designer garments.
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Searching for a secondhand designer garment? Vestiaire Collective is the place to go. The online marketplace is home to an authenticated catalogue of preowned luxury fashion at up to 70 per cent off retail price. From Helmut Lang to Hermès to Dior, past pieces from all our favourite fashion names are given a second life here. You can trust in verification, for Vestiaire's team of in-house experts are on hand to authenticate your purchase before it's shipped out to you. If you've been hoping to source a past-season piece, this place is heaven-sent.
Farfetch Preowned
Best for: Preowned fine watches and Burberry trenches.
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Farfetch may be your go-to digital destination for this season's menswear, but did you know it also has a preowned strand to its website? That's right, and we can confirm that the selection on there is very nice. From Comme Des Garçons to Yohji Yamamoto and Jean Paul Gaultier, all the best brands are there and – even better – there's a section dedicated to fine watches, where you'll discover a carefully crafted selection of preowned Rolexes and Cartiers.
Rokit
Best for: All things 1970s.
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Rokit is a longtime favourite of London's younger crowd — and rightly so. With physical stores in Camden, Covent Garden and Shoreditch, it's a go-to hub for pretty much any style of vintage – and it also sells online. The workwear and sportswear sections will certainly satisfy, but Rokit's highlight is its selection of 1970s-style clothing. Fans of the disco decade will be very pleased with the options for flared trousers, printed shirts (with very sharp collars) and leather blazers.
Beyond Retro
Best for: '90s style essentials and edgy-guy leathers.
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With stores in Shoreditch, Brixton, Dalston, and even a pop-up in Selfridges, Beyond Retro specialises in hand-picked second-hand garments originating from the 1960s to the early noughties. Home to true vintage picks, BR's one-of-a-kind stock has something for every secondhand appetite out there, whether you're looking for old-school Americana or '90s-era sportswear.
Preworn
Best for: Hidden treasures and everyday basics.
With fewer curated vintage picks and more homegrown preloved goodies, Preworn functions similarly to Vinted or Depop, rather than its boutique-style counterparts. However, that's not to say that its online shelves aren't brimming with hidden gems and wearable wardrobe basics: take it from this Puffa pullover and Next V-neck in all their genuine retro glory… and all for below a fiver. Yes, please.
Hardly Ever Worn It
Best for: Designer goods
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Among the more luxury-focused of the online vintage offerings, Hardly Ever Worn It caters to the closers of fashion lovers who can look beyond seasonality. From everyday ready-to-wear to more niche accessories, if there's a designer item of yesteryear you've had your eye on for the foreseeable, this is the place to hunt for it.
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