There’s never been a better time to shop for second-hand style. From the flood of great listings on sites such as Vinted and Depop, to the artfully curated shops worth browsing on a weekend, there are shopping methods to suit all.
Here’s where to look, and how to get the best pieces for bargain prices…
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- Best overall
- Best for pre-loved bags and accessories
- Best for second-hand designer
- Best for pre-loved jewellery
- Best for true vintage
- Best for second-hand high street
- Best charity shops
- Best for reworked style
Best overall
Vinted
The Vinted app has become one of the most popular ways to buy and sell second-hand clothing and accessories – it’s arguably the best second-hand platform out there. You can find vintage, designer, high street or even handmade items, all at affordable prices. Buying and selling is an easy, seamless experience and the more you use the app, the better its algorithm starts to learn what you like – making logging on as addictive as scrolling the “new in” section of your favourite shop. Whether you are a seller or a buyer, Vinted is a great option for those who are new to the second-hand market.
vinted.co.uk
eBay
EBay has cornered the market for pre-loved goods for 25 years, but it’s come a long way since it was known mainly for second-hand books and toys. In recent years, it’s made strides to compete with the likes of Vinted and Depop by ditching fees for selling pre-loved items and offering an authenticity guarantee for luxury goods. Given the quantity of items for sale, the best way to use it is to set up alerts for the specific items you are looking for – whether that’s Manolo Hangisis in a size 7, or a Burberry trench.
ebay.co.uk
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Best for pre-loved bags and accessories
Sellier
If you’re looking for a second-hand Hermès Kelly, then this is the place. Specialising in pre-loved designer bags, Sellier offers online and in-person shopping. With stores located in London and Monaco, they make second-hand shopping quick yet just as luxurious as shopping brand new.
sellierknightsbridge.com
Sign of the Times
Sign of the Times has 45 years of experience when it comes to buying and selling luxury. With a Chelsea-based store and online platform, the brand has a specially curated collection of luxury pieces, with particularly good accessories and bags collections.
signofthetimeslondon.com
The Hosta
Whether you want a pristine Chanel flap bag and have £5,000 to spend on it or are after a more budget-friendly designer vintage piece, Hosta has a brilliant edit. Founder Danni Dance has a discerning eye for a special piece and hunts down some great rare but affordable pieces, from vintage Loewe bucket bags to chic Gucci Jackies.
the-hosta.com
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Best for second-hand designer
Farfetch Pre-Owned
In Farfetch’s second-hand section, you can expect to find an archival collection of curated vintage designer pieces, spanning a vast array of handbags to suit all tastes, cult shoe styles and much more. Each item is labelled with the model name and the year it was made, making it even easier to track down the archival pieces you’re searching for.
farfetch.com
Hardly Ever Worn It (HEWI)
HEWI is an underrated favourite for luxury resale and a place many fashion editors use to re-sell their designer pieces. The easy-to-navigate website eliminates the fear of “Where do I start?” if you’re new to the second-hand designer world – functions such as the “open to offers” label will also guide you through the etiquette of buying.
hardlyeverwornit.com
The RealReal
Boasting 35 million shoppers worldwide, The RealReal is a second-hand designer fan favourite, loved by fashion insiders who adore boasting about their RealReal finds. Offering options to buy or sell, the platform specialises in preserving the craftsmanship of luxury clothing and accessories. The RealReal is an American company, so if you’re shopping outside the United States, be mindful of customs and import taxes.
therealreal.com
Vestiaire Collective
There’s a vast array of second-hand designer pieces on Vestiaire Collective, from major luxury names to niche, cult labels. It has a strict authentication policy, with a digital authenticity checker and a team of specialists on hand to ensure that whatever you buy is the genuine article – the digital checker has rejected more than £300 million worth of items since 2020.
vestiairecollective.com
Reluxe
Founded by Clare Richardson, a stylist and fashion editor, Reluxe resells and “recirculates” luxury fashion pieces on a platform that feels as upscale as Net-a-Porter. Besides an exquisite collection of pre-loved designer pieces, the archive section partners with labels to sell their past-season pieces – think tastemaker-favourite names such as Toteme, Tove and Métier at hugely discounted prices.
reluxefashion.com
ReSelfridges
Selfridges has brought the thrill of department store browsing to pre-loved with its ReSelfridges edits which is available in store and online. Curated by vintage experts, edits also include specialist collections such as a kidswear collective and jewellery from Susan Caplan.
selfridges.com
Reloved Again
Reloved Again’s Kings Road townhouse is popular with Chelsea locals for its beautiful edit of vintage designer pieces, curated by owner Anne Marie Gee. Its USP is in showing you exactly how to work those pieces into your existing wardrobe, via bespoke videos and size guides, to help make shopping as easy as possible.
relovedagain.com
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Best for pre-loved jewellery
1stDibs
Priding itself on bringing together only the most beautiful things, 1stDibs is the Parisian flea market brought online, with art, fashion and, of course, jewellery. Working with specialised sellers from around the world, each piece is individually vetted by experts, with thousands added to the site every week. Expect brands such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Rolex and Cartier – and be prepared to bid, as some are up for auction rather than immediate sale.
1stdibs.com
Susan Caplan
Since 2008, Susan Caplan has made a name for herself as Britain’s leading authority on vintage designer jewellery. Her collection is organised by designer, style and era – making it incredibly easy to shop online (search for 1980s Chanel brooches, et voilà). Her “Rediscovered” edit features more affordable pieces that have been hand-selected during her travels, offering the chance for jewellery enthusiasts of any budget to own a piece of fashion history.
susancaplan.com
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Best for true vintage
Retold
A small vintage resale platform specialising in designer as well as high-street fashion, Retold works on a weekly “drop” basis, so you’ll need to be quick – recent bargains include a £300 Fendi Zucchino bag, a £395 Chloé suit and £650 Gucci chain-link belt. There’s also a gorgeous edit of bridal looks, including pieces such as a Commes des Garçons tulle overcoat and Gianni Versace skirt suit, for the fashion-forward bride who wants something unique.
retoldvintage.com
Second Stories
Second Stories brings together an expert edit of vintage pieces from around the world, curated by ex-high-street buyer, Nicci de Vries. With a great eye for detail, her finds span 1970s Marion Donaldson and 1980s Laura Ashley to sold-out pieces from the likes of Noughties designers Christopher Esber and Réalisation Par.
secondstories.co.uk
Rokit
Rokit has been at the forefront of vintage fashion since its famous Camden market stall opened in the 1980s. Since then, it’s become synonymous with the best vintage pieces around, with Kate Moss and Amy Winehouse known to have been fans. More recently, it launched its Rokit Originals line, which reworks deadstock fabrics into something new.
rokit.co.uk
Atika
You’ll need to set aside a few hours to explore Atika, the largest second-hand vintage shop in London. With more than 20,000 pieces spread across five rooms in its beautiful two-storey Victorian shop, it’s an Aladdin’s Cave of vintage clothing, homeware, art, books and magazines.
atikalondon.co.uk
Sign of the Times
Sign of the Times first opened in Chelsea Green in the 1970s, with the specific remit of selling pieces pre-owned by celebrity clientele. Since then, it’s garnered a reputation for only stocking the best vintage around, hand-selecting pieces and curating an edit that spans everything from Chanel flap bags to 1990s Prada patent heels.
signofthetimeslondon.com
Emma Goldman Vintage and Costumes
Situated at the end of London’s Portobello Market, you will find Emma Goldman. Relatively new to the scene – she only opened in 2016 – the store has already made a name for itself with everything from Burberry to Barbour. What’s more, you may spy some of her clothing on television, as she regularly loans pieces to BBC costume designers.
@emmagoldmanvintage
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Best for second-hand high street
Depop
If you can’t find what you’re looking for on Depop, the chances are it doesn’t exist. With an absolutely huge array of clothing from high street up to designer, it’s great for tracking down those sold-out pieces you can’t stop thinking about. Organised via trends – including “Y2K”, “boho” and “coquette” – it’s no wonder it’s used by celebrity stylists to find items for their clients, including Sabrina Carpenter and Bella Hadid.
depop.com
Cos Resell
Cos Resell is Cos without the price tag. Offering shoppers the chance to buy and sell their pre-loved Cos pieces, it’s great for picking up last season’s coat that you missed out on, or a handful of high-quality basics that don’t necessarily need to be “this season”. What’s more, it also has a great childrenswear section – handy for anyone whose kids never seem to stop growing.
cosresell.com
Zara Resell
Still thinking about that Zara dress, coat or bag that you didn’t buy? Then check out Zara Resell, which offers the chance to buy pre-loved pieces that have been sold back to the store. It’s an archive of amazing things – and definitely makes high street shopping feel a bit less guilt-inducing.
zara.com
Thrift+
Thrift+ specialises in high street vintage from the likes of & Other Stories, Zara and Urban Outfitters, with great bargains to be found from contemporary brands such as Ganni, APC and Ba&sh. Everything is verified, too, so you can be confident that the £35 Ganni leopard-print dress you’re getting really is as good as new.
thrift.plus
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Best charity shops
Traid
Fashion insiders love Traid, which is known for its impressive hauls of vintage items – not to mention its Instagram-worthy shop windows, which are created by visual artist Francesco Colucci. Focusing on reusing textiles to support international development, funds raised go towards combating global poverty. Expect to find everything from vintage Levi’s 501s to barely worn Ray Ban aviators.
traid.org
Cancer Research UK
Cancer Research is a bargain-hunters’ paradise, with some clothing items as cheap as £5. The London Marylebone store is worth a visit – not least because Kate Moss has been known to donate her old wares. Meanwhile, men should head to New Malden for a chance to wear Spider-Man actor Tom Holland’s old togs.
cancerresearchuk.org
Fara
There are 40 Fara shops across London – plus a selection of Fara Kids specialist stores, too (one fashion editor on The Telegraph’s team snapped up handmade knits for her daughter at just £2 a piece). For adults, the designer donations are particularly worth trawling through – think Stella McCartney sandals and Mara Hoffmann dresses.
faracharityshop.org
Mary’s Living and Giving Shop
Fashion insider Mary Portas’s charity shop is known for its high-end edit, with shoppers discovering pieces by the likes of Burberry, Chloé and Fendi on its rails. London’s Primrose Hill branch is particularly good, thanks to the well-heeled locals who donate here. There’s a serious feel-good factor, too, with the stores donating 100 per cent of profits to Save the Children, raising more than £30 million to date.
savethechildren.org
Shelter
Homeless charity Shelter has nearly 100 charity shops in the UK, as well as a great online store, selling everything from childrenswear to art. The designer edit online includes Jimmy Choo platform heels, Dolce & Gabbana trouser suits and Missoni jumpers, all at bargain prices.
shelter.org
Oxfam
Oxfam shops are a treasure trove of bargains – you just need to know which ones to go to. For example, if you pop into Oxfam in London’s South Kensington or Gloucester Road, you might just end up buying one of the Princess of Wales’s hand-me-downs, as it has been reported that she has donated to the stores in the past.
oxfam.org
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Best for reworked style
Toast Renewed
The high street brand Toast has a “Renewed” line – a collection of creatively repaired pieces. While it is a small range, each piece has been thoughtfully repaired by hand to stop any damaged or broken items being sent to landfill. Shopping here, you can guarantee that each item you buy is unique.
toa.st
Granny Takes a Trip
The legendary 1960s store has been reborn for the 21st century, this time remaking clothing using deadstock and other fabrics that have been laboriously brought back to life. Pricing reflects the level of work that has gone into the resurrection of the materials, from reviving mouldy band T-shirts to making leather good as new. Expect everything from leather trousers to brocade knee-high boots.
granny.london
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