Where To Buy Secondhand Clothes Online

This year has made everyone take a step back and reevaluate, but even more so the fashion industry. As we had to stay inside, cancel plans and avoid people, the lure of constantly buying new clothes quickly became unnecessary. All of a sudden the need to impress on social media was replaced with important topics of conversation that finally took precedence over the latest trends.

The recent documentary ‘Missguided’ was obviously filmed before the pandemic but shown on television at the absolute worst time. An army of girls, begging factories for quick shipments and churning out shiny, polyester dresses was even more jarring in these circumstances. Hundreds of people took to social media, finally speaking out against the hypocrisy of championing feminism while paying female garment workers less than a fair wage.

Not long after Alessandro Michele, Creative Director of Gucci announced plans to cut back from eight to two collections per year. The industry as a whole has benefited from this lesson in that it’s time to take a step back, slow down and stop producing and consuming so much. As with everything, this is something that will trickle down and influence us as consumers – that and our empty schedules.

As fashion brands are rethinking their strategies one industry has been quietly booming in the background – the preloved market. As more and more people are wising up to the environmental cost of their wardrobes they’ve been turning to second-hand clothes as a way to cut back.

Having always loved vintage, eBay and charity shopping this isn’t new to me but I understand sifting through pages of clothes is some people’s idea of a nightmare. As someone who’s been selling and buying clothes online since I was a teenager and wanted to share with you guys my favourite websites. There are a lot of them but for me, these are the easiest to navigate and where you’ll get the best prices.

 

eBay

I’ve been using eBay since I was around 14/15 to buy and sell clothes. In my opinion, it’s the absolute best website for second-hand fashion and pretty much anything else imaginable. They have a really good mix of people listing things from home, independent sellers and bigger fashion stores. It’s also amazing for vintage and you can often find things at a cheaper price than on any other resell website. I would recommend downloading the app as it will give you reminders when an item is about to end, that way you won’t miss anything.

Depop

This is essentially Instagram for second-hand clothes. You can scroll through your feed, follow people and like items just like you would on Insta. There are some really great pieces, lots of second-hand high-street and amazing vintage stores. Just be wary of Depop as a lot of items are really overpriced, you can end up paying way more than the retail value if you’re not careful. Always do your research before you purchase something and don’t be afraid to haggle.

 

Independent Vintage Stores / ASOS Marketplace

Seeing as I founded my own vintage brand this year Christossi.com, I thought it would be crazy not to mention it. I also think the best thing about shopping from independent vintage stores is that we’ve already picked the best pieces for you. Independents are normally run by vintage addicts (like me!) so they have great pieces. One of the best places to shop these independents is ASOS Marketplace. Individual sellers are approved but you can shop them all by category making it really easy to browse.

 

Etsy

Etsy is amazing for finding makers and crafters along with incredible vintage clothing. It’s great for finding designer investment pieces along with independent fashion brands. I would recommend getting the app for this too, it’s really easy to use, especially for contacting sellers if you have any questions.

 

Vestiaire Collective

If you’re looking for second-hand designer pieces then this is the best website. They have a huge selection and every piece is authenticated so you know you can trust it. They list everything from Zara dresses to one of a kind Chanel bags and it’s perfect for finding gems from past seasons. They also have a separate section for designer vintage and you can save all your favourites to your wishlist. There are sellers from all over the world so you might have to wait a little longer for shipping but it’s worth it.