Dip Your Toe in Secondhand Shopping
The Best of The Real Real, Vestiaire, eBay and Etsy
My most-worn secondhand score, this fur coat from The SIL Shop’s fur resale arm.
Some of the best pieces in my closet have lived a life before they make it to me, and perhaps that’s why they’re amongst my most beloved. I wonder if they traveled to Paris, or fashion week or if they went somewhere I’d love to be. I imagine they were there for a special life moment, a wedding or an engagement dinner — perhaps a party. What happened to their owner? Did they outgrow it? Move somewhere new? Do they only want the latest season? I wonder if the clothes get their feelings hurt when they’re left in the dust, and as such I try to treat these pieces with extra attention.
Of course I remind myself that secondhand doesn’t necessarily mean old (so perhaps I’m attaching feelings that are mine alone), but of course it can. I do not discriminate. I peruse sites like The Real Real, Vestiaire, Ebay and Etsy for pieces from prior seasons that I didn’t snag the first time, for items that look like they were made for me and for options that elevate my wardrobe.
Buying pieces not everyone else has has its perks, and if you’re looking to build this part of your wardrobe, here are a few tips I go by (and some finds I think you may love).
If you see it, snag it. Some of the items come up once in a lifetime and if you’ve been scouring and find it, you have to act since somewhere, someone else is probably looking for it too.
Set parameters on your search. Determine when you start shopping what it is you’re looking for, and narrow by designer. This provides some guardrails (unless you have hours and hours). You can go down many rabbit holes looking for secondhand finds, so may just depend on the time you want to devote. Editor’s Picks on The Real Real is favorite way to search, and I hear Japanese eBay has amazing bags, but I’ve yet to hunt there.
Check condition and notes. The photos don’t always tell the story, but everyone’s threshold for what they’re willing to accept is different. If the find is that good, you may be willing to take something in a less than perfect condition (as is the case with me). Some sites like Vestiaire have an extra quality check that happens post-purchase and they’ll let you know if something doesn’t pass - you can then decide whether to proceed with the order.
Have fun scouring. Here’s a start!
Below are a few more finds for paid subscribers only, and an invitation to let me know what you’re looking for so I can source it for you!