There’s a lot to love about shopping for secondhand clothes. It will satisfy retail cravings but comes with less environmental guilt, offering an antidote to the overproduction of fast fashion, and it can be kinder on your bank account.
However, it also comes with its own problems. It’s hard to assess the fit, and returns aren’t always easy. The often next-to-nothing price means it’s tempting to impulse buy, but then you end up with a wardrobe full of unworn pieces that aren’t quite right – speaking from experience. And, it’s not easy to “browse” when each product is essentially one-of-a-kind.
Where to start? Let me be your guide: I’m an avid secondhand shopper, whether it’s riffling through charity and thrift stores or trawling online retailers, such as Vinted and Depop.
Over the years, I’ve found what feels like everything: from a Christian Dior shirt at Portobello Road market in London to a pair of Wales Bonner x Adidas trainers on StockX – an online marketplace for deadstock designs, pieces that are no longer in production and, therefore, even more desirable. It’s particularly known for its trainers, and everything has to be new with tags and original packaging.
To give me a helping hand, I’ve enlisted the insight of Amy Bannerman, pre-loved style director at eBay UK, and Joy Montgomery, shopping editor at British Vogue and an expert in secondhand garb. Here’s our guide to shopping online, and the best websites to visit.
Finesse your search terms
The amount of pre-loved pieces online is overwhelming, so it helps if you know what you’re looking for. There are useful tools: “Make the most of filters to navigate by size, colour, brand, location and price,” says Bannerman.
If you’re still not hitting gold, it’s worth being creative with your search terms, she says. “That may mean spelling brand names or items incorrectly or using alternative search words. For example, if something is diamante, it may be described as shiny, sparkly or sequined.”
Whenever I’m browsing, I tend to stick to my favourite brands rather than aimlessly sifting through thousands of listings. For well-known labels, there are usually enough options to make it feel like you’re shopping on the brand’s own website but for a fraction of the price.
Bannerman’s top tip? “If you’re feeling stuck for inspiration or your proactive search isn’t working, lean on the tool which shows you similar brands and related items.” Every service does this differently. On Vinted, it could be suggested items on the homepage based on your search history; Depop asks you your favourite brands for a personalised homepage; and every eBay product offers alternatives.
Shop off-season, and set alerts
“In winter, everyone’s looking for a big coat, meaning your chances of winning that item are lower, and the price may be higher due to demand,” says Bannerman. “Instead, search during hot weather, as people may not see the need for it then, or search for a light summer dress in winter.”
For me, alerts work a treat. Whenever I’m looking for something specific and can’t find it, I save the search on eBay, Vinted, Vestiaire Collective and Depop so I get notifications as soon as there’s a match. Just make sure you’re quick off the mark when it comes through.
Be a detective
“My top tip is finding the really good accounts,” says Vogue’s Montgomery. “The best way to do that is to search for in-the-know brands – designers like Stefan Cooke or Chopova Lowena – who fashiony people will probably be selling. Often, when you find these pieces, you click on the profile of the person who’s selling and you’ll find loads of other cool brands.”
If you’re looking for menswear, you could search for brands such as Our Legacy or Ahluwalia; womenswear fans could look for the likes of 16Arlington or Nanushka, while for interesting luxury, try labels like Loewe and the Row.
“I also use [image search tool] Google Lens a lot,” says Montgomery. “The other day, I saw my colleague wearing an amazing Alexander McQueen parka. I took a photo and searched it on Google Lens and found something similar at Urban Outfitters, which I then found on Vinted for £20.”
Look at trends
Since fashion often takes inspiration from the past, you can usually shop current trends more responsibly by buying secondhand. Whether it’s boxy blazers, which were big in the 1990s, or the ongoing Y2K revival, which this year is focused on Christina Aguilera-style snake print, it’s not hard to find what’s trending because the big vintage retailers usually offer easy-to-shop edits on their homepages.
However, follow the same rule as shopping new: invest only in pieces that feel right for your style, rather than what’s hot. A good tip is to imagine what you might wear your new purchase with, from your own wardrobe. If you can think of a few good options, then it’s not a wasted buy.
Montgomery’s advice? Look for pieces that brands reissue year after year, such as T-shirts or bags. “For example, Prada’s Re-Nylon bags, Fendi baguettes, and J’adore Dior T-shirts – these originals are a lot cheaper [than the new versions].”
The best secondhand clothes websites
Pre-loved stores, both on and offline, are good for different things. Thrift stores are best for retro vintage pieces; charity shops are good for everything from affordable basics to hidden gems; while specialist retailers like Vestiaire Collective and Hardly Ever Worn It are the go-to for luxury brands. And, perhaps most popular of all, online marketplaces that sell everything from £2 T-shirts to Chanel handbags.
Everyday
It’s big, but the edit feels curated because of a section of current trends on the homepage – making it easy to browse if you don’t have anything specific in mind. Right now, country chic, slam dunk style and preppy are big for spring/summer 2025.
You’ll find archive Vivienne Westwood for as little as £12, and sought-after collections such as Kate Moss x Topshop (one of the asymmetrical dresses was on sale for just £20 at the time of writing). Since the sellers are fashion-savvy, the price tends to be a little higher – but it’s much easier to stumble upon pieces you never knew you wanted. Unlike eBay, everything is sold with a buy-it-now price, but sellers often build in a contingency price for buyer offers, so it’s worth trying to get a few pounds off.
Though Vinted launched in the UK in 2014, it wasn’t until 2021 that the app took off. It was helped along by our decluttering obsession during the pandemic, but it’s really the cheap prices, in-app postage system, user-friendly experience and free seller fees that keep people coming back.
The fashion is a real mix, but Vinted is mainly good for securing well-known brands for less, whether it’s Gant, Reformation or New Balance. As with Depop, everything has a set price. It’s common practice for buyers to submit offers, though: according to Vinted, 6pm to 9pm is the time sellers are most open to cutting their prices.
One of the OG auction sites – which was originally called AuctionWeb – eBay has been dressing people in secondhand clothes since 1995. There’s an overwhelming number of pieces to sift through, so it’s best if you know what you’re shopping for. Use filters to sort by size, colour, fabric and brand, and try a few different search terms. The retailer also offers a professional authentication service, as well as a mixture of auctions and buy-it-now prices.
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Luxury
If you’re into luxury brands this is the destination for you. The Parisian company focuses on authentication and quality control and has the largest selection of secondhand luxury pieces on the market. While it’s not the best for a bargain, you can find great designer pieces for a fraction of the RRP: a leather Prada bag for £230, for example. Roughly 20,000 listings are added daily, so if there’s a discontinued Chanel bag or pair of Gucci sunglasses you’ve always wanted, set an alert.
Where Vestiaire is the era-defining retailer of pre-loved luxury, Hardly Ever Worn It (Hewi) is the cooler younger sibling, offering a more curated take. Expect womenswear, menswear, kids, accessories, beauty and homeware from everyone from Celine and Louis Vuitton to Brunello Cucinelli. You’ll even find coveted Hermès and Chanel bags in the mix.
Since it’s a destination for designer brands, the prices are considerably higher than on eBay or Vinted: there was a black Loewe puzzle bag on sale for £1,377 at the time of writing. At the more affordable end of things, small accessories – designer scarves, phone cases, headbands – start at about £20. The brand already has collaborations with Sotheby’s, events with British Vogue and a starry fanbase, from Harry Styles to Rosie Huntington-Whiteley: one to watch.
Rellik is a west London institution. Founded in 1999 by Fiona Stuart, Claire Stansfield and Steven Philip, the vintage boutique has an expertly curated collection of archive designer pieces sourced by Stuart, from a 1970s Yves Saint Laurent dress to an early 90s Jean Paul Gaultier coat. Though it’s a joy to browse the rails in person, the good news is that the store has been online since 2020. It’s largely focused on womenswear and accessories, but there’s a small selection of menswear, too.
Charity shops
With more than 500 locations across the UK, most high streets will have an Oxfam. However, it also has a great online store and its clothes selection is among the best. There’s outerwear by Italian house Max Mara, Dr Martens shoes, pieces by Zara and Cos, and everything in between. Dresses and men’s shirts start at about £2. The only downside? It’s not a great online shopping experience. Though there are filters – as well as specialised collections like bridal or natural fabrics – the search tool isn’t super-responsive.
The website is a treasure trove of hidden gems. Sure, there’s the usual secondhand pieces from brands such as Next and M&S, but among them, you can find anything from a Marni shirt for £40 to a £35 Polo Ralph Lauren jumper, as well as a vintage Lanvin LBD for just £80. There are even bags by maisons such as Bottega Veneta (£845), Dior (£550) and Alexander McQueen (£179) among many other more affordable options.
British Heart Foundation
The British Heart Foundation’s online presence works slightly differently. The charity has two storefronts for clothes – one on eBay and the other on Depop. On eBay, there’s a selection of high-street brands, including Jigsaw, Marks & Spencer, H&M and Zara, among some popular mid-range labels such as AllSaints and Fred Perry, while the Depop shop is distinctly more fashion forward with hypey labels such as Stone Island, Stüssy and Vivienne Westwood.
Thrift stores
Beyond Retro, with branches in London, Brighton, Cardiff, Bristol and Cambridge, is a textbook thrift store: rails stacked with great denim, retro T-shirts and a huge range of shirts and knitwear. You’ll also find varsity-coded pieces, vintage 1990s gems and a great array of accessories.
It now has a huge online presence. My advice? It’s easiest to navigate the website by category, say “T-shirts”, “dresses” or “shirts”, because the search tool can be temperamental.
It’s best for tried-and-tested classics for less – Tommy Hilfiger, Carhartt, Dickies, Levi’s, Fila et al. Take Carhartt dungarees, for example – they’d set you back more than £150 bought new, but Beyond Retro sells them for better than half price at £70.
Goldsmith Vintage started life as a market stall in east London and now has a second London store and an online marketplace. There’s a strong edit across different categories, from sporty labels such as Champion and Nike to denim by Levi’s and Wrangler, as well as a smattering of designer pieces like a Valentino skirt set or a Jean Paul Gaultier jacket. As a result, it tends to be a little pricier than the other vintage vendors – Levi’s go for up to £50 while used Nike trainers cost upwards of £45 – but you don’t have to do much legwork to find good-quality garb.
Rokit has been around for nearly four decades – and for good reason. It has one of the best vintage selections going, which you can peruse at one of its five shops, or online. You’ll find the usual baseline of retro tees for £20 to £30, Oxford shirts and denim, as well as a mixture of branded streetwear, designer goods and trend-based edits. You can search by decade and find collectible pieces like a Pendleton jacket from the 1950s for £385 or a 1980s Christian Dior that costs more than £2,000.
