Thrifting From Home

Rummaging through thrift racks can not only be a great way to score deals, it can also be a way to get things you might not find elsewhere – maybe a vintage tie made from hand block-printed silk, or a leather jacket that’s been perfectly beat-up over the years. Unfortunately, thrifting does take a lot of time and effort, which means you have to love the process as much as the goods.

If you’d like to cut down on your work, you can try thrifting online. The most obvious resource is eBay, where there are thousands of vintage items on auction at any given time. I recommend searching for things you like, then using the list of auctions to find sellers that might be of interest (chances are, if someone is selling something nice, they’ll also have other nice things as well). This post has some search terms I occasionally use to dig up cool finds.

There are also lots of sites outside of eBay – from big emporiums to more “curated” selections. Here are some of our favorites, which you can browse from the comfort of your couch:

• Repeat Performance: Tons of unique items, from mid-century dressing gowns to vintage Hawaiian shirts. Prices are on the high side, but it can be fun to look around. Jesse wrote about them a while back.
• Olden Grey: Another one of Jesse’s finds. Lots of American trad, ‘90s Polo, and regional companies such as Carroll & Company.
• Newton Street Vintage: A great shop for that old New England look. Selection is a bit slim at the moment, but he often fills his shop up.
• Typhoid Jones: Incredible vintage finds, often from storied trad labels such as Brooks Brothers, J. Press, and The Andover Shop. At the moment, he even has some Ralph Lauren “Polo Bear” sweaters.
• Vintage Trends: Huge selection of vintage military jackets and cheap Levis.
• Monster Vintage: Nice source for vintage letterman jackets, retro outdoor wear, and military wear. There are also some patches and pins from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
• Herr Judit: Less vintage and more second-hand, this Swedish shop sells used clothing from modern brands such as Fay, Barena, and Caruso.
• Eternal Garments: Another Swedish shop, although this one does sell vintage items. Nice mix of tailored clothing and casualwear, all sold at excellent prices.
• imogene + willie: Although not strictly a vintage shop, this Americana/ workwear label has a nice selection of Japanese textiles, Navajo jewelry and military bracelets.  Basically the kind of stuff that goes well with their jeans.
• Independence: Another retail store with a vintage section. These guys have Navajo jewelry and weavings, which are on sale right now at 15% off.
• Brut Clothing: Prices tend to be high, but there’s some great vintage militaria and workwear here. French chore coats, overseas military coats, and antique indigo accessories.
• Worn Over Time: Lots of workwear accessories, such as military ID bracelets, St. Christopher pendants, and motorcyclist belt buckles.
• Wooden Sleepers: An excellent vintage shop located in Brooklyn. They’re not set up for online commerce, but if you see something you like on their Instagram account, you can probably phone-in an order.
• Somebody & Sons: One of my favorite eBay sellers. Chris, the owner of the shop, tells me he’s redesigning his website in the next month or two and will have a lot more on offer.
• Rusty Zipper: Less “curated” than some of the shops above, but that means you stand to get better deals. They have filter links to help you narrow in on the kind of things you’re interested in.
• Wearekoalas: Mostly leather jackets. Selection is small and they don’t update often, unfortunately. I mostly come here for the blog.
• Grunwald: For clients of bespoke tailors, Grunwald has a nice selection of vintage and deadstock fabrics.
• The Merchant Fox: Another source for vintage fabrics, this time from the archives of the shop’s parent company, Fox Brothers & Co.