Secondhand Shopping: Guide, Motivation, and Inspiration
This guide comprises three parts. The first part, the practical side, will talk about the various ways to buy secondhand, specific recommendations, and general tips to find great pieces. The second part, the philosophical side, will talk about the benefits of buying secondhand and the various reasons that it's a great option. The third part is an album of MFA community members wearing all-secondhand or mostly-secondhand outfits to show off the variety of great clothing that you can find secondhand. If you'd rather view the album first, here it is: MFA Wearing Secondhand!
Part 1. Where and How to Buy Secondhand Clothing
There are several options for shopping secondhand. I'll give a brief overview here:
I. Thrift stores
Examples: Goodwill, Salvation Army, tons of other local options
These stores sell donated goods. They offer a wide selection of super inexpensive secondhand clothes. Sometimes they're not in good condition, sometimes they smell a little funky and need a wash. This is the "lowest barrier to entry" to buy clothing - you can find pieces for as little as $1-2 at some thrift stores.
I don't want to go super in-depth on thrift stores because this MFA guide to thrifting is really good, as is this FFA guide. The best advice is to go a lot, and don't be discouraged if you don't find what you're looking for the first time or two. Stock rotates in and out a lot. Feel the garments - you can really feel great wool / cashmere by touch. There's often a ton of stuff to sift through but with patience you can definitely find high-end brands at thrift stores. Don't be afraid to check out the women's section as sometimes stuff is mislabeled (tip for those of us with significant others who are women, go thrifting together and keep an eye out for clothing for your partner that you stumble across!)
For specific thrift store recommendations, it’s a great idea to ask in the MFA Discord for city-specific advice on thrift stores.
Tip: clothing does not have to fit you perfectly for it to be a good buy. Sport coats and shirts should fit you in the shoulders and not be too short. Pants should feel right in the rise. A ton of other measurements can be adjusted by a tailor. Sport coat sleeves can often be lengthened if there's some extra material in the cuff (there's often about an inch or so). Jackets can be brought in. Pant legs can be tapered, and inseams can be hemmed or sometimes made longer. Here's an article about what tailors can and can't do. While the article focuses on suits, a lot of the same adjustments can be made to casual clothes, too.
II. Clothing resale stores, consignment stores, and vintage stores
Examples: Plato's Closet, Buffalo Exchange, tons of other local options
Clothing resale stores buy clothing and then sell it. Consignment stores are similar but don't pay the original owner up front, rather, they share a portion of the profit with the original owner after the sale is made. As a buyer, there's not much difference shopping resale vs consignment. Vintage stores mainly stock clothing that's 20+ years old. There is a large variability in vintage stores; some sell donated old clothes for low prices (similar to thrift stores) while others are higher-end boutiques where you pay good money for excellent vintage clothing.
The benefits of going to these stores rather than thrift stores is that the clothing is often better organized, cleaner, and less likely to have defects or damage because it goes through a more rigorous pre-screening process by the store. The drawback is that you likely will be paying much more for clothing at these stores compared to thrift stores; I've seen designer pieces for over $1000 at my local consignment store.
Similar tips apply to these stores as thrift stores - feel garments to assess their quality, look for recognizable brands but don't hesitate to go for something you don't recognize if it looks good to you. Try things on. Go often and keep trying repeatedly, don't feel bad if you walk out emptyhanded more often than not.
Again, the MFA Discord, for curated suggestions. If there's a specifically affluent area near you, consider checking out used clothing stores in that area - sometimes rich folks with too much money dump really high quality and expensive stuff.
One more option for in-person vintage shopping, especially if you live in a trendy city, are pop-up shops such as Alfargo's Marketplace or flea markets like Rose Bowl. Check out Eventbrite to see if there's anything in your area.
I'll also briefly mention estate sales and yard sales. Usually these don't have great selection, but they're worth checking out occasionally - sometimes you'll find great inexpensive clothing at these sorts of sales.
III. Online Structured Marketplaces
eBay is a huge online secondhand marketplace, and is often the first place I'll look when I'm looking for something. eBay includes secondhand new (unworn) items as well as pre-owned in anywhere from like-new to horrendous condition. PTO's eBay roundup is great to check on occasionally. Pay note to the filters included in the posts, like this one for suits - if there are brands you really like, add them to the search and bookmark it with your size filters applied so you can check back on it occasionally. Or make your own filters and keep them bookmarked - for example, I made this filter and used it to find some nice OCBDs.
Grailed can be thought of as a "sleeker" eBay with a more attractive interface and (often) more designer / high-end clothing, although there's plenty of basic stuff too. I've also find a lot more listings from sellers in Europe and Asia on grailed vs on eBay, so it's good to check both if you're looking for a specific item. Note that there are lots of folks who make small businesses by reselling clothing on eBay and grailed, so sometimes you're not buying consumer-to-consumer. It shouldn't really make a difference for most purchases, but one of the benefits of this is that you can bookmark sellers who carry lots of stuff you're interested in and check back on them once a month or so to see what new stuff they have to offer.
Etsy has some vintage clothing resellers, such as PlacidVintage and PetesObsolete - these can be thought of as mini online vintage storefronts. Etsy unfortunately doesn't have as good size filtering tools as eBay and gGrailed, but from my experience the sellers are quite communicative, so it may be worth messaging them asking for what they have available in your size.
Vinted is another online clothing marketplace option. While I don't have personal experience with Vinted, I've heard that it's a good option, especially for EU-based shoppers.
Buyee is a proxy service that allows you to tap into Japanese secondhand markets such as Yahoo! Japan auctions and Mercari. It's one of the simplest ways to tap into the online Japanese secondhand market. The proxy fees tend to be pretty reasonable, so give this a shot if you're feeling adventurous. XavierWT wrote a guide to proxying clothes from Japan here - give it a read!
Tip: When buying secondhand online, it greatly benefits to know your measurements. Get a measuring tape and measure some well-fitting pieces of clothing, and keep those handy (I use a notes app in my phone to quickly refer back). Don't assume that something will fit you just because you're familiar with the brand/size! Sometimes people sell items that have been tailored or shrunk in the wash. If a seller doesn't list the measurements, ask. Remember that shoulders, length, and not-too-short sleeve length are the most important measurements for tops/jackets and rise is the most important for bottoms.
Tip for footwear: Buying footwear with no returns can be tricky, because measurements aren't helpful the way they are for clothes, and lots of folks online don't allow returns. It's best to know your own Brannock measurement and check how people size up/down for the specific last. It can be helpful to ask on MFA or on r/goodyearwelt for advice on sizing for a specific lasts, and check the GYW last sizing thread.
IV. Online Thrift/Consignment
Online thrift/consignment stores are definitely worth looking into. Similar to brick-and-mortar consignment stores, their selection usually has some sort of "pre-filtering" applied, which can make it easier to find good stuff, but generally you'll be paying a little more compared to on eBay. I've seen a lot of good stuff on TheRealReal and Poshmark, and other ones I've read good things about are Vestiaire (formerly known as Tradesy) and depop. Another interesting one to look into is 2nd Street—they have physical storefronts in some cities but their online marketplace has a big selection, especially designer/hype brands.
Goodwill also has an online thrift store, although I haven't given it much of a shot. They seem to have a large selection although there's a ton of junk too. Worth a peruse.
V. Online Unstructured Marketplaces
There are "unstructured" secondhand options where you can buy directly from sellers outside of marketplaces through PayPal, Venmo, etc. These marketplaces exist in online communities, forums, and social media. Some examples include /r/MaleFashionMarket, the FMF weekly B/S/T, and Styleforum classifieds (lots of nicer tailoring and shoes here).
Popular designer brands, such as Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester, and many others have dedicated Facebook groups / subreddits / Discord servers where people buy and sell clothing. If you want to get into specific designers or look for a wider variety than what you might find on Grailed, these are worth checking out.
Instagram has plenty of secondhand and vintage sellers, some of whom have their own sites or structured marketplaces and some of whom only conduct business through Instagram. Some examples of these accounts are 10th Meridian, Le Zouave, Swiss Vintage Finds, id_secondhandstore, but there is a wide world if you're willing to look.
Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and letgo/OfferUp are worth mentioning, although I haven't personally bought much from them in terms of clothing. Worth trawling occasionally, but most clothing sellers who have decent stuff are selling them on other sites.
Tip: Always pay the extra 3.5% for PayPal Goods & Services rather than Friends & Family when buying in unstructured marketplaces with no buyer protection. If you go the F&F route, the seller is legally allowed to keep your money and not send you anything. Don't get scammed!
Part 2. Why to Buy Secondhand Clothing
I. It's an ethical choice for human rights.
Put simply, buying secondhand is one of the most ethical ways to consume fashion. Not to go all "there is no ethical consumption under capitalism" on y'all, but most of us here have closets with a bunch of fast fashion and/or mall brand items where human rights have taken a backseat to producing low-cost clothing. Buying secondhand instead of fast fashion reduces the demand on clothing companies that don't pay factory workers a living wage, that bust worker unions and force them into bad working conditions. There's something to be said about financially supporting skilled clothing workers, but companies that make miUSA clothing or even designer brands that make clothing in Italy aren't immune, either.
II. It's an environmentally friendly choice.
Don't believe this greenwashed crap. The uncomfortable truth that we need to face as consumers is that buying new clothing impacts the environment negatively. Even if you're buying the best clothing made from the best sustainable™ materials, handcrafted by well-paid artisans, there is still an impact to the environment: greenhouse gas emissions, chemical waste, water usage, and energy consumption all go into the production of new clothing. By buying an article of clothing secondhand, you are potentially preventing it from ending up in a landfill or incinerator and not contributing to the aforementioned environmental consequences of buying new.
III. It's less expensive than buying new.
For those on tight budgets, it's hard to beat thrifting or online secondhand. For example, check out this post where someone comes up with an entire vintage ivy capsule wardrobe, sport coats and all, for ~$500. Even for those not on tight budgets, it's great to check out what's available. Sometimes someone has worn a pair of shoes or a sport coat once and is selling it for less than half of the new price. Plenty of clothing that's new with tags can be found on eBay, so it's always a good idea to check around for a specific item before deciding to buy it from an online retailer. Plus, thrifting is a great way to try out clothes outside of your "comfort zone" / regular sense of style - if you're looking for a way to liven up your wardrobe, or you feel like you're wearing the same clothes all the time, thrifting is a great idea to explore clothing without committing a ton of money!
On a similar note, secondhand is one of the best ways to make expensive clothing (whether it be hype designer pieces or top-quality items) accessible. If you know how to look for it, and with patience, you can find pieces from designers like Rick Owens or brands like Iron Heart for significantly reduced prices from retail. Plus, the people who wear expensive/designer clothes often know how to take care of it well, so usually this stuff will be in good condition. In fact, tons of people who wear a lot of designer stuff primarily purchase it secondhand! It can really pay off to join communities and gain rapport with individual sellers if you're interested in specific types of clothing.
IV. It's fun and rewarding!
Seriously, it's a great feeling when you find something secondhand that fits you perfectly, or if you find a great item in a thrift store that you weren't expecting. For in-person shopping, I think it's really fun to bring a friend or significant other with you and look for items for each other. At the very least, you're bound to find some entertainment in the form of t-shirts.
Part 3. MFA Wearing Secondhand Clothes
All people in this album are regular MFA posters who sent me pictures of themselves wearing secondhand clothing. As you can see, secondhand shopping offers a huge variety of different clothing styles, from basic outfits to formalwear to interesting avant-garde fashion. If you don't like an outfit someone's wearing, that's ok - you don't have to mention it :)
On a personal note, I've given myself a goal for 2023 to only buy secondhand clothing, and I'm having a ton of fun so far, and I've never been happier with my "new" wardrobe pickups. If you haven't tried secondhand shopping yet, I truly hope that this guide has convinced you to give it a shot!