Ultimate Secondhand Clothing Guide

We all know how detrimental fast fashion is to the planet and how that industry exploits its workers- usually women and often children (more here). We also all know that’s it’s fun to get clothes- whether they are new new or new to us the dopamine hits us either way. I’ve compiled a list of my go-to places to shop for secondhand clothes depending on your current situation/needs.

Cheap But You Have Time for the Thrill of the

Hunt: 

1. Goodwill has it’s issues but remains one of the most popular places to donate unwanted items so to get a good selection, a good deal and to keep things out of the landfill, it’s still a great place to shop for clothes. In recent years, they too have succumbed to fast fashion garbage like target brands and shein, but depending on the location, I’ve still found decent stuff.

2. Savers: A for-profit chain located mainly on the West Coast, I’ve recently discovered Savers and found some great brands like Sezane, Ann Taylor, Gap and Banana Republic. If you sign up to their mailing list, they send out discount codes. 

3. Your Other Local Thrift & Vintage Stores: Supporting locals is always ideal

4. Facebook Marketplace: Can find great deals and they might be local

5. Your Local Buy Nothing Group: obviously the best price in town and you never know what you will find.

Potentially Pricey but Short on Time:

1. The RealReal: I vow to walk away but I somehow always go back. The RealReal sells upscale, designer and luxury brands. This is a great place to buy clothing as it often still has its tags or is in like-new condition. The pricing can be wonky but if you add an item to your "Obessions List" and wait, you might be able to snag something fantastic at a massive discount. They accept returns (you have to pay for shipping or a restocking fee) unless the item is heavily discounted. Con: I've found their measurements can be wildly off so keep that in mind. Side note: I do not recommend selling on the RealReal unless you don't mind not getting very little money for your clothing. It's definitely better for buying.

2. Vestiaire Collective: I have never bought from this platform but it is similar to the RealReal- secondhand upscale and designer brands at more affordable prices.

3. ThredUp: I've bought a few items from this platform and found it to be reliable. Decent prices and good if you're looking for something specific

4. Noishaf Bazaar: Interesting, quality, curated items sold by real humans. I haven't bought from this platform but I've heard good things. I've perused and found the prices to be usually fair (but sometimes not) and you can wait for something to go on sale.

5. Mercari: I've mainly used this platform to buy baby clothes or baby items for Theo but have had good success. I've found that for women's clothing the sellers are asking for far too much- almost like they are trying to see what they get away with. The return policy isn't the best- you have to state your case, prove the item isn't what was presented by the seller and get approval so be careful when shopping on this platform.

6. Depop: Owned by Etsy, this is a popular site with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. I've never bought from this site but it's gaining in popularity overall.

7. Hand Me Doen: If you're a fan of Doen, they periodically resale events. Doen inspects and curates these sales so you know that the piece is authentic and in good condition. The prices are on the higher side but these sales are great if you've had your eye on a particular piece that is no longer available.

8. Poshmark: I used to sell and buy a fair amount of items on Poshmark and I find that the selling aspect is still good but I've had some bad purchases the last few times on this platform. Over the years, sellers are charging far too much for items that are being misrepresented and the refund policy on Poshmark is really strict. You have to state your case as though in a court of law and pray for justice. It's very stressful and just not worth it in my mind anymore. With that said, I have included it in my list as it is still a popular platform and maybe I've just had bad luck.

Did I miss your favorite? Please let me know. As always, thanks for reading and for caring!