‘Pinpoint the era, the fabric and the designer’: how to get the ultimate fashion finds on Vinted
Share:
You’ve seen it somewhere. You must have it … and ideally for a bargain price. But how? Fashion maven Lauren Bravo asks the experts for their tips and tricks on hunting down secondhand pieces that truly stand out. Oh, there’s nothing like the thrill of the chase. That adrenaline rush that only comes from the pursuit of the elusive, the legendary or the priceless (to you). Captain Ahab had his white whale, the knights had the holy grail – and I had a jumper.
![[Collage of pictures of Lauren Bravo]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/21e4468312b97ec3509c552183691ac4a43ec87c/0_0_2877_1856/master/2877.png?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
It was a memorable jumper; cropped, collared and covered in peace signs, which I’d spied on Anne-Marie Duff in season one of Bad Sisters. While everyone else was reeling at the show’s twisty denouement, I was playing detective. It took me a year and a half of patient and increasingly creative searching (was it olive? Khaki? Spirulina green?), my heart leaping at every notification, before I finally scored the killer knit in my size.
![[Animation of Lauren trying on a scarf]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2025/01/08/Vinted4LaurenHighRes.gif?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
To some it might sound like a lot of effort. But for the seasoned secondhand shopper, it’s that high that keeps us treasure hunting; a hit of pure dopamine far more satisfying than the quick fix of an impulse buy. And where once our only option was sharpening our elbows and physically trawling the racks at vintage stores and charity shops, the new generation of secondhand shopping apps such as Vinted have made it infinitely easier to track down the object of our heart’s desire – whether that’s a sold-out cult item, a luxury label we couldn’t afford to buy new, or a piece of prime vintage that deserves a new lease of life.
![[Portrait of Lauren, with quote: “When it comes to vintage, a little swotting up on fashion history can pay dividends”]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/50d160face3520df2d8b03bd27856276278fc169/0_0_1800_1646/master/1800.png?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
