A Vinted optimisation guide, according to Bristol Tab readers

It comes as no surprise to the Bristol fashion girlie that Vinted now boasts the position of the third-largest fashion retailer in the UK, according to data released just a few months ago. Whilst not quite as impossible a task as navigating the Zara webpage, it takes time and skill to source the kinds of ‘Y2K’ items desirable to the average Bristol student. Luckily, the Tab readers are well acquainted and well informed and have shared their top tips with us, for you. Hopefully, this guide has found you in time for your Brass Pig debut come Freshers Week, so you can make your mark on the Bristol fashion scene. 

The Going Out Top 

That one ‘Going Out Top’ that serves you so well it might as well be a romantic partner is not only to be found on Jaded London for £40. Finding one second-hand doesn’t only inspire a more unique wardrobe: there’s also something charming, and altogether personal, in owning pre-loved clothing. The thought that you are continuing in the legacy of whoever’s mum once owned that Jane Norman cami is a special one.

To help you in your search, Bristol Tab readers have divulged the early-naughties labels they search for most frequently:

Animal, Morgan, Aftershock, Cache Cache, Espirit, and Kookai appeared among a list of niche recommendations; old Hollister, New Look, Motel and Urban Outfitters were also listed as high street brands to look out for, with an eye for their older pieces. Responses also leant toward DKNY and Coach, whose prices tend to be more mid-range- this shouldn’t be a reason to shy away, though, with 70% of readers voting that lowball offers bring them success. 

The accompanying jeans 

Buying good jeans second-hand is a bigger task. However, the environmentalist within a Bristol fashionista fears just how much water is wasted in the making of a pair of jeans, and will fight the temptation to buy them new- adding motivation to the second-hand search. The difficulty of finding jeans true-to-size means that being uber-specific in the search bar is paramount. Our readers advise searching with exact waist and length measurements – or even adding height to the end of the search (eg. dark wash bootleg jean 5″11). Others mentioned colour, fit and rise as a holy trinity method to rely on in the pursuit of the correct jeans. 

“I’ve found one vintage brand that fits me, and whenever they come up in my size I buy them” 

Staying loyal to a particular brand, as mentioned above, is probably the only kind of commitment necessary to make this September.

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The Red Flags 

A Vinted rookie should take caution when browsing. Sellers to probably avoid are those with recent 1-stars, who have no feedback and/or empty wardrobes. Reader responses revealed an intense frustration with bot accounts that sell fake vintage, which have increased in number in the past year. These aren’t difficult to spot, as they often include only one photo or use an AI description of the item. The most forensic of you advised using Google Image Search to double-check that these items do not originate from Shein!

” ‘Vintage dressing‘ as the brand usually means it’s Shein” 

“Excessive detail in the title description, especially words like ‘vintage’ or ‘y2k'”

And if your wifi fails you…

The good news is that the Vinted mindset is as easily applicable to second-hand shops in real life, and the algorithm-gaze makes us all the more discerning when searching for hidden gems in Oxfam. In no way is this any more efficient than shopping online – there are, however, plenty of quality-controlled vintage shops at our disposal in a city like Bristol. Communal trips to Gloucester Road or Cotham Hill in Freshers week should also be considered a sacred bonding exercise. 

Obvious favourites include Fox on Park Street (admittedly not as cheap), Brandon Trust on Cotham Hill and Shelter on Gloucester Road. 

A Vinted addiction might not be conducive to success in your undergraduate studies, though. Remember, it’s not that serious to find yourself knee-deep in the Bershka sale the weekend before move-in day. The truth is that curating a second-hand uniform from the ground up takes time and steady investment – all that is important to know, though, is that when you love your wardrobe, it loves you back (and so do your flatmates).