Secondhand Series: Part One ft. Madeline
We are SO excited to introduce Weekend Blithe’s “Secondhand Series.” This multi-part interview series will feature some of our most stylish friends who have mastered the art of secondhand fashion.
We are kicking off the series with our dear friend Madeline who actually planted the seed for this series. Madeline details her approach to finding pre-loved gems, where she gathers style inspo, and shares some of her favorite thrift/vintage shops.
When did you begin shopping secondhand and what inspired you?
I think I originally started in high school. There was a thrift store called Rag-O-Rama that I was obsessed with and I would raid their denim section to find Seven jeans. When I got older, I remember going to L Train Vintage in Brooklyn and feeling like it was a gold mine for everything cool. It took me one visit to realize that two hours is the minimum amount of time you need to process everything in a place with so much seemingly random inventory. Because there’s so much less context for individual pieces when you’re shopping secondhand, trying on is key for me.
I’ve prioritized shopping secondhand more recently because there is enough clothing on the planet to clothe the next six generations and that’s fucked up scary to me. I also love the feeling that something has a history because it automatically feels more special. I have a no-fast fashion rule; if I want something that can only be bought new, I have to want it for a long time before pulling the trigger.
What is your approach to thrifting?
Since we live in a lil mountain town and thrifting is kind of an odd game here, I mostly scour the internet. Because all of the big sites like Depop, The Real Real, and Poshmark are so saturated, I never go on them without having a clear idea of what I’m looking for. Since sizing can be so hit or miss, I always check measurements. I’ll favorite things and come back to compare sizing, prices, and condition. Sometimes I will do a reverse Google search in the hopes of finding a photo of the item being worn to see how other people style it, and to see how it looks on a real person (since clothing is often photographed lying flat on most of the big sites).
I feel like I get a lot of inspiration from fashion influencers’ Instagrams or Substacks (groundbreaking!!!). Some of my favorites are Blanca Miro, Courtney Grow, and Leandra Medine. They all skew high-end but are pretty eclectic and IMO chic. I’ll get the idea for the gist of an outfit and, to emulate it, I’ll think about the items I’d use in my closet. If there’s a key thing missing, I think through all the ways I could/would wear or use the missing thing before hunting. If I “favorite” it and don’t think about it for days then I figure it’s probably not worth buying!
What are your top tips and tricks for finding hidden gems?
Going in with an idea of what I’m looking for is key. I’m somewhat obsessed with finding something beaded at the moment, like a vest or a little bag. I wish I had something trickier to share, but basically I search all the keywords I can think of and sift through page after page, and do that on the few sites I frequent.
I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans for what feels like ever (by forever I mean years and feel like this search is definitely not unique to me). I wound up searching for Levi’s 501 jeans, and bought a pair on Etsy in 2019 that I wore on and off for a couple years but it was kind of a forced-love after a while because they were too fitted (and also got a Sharpie stain on the front left thigh, sigh). Again, sizing is key, and especially with vintage jeans actual measurements have to be on the listing otherwise I won’t even look — I sized up 4 sizes in the 501s I recently bought and they are exactly what I was hoping for.
What are some of your favorite most recent finds?
In the last 18 months, four things come to mind that I love very much!!! Just in the last couple months, I purchased (the aforementioned) pair of Levi’s 501 jeans on Depop that I’m in love with. They were $60, which is good for vintage Levi’s (look at the denim section on Front General Store’s website and you will agree). I had to sew the button holes closed since three of them were ripped open, but I wear them four days a week now.
I started searching for a tan, barn-adjacent jacket (but not a barn jacket) after seeing a lot of great outfits with something similar in their formulas. I wound up getting a Carhartt jacket and love it. It’s a men’s small and from the 90s, and honestly, I wish it were a touch bigger just because most of my sweaters are huge. It’s perfectly broken in though and I expect to wear it for a veryyy long time.
I bought a blue dress from Eveliina Vintage two summers ago before my wedding, thinking I’d wear it during our wedding weekend. I wound up wearing it on our honeymoon and have worn it to some wedding welcome parties. The two main points of closure on it are both ties which sealed the deal because it’s adjustable and I am lazy about tailoring.
What's your favorite online secondhand marketplace and your favorite secondhand brick & mortar store?
My most-visited marketplaces are probably Depop and The Real Real. Depop is newer, which is maybe why it feels less noisy, but I think it has the best newer vintage pieces if you have the patience. Unless I’m looking for an exact item, I love to have never heard of the name on the tag. TRR is great if you’re looking for something really specific that’s probably going to be more of an investment.
For brick and mortar… Lara Koleji in New York’s LES is definitely tiny but has beautiful things. Front General Store has an online shop and a store in Brooklyn. They sell new and old stuff but have a great selection and list all the measurements online. I think Desert Vintage is the gold standard for curated vintage but very expensive. They have stores in AZ and NY but I’ve never been! Eveliina has great vintage dresses. Curated vintage is always going to be so much pricier than finding something yourself though.