five vintage writers, five secondhand stories

five substack writers tell us the tale of a secondhand score that 'changed everything'

Hi darlings! Welcome back to Worn magazine. This week, we turned to a selection of Substack’s finest vintage collectors, curators and connoisseurs and asked them to recount the story of the one secondhand find that altered everything. As is often the case, the pieces our fabulous contributors weren’t necessarily seeking went on to shape their wardrobe, or worldview, for the better.

Eleanor, Rabbit Fur Coat

The one secondhand find that changed everything would have to be my fur vest. I bought it in 2015 for $10 from my hometown thrift store. I know people have mixed feelings about wearing fur, which I understand, but to me, it seems like the most ethical thing to do with an old fur coat is wear it. It already exists and it's not doing anyone any good by languishing on a rack in a thrift store.

It was originally a coat, but I had the sleeves removed by a tailor and turned it into a vest. I don't know if I would have said it was the find that changed everything at the time, but those feelings are a result of hindsight, and ten years in, I'm certain that this vest fits that criteria on the basis of longevity alone. I feel it transcends occasion and dress code. I've worn it to work, to dinner, to concerts, and it's never felt out of place. I would never buy it new, but I'm happy to be its caretaker for as long as I'm around.

Emily Stochl, Pre-Loved

I have been thrifting and shopping secondhand for nearly 20 years now, since I was a teenager. The secondhand find that changed everything for me was a pair of 1970s sunflower printed bellbottom pants that I found at a Goodwill when I was in college. The reason they come to mind is because they were clearly homemade.

They had a stretch waist, of which the elastic had completely worn out, so I had a friend help me replace the elastic and adjust the waistband to fit me. This was significant (to me!) because by investing time and extra money into a thrift find, I knew I was thinking of it as something I wanted to have for a long time. And I still have them — over ten years later!

Glenn Mae, Trash Panic

I’ve been obsessed with the tale of The Lord of the Rings for as long as I can remember. Last year, while roaming a flea market, I stumbled upon something that’s lived on my vintage wish list for years and years: an original 1965 poster of Barbara Remington’s illustration of Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Ultra rare, only a handful were printed, and usually thousands of dollars, depending on condition.

This one was a little worse for wear. The edges were ragged and torn, with old pieces of stuck tape on the backside, evidence of its long life hung on some stranger's wall long before it found me. It was exactly what I was looking for. The best part of loving vintage is imagining the life something has lived, the people who've loved that thing before it makes its way to you, an unspoken history that’s now yours to write the next chapter.

I recently got around to framing it, and now, it feels even more special. A museum piece, but on my wall, a physical keepsake of a story that’s been a constant for me and brought me comfort during some of the wackiest, wildest times of my life. A reminder to not get wrapped up in the chaos of trends but to stay true to the things that make me, me.

Gracie, Editor of Worn

The secondhand find that changed everything for me was a set of six button covers I unearthed on eBay. I’ve amassed a rather enviable collection of vintage treasures over the years, but for me, this particular find represented a philosophy of dressing that we have since lost.

Button covers are tiny ornaments that clasp onto existing buttons, instantly transforming an otherwise ordinary cuff or shirt. They are, as far as I can tell, no longer produced, so discovering them felt revelatory because, to me, the joy of dressing has always been a matter of play, of finding new ways to bring life to what you already own. With the modern impulse being to purchase another shirt rather than reimagine the one already hanging in your wardrobe, somewhere along the way, we stopped modifying and started accumulating.

Since then, I have sought out other lost treasures — objects that speak to an era when clothing was designed to be kept, cherished, and reinvented. Most recently, this was an embroidered cotton case once used to store pyjamas during the day, keeping them fresh until evening. A small luxury, but a luxury nonetheless.

Maggie Lanham, Really Good Vintage

The one secondhand score that changed everything for me was when I found my glasses. I was in an antique mall in the middle of Michigan and spotted them in a glass case. I love hunter green (green eyes!) and had already figured out that vintage glasses are the easiest and cheapest way to own specialty eyewear.

When I tried them on, I couldn't see how I looked (the great conundrum) but both my friend and the ladies working at the store said I had to get them. I later realised they were from Gianfranco Ferré and a *perfect* fit. I have a couple of back-up pairs now because I can't imagine life without them. They form part of my signature look and I would be lost without them, stylistically and physically!

Elizabeth Myers, Fashion Sustainability and Circularity Consultant, Cherished

The first secondhand piece I bought that changed everything is an A.P.C. trench coat I bought on Vestiaire Collective in 2020. The color was a little different in person than in the photos, which can unfortunately happen, and I don't even think it was the best fit for me, but it made me realize, wow, why haven't I been buying secondhand more regularly? I had been selling on the platform since 2015, but had never bought anything.

I had been searching for a trench for years and decided to turn to Vestiaire instead of buying new. While the fit never truly felt right and I sold it last year, the experience made me rethink how I shop. Over time, I have turned to resale sites and vintage stores more often, and I feel that when I buy a vintage item, I think about keeping it for life. It feels like it was there waiting for me, and I want to take care of it to last me longer.