Become a pro at vintage shopping

Last week I spoke about doing that wonderful January wardrobe cleanse to clear the mind and get your new year style in order.

So, what to do now when you’ve noticed a few gaps but you’ve made it a 2025 resolution to buy preloved? I’m a seasoned pro at vintage shopping and while I resell some of my own pieces, I will admit I haven’t a lot of experience in buying preloved items for my own wardrobe. However, that is about to change and I’m going to be hitting the charity shops and Vinted this year now that the reselling app has hit Ireland. I’m always seeing people I follow on Instagram getting the most amazing pieces on there and many of my friends buy great everyday pieces there too.

Now more than ever it’s so important to make a conscious effort to stop buying new all the time and trying to be more sustainable in our fashion choices. At the very least it will make you look at what you already have and think about how you can style things differently to give them a new lease of life.

If I have an item that I love wearing but I tend to wear the same way all the time, I’ll have a little browse around online to see how other people are wearing something similar and save the looks in a folder so I always have style inspiration at my fingertips.

I like to have a wish list of things I would like to buy so that if they do come up on Vinted I’m ready to buy and if you see something that you’ve been lusting after for quite some time then buy it without haste. Nothing haunts us like the gems we didn’t buy.

When searching, try to be as specific as possible to avoid being completely overwhelmed with options.

If you’re looking to buy some luxury goods, then there are also some amazing luxury resellers out there including Cork’s very own Luxury Exchange who specialise in preloved designer handbags so if you’re looking to really treat yourself then check them out on Instagram where owner Cait talks through all the fab pieces on offer. There are some Chanel piece on there that are just dreamy!

I asked Ciara Ashmore from one of my favourite Instagram accounts, My Preloved Year what makes her love shopping preloved.

She said: “Buying preloved and vintage makes shopping more exciting; you never know what you'll find. It can be very overwhelming to start but that makes it all the more rewarding.

“There's nothing better than someone asking you where you got a part of your outfit from and you get to respond: ‘it's preloved’. It makes dressing up more personal and allows you to discover your unique style,” Ciara added.

I have to say I totally agree with Ciara and with her unique style she really does fly the sartorial, preloved flag.

If you’re looking for style inspo and a hit of dopamine dressing, then I would highly recommend following Ciara.

If you’re a bit nervous about shopping on sites like Vinted or popping into a charity shop she has the following advice: “Go into charity/vintage shops with an open mind. Find gaps in your wardrobe and shop exclusively for that item. Release your inhibitions...what you like/buy might not be everyone's cup of tea, but who cares? Embrace it!”