Vintage shopping in York

It’s always a little soul destroying after you’ve painstakingly prepared for a night out, feeling pretty pleased about debuting your brand new dress, only to see someone at the bar sporting the exact same highstreet number. Even worse, if you have to acknowledge it suits them better. But there is no longer any reason for inadvertently finding yourself subject to a ‘Who wore it better?’ poll, since these days, shops selling vintage fashion are just as easily accessible as any of the high street chains. 

Vintage doesn’t have to mean you have to look like a 50s throwback, so don’t be put off if tea dresses and brogues are what you’d have consigned to fashion Room 101. Models and celebrities like Kate Moss, Agyness Deyn and Alexa Chung are all veterans of vintage fashion, and each has their own signature style. Vintage purchases also don’t have to come with a celebrity style price tag – while it would be nice to wear a classic Mulberry satchel like Alexa, Kate Moss is also known to enjoy a rummage around Camden and Portobello markets. 

York's high street is definitely one of the best I've ever shopped in. But it's well worth venturing away from the chain stores and exploring the city's vintage ones too. And after the recent closure of Deep vintage on Fossgate, it seems all the more important to encourage students to go in search of a hidden vintage gem. 

There have been a fair few changes in my life since I first went to uni, one of which happens to be with my shopping habits. The proximity of my house to Topshop has definitely increased the frequency of my shopping trips, BUT being at York has also meant I’ve strayed from my holy grail and discovered the many independent shops the city has to offer. 

Here, I compiled a list of just a few of my favourite places for vintage shopping. 

Purple Haze – 52 Fossgate

Plenty of scarves, bags, denim and pretty shirts and dresses make Purple Haze an ideal store for students, as well as a student budget. The menswear section upstairs is also well stocked and the place to go if you’re into a bit of Harris Tweed. Ideal for sunglasses – if the sun does ever decide to come out, they have a fantastic range for £10. 

Glory Days Vintage – 22 Walmgate

A tiny store located on the way into town, Glory Days has an array of stock ranging from the 30s up to the 80s. Like most vintage stores, prices can vary greatly, but it’s particularly good for reasonably priced colourful jumpers and cardigans. 

The Antiques Centre York – 41 Stonegate

Hidden down the stairs of York’s Antique Centre is a little room packed with vintage clothing and accessories. It’s a bit more of a jumble sale type affair down there, meaning a little more rooting around, but this means an even bigger sense of satisfaction when you stumble across a bargain.

But if rummaging isn't your thing, vintage fashion is easily accessible from the comfort of your armchair. It’s well worth taking a look on ASOS's Marketplace section, and there's always the vintage lover’s haven, e-bay for a secondhand bargain. Fewer however are aware of Oxfam’s online shop, which also has a great variety of vintage clothes, bags and shoes. With just a little searching, you could soon have a wardrobe to rival Chloe Sevigny’s. 

This originally appeared as an article on theyorker.co.uk, and can be read here. 

Categories: fashion, shopping, vintage, York