When living in South Korea, a weekend in Seoul presented us with more than a few secondhand markets. Finding interesting garments in a pile was more than fun, it was an adventure. I found clothes, eg. skirts, dresses, t-shirts for myself, and my mom and sister back home, for less than R20 (2Euro). A bargain!
- Secondhand market - Seoul
"As Americans look for ways to cut spending, they are scooping up bargain clothes, accessories, toys and furniture once owned by someone else. According to the article, 70% of adults surveyed last summer say that buying used is now more socially acceptable than it was a decade ago. Buying used has always been socially acceptable to me. I got in the habit of shopping at thrift stores during high school. It was the only way I could afford to add to my wardrobe." - Embracing the Thrift-Store Ethic: 18 Top Tips for Buying Used Clothes
London is the mecca for Secondhand shopping. The famous Portobello Road Market, one of London's notable street markets, known for its second-hand clothes and antiques, is one of my favorite secondhand markets I've been to. From old paintings, to china, to cutlery, to shoes... The Mecca for secondhand goods.
- Secondhand & antique market - Portobello Road London
One of my recent favorite markets is the Monastiraki secondhand and antique market in Athens, Greece, right under the Acropolis. This was the most interesting market I've ever been to. Here you can find handcrafts made by the locals or real interesting antique jewellery, shoes, clothes or books... mostly anything. I loved the ruggedness of it all: The old suitcase filled with old postcards or stamps; finding a beautifully gemmed earring (but, O there's only one - because of the burglars, the woman tells me - I wonder wich one...), or just a metal piece as small as my hand with a Roman Catholic heart carved in. Rough, rugged, but so very, very interesting and odd. I could find tons of things here to put in my home. If only I had the luggage space...
- Secondhand market - Athens Greece
- Athens - Old suitcase
- Rugged but nice - Athens
While living in Sweden one of the things that I love most about the Swedes are their fashion sense. Or no fashion sense. Their absolute "We don't care what we wear." And they look ravishing! Absolutely interesting! They mix old, new, vintage, retro, bohemian into such a delightful cocktail that I just want more and more of their fashion sense and styles! I've learned a lot after studying and doing research on their secondhand markets and shops. And what I found amazing was just how easily the Swedes can give up their unwanted goods. They all do it for a cause or a charity, which is wonderful. Visiting Secondhand and vintage shops in Gothenburg was a pleasure as "reaping the benefits" is not a cliché here. Bargain upon bargain and quality upon quality awaits you in these shops. There are many of these kind of shops, as this is the new trend in Sweden: Wear whateva! And I love it!
There are different kinds of secondhand shops: the cute, small, smells like my grandmother's house and that's the charm - shops which usually sells antiques and rusty looking furniture. The idea here is to rummage through the mess while having a blast. The only guideline here is "be retro"! Search through each rack, look for that special item. The customers are a wild mix of young people, retro clothing addicts and older people clinging to their youth. An eclectic mix.
- Secondhand & antique shop in Haga, GothenburgEmmaüs - the biggest Secondhand chain in SwedenThe second kind of secondhand shop is examples like Emmaüs. This is one of the bigger secondhand chains. It is cheap and abundantly stocked. Every Thursday, the shop is restocked and it is not surprising to see it overcrowded. But it is a fun, over-indulging and (maybe) over-splurging experience. Heaps and heaps of handbags and belts are always on sale and it is a pleasure to rummage through these kind of piles. Here and there an expensive item can be found, eg. a designer label or two.
Now in SA a new craving awaits...
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