Weather you like it or not, buying second-hand or vintage is here to stay!!! Going back in time, is in fashion- just have a look around the High Street stores, and you’ll see replica 50′s dresses, 60′s and 70′s patterns and even brightly coloured accessories similar to the neon 80′s!!! And Manchester’s Northern Quarter, historically the fashion heart of the city, is once again busting at the seams with clothing shops!! There is plenty to choose from on every street, and weather you’re looking for retro furniture or a design label evening gown, it won’t take long to find the perfect fit!! Here are a few that stand out……

Junk is not only fitted out with beautiful clothes and accessories, but is also an eco-haven! Everything, from the merchandise to the shop itself, is made with reusable materials, creating a sustainable environment AND helping our planet through fashion…. Whoever said the devil wore Prada???

Another shop for urban hippies and fans of sustainability is Oxfam Oringinals! All the profits made from this store go straight to the main charity, and consequently round the world helping a wide variety of projects! This store gets some amazing stuff given to them, including many designer label items….. This is definitely the place to head if you’ve always dreamed of finding vintage Vivienne Westwood or a classic Christian Dior!!

For cheaper, and dare i say slightly more commercial items and clothing, try Cow or Retro Rehab! Both these awesome shops have huge selections of  50′s, 60′s, 70′s and yes, even 80′s goodies, as well as some up-cycled things, for a reasonable price!!! If you see something you like in a High Street store, chances are Cow or Retro Rehab will have something similar for the same price….. Not to mention it’ll be more authentic and super environmentally conscience of you!!!

Even if you don’t want to spend any money, just rummaging through a second-hand shop can be extreme amounts of fun!! Probably the best place to do this in Manchester’s Northern Quarter is at American Graffitti, which is also one of the areas oldest vintage shops!! They opened a stall in 1982 (!!!) in the Mancunian institution, Affleck’s Palace (another great place for finding the weird and wonderful) and now have a large store directly opposite one of our Hatters Hostels here in Manchester! Most of the stock here is on the quirky side, and perfect if you want to make a statement with your outfit or need an fancy dress costume!!

And finally…. For the hardcore vintage lovers out there, paradise comes in the form of Bratt’s Vintage!! Not for the faint hearted, this place is full of so many treasures you’ll feel like you’ve taken a step back in time…. From gadgets your grandma would have bought (although she may not have found any of them very useful!!) to clothes and jewelry your mum would have owned! This cavern of old-worldy objects, isn’t just sourced from UK attics and car-boot sales, but most of the goodies come from further afield, including Amsterdam and a lot of US cities!!

So there you have it. Come to Manchester, stay with us here at Hatters, and you’ll be able to enjoy as much second-hand shopping or vintage item collecting as you like!!