You’ve heard the memo. Some of today’s coolest suits are the ones from at least 30 years ago.

A quick glance at the TikTok and Instagram accounts of many menswear influencers will reveal that they regularly second-hand source a lot of their best-fitting, sharpest-looking tailoring.

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Whether you’re drawn to the wide, boxy fits of 1950s American suiting, or the bold banker-esque pinstripes found on 1980s powersuits, you may be wondering how to sink your teeth into the vintage/second-hand suit market. It’s big. Expansive, even, with quite literally hundreds of items available between your local thrift store, eBay, and other marketplaces.

So, how exactly do you go about it all? What should you be looking out for when surveying the second-hand suit market? Where are the best places to find quality tailoring? What are the telltale signs of quality tailoring? What should fit perfectly off-the-bat, and what can you possibly get altered?

Read on to find out!

Where to Find Vintage and Second-hand Suits

They’re actually everywhere, if you know where to look. See, up until a couple of decades ago, suits were a lot more common than they are today. The average man had at least one or two in his wardrobe, if not more. They were worn to work in all varieties of offices, and even for more casual outings at times. Today, the suit has been somewhat relegated to the most formal events.

Thanks to the growing influence of the menswear movement, they’re kinda having a moment again in fashionable spaces. You can wear a suit in all sorts of contexts – and vintage suits can be some of the coolest ones you can buy. And since suits used to be everywhere, you can easily find them filling up the racks of your local thrift store or charity shop.

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Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are often the first stop along the second-hand market route. From independent shops to national chains like Goodwill, Salvation Army Thrift Stores, and Savers, you’re likely to find a decent selection.

It’s worth noting that stores like Goodwill will sometimes separate the pants from the jackets and place them on different racks – making it a bit tricker to find a matching set.

The quality of the suits in these locations will also vary a fair amount. Sometimes, you’ll spot a vintage designer gem at a great price. Other times, you’ll just end up sifting through an uninteresting selection of suits from modern mall brands like Express and Zara. Not quite what you’re looking for.

The thing with thrifting is that it does demand a certain amount of patience and persistence. Sometimes you’ll go and come back empty-handed. But when you score – the win feels absolutely incredible.

Second-Hand Shops

Similar to thrift stores, but in a somewhat different category, are second-hand shops like Buffalo Exchange, 2nd Street, Crossroads Trading, and Beacon’s Closet. Depending where you live, you may or may not have access to these exact chains, but you likely have something quite like them.

At first, these appear not much different than thrift stores, but the prices tend to be a bit higher in exchange for a better-quality selection. A lot of their stock is purchased rather than sourced from donations, and so the staff is more selective about what they’ll take. They can also be a solid source for second-hand suits, but expect to pay a bit more than you would at Goodwill.

Consignment Stores

On a level just above these, you’ll find consignment stores. These essentially function by selling someone else’s item for them, and pay them a portion of the profit.

Usually, consignment stores operate adjacent to the luxury and designer markets. They can be great to find good deals on designer items at prices that aren’t necessarily cheap, but highly competitive when compared to the item’s original value.

Flea Markets

Next, you may want to check out local flea markets and vintage fairs. The prices will vary heavily from location to location, but you can often discover vendors who specialize in vintage clothing at these venues. And quite often, they’ll have a curated selection of suits to browse.

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Online Deals

Beyond in-person shopping, some of the best deals on second-hand suits can be found online. Digital marketplaces specializing in used goods are ideal. eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, Vinted, and The RealReal are all excellent places to look.

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