Ten places to shop for pre-loved clothing in the Boston area
Secondhand clothing had a very big year last year. According to the annual Resale Report from online consignment retailer ThredUp, the resale market grew 15 times faster than the overall clothing market in 2023 in the US. The Boston area reflects the trend, with plenty of secondhand stores where you can try on items before buying, and consign what you’re ready to part with — some offer online shopping, too. The inventory is everchanging, with no two things alike and some items up to a century old. Here are 10 places to refresh your wardrobe with pre-loved items.
YES, I CAN! CONSIGNMENT: Since January, Yes, I Can! Consignment has aimed to make higher-end brands accessible to more shoppers. The boutique stocks a selection of brand-name business casual clothing, shoes, and accessories. (It has a strict policy against accepting fast fashion brands, like Shein.) Consignors receive half of the sale price once an item is sold. Most items cost between $11 and $40, with select designer items, such as a Burberry wallet, surpassing $500. Some items are also for sale on their website. 807 Boylston St., Brookline. yesicanconsignment.com
VICO STYLE: The vintage-filled racks at Vico Style’s Beacon Hill flagship are filled with items at least a couple of decades old. Most are priced around $50 (none more than $300), and helpful tags translate vintage sizing to a modern equivalent. Vico’s Harvard Square outpost sells accessories — such as scarves, handbags, and jewelry — in a 200-square-foot former bank ATM. You can also browse and order online, or subscribe to its personal vintage fashion box program. 125 Charles St., Boston; 73 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge. vico.style
HIGH ENERGY VINTAGE: This eclectic outpost offers a hand-selected mix of shoes, vinyl records, video games, and vintage clothing from the 1930s to the early 1990s. The store sources its collection in various ways, including from estate sales and textile recyclers. The venture started as a pop-up at the SoWa Vintage Market about 15 years ago and moved to its Union Square storefront in 2016. 429 Somerville Ave., Somerville. highenergyvintage.com
DIVERSITY CONSIGNMENT: Located in the heart of Jamaica Plain, Diversity Consignment stands out with its vibrant blue storefront and mission: using secondhand fashion to promote inclusivity, creativity, and social impact. Its inventory includes clothing for all genders, plus-size options, and items handmade by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ designers, typically priced between $16 and $70. The shop’s Instagram account (@diversitycosign) also posts new inventory, available for purchase via its Instagram Stories. 713 Centre St., Jamaica Plain. diversityconsign.com
BUZZY’S BAZAAR: The Arlington consignment store is packed from floor to ceiling with clothing and home goods dating back to the 1920s. Recent offerings included mink coats from the 1940s priced at $40-$60 each, elegant bridal and prom gowns (displayed hanging from the ceiling, $50 and up), and a selection of Coach handbags for $12-$40 each. Bargain hunters can head to the back, where you’ll find a rack of vintage and new clothing selling for $5 per item. 25b Massachusetts Ave., Arlington. buzzysbazaar.com
ON AGAIN CONSIGNMENT: Luxury brands — Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, for example — are the exclusive focus of On Again Consignment in Charlestown. The 400-square-foot boutique sells secondhand designer clothing, shoes, handbags, and jewelry. Prices range from $48 to more than $1,000, and each item is evaluated and priced based on its rarity, condition, and trendiness. The inventory changes frequently due to a 60day consignor cycle. 233 Main St., Charlestown. onagainconsignment.com
COVET: With locations on Beacon Hill and in Back Bay and South Boston, Covet curates its clothing, shoes, handbags, and jewelry based on the current season’s trends. Recent trips have surfaced $28 Zara jeans and a $630 Gucci handbag. The stores also offer consignors the option to “Drop & Go,” instead of waiting for an in-person consultation. Shopping is also offered via Instagram Stories (@covetboston). 109 Charles St., Beacon Hill; 176 Newbury St., Back Bay; 391 W. Broadway, South Boston. covetboston.com
40 SOUTH ST. VINTAGE: The Jamaica Plain vintage clothing store began in 2005 as a women’s clothing rack called “Honey Spot.” When she started the business, owner Hilken Mancini would drive to upstate New York and warehouses in Atlanta and Texas to fill her car with thrifted discoveries to resell. Now, sellers come to her. The inventory ranges from the 1970s to Y2K, typically priced between $24 and $35; online shopping is available, too. 40 South St., Jamaica Plain. fortysouthst.com
THE BLESSING BARN: The nonprofit Compassion New England operates the Blessing Barn Beacon Hill, a Charles Street shop that carries carefully selected secondhand and vintage clothing, accessories, and home goods. Proceeds from your donated items go toward Room in the City, which provides short-term housing to people seeking medical care in Boston-area hospitals and their families. 122 Charles St., Beacon Hill. theblessingbarn.com
VIVANT VINTAGE: After a past life as a vintage-slinging streetcart, this brick-and-mortar shop (also offering online shopping) specializes in trenddriven thrift finds — ranging from 1990s slip dresses to Levi’s denim and Carhartt carpenter pants to Juicy Couture tracksuits. Most items range in price from $25-$100. 318 Lincoln St., Allston; online shopping is offered through their website. vivantvintage.com