Where Australia’s Best-Dressed People Hunt For Vintage Treasures

Whether you’re a seasoned aficionado, or a complete rookie just looking for some re-done Levi’s, there’s always something to discover when it comes to vintage fashion. Especially when it comes to where you find your treasures. 

With vintage shops popping up all ’round Oz, it’s often a case of hearsay via people who reside in different cities as to where the best shops are, and what you’ll find in them. We hit up all our mates with enviable lived-in leather jackets and 90’s Tommy Hilfiger tees to find out where they’re buying their best pieces.

A post shared by details. (@thedetailsstore) on

A newbie to the online vintage scene, Details is the brainchild of Aussie stylist Dee Jenner. Curation is the name of the game here, with capsule collections of hand-picked vintage pieces released online. And yes, as you would expect given a top stylist is behind the brand, you’ll want every single thing on site. 

VINTAGE MARKETPLACE, ONLINE


These guys hit the scene years ago, and if you love everything 90’s sports culture, you can’t go past ’em. They seem to have an endless supply of mesh tanks and oversized jumpers circa 1995.

Cream is a Sydney institution, and we couldn’t choose between their Surry Hills and Newtown stores. They’re excellent at predicting styles that’ll take off in the vintage space, like fleeced denim jackets, baggy 90’s mens shirts, and 80s pencil skirts. A must if you’re after whatever vintage is currently trending and not too picky about your decades.


A post shared by Blue Spinach (@bluespinach) on

When you want your vintage to be labels, labels, labels – this is where you go. The folks at Blue Spinach have been in the vintage biz for over 20 years, they know their shit, and they’re dedicated to providing true, designer pieces as opposed to whatever is cool on the street rn. Think Balenciaga biker jackets and McQueen pumps – it’s basically like raiding a millionaire nan’s wardrobe from her party years.
They’re still holding the title for the biggest vintage store in Australia, so naturally they deserve a place on this list. Not only is their city store insanely huge, and filled with every trend, decade, and style you could dream of, they also hold regular sales at their warehouse where excess stock rolls out the door at dirt-cheap prices. Be sure to check their boots collection – it’s famed for being extensive. 

A post shared by ??SHAG?? (@shagmelbourne) on


Shag, like Blue Spinach, take their vintage very seriously. Expect to find a more hand-picked selection of legitimately vintage pieces here, with a real skew toward 80s – perfect considering MBFWA saw 80’s shapes all over the runways. Absolutely don’t leave before checking out their accessories – especially their amazing earrings.

Bluebird has that kitschy-retro thing down pat, so head here for cute 60’s mini-dresses and cat-eye glasses for sure when you’re in town. They also do some great homewares, so if you’re flying in/out, best pay for that extra baggage.

ARKIVE VINTAGE, SURFERS PARADISE

A post shared by arkivevintage (@arkivevintage) on


Arkive, like Cream, do trends really well in the vintage space. They rework a lot of their pieces, so if you’re after a cropped shirt, you’ll find versions in all different patterns and colours, created out of recycled fashion. They also sell online, so non-QLDers, rejoice.

A post shared by Camille (@hellogorgeousvintage) on

This little boutique in Tassie stocks designer label fashion from years past, so expect to find Lanvin pumps in pristine condition, or the most perfect YSL 80’s boots, ever. 

This Adelaide joint has a great collection of 90’s button up shirts and denim, but they’re really the place to go for custom jackets. They have a knack for finding (or creating) hand-painted denim, so if you like yours personalised, this is where to hit up.


This beyond cute shop in beautiful Mclaren Vale has everything from re-worked sun dresses through to mid-century furniture. But we’ll be going purely to pat that pupper, tbh.
Wish you had the cash to turn your entire wardrobe into a vintage wonderland? If you win our current comp c/o Set for Life, you’ll find yourself with a cool $20K in your pocket – that’s more than enough to take a fashion trip back to 1975. Enter here:


More Stuff From PEDESTRIAN.TV