“The Men’s Section Is the Best-Kept Secret in Second-Hand Shopping.” 4 Tips From a Vintage Seller
Katie Anderson
From oversized shirts to beautifully made wool coats, some of the best second-hand finds are hiding on the men’s rails.
As the founder of slow fashion brand Pine & Treasure, much of my work has been rooted in sourcing, reworking and reselling preloved clothing. After years of searching charity shops, car boots and resale sites, there’s one area I think women consistently overlook: the men’s section.
Some of my best finds have come from menswear. The silhouettes are naturally oversized, the fabrics can be exceptional and, with vintage pieces in particular, you can often find quality that would cost significantly more to buy new today.
For me, it’s where masculine and feminine dressing meet, taking something originally intended for a man but styling it entirely your own way. Keep reading for my shopping tips for Second-Hand September and beyond.
Start with Shirts
Men’s shirts have become a huge part of Pine & Treasure. I source preloved and vintage styles and repurpose them into keepsakes for women by adding custom embroidery to the cuff or breast of the shirt.
Even untouched, an oversized men’s shirt is a forever wardrobe staple. There’s something incredibly elegant about a loose shirt on a woman’s frame, and what may once have been associated with borrowing your partner’s shirt at home is now a completely accepted way of dressing.
Think Sienna Miller in Alfie in that oversized pink shirt. Incredibly simple but still iconic.
Whenever I’m second-hand shopping, I always check the men’s shirts. I recently found a vintage yellow Yves Saint Laurent shirt in my local charity shop which would look equally brilliant on both a man and a woman.
That’s the beauty of them. Wear a shirt with jeans and simple shoes, throw it over swimwear in summer or layer it underneath a wool coat in winter. Few pieces work quite so hard.
Look for Vintage Wool Coats
Vintage outerwear is where the men’s section gets particularly exciting.
One of the first things I look at when sourcing coats is the fabric label. Older pieces often come with all those jackpot details you want to find: Made in England, 100% wool, pure new wool, alpaca, cashmere or mohair.
The fact that many of these coats have already survived for decades and can still be found in beautiful condition says a lot about how well they were made.
Don’t be put off that they’re menswear. If you’re petite, look at smaller men’s sizes and pay attention to the shoulders, but if you love an oversized silhouette, that extra structure can work beautifully.
Search the Men’s Rail for Trench Coats
We tend to think of the trench as a womenswear staple, but its roots are firmly linked with menswear.
Men have worn heritage Burberry trench styles for generations, so when searching resale platforms, don’t automatically filter solely by womenswear. (Try smaller men’s sizes too.)
A traditional trench already lends itself to that masculine-meets-feminine look: belt the waist, roll the sleeves or leave it open over something softer underneath. You may also find that fewer women are competing for those menswear listings.
Never Overlook Vintage Leather
Leather is one of my favourite things to source second-hand.
There are so many beautifully made vintage leather jackets already in circulation, often made with Italian leather and constructed to a standard that would be extremely expensive to recreate today.
Because leather outerwear has been so popular in menswear for decades, this section can be a goldmine. I’ve found some absolute belters over the years.
Bombers, aviators, biker jackets and longer leather coats can all feel surprisingly unisex, particularly if you like a slightly oversized fit.
So heading into autumn and winter, my top tip is simple: don’t just shop your own section. Check the men’s rails for oversized shirts, proper wool coats, heritage trenches and vintage leather.
Some of the best pieces are hiding there precisely because fewer women are looking.
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