Holiday shopping doesn’t have to fill you with existential dread. As many of us try to reorient our relationship to capitalism, shopping at vintage or secondhand stores is a win-win-win: It’s better for the environment, an easy way to support small businesses, and a chance to get your loved ones truly meaningful and unique gifts.
Instead of resorting to generic presents from Amazon, do your holiday shopping at these BIPOC-owned vintage and secondhand stores. Most of these are local businesses, but many sell online (or via Instagram) and ship nationwide.
BLK MKT Vintage has a famous store in Brooklyn, but they also sell online. Every item — including vintage tees, art, and decor — is carefully curated by founders Jannah Handy and Kiyanna Stewart with one mission in mind: to “represent the richness of Black history and lived experience,” according to their website. If selecting something yourself is too overwhelming, you can always go the gift card route.
Teetering the line between vintage and high fashion, Dauphinette founder Olivia Cheng takes second-hand clothes and repurposes them to create playful and loud (in the best way) garments. I’m a huge fan of her jewelry, especially the gold plated mini pepper earring. You can shop Dauphinette online or at one of their two New York City locations.
This beloved San Francisco staple was founded by New York couple Cristina Ramos and Nu Goteh after they realized buying nice furniture and home decor in the city was too damn expensive. Together, they’ve curated an ethereal collection of vintage pieces, always with a contemporary twist. Order via their website or DM them on Instagram if you see something you like.
Yuris Market, which is on the higher end of the vintage spectrum, boasts the types of pieces you would wear to turn heads. Browsing through their online store feels like what I imagine Charlie must have felt in the Chocolate Factory: In just a few minutes of scrolling, I stumbled upon a vinyl Comme des Garçons see-through vest, a Dolce & Gabbana suede top, and a Fendi Zucca shirt.
What started out as a Poshmark shop in 2017 has since become a staple of L.A.’s second-hand fashion scene. Founded by Monique Gatillon, LA Retro Girl focuses primarily on dresses and jumpsuits inspired by the trends of the 1960s and 70s. She ships nationwide, so just follow her on Instagram and DM the page to order.
Cool and Casual Studios has one mission: Make vintage fashion accessible. Their style matches the name, with lots of wool, linen, silk, and cotton. They list products on Instagram; DM them to shop.
Janelle Gonzales opened LunaSol Mexican Vintage in L.A.’s Uptown Whittier neighborhood in 2004 to celebrate Chicanx culture in the city that helped create it. The neighborhood staple feels like it’s part museum, part my tia’s house, and part antique store. LunaSol is brimming with treasures from southern Mexican states like Chiapas and Oaxaca, as well as original pieces by Mexican artists. Shop their L.A. location or via their Instagram page.
Lasheca Earls and Alicia Square sell both fair trade and vintage clothes and home goods out of their New Orleans studio as well as online, and the vintage finds are the kind that will easily become some of the most beloved pieces in your home.
This Dallas-based online business epitomizes the intersection of comfort and style, ranging from casual wear to chic looks for a night out. Every Friday, the store drops new items, so be ready — each piece is one-of-a-kind and sells out fast.
This Houston-based vintage store, which also sells online, screams Americana with a tangy Texas twist. In addition to selling 90s-era clothes that will tug at your heart strings (I’m ready to snatch one of their Selena tees), the store also displays art by local artists. Their ethos is to create “nostalgia in a modern setting,” and they’re nailing it.
Owned and led by Zena Bryant, The Reinvintage Collection has been endorsed by countless celebrities, including Kim Kardashian and Rihanna. The shop specializes in handbags, accessories, and women’s clothing and curates carefully-selected designer collections — with new items added weekly. You can browse and shop Reinvintage online.
Thrilling is essentially the antithesis of Amazon, serving as an online host for more than 400 boutiques across the U.S. — and 95% of their items come from women- and/or BIPOC-owned vintage stores. You can buy unique vintage and secondhand finds through the site, which was founded by Shilla Kim-Parker and Brad Mallow, but the products are sold and shipped directly from those small businesses.