Best vintage shops in Melbourne

Sheila Vintage

Fitzroy

This store is as unpretentious as the vintage threads you’ll find inside; and the great staff will help you locate the gem you’re looking for. The style here leans towards ’70s classics, so any men pursuing a Marlboro Man image are well catered for, and ladies, if you like your tops sparkly and your pants tight, then watch out, disco queen, coz you’re going down to Devil Gate Drive.

Owner Cindy Filips loves her job. “Aside from the nostalgic aesthetic of vintage pieces,” she enthuses, “they can be worn traditionally, or with contemporary pieces to create a unique look. You get to have a lot more fun wearing vintage clothing because the fabrics and silhouettes are so beautiful.”

Best for... Cowboy style.

Martin Fella

North Melbourne

This three-year-old store in North Melbourne is for the daring fashionistas. Martin Fella himself says that he sources the best from American designers from the ’50s to m’80s – many of whom were responsible for Hollywood glam and glitter – and also French labels such as Lea Stein, St. Tropez and Pierre Cardin.

“I retail in a way that is not a conventional vintage look,” he points out. “Just because you are wearing a ’70s vintage frock doesn't mean you have to look like you’ve stepped out of an episode of Matlock Police. Nearly all fashion trends are derivative from bygone eras and I closely follow current looks coming off the European catwalks and create that look using vintage pieces from a mix of eras.”

Best for... Club Tropicana (drinks are free).

Hobo Clothing

Hawthorn

In a tiny arcade in Hawthorn, incongruously rubbing shoulders with Asian takeaways and the underpass to Glenferrie train station, is Hobo Clothing. Anna Teplitzky says her shop is like “stepping into a girlfriend’s wardrobe”. She stocks Japanese and Korean vintage for the quality of fabric and attention to detail – whether that be button or trim.

“My shop is half secondhand designer and half vintage,” says Anna. “Girls bring in their clothes that they don't wear anymore and I buy from them, so there’s no consignment, just cash in hand.”

Insider’s tip – keep an eye out for vintage dress sales that Hobo Clothing put on at Jimmy Watson’s Wine Bar, 333 Lygon Street, Carlton – there’s one on Sunday, Sep 18.

Best for buying or selling designer threads.

Circa Vintage Clothing

Fitzroy

It’s like a time warp, stepping into Nicole Jenkins’ private Idaho on Gertrude Street but then she’s shaped a whole career around vintage wear, penning award-winning book Love Vintage, and presenting regular talks, workshops and fashion parades. Circa is a curated vintage clothing shop featuring fully restored men’s and ladies’ wear and accessories from the Victorian era to the ’80s. Most garments are from the '40s and '50s - frocks, suits, bags, scarves, pill box hats - everything you could want to channel the late Jackie O. The prices may be steep but you get what you pay for and the pieces here are in mint condition. And ladies, there is a lingerie section to tantalise your loved one… or someone you just met, you cheeky fox.

Best for... mint condition clothes for guys and dolls. 

Hunter Gatherer

Croydon

The charity Brotherhood of St Laurence runs the Hunter Gatherer stores around Melbourne where they sell vintage threads for more than charitable prices. Hunters and gatherers are literally employed to scour the donations to the Brotherhood to find the best vintage wares to sell. So the shopping here is like one big op shop - minus the duds, the torn and the stained. Four locations are scattered in the north, south, east and city, and with a sale always on, it pays to visit your local store and buy that new piece for fun.

Best for... ’70s frocks and Bill Cosby jumpers.

Shappere

Windsor

If you’re ever on the lookout for the perfect leather boots, brown leather belt or across the shoulder bag then get to Shappere. They even sell reworked bomber jackets made from recycled leather. Vintage fabrics are reworked to make dresses and skirts.

Owner Rachel Richards grew up minutes away from Camberwell markets and would stroll over at 6am every Sunday to bag herself some pre-loved wonders. “Vintage has been a long-time love affair. I’ve always loved owning something that was a bit different and that I knew no-one else would have.”

Best for... Leather goods. 

Shag

Melbourne

Shag reminds me of a Grace Jones film clip – on steroids. Bold prints, animal prints, shoulder pads and asymmetrical dresses reign supreme. With three locations in Melbourne, all stores are filled with eclectic clothing and accessories. By selling a mixture of vintage and new, the masterminds behind Shag, Grant Francis and Jeremy Valentine, are always on the lookout to stock kaleidoscope of colour, print and fabric in their stores.

Shag is for the fashion forward and fashion courageous. Most pieces are sparkly, gold, bold and sequined. My pick is to head to the city store, pick out five garments, jump across the way to Centre Arcade for a cuppa, mull over your choices and with your caffeine hit -go back and buy big!

Best for... a stand-out piece to wear to a Melbourne exhibition opening.

Velour

St Kilda

Catering for both the lads and ladies, Velour covers all eras, but with a focus on ’60s and ’70s funk and groove. Frocks with peep bows and ruffled sleeves; men’s pants flared and printed – there’s something here for the funky and groovy in all of us. Velour offers a hand picked selection of top notch wearable pieces from the US and Europe, as well as locally sourced vintage and recycled designer labels right in the heart of Melbourne’s vibrant St Kilda.

Megan from Velour says, “The quality of construction and the fabrics of clothing pre-’60s just can't be found today, and the vibrant designs of the ’60s and ’70s are constantly inspiring. We're lucky enough to be able to look back on decades past and cherry pick the best they had to offer – even the ’80s had something good to give, as much as some might protest.”

Best for... channeling Twiggy and the Fab Four.

Thread Den

Fitzroy

Thread Den is Australia's original combined retail store and sewing lounge. Not only is there an ever-changing range of vintage and independent designer collections promoting Australian fashions, they also teach people how to make their own clothing. The clothes here are cutesy, girly, fashionable and fun.

“There’s something unmistakable about a quality vintage garment that just can't be replicated. The fact these clothes have survived in such good condition after so many years, and the stories they carry just adds to the romance of them,” says Joanna Sims of Thread Den.

The Thread Den folk also run the monthly North Melbourne markets so don’t forget to head down there and make a day out of it.

Best for... learning how to sew to make your own.

Dear Gladys

Northcote

If you want to be Alexa-Chung-at-Glastonbury for a day, then head into Dear Gladys. This not-for-profit vintage and contemporary boutique is the perfect place to step into to get a look with a whole lotta Camden charm for a fraction of the price. It's an explosive mix of Carnaby Street dresses, '70s sparkle and glamourous appeal; a collection of some of the most wearable, quality vintage in the heart of Northcote.

Retail manager Mel Westwood, who provides a friendly, personal service, points out Dear Gladys is guilt-free shopping, with beautiful vintage clothing added to the store daily. And with a range of accessories from bags, hats and shoes, you can be sure to find the whole kit and caboodle in this shop and still have the money left over for a cheerful lunch on the High Street strip.

Best for... retail therapy sans guilt.