Cape Town Hearts Vintage

Browse through classic attire at some of these nifty vintage stores in and around the Mother City

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Shop from Cape Town’s eclectic collection of thrift stores.

Buy vintage, handmade and second-hand gems at Thrift Fest.

Sage & Sunday could be Cape Town’s most sustainable fashion brand.

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Last Updated: 9 March 2017

By the looks of the trends in fashion today one would have to say ‘old’ is the new ‘new’. Various designers and clothing stores have incorporated the look and feel of yesteryear in their fashion pieces. Why not get these signature pieces in its original state at a shop that specialises in what your mom used to wear? Vintage clothing stores in Cape Town are wonderfully nostalgic - not just for the comforting, musty scent, but also for the history connected to each garment. Here's a collection of the city's best. 

Second Time Around

Having been around since 1972 (which makes it somewhat vintage in its own right), the recently refurbished Second Time Around, is one of Cape Town’s oldest, and perhaps most well-known, original vintage clothing stores. A treasure trove of unique, nostalgic finds sourced predominantly from local collectors and walk-in customers, the shop stocks a wide assortment of garments – swing dresses, fur coats, men’s suits, handsome bags, dramatic hats, retro jewellery, original leather boots and heels – from the roaring twenties right up until the 1990s. Quality and individuality is key here, as all items are unique, carry their own personalised tale, and are strictly still in good condition.

Opening times:  Monday – Friday: 10am – 5pm; Saturday: 10am – 2pm
196 Long Street | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 423 1674.

Grand Funk Retro Vintage

This little retro vintage store is all about the fashion, accessories and décor of yesteryear. They provide for a great shopping experience at Grand Funk Retro Vintage; the upbeat music, a treasure trove of all things old and new, unique and welcoming staff at your service. There's never a dull moment, with rails that’s always jam packed with a constant flow of new stock. With all of that in mind, I'm sure you'll be stopping by soon!

Opening Times: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 7pm; Sunday 10am - 4pm

Shop 26 | Lower Main Rd | Observatory | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 447 5600

Lembranças at Beleza Restaurant

Found hidden inside this laidback Tamboerskloof eatery, vintage boutique Lembranças  – which, quite aptly, means ‘memories’ in Portuguese – is a vibrant tribute to the implicit tales inevitably couched within pre-owned garments. Stocked with numerous wistful reminders of decades gone by, the intimate shop sells a diverse, constantly-changing collection of one-off, pre-worn items for both ladies and men; anything from ‘80s neons to old gentleman’s tweed coats are equally at home here.

Opening times: Tuesday – Sunday: 8am – 11pm
Corner of Kloof Nek and Burnside roads | Tamboerskloof | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 426 0795

Glitterati

Based in the Long Street Antique Arcade, Glitterati specialises in both retro fashion and accessories dating from the full-skirt ‘50s through to the shoulder pad-dominated ‘80s. In addition to a collection of old-school garments found at local homes or bought at auctions, the shop – which boasts a bold pink chandelier as its focal point – also sells vintage handbags, hats, jewellery, belts and shoes.
Opening times: Monday – Friday: 10am – 4pm; Saturday: 9:30am – 2pm

Shop 2 |127 Long Street Antique Arcade| Long Street | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)82 819 5247.

Secondhand Rose

Reportedly the Mother City’s very first second-hand garments store, this Aladdin’s Cave of classic clothing collectibles is well loved by its loyal following for its broad spectrum of high-quality, nostalgic items. Run for years by passionate owner Liz Fieldgate (who describes herself as one of the vintage pieces), the ambient Claremont shop sells a selectively chosen, browse-worthy range of ladies’ pre-owned day and evening wear, cocktail dresses, leather bags, Italian shoes, belts and gloves from the 1920s through to the 1970s (Liz’s self-professed favourite periods). In addition to such apparel and accessories, a range of costume jewellery, from ‘60s necklaces to bold clip-on earrings and marcasite brooches, is a store highlight; in fact, a significant portion of the shop’s trade comes from customers seeking authentic items for themed parties. Liz, who by experience has become something of an authority on the fashions of eras passed, is also especially adept at offering invaluable purchasing advice and suggestions.

Opening times: Monday – Friday: 9:30am – 5pm; Saturday: 9:30am – 1:30pm
Cavendish Close | Warwick Street | Claremont | +27 (0)21 674 4270

Meanwhile

Meanwhile claims a wide assortment of one-off ladies’ retro garments originally worn in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Alongside a selection of more contemporary pieces made by leading local designers (like Missibaba, Moss and Take Care), store visitors will find rail upon rail of little long-lost gems: collared geometric print dresses; floral, floor-length pleated skirts; crocheted frocks; chiffon pants; lace blazers, corduroy skirt-and-waistcoat suits; and bold striped blouses, to name a few. As part of their policy, all pre-owned attire is still in first-class form and is sourced by seasoned professionals – most notably artist and avid vintage collector Shirley Fintz– both locally and on international travels to Europe and Asia.
Opening times: Summer: Monday – Friday: 10am – 5:30pm; Saturday: 10am – 4pm; Winter: Monday – Friday: 9:30am – 5:30pm; Saturday: 10am – 4pm
287 Long Street | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0) 21 422 5646
Afraid of Mice
Filled with the type of rare classic items that, as its pay-off line claims, “you wish your mother had kept for you”, this trendy ladies’ vintage store invites excessive browsing. With clean, uncluttered rails and a carefully curated, hand-selected collection, the boutique is a far cry from your average musty second-hand store. Most pieces are imported, one-of-a-kind, and picked with selective gusto by sister owners Bianca and Simone. The emphasis is on quality, seasonality, individuality, detail (pretty stitching here, a lace bow there) and beauty, and authentic pre-worn designer labels also abound and are up for purchase, like runway-style vintage dresses, pants, blouses, skirts, shoes and handbags by esteemed international names: Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren and Stella McCartney. And as prices are surprisingly accessible, shopping here is one sure way to bag coveted branded garb – albeit with a bit of a past – without breaking the bank.

Opening times: Monday – Friday: 9:30am – 5pm; Saturday: 10am – 2pm

86 Long Street | Cnr of Longmarket Street | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 423 7353

Lehza Vintage

Although it can’t claim a physical brick-and-mortar storefront, this innovative virtual venture is, nonetheless, a reputable local resource for buying quality, one-of-a-kind retro apparel online. Launched in mid-2010 by Stellenbosch University student and long-time lover of period fashion Lehza van der Merwe, the e-boutique sells an ever-evolving collection of affordable, authentic vintage items – crocheted dresses, formal frocks, silk blouses, retro handbags and purses, genuine leather waist belts, designer shoes and costume jewellery – via the brand’s Facebook page and through the bid or buy website. While Lehza – who often travels the coast in search of desirable pieces – considers anything that has been loved and worn before as theoretically worthy, the self-proclaimed ‘bag lady’ carefully hand-picks only those items that would still be regarded as trendy today and that display a certain level of quality and craftsmanship. Once bought using one of the platforms available, pieces can be delivered nationwide for a small fee. For any queries or to make a purchase, customers can contact Lehza at lehza@lehzavintage.com.

Merry Pop Ins

The only thing more endearingly adorable than the name of this children’s second-hand clothing boutique is the thought of lots of little Capetonian kiddies dressed in its quaint, quality collection of miniature vintage garb – think baby boy’s authentic German lederhosen, little girl’s old-fashioned frocks, flannel checked shirts, knitted baby grows, suspenders, dungarees and other classic items for children, from those just born to more well-developed ten-year-olds. All these delightful items are sourced from over 300 consigners who drop off outgrown garments on a daily basis. A little more than simply a pre-worn clothing store though, this young-uns ‘fun place’ also sells vintage toddlers’ furniture (such as wooden cots, cribs and high chairs), toys and dolls, and boasts a reading area, a play pen with puzzles and old-school colouring books, and a coffee corner to rejuvenate weary visiting moms.
Opening times: Monday – Thursday: 9:30am – 5pm; Friday: 9:30am – 4pm; Saturday: 10am – 2pm
201 Bree Street |City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 422 4911

Beverly’s Closet

Opened in 2000, Beverly’s Closet is an upmarket Durbanville-based boutique selling mainly contemporary imported clothing, shoes, handbags, sunglasses and jewellery that have been previously owned and gently worn. Although the shop stocks a wide selection of items (corporate wear is the only range they don’t sell), the emphasis is on second-hand and, hence, highly affordable pieces by international designer labels, such as Armani, Tod’s, Nine West, Levi Strauss and Donald J Pliner, and local retail brands like Woolworths, Foschini and Mr Price. Some of their most popular sales include their range of trendy fur coats, quality leather jackets and Rudel and Lucchese cowboy boots. In addition to claiming an assortment of garments not found elsewhere, perhaps one of the store’s most endearing features is their high level of service provision; the dedicated staff willingly offer customers fashion, size and dressing advice, and will gladly help clients source a specific desired item if it doesn’t already appear in the shop.
Opening times: Monday – Friday: 10am – 5pm; Saturday: 9:30am – 1pm
Shop 1 | Cambridge House | Oxford Street | Durbanville | +27 (0)21 975 5470

2nd Take

2nd Take franchise store started off from the idea that we all have some signature fashion pieces tucked away in our closets that has barely seen daylight, now no piece can go unseen, instead provide them with a second home with someone who’ll love and appreciate them. Today, one of the leading second hand stores in the country, 2nd Take is an exciting vintage store with some fun fashion trends available on the rails. Now just because they stock second hand items that doesn’t mean you won’t find any branded clothing there; they have some of the best international labels and you can get almost 70% off famous brands such as Armani and Zara.  

Opening Times: Monday – Friday: 10am – 6:30pm; Saturday: 10am – 3pm; Sunday: 10am – 2pm

53 Regent Rd | Sea Point | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 434 5878

Gracious Daisy Vintage

The Gracious Daisy is a vintage store situated in Long Street. They sell the most precious vintage styled clothing and accessories. Not only do they sell pieces but also collectables from yesteryear. Think of the things your grandma hangs on her wall or places on the kitchen counter, memoirs from back in the day, Gracious Daisy has got you covered. They sell these at various markets in the Cape Town area.

Opening Times: Monday – Thursday: 10am – 6pm; Friday: 10am – 5:30pm; Saturday: 10am - 4pm

234 Long St | Cape Town City Centre | +27 (0)21 422 3597

Muse Vintage Emporium

This little vintage gem can be found upstairs in the Woodstock Co-op. The Muse Vintage Emporium boasts with an array of products that are the embodiment of the golden oldies. They too stock a range of vintage, retro-metro clothing, accessories, and collectables. What’s more – they also have some beautiful handmade vintage quilts from America, mid-century modern home décor, tableware and much more on their catalogue.

Opening Times: Monday – Saturday: 9am – 5pm

357 Albert Rd | Woodstock | Cape Town | +27 (0)83 793 9449

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Bag a bargain and get rid of old sh*t… for a good cause at the Goodwood Thrift Market.

Vinyl, clothing, books and more: get antiques and hidden gems at this vintage market.

Shop for free at this inner-city clothing swap. 

Vintage, antiques and collectables: treasure hunt at the mall for free at the Vintage Fair.

New urban oasis: Plants, coffee, antiques and a chef’s table at 117Kloof.

Great vibes, over 115 stalls, live music, delicious food and planet-friendly recycling at the monthly Thrift Fest.

Need a real costume? Check out Hollywood-calibre for your next themed party.

Find unique gems at this car boot sale in Hermanus. 

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