Gem: Sydney Vintage Shopping Guide

Perhaps more than most cities, Sydney is divided into very distinct cultural ‘zones’ - the stuff of regular memes and dinner party banter (if any zone’s residents dare enter another).

For the purpose of this guide, we shall mention only the zones with the most vintage stores, and when you visit this city – or even just follow this guide online – you will notice the blatant difference between the east and the (inner) west. Ultimately, each area has its speciality, and even if Sydneysiders can’t cross the borders, you certainly can.

So our guide lists a selection of our favourite stores within the Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, the City, and the North Shore.

Check out our Google Maps list for many more options, some further out west and up to the Northern Beaches.

Surry Hills & Darlinghurst

SWOP

This is what the future of secondhand shopping looks like. Careful and intentional curation, on-trend pieces and everlasting vintage, in a bright, airy, and beautiful retail space. SWOP stores are truly elevating the resale game with their locations in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane (and more coming soon).

Buy and sell your old clothes – but be warned, SWOP staff only accepts the best of the best: items need to be in good condition and on-trend.

SWOP
219 Oxford St, Darlinghurst
Mon-Sun 10am-6pm
@_swop

Zoo Emporium

This store is a fantasy world where 70s/80s funk meets camp glamour and disco balls, the scene embellished with glo-mesh and bright feathers - and it’ll suck you in every time. Right in the heart of the LGBTIQA+ Mardi Gras location, it’s choc-full of festival, fetish, and feisty finds.

Zoo Emporium
Unit B/180 Campbell St, Surry Hills
Tue-Sat 11-6pm, Sun 12–5pm
@zooemporiumvintage

Donna Forbes Vintage

Founded by a lifelong collector, the store is shaped by years of traveling the world in search of exceptional pieces. Every item is chosen for its story and uniqueness; whether it is a pair of antique bloomers, cowboy boots from New Mexico, a Comme des Garçons gingham skirt, or an unopened Chanel soap box.

This is a vintage store without eras or borders. Antiques hang beside contemporary fashion, and nameless, one-of-a-kind pieces are valued as highly as iconic designs.

Donna Forbes Vintage
226-228 Liverpool St, Darlinghurst
Mon-Fri 10-5pm
@donnaforbesvintage

S.O.S Shop

A tighly/packed treasure trove! Two rooms from a former stylist’s collection. Formal gowns, designer, men's vintage, accessories. Every piece here has a story to tell.

S.O.S Shop
271 Goulburn St, Surry Hills
Mon-Sun 12-4pm
@galleryvantablack

Paddington & Woollahra

Di Nuovo

There’s a heavenly corner of well-to-do suburb Paddington where you can find the unwanted designer threads of presumably local wealth, so if you’re up for parting with extra cash for ‘investment’ into your wardrobe, this consignment store and its neighbour Pelle Shoes are for you. BTW, there is more Hermes and Chanel in Di Nuovo than you could shake a stick at.

Di Nuovo
92 William St, Paddington
Mon-Sat 10-5pm, Sun 12-4pm
@di_nuovo_paddington

Restyle Traders

Consignment store specializing in clothes and accessories from high-end and popular labels such as Gucci, Prada, Chloe, GANNI, and Celine. Spot the sign on the street and find this little gem of a store at the back of 88 William Street. Huge windows let in light and make the store feel airy and fresh, while still making you feel like you're entering someone's cozy home.

Restyle Traders
Rear 1/88 William St, Paddington
Tue-Sat 10am-5pm
@restyletraders

Ekoluv

This delightful store takes sustainability seriously: even the racks, shelving, mannequins, and other interior design elements are reused, the website is carbon-neutral, and the store runs zero-waste. You can consign your old clothes, shop, or rent clothes. Find a new-to-you Chanel bag, Gucci shoes, or Zimmermann dress here.

Ekoluv
14 William St, Paddington
Tue-Sat 10am-5.30pm
Sun 12-4pm
@ekoluv

min butik

One of Sydney’s many new rent-a-rack stores, specializing strictly in high-end labels. While the owner, Abigail was visiting her husband’s home country of Finland, she was inspired by the rent-a-rack concept, where individuals can sell their preloved clothing in a shared retail space.

Do not miss the cute Scandi-inspired coffee shop at the back!

min butik
202 Oxford St, Paddington
Mon-Wed, Fri-Sat 10am-4pm
Thu 10am-5pm
@min__butik

Dolly Up

Erin Paige Stevenson has run this much-pined-for vintage boutique for what feels like an age, yet she herself has not aged one bit, and has racked almost 50k followers modelling her wares for good reason. Her prices are on the high side, but that’s because Erin knows the true value of the rare vintage and designer pieces she handpicks during trips to France and beyond.

Dolly Up
118-122 Queen Street, Woollahra
Mon–Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 11am-2pm
@dollyupvintage

Potts Point

Grand Days

It’s a dream combo for many; curated vintage clothing and secondhand books! Situated near the infamous giant Coca-Cola sign at King’s Cross, it is a haven of whimsical vintage with a pop of secondhand modern, and is the right choice if you’re planning a night out in the city. Thanks to owner Tamara Kennedy it has garnered a lovely community and hosts regular evening events.

With the shop’s long history as a book (and record) store, it’s only right that its name should pay homage to the Australian heroine of Frank Moorehouse’s novel. We have no doubt Edith herself would have shopped at this place.

Grand Days
220 William St, Woolloomooloo
Mon-Fri 12-6pm, Sat 10-5pm, Sun 11-3pm
@grand_days

Potts Point Vintage

Owner Arnold ‘Arnie’ Kieldgaard is a bit of a legend on Sydney’s vintage scene. Find here an insane array of rare vintage jackets, coats, shoes, and hats, plus names like Escada, Moschino, Dior, and Prada.

He’s been the go-to for many a stylist over the years, and he’s had his photo taken with a string of visiting celebs. If you want it, he knows where to find it, and if you don’t know you want it, you will soon, whether it’s a 1930s bakelite phone or an antique steamer trunk.

Potts Point Vintage
2/8a Hughes St, Potts Point
Mon-Tue, Thu-Fri 11-4pm, Sat 11-3pm
@pottspointvintage

Newtown

Reunion

This sell-buy-trade store has carved out a perfectly formed space in the Sydney circular scene, and it’s due largely to the staff’s collective eye and discerning taste. They get a huge influx of clothes, but they pick through them patiently, with an incredible understanding of fashion history and current revival trends determining what they accept.

Whatever they take from private sellers, they price on the spot, and you get the choice of cash (30-40 per cent) or store credit (50 per cent). Newcomers can get quite perturbed at the rejections, but it can be seen as a guarantee that when you shop here, someone has already done half the work for you. Curated is the word, but it’s overused, and few deserve it as well as this store.

Reunion
Shop 2/112 Enmore Rd, Newtown
Mon–Sun 10am-6pm (buying hrs until 4pm)
@reunionstore.co

Route 66

True Americana vintage in the possibly longest-running vintage store in Sydney. Route 66 is a family business that launched in 1983. This is your store if you are looking for cowboy boots, Western shirts, vintage Levi's, or other pre-2000s American vintage.

The parents of the current owner, Leroi, used to source the inventory in the US, while now the majority of the items come from Asian countries.

Route 66
82-84 Enmore Rd, Newtown
Sun-Mon 11am-5pm
Tue-Wed, Fri-Sat 10.30-6pm
Thu 10.30am-7pm
@route66store

KOT-J

Consignment store specializing in international and Australian avantgarde labels: Junya Watanabe, Comme des Garçons, Rick Owens, Song For The Mute. The store has quickly found its clientele in the neighborhood, as it is the only higher-end designer vintage store in the area.

We love the industrial-chic interior with clever details (a bench covered with Rick Owens tote bags!), all made by the store owners themselves. The store will soon double its square footage as it will take over the store space next door, too. We can’t wait to see the interior details of the new space!

KOT-J
585A King St, Newtown
Open 7 days a week
@kot__j

Irreplaceable

Trustworthy store for people looking for vintage t-shirts and pop culture collectables. This King Street staple comprises actually two stores: the t-shirt-focused corner store on the west side of the street and a pop-up built inside a former gas station in the corner of King and Whitehorse.

Irreplaceable
411 King St, Newtown
Mon-Sun 11am-6pm
@irreplaceablestore

The Wilde Merchant

The highlight of the Sydney vintage scene. Carefully curated and organized, full of true vintage Americana, workwear, and other staple items every vintage lover needs in their closet.

The Wilde Merchant
500 King St, Newtown
Mon-Sun 10am-6pm
@thewildemerchant

New Traditions

A vintage store specializing in the Aussie surf brand called Mambo and its original artwork. A gallery, store, and an archive-like space for devoted Aussie vintage fans and collectors. A rare and unique store!

New Traditions
463 King St, Newtown
Tue-Sun 10.30-6pm
@itsnewtraditions

Outlet Newtown

This is the store where you will find the best vintage Aussie souvenirs: a lifesaver's cap from Manly, vintage postcards, Australian picture books, and Australian-made vintage fashion. It is literally impossible to leave this store empty-handed.

The store is curated and owned by Celia Morris, owner and designer of Dragstar Clothing, which operates next door.

Outlet Newtown
537 King St, Newtown
Mon-Sun 10-5pm
@outlet_newtown

Newtown Vintage 313

Two levels are jam-packed with entire racks of every classic vintage category you can think of, from souvenir jackets, graphic tees, and vintage Levis to cowboy boots and enough silk scarves to patchwork the sails of the Opera House. Potential overwhelm is subdued by impeccable merchandising and very regular updates to the window display. Also found here are re-made and upcycled clothes, such as cropped vintage sweatshirts. Two other locations under the name Fabrique Vintage; one across the street and one in Darlinghurst.

Newtown Vintage 313
313 King St, Newtown
Mon-Fri 10.30-6pm, Sat-Sun 10-6pm
@newtown.vintage.313

The Real Deal

Vintage sports and streetwear plus limited edition and rare sneakers in a clean, gallery-like space. Tees, sweatshirts, pants, shorts, and other items from iconic brands like Nike, Adidas, Polo Ralph Lauren, Carhartt, and Harley-Davidson.

You can also catch the founders often at the Sydney area flea markets like Glebe and Second Life, plus shop their selection online.

The Real Deal
308 King St, Newtown
Mon-Sun 11-6pm
@the.real.deal

Marrickville

Casablanca

Inner West suburb Marrickville is a much-loved place among its long-term residents, who vehemently fight against its rapid gentrification. But as we all know, the flip side of hipster takeovers is better cafes and, you guessed it, vintage stores. The opening of Casablanca on busy Illawarra Rd was like the arrival of Ga-linda the Good Witch in Oz.

This family-run delight is all about community and gives the best garage sale vibes (backyard sale? Car-boot sale? It’s ‘garage sale’ here!). The mother-daughter team behind Casablanca are just about the most welcoming, generous people you will ever meet.

Find everything from vintage party dresses to 70s ceramics and coffee tables lined with Simon & Garfunkel album covers. Follow their Instagram to check the events from tarot readings to chess clubs!

Casablanca
330 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Wed-Sun 11-5pm
@casablancamarrickville

U-Turn

This behemoth vintage/secondhand chain already has 10 locations across Sydney, but the Marrickville location definitely feels like a flagship. The stock deserves a chef’s kiss, too, presumably handpicked from U-Turn’s vast storeroom, which supplies stores in Bondi, Surry Hills, Rozelle, and a huge outlet in Punchbowl, further west of the city and certainly worth a visit for die-hard hunters. This latest addition is confirmation that things are a-changing in the Inner West.

U-Turn
265 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Mon–Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm
@uturnvintage

Art Garments Bridal

Sydney’s one and only vintage bridal showroom with over 500 unique bridal pieces that range from “formal ceremony gowns to disco-ready reception looks to day-after ensembles”, all sourced by the owner Grace Corby.

Grace also runs an online store with bridal and other vintage – all picked and styles with her discerning taste. So you can see be one of Grace's happy customers even if you are not a bride-to-be!

Art Garments Bridal
391 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville
Open by appointment.
@artgarmentsbridal

Alexandria

Mitchell Road Antiques

Mitchell Road Antiques is a classic antique mall where you can easily spend hours checking mid-century furniture, collectable vintage toys, and vintage clothes.

Our favorite booths are run by Linda Connell, whose heart is for bright colours and large prints from the 60s. Recycology’s doyenne is by no means a one-trick pony, though; while she favours labels like Pucci and Leonard, she collects fanciful 70s and 80s too and has an eclectic selection of historical bohemian pieces such as piano shawls and 20s embroidered coats.

Mitchell Road Antiques
17 Bourke Rd, Alexandria
Mon-Sun 10–6pm
@mitchellroadantiques
@recycology

Annandale

Seamstress for the Band

Run by talented theatre costumier and stylist Renata Beslik, this charmingly named store (Tiny Dancer reference, obvs) is situated in The Merchant’s Warehouse in Annandale, which is definitely worth a visit for both clothes and furniture, as well as the usual delectable bric-à-brac found in these marvellous multi-vendor spaces.

As the name suggests, Renata also repairs and restores vintage clothing and has collected both women’s and men‘s wear for years during her job in costume.

Seamstress for the Band
The Merchant’s Warehouse
Corner of Booth and Guihen St, Annandale
Mon–Sun 10–5pm
@seamstressfortheband_vintage

North Sydney

Venla

Helsinki expats Minna Monaghan and Satu Raunola-Spencer are killing it with their rent-a-rack business, a Finnish concept they introduced in Mosman at the height of the pandemic, but which has now expanded to include five thriving stores, all in wealthy water-side locales.

The stores all share a modern Nordic vibe and despite each rack belonging to a different consignee, there is a consistency in the aesthetic and the staff are trained to give those selling the best chance of success via spot-on merching. Other store locations are in Balmain and Manly.

Venla
658 Military Rd, Mosman
Mon-Fri 10-5pm, Sat 10-4pm, Sun 11-4pm
@venla_resell_relove

Blue Mountains

Post Office Mistress Vintage

In the heart of Katoomba, housed in the historic former Post Office turned vintage “department store,” Post Office Mistress has a heart of its own — and her name is Kitty.

“Steampunk Seamstress” and devoted 1930s–40s fashion lover Kathryn Waters Aiken took over the store 10 months ago (after years as Emporium) and has barely taken a day off since. With a firm “no dickhead policy,” she curates a brilliant collective of local dealers offering not just clothing, but restored vintage clocks, wooden toys, mid-century furniture and homewares – everything a vintage lover could wish for. She’s even planning a teahouse at the back.

This treasure trove is now part of the Blue Mountains Sustainable Shopping Trail, a fabulous initiative by local advocate Phillip Spiers, who continues to champion sustainability across the region.

Post Office Mistress Vintage
59-61 Katoomba St, Katoomba
Mon-Sun 10am–5pm

Forever Friday

What began as a small pop-up at the inaugural 2024 Blue Mountains Sustainability Festival has grown into a dream realised: Forever Friday, the bricks-and-mortar home of Rebecca.

A joyful rainbow of dresses spans true vintage to modern finds, alongside upcycled pieces by talented Mountains locals. Once-damaged jackets, vests and skirts have been transformed into mix-and-match patchwork statements, and fashion designer and store assistant Sappho Spiers has lovingly restored much of the stock — from replacing broken Princess Highway zippers to repairing antique cotton seams. Forever Friday feels like optimism in clothing form.

Forever Friday
132a Katoomba St, Katoomba
Mon-Sun 10am–4pm
@shop.forever.friday

Yesterday Store

A personal favourite of Slogue’s own Daisy Rose Cooper (designer behind the Sleight of Hand label), Yesterday Store has a vibe entirely its own.

Think lumberjack flannels, varsity jackets, jewel-toned corduroy and an enviable workwear collection. The racks are complemented by walls of bags from Japanese recycled label Puebco – some crafted from old parachutes, others from potato hessian sacks.

Owner Rosie Shepherd has a clear love for Japanese artisans, also stocking Moonstar shoes, Organic Handloom sandals and Nara Reloop recycled cotton socks. Yesterday is a true reflection of Rosie’s values and personal style – and since relocating to a larger shopfront further down Katoomba Street, it’s clear the community shares her vision.

Yesterday Store
167 Katoomba St, Katoomba
Mon-Fri 10-4pm, Sat 9-5pm, Sun 10-3pm
@yesterday.store

Saint Joan

The word charming gets thrown around lightly –but it should be reserved for Saint Joan, and its owner, Charlotte Bakker.

Tucked slightly off the main stretch of Katoomba Street (I discovered it by skipping jauntily through a side lane, and recommend you do the same), the store feels like stepping into a carefully curated daydream.

Charlotte is a talented maker, collector and aesthete. Saint Joan is sprinkled with thoughtful assemblages, delicate finds and fresh flowers — the kind of place where you want to linger a little longer.

Saint Joan Store
44 Lurline St, Katoomba
Fri-Sat 10-4pm, Sun 10-2pm
@saintjoan_____

Flea Markets

Glebe Markets

Long-running eclectic Saturday flea market known for vintage clothes, street food, and acoustic concerts. The biggest and busiest of the Sydney flea markets, with a mix of professional sellers and individuals selling their own old clothes. Come with plenty of time, and you can find some amazing deals!

Glebe Markets
Derby Place, Glebe Point Rd, Glebe
Every Sat 10-4pm
@glebemarkets

Paddington Markets

Saturday market featuring clothing, accessories, and home items from local craftspeople and designers. Check out their Instagram to not miss their special vintage days!

Paddington Markets
395 Oxford St, Paddington
Sat 10am-4pm
@paddingtonmarkets

Second Life Markets

The international vintage market pops up in various cities across Australia, the UK, and Asia. Do not miss it if you happen to be in Sydney during the Second Life – the best vendors gather under one roof to sell curated vintage and designer secondhand. The archive events are smaller in size and specialize more in designer goods, whereas the bigger events at Carriageworks are a mix of y2k, older vintage, and contemporary secondhand.

Second Life Markets
@secondlifemarkets

Surry Hills Vintage Market

The first Sat of every month, since 1981. Vintage, secondhand, and handmade goods.

Surry Hills Vintage Market
Shannon Reserve, Surry Hills
8am to 4pm, first Sat of every month
@surryhillsmarkets

XChange Markets

A new addition to the growing vintage event scene, focusing on street and sportswear, graphic tees, and denim. Check out their Instagram for the upcoming Sydney dates.

@xchangemarkets

Fashion Thrift Society

Touring 25+ cities across six countries including Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Each event has hundreds of vendors plus other activations from tattoos, piercings, tooth gems, grills, to nail manicures and tarot and aura readings.

@fashionthriftsociety

Sydney Vintage Shopping Guide