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The best place to find a vintage T-shirt is, simply put, online. The days of sifting through flea markets, estate sales, seedy thrift stores, and the Salvation Army are slowly fading into the rear view. Now, sellers, especially the astute ones who know they have the goods, are logging onto platforms and getting the best rates. And those that don’t know they have gold nuggets fall prey to patient and persistent buyers. It's a jungle out there, and only the strongest thrive. Pure Cotton T Shirts
Indeed, the world wide web has a panoply of players that offer some of the best vintage T-shirts. From concert tees at Wyco Vintage and Ellie Mae to designer finds at Rokit and Thrifted to the giants eBay and Etsy, there are plenty of sites with a slew of options. And we gathered 10 of them best, all them ready to help you find those holy grails.
A quick Google search brings up a number of different Rokits. But for fervent vintage followers, the only Rokit that counts is the one that started in 1986 as a small stall at Camden Market in London. Now, it is one if the biggest online vintage retailers, carrying everything from runway looks to streetwear grails to band tees.
The venerable eBay, the original peer-to-peer reselling platform, continues to be the first destination vintage collectors sift through in search of rare finds. It's a cluttered, cavernous cave filled to the brim with shirts of all kinds, which is why a high degree of patience and persistence is required. But like vintage shopping before the world wide web, that’s what makes it fun.
From macramé bottle holders to jewelry made of recycled car parts, Esty is the go-to destination for all things arts and crafts. But the behemoth site is also filled with sellers offering some truly choice vintage finds. Plus, it’s not a complete clusterfuck; there’s more of uniformity than, say, the guy above.
Another UK-based vintage retailer is Beyond Retro. And as its name suggests, the site curates a selection of styles from both the distant and not-too-distant past that don’t feel out of date, but fresh and of the moment.
If you're in the market for clothing that's trend-oriented but not necessarily trendy—basically, stuff you won't have to retire at the end of each season—Urban Outfitters is the name most people know. But what isn't so familiar is that the site also haa great assortment of vintage T-shirts.
The best thing about Grailed—aside from its sweet collection of vintage shirts—is the community around it. Its shoppers and sellers are fashion lovers with a capital F—the kind of people who will wear a slim-fit pinstripe suit with merch from a Jill Scott tour, those that know they're the best-dressed in the room.
Ellie Mae truly has the goods, the one-of-kind finds that need be framed instead of worn, including authentic T-shirts from some of the greatest tours in music history.
It would be wise to check out True Vintage regularly, because the site updates and sells out of styles almost daily. And it’s not hard to see why, considering it's stocked with some of the best cult labels and tried-and-true brands.
On the hunt for a white whale? Something truly elusive, something from a record-breaking concert, movie premiere, or other event that’s etched in the annals of pop culture? Wyco Vintage should be your first destination.
Backless Blouse With Knot If you're a man who likes designer labels, the kind of guy who appreciates a vintage Burberry check or Versace brocade pattern, Thrifted is the place for you. And if you're a man who appreciates vintage The North Face and Carhartt tees, Thrifted is also the place for you.