What are the best places to shop for fall?
What are the best places to shop for fall?
A roundup of secondhand designer selects for three big trends...
I recently returned to France after two months in the US and Canada where my stomach grew from three months pregnant to five, and the fit of my clothes mutated from cute to unbecoming. So I ordered a few size-up pieces from stores like J.Crew, Reformation, and Lululemon—and I returned almost everything.
Here’s what the problem was: I have an aversion to pieces cut from flimsy, quick-to-wrinkle fabrics and finished with weak seams (but you probably knew this—one of my very first newsletters on this Substack looked at the crappy materials and poor construction of clothing found at most brands today). I also have an aversion to the treatment of clothes, as in, the packaging.
In the aughts, no matter where we shopped—be it Guess for a GoInG oUt ShIrT or Victoria’s Secret for 5 for $25 thongs—our purchases were neatly folded, wrapped in tissue paper, sealed with a sticker, and placed in a sturdy paper bag, which we’d proudly perch in our room and excitedly open.
Today, we get pieces that cost four times as much as they did two decades ago and have to fish their sad wrinkled carcasses out of plastic bags that were thrown inside a too-big box with nothing more than a packing slip. How depressing! And even if you skip online and head straight to the store, you’ll have to sift through overly-stuffed racks of clothing that’s falling off hangers and already looks worn.
So where do you shop? There are a couple of French brands that not only produce high-quality pieces but also wrap them up—whether they’ve been plucked by you in the store or summoned online—into lovely little (often scented) packages that make them feel like prized possessions: Soeur and Sézane.
The problem: Soeur isn’t easily accessible in North America, and Sézane is arguably too accessible.
I tend to tap both brands for more basic, less recognizable pieces—like beige drawstring trousers or stretchy black knit pants (both of which I purchased between writing paragraphs seven and eight above). I often avoid prints or statement pieces because the chances of finding my outfit twin when wearing them are a little too high.
So, where do you find original, trendy, high-quality pieces at affordable prices? At secondhand designer shops.
The quality of, say, a 1970s silk Celine blouse or a 1990s linen Chloé dress dress is far superior than anything you’ll find anywhere else today. Not only that, but these pieces are treated with love. Pop into my favourite vintage store in Paris, Thanx God I’m a VIP, and you’ll see racks of sweetly-spaced clothing that have been treasured for decades. Order an item from The Real Real, and it’ll arrive in a white dust bag for safe keeping. Find something off Vestiaire, and you just may find a hand-written note from the seller hoping you’ll love the piece as much as she did.
My latest secondhand purchases were from The Real Real last month: I got two billowy silk Chloé blouses for about $100 USD each. Both are in perfect condition, both are perfectly on trend for fall, and both are far prettier than anything I could’ve fished out of a plastic bag from a Zara haul.
My collection of secondhand pieces equates to almost half of my most-worn, most-cherished pieces, and I encourage anyone who hasn’t explored this wonderful world yet to do so for fall (except size 34s with a penchant for Chloé—keep on moving).
To get you started, I rounded up some pretty picks from The Real Real and Vestiaire that fall into three of fall’s biggest trends: silk blouses, chocolate brown everything, and ladylike frocks.
The picks below are mostly under $200 USD and their conditions are rated Very Good or above — I’d never buy anything that looks worn or, god forbid, has a stain.
Silk Blouses
Balenciaga vintage 2000s blouse, Chloé silk tiered blouse (sorry, I bought this one!), Celine silk floral blouse, Givenchy tie-neck blouse, Yves Saint Laurent vintage 70s-80s blouse, Giambattista Valli silk floral blouse
There’s a jackpot of blouses on secondhand sites, but they’re quickly disappearing as more people become interested in the trend. The best ways to wear a blouse today: In a size up and paired with short-shorts, menswear-inspired trousers, or flared jeans.
Chocolate Brown Everything
Yves Saint Laurent suede jacket, Chloé wool wide-leg pants, Saint Laurent silk skirt, Gucci 1990s polo, Saint Laurent leather Western boots, Miu Miu jacket, Yves Saint Laurent wool knee-length dress, Chloé Silk straight-leg pants, Gucci blouse, Chloé leather top handle bag
Mocha, chestnut, cocoa—rich chocolate brown was seen at some of the biggest shows for fall 2024 like Chloé, Celine and Prada. The easiest, most wardrobe-transforming chocolate pieces to look for are cropped jackets, mini skirts, and leather goods.
Ladylike Frocks
Prada knee-length dress, Bottega Veneta strapless mini dress, Dior cotton dress, Chloé tie-neck midi dress, Bottega Veneta V-neck midi dress, The Row off-shoulder midi dress
Knee-length skirts and dresses with fitted waists, dainty bow details, or a silhouette that Joan Harris couldn’t refuse were seen at shows like Prada, Jacquemus and Yves Saint Laurent. These pieces look coolest when paired with an updo.
Until next Sunday,
Renée