Fashion

The Autumn Outfit Formulas That Look Better Second-Hand

11 September 2024

Welcome to Vintage to Vogue, which sees the Vogue team take on a different trend or occasion each month and show you how to shop it second-hand.

There is nothing – and I mean nothing – that compares to a Vogue shopping editor in the eBay archive. Talk about a kid in a candy store! Hidden within a nondescript office block in leafy Richmond-upon-Thames, the team was confronted with a pre-loved paradise: rail upon rail of second-hand gems, covering everything from unbranded football tops to one-of-a-kind archival accessories from Prada, Miu Miu and Acne. We soon found ourselves facing the fashion equivalent of a sugar rush, tearing around like crazed toddlers, pulling out pieces with abandon, while shrieking and swooning in equal measure. It’s a hard job, but someone’s got to do it.

Read more: The Key Autumn/Winter 2024 Trends To Know Now

The Vogue shopping team: Joy Montgomery, Naomi Smart and Alice Cary.

We were there to gather inspiration for our Vintage To Vogue autumn/winter 2024 outfit special. As anyone who is a Vogue Shopping regular will know, we love a good outfit ideas round-up, as not only does it spark creativity, but it also encourages us to “shop” our own wardrobes – in other words, rediscover old favourites and use new styling ideas to help reinvigorate them. We love to think vintage first when it comes to trends, so it only felt natural that we would deliver a guide to new-season outfits that look so much better second-hand.

So what did we discover on our eBay archive adventures? Commerce editor, Joy Montgomery, was instantly drawn to a pair of spangled Germanier jeans that call to mind Undercover’s autumn/winter 2024 tinsel denim, and styled it with a white tank top, an oversized bomber jacket and leather tasselled loafers – a great option for September’s tricky in-between weather. Naomi Smart, meanwhile, made a beeline for a pillar box-red Balenciaga City Bag (one of the year’s trending pre-loved accessories), which perfectly complemented a boxy pinstriped suit and a football top – the ultimate high-low look for the cooler months.

Other highlights included a sheer lace skirt – the perfect pairing for a chunky knit – and an effortlessly cool suede fringed jacket, which was a match made in heaven for a psychedelic tie-dye top. Scroll down to see our full pre-loved autumn outfit line-up, plus shop similar pieces.