You’ve heard the memo. Some of today’s coolest suits are the ones from at least 30 years ago.

A quick glance at the TikTok and Instagram accounts of many menswear influencers will reveal that they regularly second-hand source a lot of their best-fitting, sharpest-looking tailoring.

Whether you’re drawn to the wide, boxy fits of 1950s American suiting, or the bold banker-esque pinstripes found on 1980s powersuits, you may be wondering how to sink your teeth into the vintage/second-hand suit market. It’s big. Expansive, even, with quite literally hundreds of items available between your local thrift store, eBay, and other marketplaces.

So, how exactly do you go about it all? What should you be looking out for when surveying the second-hand suit market? Where are the best places to find quality tailoring? What are the telltale signs of quality tailoring? What should fit perfectly off-the-bat, and what can you possibly get altered?

Read on to find out!

Where to Find Vintage and Second-hand Suits

They’re actually everywhere, if you know where to look. See, up until a couple of decades ago, suits were a lot more common than they are today. The average man had at least one or two in his wardrobe, if not more. They were worn to work in all varieties of offices, and even for more casual outings at times. Today, the suit has been somewhat relegated to the most formal events.

Thanks to the growing influence of the menswear movement, they’re kinda having a moment again in fashionable spaces. You can wear a suit in all sorts of contexts – and vintage suits can be some of the coolest ones you can buy. And since suits used to be everywhere, you can easily find them filling up the racks of your local thrift store or charity shop.

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are often the first stop along the second-hand market route. From independent shops to national chains like Goodwill, Salvation Army Thrift Stores, and Savers, you’re likely to find a decent selection.

It’s worth noting that stores like Goodwill will sometimes separate the pants from the jackets and place them on different racks – making it a bit tricker to find a matching set.

The quality of the suits in these locations will also vary a fair amount. Sometimes, you’ll spot a vintage designer gem at a great price. Other times, you’ll just end up sifting through an uninteresting selection of suits from modern mall brands like Express and Zara. Not quite what you’re looking for.

The thing with thrifting is that it does demand a certain amount of patience and persistence. Sometimes you’ll go and come back empty-handed. But when you score – the win feels absolutely incredible.

Second-Hand Shops

Similar to thrift stores, but in a somewhat different category, are second-hand shops like Buffalo Exchange, 2nd Street, Crossroads Trading, and Beacon’s Closet. Depending where you live, you may or may not have access to these exact chains, but you likely have something quite like them.

At first, these appear not much different than thrift stores, but the prices tend to be a bit higher in exchange for a better-quality selection. A lot of their stock is purchased rather than sourced from donations, and so the staff is more selective about what they’ll take. They can also be a solid source for second-hand suits, but expect to pay a bit more than you would at Goodwill.

Consignment Stores

On a level just above these, you’ll find consignment stores. These essentially function by selling someone else’s item for them, and pay them a portion of the profit.

Usually, consignment stores operate adjacent to the luxury and designer markets. They can be great to find good deals on designer items at prices that aren’t necessarily cheap, but highly competitive when compared to the item’s original value.

Flea Markets

Next, you may want to check out local flea markets and vintage fairs. The prices will vary heavily from location to location, but you can often discover vendors who specialize in vintage clothing at these venues. And quite often, they’ll have a curated selection of suits to browse.

Online Deals

Beyond in-person shopping, some of the best deals on second-hand suits can be found online. Digital marketplaces specializing in used goods are ideal. eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, Vinted, and The RealReal are all excellent places to look.

All of the aforementioned stores and marketplaces will undoubtedly have a wide variety of old suits worth your while. But now the question is, what exactly should you be looking for?

No one wants to end up with a dud. Just because something is “vintage” or used doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good, after all.

How to Spot Quality Tailoring

So, you’ve found an outlet filled to the brim with vintage suits. There’s a ton to choose from. Different cuts, colors, and configurations. How do you determine what’s worth getting?

A good place to start is by prioritizing natural fabrics. You can almost always learn a suit’s fabric composition by studying the tag found inside one of the inner breast pockets. Sometimes, this information can be found on a label sewn into the lining itself.

The majority of suits are made from some form of wool or another, most often worsted wool, which leans formal and business-forward. These suits are usually dark and smooth, but made from wool, nonetheless.

Other wool suits may lean more casual, such as one made from more rugged fabrics like tweed. While not always a definite no-no, try to avoid wool-blend suits. They tend to be poorer quality, at least as a rule of thumb.

Beyond just the fabric, you want a garment with quality construction, as well. A suit is meant to be a multi-layered garment, with clean stitching along any visible seams and a body that drapes well.

Basically, avoid suits that seem suspiciously thin or floppy in the jacket. While unstructured, unlined jackets may intentionally share these characteristics, you don’t want them in a lined, structured coat. It’s a sign that what you’re holding is poorly-produced junk.

One of the reasons vintage suiting is so attractive is that they often sport flattering features less commonly found on the contemporary suits of today (and the last 15-20 years).

Trousers with a higher rise, fuller cuts through the leg and jacket, generous lapel rolls, double-breasted enclosures, peak lapels, lower buttoning points, genuine horn buttons (these will be cool to the touch) and unique patterns and textures are all details that you’re more likely to spot on a quality vintage garment.

There should be an element of dynamism to its overall look. Cheap, modern suits often look too flat. The best tailoring of yesteryear is anything but. It has shape. It drapes. The fabric moves with you.

How Should A Suit Fit + What Can You Get Tailored?

Rarely will a suit fit you absolutely perfectly right off the rack. This is true regardless if you’re shopping new, vintage, or second-hand. However, while shopping for your next suit, it’s important to understand what needs to fit you off-the-bat and what you can get tailored with ease.

The most important aspect of fit is in the shoulders of the jacket.

If this is too tight or too large, there’s not much you can do to get it fixed. Usually, shoulder size is related to chest size, which while also important, can usually be taken in an inch or two, and sometimes let out a drop, too.

Jacket length is also highly crucial. Ideally, a jacket should cover about two thirds of your rear end. If the jacket is double-breasted, sometimes it can be a little bit longer, but not by much.

Some jacket lengths can technically be hemmed, but rarely is it cost effective. It also tends to risk throwing off the proportions as they relate to the jacket’s pockets. Basically, make sure the length works, too.

Pants can be a bit more flexible.

In the waist, you can almost always get it taken in a couple of inches. If you need it to be let out, first study the center back of the waist seam to determine if there’s any fabric there to allow for this alteration. With quality tailoring, there usually is.

The same goes for the fit of the seat. There will likely be a bit of fabric along the inner seam to loosen things up.

Pant length can always be shortened, but it can only be lengthened by the amount of fabric allowance in the existing hem.

These things can be relatively simple to determine when shopping in-person at a thrift store or flea market. But what if you’re online? That’s where you need to know your exact measurements.

First, buy some measuring tape. If you have a well-fitting suit already, lay it down flat and be sure to record the following measurements: shoulder-to-shoulder, pit-to-pit, bottom of back collar seam to the bottom of the jacket’s hem, waist, and leg inseam (crotch to pant hem).

Knowing these measurements will help you tremendously. While going off of your jacket size is a good start, knowing if the fit will be just right before you can try the garment on in-person will allow you to shop online with ease and confidence.

Often, the seller will list the garment’s measurements. If not, you can always ask! Either way, it’ll ensure you get the right fit and open up more options to you.

Sufficiently Suited!

We hope this guide has been helpful!

While you can definitely find great suits being produced today, the price barrier might seem a bit steep for many people. That’s why second-hand and vintage shopping is such an excellent resource. It’ll help you scale your style game while being relatively easy on the wallet.

Now, with this vital knowledge in hand, you’ll likely have an easier time finding your next suiting grail! Happy hunting!

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