When I travel, there are precisely two kinds of souvenirs I bring along: The first is earrings - I have a weakness for handmade earrings from little boutique shops - the second is second-hand clothes. I love browsing thrift shops in a strange city for the one perfect souvenir, seeing what people wear and what they give away!
That's how I scored a green and gold silk dress I wore to a friend's wedding and that has even been worn by Taylor Swift(I'm not joking!)Or how I found the patterned yellow dress in Amsterdam that has been made in Tokyo originally. Or how I bought a brand new Samsøe & Samsøe top in Prague…
Because I know my way around Prague best when it comes to second-hand shopping, I want to show you my favorite second-hand stores in the Czech capital today. They are all worth a visit!
My favorite thrift shops in Prague
Naty Šaty
Little corner shop in my old hood Karlín. They often have great costumes, coats, or 50s petticoat dresses.
Sokolovská 467/114, Karlín
Textile House
It is somewhat more of a typical second-hand shop. Still, you can discover unusual pieces if you have a little patience.
Second Hand Krejcovství
A somewhat untidy second-hand shop, for which you should bring some time - but it's worth it!
Thrift Store
Located in the hipster and expat district of Vinohrady, often has branded clothing on offer.
Budečská 893/13, Vinohrady
JakoTy Second Hand
Another store in stylish Karlín. A bit more expensive, but many clothes are unworn and from good brands!
39, Sokolovská 222, Karlín
Fifty-fifty
Tiny but cute second-hand shop with great skirts, dresses, and hipster clothing.
Slezská 884/28, Vinohrady
Aktivitäten und Führungen in Prag
At the beginning, thrift shopping was sometimes frustrating for me. I bought clothes that didn't fit my wardrobe or in colors that didn't suit me. Just because it was so cheap! And in the end, it ended up at the next second-hand shop.
With time, I learned to approach the "hunt" more purposefully. I find it so much more exciting and creative to discover things that nobody else wears than simply take something off the shelf. No I would always prefer a thrift shop to a fast fashion store.
Sure, second hand is not an option for everyone, and I understand that. For me personally, it's a better way than completely stocking up my wardrobe with green fashion. First of all, I find it expensive and secondly a new piece of clothing is still a new piece of clothing, whether it has been produced more ecologically or not.
That being said: Let's shop more second-hand clothing!
By the way, on all photos in this post, I wear only second-hand clothes!
My tips for second-hand shopping
One in, one out
The sense and purpose of second-hand clothing are not to accumulate a lot of things. That's why I always try to throw out an old one for a purchased item. I am not very strict about this, but once a year, the wardrobe is cleaned out.
Cheap can also be expensive
For example, when clothes that don't really fit well, you don't like a hundred percent or that don't match anything in your wardrobe land in your shopping basket. Then it can actually become more expensive than putting a fair-fashion item in the shopping basket. So always check your motivation: Do I want it because it's cool or because it's cheap?
The quality must be right
Especially in chaotic second-hand shops you often find clothes from H&M or even Primark – for five to ten euros. That sounds cheap at first but the fabrics are not very durable and you won't wear the pieces for a long time.
So I'm always looking for high-quality pieces - some are such a good deal that I even buy them if they don't fit one hundred percent. I then take them to the tailor. And if I don't know a brand, a quick Google search for average prices and quality helps!
Header picture: Lauren Fleischmann on Unsplash