My five current favourite Etsy clothes shops


I've bought some lovely pieces off Etsy over the past 12 months, so I thought I'd share my five favourite Etsy clothes shops with you. These are all shops I look at regularly, because I know they have great stock, in a good choice of sizes, and they're not massively expensive – though everyone has a different definition of expensive, and I'm lucky enough to have a full-time job; you might feel differently. Being fuller of figure, as much as I love a chazza bargain I'd spend a lot of time naked if I didn't fill in with stuff from vintage dealers or modern manufacturers. I've stated what I've bought from each one not to be boastful, but to reassure you that I do put my money where my mouth is – I've bought from them as a regular punter and had good experiences.


I should mention that these shops are all in the US, which might put you off if you're worried about customs charges for bringing things into the UK. I've only had to pay customs charges a few times, and at a UK size 18, given the greater choice of vintage garments from the US and the generally lower prices, I'm prepared to risk it. If you're slimmer, you might have more options from UK sellers and prefer not to import. (You'll probably have a better choice of charity shop buys too.) And no, I'm not getting anything from any of these shops for this piece, I just think they're really good and you might like them too.

Stutterinmama
Really nice items, including a good supply of separates, AND items are divided by waist size. Having been very slender as a young'un, I appreciate that when you're thin, buying something a little bit large isn't necessarily a problem as you can get it taken in, or even just pop a belt on. I'd cheerfully wear things that were a bit baggy back when I was a size 8. However, when you are plus-size, it gets really dispiriting clicking through item after item and finding they're all too small. With this shop, you can go straight to what you're looking for, without having to see lots of things that aren't for you. This is where I got my coral, full-skirted, broderie anglais dress.

Maeberry Vintage
No dividing by size, but size descriptions are included in the item names on this site, which saves a lot of time as you can just hover your mouse over the description to see if it's worth investigating the item further. My most recent buy here is a perfect grey wool late 1950s/early 1950s dress with 3/4 sleeves and a pencil skirt – if you ever read Marija's 'Burda Wednesday' posts, as soon as I saw it I thought, “That's a definite Burda Wednesday number.”

Soulrust
A more eclectic selection of clothing, with some nice 1960s stock. My last purchase here was a cream Printzess 'Cooltimer' skirt suit. Take a look at a few of the items in the size band you think is yours and compare them to what you know your own measurements are, as that will give you a clue which set to browse – while I'm usually an XXL for Etsy purposes, I can get into items in Soulrust's L/XL band.

Dethrose
Dethrose neither divides by size nor mentions size in the item descriptions, which is usually the first thing to turn me off a shop. However, the stock is so attractive, I make an exception for this one, though I don't browse it as often as the others I've mentioned. It's where I got my 1960s 'Top Modes' sundress. I keep an eye on the Instagram feed, as sizes of garments are usually mentioned when pictured there, and I've learned to judge from the way things hang on the model (who is also the shop owner) in the thumbnails whether it's worth taking a closer look at a garment. Also, if you follow the Instagram feed you get to see lots of photos of Smokey the cat, who is just gorgeous. (There will never be too many cats on the internet for me...)

Simplicity Is Bliss
Like Dethrose, this shop is one that I follow on Instagram as the sizes are never mentioned in the item descriptions but they often are stated on Instagram. I got a caramel/chocolate print rayon wiggle dress from here - it was a steal in a sale.

Have you got some favourite Etsy shops?

Comments

  1. How exciting! I always love new shops to explore. Not that I need any more clothes-ever, but you know how that goes.

    I have had good luck with Screaming Rags
    https://www.etsy.com/shop/ScreamingRags?ref=listing-shop-header-item-count

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    1. Oooh, ta for that! I'm always looking out for new shops.

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  2. Thank you for shopping my store and your kind inclusion in this list! -Soulrust

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    1. No problem! Thank you for running a great shop!

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  3. What great shops. I have never bought anything from Etsy. I am always put off by the postal charges. I do like eBay and used to buy a lot from there. Thinking about it maybe there are less larger vintage sizes in the UK due to rationing? I have found some nice 60/70's garments but not much before then. Xx

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    1. I've never bought from eBay, I think the number of horror stories have put me off. But I should probably give it a go, there's some decent stuff on there.

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    2. I buy most of my clothes from there. Some vintage but mostly just bog standard 2nd hand. I have only once in years had an issue and they refunded me with no problem.
      I buy any amount of stuff from there in fact.

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    3. http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/pretty_somethings/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

      I use her quite often, she has a mix of older stuff and presnet day but quirky, which I like, and in bigger sizes too.

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  4. My favourite shops closed down! Gah. But I now like Bird Girl Vintage who sell via Ebay, they're based in North Wales. I will be sure to have a look through those links, thanks for sharing! x

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    1. Oooh, ta for the heads up. She's got some nice stuff.

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  5. Fab post and some new Etsy stores to explore, yeah! I do love Dethrose and often have a few of their pieces on my wish list, although I am yet to buy anything from them.

    My favourites, however, have to be Very Vintage Store, who I've bought from several times, Sartorial Matters, who is based in Edinburgh, is quite reasonably priced, and has a huge turnover of stock so you've got to be quick and Wildfell Hall Vintage who stock some really gorgeous 1930s and 40s pieces. But I also shouldn't forget the fabulous Mrs Depew for her massive range of vintage patterns that you can draft at home to your size.

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    1. Oh, excellent - I'd never have found those on my own as they don't include sizes in their descriptions, and I always include a size in my searches.

      Ha, I cannot sew! Probably a good job; the house is full of yarn so I doubt there'd be any extra room for fabric. Let alone the time to make anything. Still, my knit-fu is starting to return.

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    2. I have only bought clothes on Etsy a couple of times, I tend to buy on Ebay despite the disasters!
      Being an odd shape as well as plus sized I too would be naked most of the time if not for the High Street, repro and Ebay.

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  6. I've never bought anything from Etsy, but you have obviously had great success with these sellers, and it's good to use your knowledge to make recommendations.
    I don't mind buying from Ebay, although some sellers are terribly lazy and don't include measurements. You can always send them a message requesting more info, of course, and the regular sellers with shops usually do include them. xx

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  7. Hello dear Mim.
    I hope everything is OK at Robot-house. :)
    The wonderful shops you've featured here are yet to be checked in detail; but even when I check them I can not shop in them. One: due to the fact that, no matter the prices the shipping is a devil (pardon me).. Two: you do know I'm trying to reconstruct a house and move in my autumn.. so all my hard-earned cash goes to electrician's and plumber's pockets. :)

    Say, Mim.. how about a recipe post? I have seen some delicious looking things on your dinner plate; and you could share the ideas..

    Marija

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  8. Interesting, thanks. I'm afraid customs and handling fees, and the ridiculous cost of postage from America have put me off buying there now.
    Ever since the £36 hat I bought. Pity, I used to buy a lot of fabric from the US and even with postage it was still cheaper than here, not any more.
    Also what I find with larger sizes is how frequently they are hideous beyond belief. The attitude of well, you are bigger or have a large bust or whatever so all you are fit to wear is the ugliest thing we could think of making!

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  9. https://www.etsy.com/shop/Mrsdepew

    https://www.etsy.com/shop/EmbonpointVintage

    For any sewers out there



    https://www.etsy.com/shop/PoppycockVintage

    And for hat fans...I love me a nice hat! Pity is rains and blows a gale so much where I am : (

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  10. Terrific rounup! Some of my favourite stores not mentioned here are Dear Golden, Dalena Vintage, Maejean Vintage (for amazing vintage and antique jewelry), Small Earth Vintage, and Voyeur Vintage, but there are so many amazing sellers there that the list can go on for ages!

    ♥ Jessica

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