Second-hand is first choice, as nearly 9 in 10 Brits prefer vintage over fast fashion

• Whatnot, leading livestream shopping platform, uncovers Brits most iconic vintage fashion items to celebrate launch of men and women’s vintage fashion categories in the UK

• Levi 501 jeans are the most desirable item (45 percent) followed by the classic Ralph Lauren polo shirt (25 percent) and Chanel little black dress (23 percent)

• Nearly 9 in 10 of Brits (89 percent) favour investment pieces over fast fashion 

New research reveals Brits are shunning new and opting instead for second-hand. There is a clear passion for timeless fashion, with 99 percent agreeing that fashion comes back around and 70 percent of Brits admitting to regularly shopping vintage or secondhand, rising to 84 percent among 18 to 28 year olds.

In fact, over a third (35 percent) say they are making more effort to buy sustainable clothing now compared to five years ago – with 30 percent stating they now ONLY buy sustainable clothes, rising to 43 percent of under 29-year-olds.

Gen Z, in particular, values long-lasting, quality items, with 89% favouring investment pieces over fast fashion. Shoppers are also willing to pay an additional £165 for clothing that stands the test of time.

Whatnot, the leading livestream shopping platform across UK, Europe, and North America, which is celebrating the recent launch of its men and women’s vintage fashion categories, asked Brits to name the most desirable fashion item of all time, with the iconic Levi 501 jeans topping the list with almost half (45 percent) of the votes.

Next on the top 30 list is the classic Ralph Lauren polo shirt (25 percent), followed by Chanel’s timeless little black dress (23 percent) Converse All Stars (20 percent), Levi’s denim jackets (20 percent) and Ray Ban aviators (18 percent) are also considered among the most iconic fashion items ever, along with Nike Air Max 90s (18 percent), and cherry red Doc Martens (15 percent). Some may even be shocked to find the divisive UGG boots (12 percent) and Crocs (11%) making an appearance! 

Revealing the shopping habits of the UK, over half (59 percent) enjoy vintage shopping as it’s cheaper, while a huge 93 percent agreed to finding the best bargains when second-hand shopping. On average, Brits were found to add 5 pieces to their vintage collection per month, with this figure rising to 7 per month for Gen Z. 

Over half (54 percent) love the fact they can discover unique vintage clothes, so much so that eight in ten (84 percent) regularly hunt around charity stores for a specific piece of clothing. Modern Brits are most likely (88 percent) to go thrifting with just one item of clothing on their shopping list. 

Sourcing vintage doesn’t seem to trouble Brits, with 41 percent agreeing charity shops are the place to go for an old-school outfit, followed by online marketplaces (24 percent), such as Whatnot, specialty shops (seven percent) and market stalls (six percent). ‘Hand me downs’ are also a key way to source pre-loved, with 67% of Gen Z’s regretting having thrown something away that an older person has given to them.

Daniel Fisher, UK General Manager at Whatnot, comments: “It’s clear from the research that more Brits are embracing second-hand fashion and iconic vintage pieces like Levi 501s, Ralph Lauren polo shirts and little black dresses.

“Vintage clothing offers shoppers a unique opportunity to invest in timeless pieces with history and character, which is why we’re excited to introduce Whatnot’s thriving men and women’s vintage categories to the UK market, after seeing how successful they’ve been in the US. These categories represent a more sustainable and exciting way to shop for iconic fashion items, and our sellers are experts that source incredible, hard-to-find pieces for their communities.

“We’ve designed our livestream shopping experience to make discovering and purchasing these gems fun and interactive, offering a platform where buyers can find incredible deals while supporting sustainability and style together with a community of like-minded shoppers.”

THE MOST ICONIC FASHION ITEMS OF ALL TIME, ACCORDING TO THRIFTY BRITS:

1. Levi 501 jeans – 45%

2. Ralph Lauren Polo shirt – 25%

3. Chanel little black dress – 23%

4. Levi’s denim jacket – 20%

5. Converse All Stars – 20%

6. Nike Air Max 90s – 18%

7. Ray ban Aviators – 18%

8. Bomber jacket – 15%

9. Plain white t-shirt – 15%

10. Cherry Red Doc Martens -15%

11. Green Barbour jacket – 13%

12. Mary Quant miniskirt – 13%

13. Ugg boots – 12%

14. Fred Perry polo shirts – 12%

15. Sport tops i.e.: football, basketballs shirts – 12%

16. Crocs – 11%

17. Platform shoes – 10%

18. Trench coat – 10%

19. Vans trainers – 10%

20. Louboutin high heels – 10%

21. Burberry tartan scarf – 9%

22. Adidas ‘popper’ joggers – 9%

23. Chanel tweed jacket – 9%

24. Coco Chanel suit – 9%

25. Ray-Ban Wayfarers – 9%

26. Hermes Birkin bag – 8%

27. Hunter Wellies – 8%

28. North Face fleece – 8%

29. Bucket hats – 8%

30. Tiffany and Co heart tag necklace – 8%