Manchester’s Northern Quarter is home to many of the cities best vintage shops and charity shops. Whether you’re just looking for a good bargain or trying to reduce your carbon footprint whilst remaining a style icon, our guide to the best thrifting in Manchester has you covered. However, don’t forget to check out the many charity and thrift stores lining the streets of Withington and Didsbury too!
Bare Necessities
With endless rails packed with chunky knits, high quality denim, and leather pieces, Bare Necessities feels like a never-ending dream for the vintage lovers. Whether you’re a 2000s stan or long for the 70s, Bare Necessities has you covered. With a range of affordable and designer pieces, they have something for everyone. Located on Oxford Road, between UoM campus and MMU, it’s the perfect place for a post-lecture shopping spree without having to endure the nightmarish 142 bus to town. Skip the library and find yourself a new fit for the pub instead.
Blue Rinse Vintage
Located in the heart of the Northern Quarter on Oldham street, Blue Rinse has an extensive array of vintage denim, jumpers, dresses and jackets waiting to be given a new home in sunny Fallowfield. Looking for something extra unique? Make sure to keep an eye out for their reworked pieces and jazzy accessories. Don’t forget to check out their kilo sale located around the back of the store for an extra good bargain if you’re feeling the constraints of a student budget.
Cow Vintage
Cow Vintage takes the digging out of thrifting with their satisfyingly colour-coded rails and curated stock. All that time saved from not having to rummage could even be spent studying…or not. Spread across two floors, they have a great range of clothes, from your classic vintage jumpers to skirts, dresses, funky jackets, and accessories. Some of my best thrifted finds have been from Cow, especially during their sales (which are well worth the bus ride to town for). Located a few doors down from Blue Rinse and many other vintage stores, be sure to add Cow to your next thrifting trip list.
Oxfam Originals
Thrifting on a budget? No worries, Oldham street’s Oxfam Originals bridges the gap between charity shop prices and vintage shop stock. Although slightly higher priced than your typical charity shop, the stock in Oxfam originals is much nicer and more stylised. Definitely don’t miss out on this gem, their jackets are a steal! Similarly, British Heart Foundation in Piccadilly Gardens is another great spot to avoid spending so much you have to live on a diet of baked beans all week.
Pop boutique
Also located on Oldham Street, Pop Boutique is a go-to place for a new vintage jacket. It’s also located next door to a cracking independent café so you can really go all out and treat yourself! Alongside their extensive jacket collection, they have a great range of jumpers and a selection of unique reworked pieces. Of course, don’t forgot to check out their funky sunglasses and belts for the perfect eye-catching detail to wow your mates the next time you turn up for a lecture.
Suzy Loves Milo
Curated and fantastically unique are the words that come to mind when entering Suzy Loves Milo. Located off the main drag, down Spear Street, this hidden gem is well worth exploring. If you’re in the market for some designer and high-quality pieces this is the place for you, and they have a great selection of sunglasses and jewellery to top of your one-of-a-kind look. It’s well known for its unique pieces – even Olivia Rodrigo has been spotted there! However, be warned, this place is likely to put a significant dent in your student loan.
Beg Steal & Borrow
No, this isn’t an instruction on how to procure cheap clothes, it’s the name of a whimsical concept store in the wondrous Affleck’s palace. Beg Steal & Borrow is perfect if you have clothes in your wardrobe that you don’t wear, as they exchange gently used funky clothes for a gift-card, which is a much cheaper way to switch up your style.
Erin Taylor-Thomas, owner of Beg Steal & Borrow explained to The Mancunion, “We’re here to offer a fun and accessible alternative to the fast fashion frenzy. Our trade-in system isn’t just about swapping clothes – it’s about saying no to the throwaway culture that’s become all too familiar, and sharing clothes within the community of fashion lovers”. Everything is super affordable too, and you can even have a browse online if you don’t feel like leaving your bed.
A last honourable mention is Vintage Folk, a vintage warehouse sale that regularly takes over the exhibition space in the Students’ Union building – although it’s likely that you’ve probably spotted it already on your way to uni!
Happy thrifting!
