Second-hand jeans are one of the best deals in fashion. They're already broken in, often better made than new pairs at the same price, and buying them keeps good denim out of landfill.
Where to look
- Charity shops: cheap and full of surprises. Try those in well-off areas for premium brands.
- Vintage shops: curated and pricier, but good for specific eras and styles
- Online resale apps: huge choice; search by brand, size and fit
- Car boot sales and markets: bargains for the patient
Sizing: ignore the label, measure
Vintage sizes don't match modern ones, and jeans may have shrunk or stretched. Measure the waist (laid flat, then doubled), the rise and the inside leg, and compare with a pair you love. See how to measure inside leg.
Your damage checklist
- Crotch: hold it up to the light. Thin fabric means a hole is coming.
- Inside leg seams: look for splitting stitches.
- Back pocket corners and belt loops
- Zip and button: do they work and stay closed?
- Pocket bags: push a finger into the bottom of each front pocket.
- Hems: frayed or dragged hems are easy to fix, so just factor in the cost.
Don't walk away from fixable damage
A small flaw is often why great jeans end up cheap. Crotch holes, broken zips, missing buttons, holey pockets and the wrong length are all routine repairs. Treat the repair as part of the price. A great vintage pair plus a fix is usually still far cheaper than new. A denim specialist (such as Repair My Denim, which works by post) can tell you from a photo what's fixable.