The vintage kilo sale is back! We mourned its enforced hibernation, but now we can finally rejoice at its re-emergence, bigger, better, brillianter! We all used to wonder back in the noughties how some people had that knack of being one step ahead of the crowd by putting down their marker with yet another fresh piece, trailblazing their way across whichever shade was that week’s must-have hue. And all this on a budget. Well, maybe it is time you got up (unfortunately this is part of the trick) and joined them at their own game, now the kilo sale is firmly back with us once more. Yes, my friend, the vintage kilo sale has re-emerged and it’s time to wake up and smell the (freshly laundered) rails!
What is a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale?
- The clue to this answer is in the name! With a vintage kilo sale, you purchase your choices by weight, not as individually pre-priced items which steadily mount up at the checkout to a final total.
- Most vintage kilo sales are set up in readily accessible locations, such as a community centre, hub, or indoor space, and comprise of a multitude of clothes rails where the seller can display their eclectic vintage goodies for customers to browse and buy.
- And this is exactly where you may well come across one or more of those legendary steals we vintage fans simply adore! Added bonus: there is a mirror to hand, so sizing, fitting and styling can be established right there and then. With no refunds available, this is a vital element of your kilo sale experience.
- The current cost of a kilo of clothing stock is around £15/£20, and if you hit upon the perfect vintage kilo sale in your area, you may well exit with a spring in your step and a bargain or two in your tote bag.
- A vintage clothing kilo sale provides an amazing opportunity to link up with other people, who like yourself, favour the sustainable way of dressing. If you’re looking to network in this scene and build contacts, here’s your opportunity to meet buyers and sellers all in one place!
How Does a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale Work?
- Most vintage kilo sales have free admission and you just turn up unannounced, but some will be ticketed with either free admission or a very low admin charge. Tickets can mostly be ordered online, or picked up at the venue, but again, check the admissions policy for your chosen event.
- Upon arrival at a kilo sale, chances are you will be handed a large bag to fill with the goodies you wish to buy; of course, you are more than welcome to bring your own PYO (pick your own) receptacles. There is generally no limit to the number of kilos you can purchase, so the more carriers you have with you, the more stock you will be able to take home!
- Most kilo sale events have the one feature which online shopping cannot offer, namely a try it on space! There should be areas with mirrors and curtains designated for trying clothes on. Even if you’re not feeling up to trying clothes on, at the very least you will be able to hold the items against yourself and gauge the fit that way.
- Once you’ve finished browsing all the stock on offer and choosing your items, you will need to take your bag(s) to the checkout area where it will be weighed in order to calculate the price – typically, prices are currently £15–£20 per kilo (as mentioned above)
- Most sellers accept bank card transactions and Apple Pay as well as cash; instalment payment methods, such as Klarna and Clearpay are generally not accepted at a vintage clothing kilo sale.
Is a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale Worth it?
- If you love vintage clothing, then a local vintage kilo sale is definitely worth signing up for, as you may stumble across a piece you love going for a fraction of its online price. Even if vintage is not really your thing (yet), you can still enjoy rummaging through thousands of items up for sale to see if there is something for you to start your vintage journey.
- A vintage kilo sale is the perfect starting point if you are considering dipping your toe into the second hand clothes market by becoming a reseller yourself. For a reasonable starter cost, you can source items from a kilo sale and go your own way. See if you too can develop a selling platform for yourself!
- To get an idea of value, a t-shirt usually weighs about 200g, so this would make each one £3–4, whereas a sweatshirt is ca. 600g and so would cost you £8–9 each. So, yes, it’s worth it!
- Just bear in mind though, that the locality of the vintage kilo sale is something you need to factor in, so we do recommend looking for a local one to avoid bumping up your costs with travel charges to reach a far-away sale.
How Can I prepare For a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale?
- So, with the price per kilo charging model in operation, it is absolutely vital you have familiarised yourself in advance with what weights how much.
- We suggest you use your household scales to pop some of your clothes on and see what they each weigh. You’ll quickly pick up an idea and realise the weight of the cloth itself has an effect, so this does need to be factored in when you are handling different fabrics.
- Based on this weight-based shopping bonanza coming your way at a vintage kilo sale, we’re gonna prepare you with a lil game of ‘Guess the Weight of the Wear’. Have a look at these vintage garms, without looking at the weight in kg (below the image), and guess what you think the weight of each one is:
815g!
How many did ya get right? Full house? Pair? Zilch!!
Top Tips For Attending a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale
- TURN UP EARLY! That’s the sure-fire way to gain first dibs on the carefully displayed treasures, thus increasing your chance of bagging a steal.
- BRING YOUR OWN BAG(S)! This probably does not need listing, as we are all fully accustomed to having a nifty bag up our sleeve these days, but double-check before you set off to avoid paying for an extra one at the sale.
- HOLD YOUR OWN! There will be many other vintage fans, like your good self, trying to unearth those gems hanging tantalisingly among the rails, so don’t mind being a tad forthright in order to secure the pieces you want. No aggro or vintage bags at dawn, of course!
- DRESS FOR THE OCCASION! Wear something close fitting, such as leggings or shorts and a tee, so you can try items on over your clothes and still see if they really do fit. Wearing a pair of easy to slip on and off shoes will also make your visit so much easier, if it is bottoms you are on the hunt for.
- WEIGH AS YOU GO! Make sure you have prepared yourself with our weight game above, and then use the scales dotted around the sale, to keep an eye on your spending as you travel around the venue.
What Can I Buy at a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale?
The items on offer at any given vintage kilo sale will depend entirely on who is hosting the event. On the whole, vintage clothing sales usually carry a huge array of stock from 70s leather jackets through to 00s Nike, Reebok and Adidas sportswear, with everything else in between. Here is a list of items you can expect to come across at a vintage clothing kilo sale:
- Hoodies and Sweatshirts
- Knitwear
- T-Shirts and Polos
- Blouses
- Flannel Shirts
- Tracksuit Tops
- Windbreakers
- Jackets (denim, leather, sheepskin, etc.)
- Dresses
- Shorts
- Jeans
- Trousers
- Trackies
- Shoes
- Bum bags
When Did Vintage Clothing Kilo Sales Start?
Before the pandemic, there was a vibrant scene of, drum roll, please, real people getting up and getting out to local marketplaces and pop-up sale sites to communicate and trade with other real people dealing in second hand apparel. Steals were all the rage and widely available back in the early 00s, if the buyer had enough determination coupled with energy to rise early and beat their fellow hunters at the ‘tracking down a steal’ game. Ah, those were the days.
But, hey, we are in 2022, and although the real-time real-life second hand scene is not fully back to its former glory, there is an impressive and ever-growing offering of these worn again vintage pre-loved clothing kilo sales.
Does a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale Support Sustainable Shopping?
We cannot pretend that every kilo vintage clothing sale will provide a sustainable ethical choice of items on their rails, but we can promise that the Domno Vintage one will contain the style of items we have on our website, which are sustainably sourced and pre-loved, chiefly from the 90s and 00s eras. So, make sure you check out the seller before signing up to or turning up at a vintage kilo sale, to make sure their clothes are both sustainable and have the style you love to rep. However on the whole, a vintage kilo sale will stock sustainable goods.
Is a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale Better Than A Charity Shop?
Overall yes we would say so due to the price and the higher chance of finding a great item as well as the thrill of the thrift experience you get with a kilo sale. However, the joy of second hand vintage kilo sales is that they are not there as a competition among sellers and outlets, as everyone is working towards the common goal: selling pre-loved clothes to help lower the environmental impact of the new, new, new which relentlessly fills our High Street retail shelves. A vintage clothing kilo sale provides a one-off or regular opportunity to choose from among a large collection of vintage clothing and accessory stock, all gathered together at a pre-ordained location and time.
How Do I Find a Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale?
There are many sellers who host vintage clothing kilo sales, listed below, but we really recommend browsing on eventbrite.com or just doing a google search for ‘vintage kilo sales near me’ should do the trick, but to whet your appetite, here are the big kilo sales currently back in the game:
Once you've found one near you:
- Each vintage kilo sale will be publicised in advance to give potential buyers all the necessary details, as it establishes itself as an event. Info should include the date of the sale, the opening and closing times, the venue, any relevant public transport info and the type of stock to be sold. Once discovered online or locally, your first port of call is straight to the seller’s website to check out the type of stock they have on their rails.
- Once you have checked and verified the details for your selected vintage clothing kilo sale for yourself, the next step is to present yourself there! Note of caution here: the early bird really does catch the worm in the world of the kilo sale! Doors typically open at nine or ten in the morning and sales often run all day, but again, as with all things vintage, the kilo sale is a matter of uniqueness, so we would be loathe to send out dogmatic opening and closing times to y’all! Please run your own check.
Conclusion/Takeaway
We know we often rave about the ease of the Click, Cop, Keep model of sustainable shopping, as facilitated by online vintage shopping, but the vintage clothing kilo sale, eradicates that age-old issue of ‘But will it actually fit me?’ Finally, you have the perfect hybrid experience by way of the old-fashioned try it on first, set against the modern love of sustainable vintage clothing, as generally purchased online only. The re-emergence of the much loved vintage kilo clothing sale, once again, gives you the perfect opportunity to finally See it, Try it, Buy it.
- Follow our socials to be the first to hear what’s happening
- Tap here to check out our latest drop of vintage heaters from the 90s–00s