What Does a Vintage Obsessive Even Buy New?

The four contemporary fashion brands I supported in 2025

All secondhand, with one exception

Every time I find myself looking at new clothes, it almost inevitably ends with me feeling an increasing sense of dread and disgust before walking away. The contemporary clothing world is a hellscape of plastic fibers, dismal garment construction, and disposable design. I know I can find a better (and cheaper) version of almost anything on Ebay or in a thrift store or an estate sale, so it’s a rare occasion that I ever buy anything brand new.

Spending so much time obsessing over incredibly well-made vintage garments means I know exactly what good clothes look like. So if I am buying it new, it has to be really good. On top of quality, I’m also not looking to support shady brands with weird business practices and psychotic billionaire owners, and my budget is firmly in the camp of “filter price: lowest to highest” on Poshmark. My options are limited!

If you’re looking to take advantage of the endless “deals” (often questionable) and offers this weekend, here are the very few brands that I actually love and recommend.

Kotn

Kotn is donating 100% of this weekend’s sales to the ABCs Project, which funds the buildout and operations of schools in the brand’s farming communities in Egypt. As a thank you for supporting their mission, all weekend shoppers will receive a $50 gift card for a future purchase.

I gave up fast fashion years ago. The more I learned about clothing and the realities of the industry, the easier it was to walk away. But the hardest thing to give up? Uniqlo. I just couldn’t find any alternatives for well-made, affordable basics until I found Kotn.

Kotn isn’t as cheap as Uniqlo, but it’s entirely worth the price bump for their ethical brand practices, transparent supply chain, and quality clothing. Their offering is almost entirely natural fibers, with a focus (as their name indicates) on my favorite fiber to wear: cotton.

I have my eye on:

3/4 Sleeve Boatneck Top, 100% cotton, $48

Rib Zip Hoodie, 100% cotton, $148

Crew Neck Cardigan, 95% cotton 5% spandex, $68

90’s Turtleneck, 100% wool, $168

Cozy Zip Hoodie, 100% cotton, $118

Essential Hoodie in Delta, 100% cotton (95% cotton, 5% elastane rib), $108

I have and love the Racer Tank and the Highland Sweater Socks - I’m wearing them right now! The rest of my Kotn purchases are styles that aren’t available anymore, but everything I’ve gotten has held up well to wearing and washing. I haven’t worn sweatpants since college, but a pair of wide leg cotton sweatpants I purchased from Kotn last winter has converted me back in adulthood. The exact shape isn’t on their site anymore, but the Essential Straight Sweatpants look like a great alternative.

A note: there are occasionally wonky details I have noticed in certain Kotn pieces. I love the striped version of this cardigan, but I don’t like how the buttons “disappear” halfway down due to the alignment on this particular colorway. I tried on this lovely cotton crewneck sweater in store, I loved the weight and texture but (again with the stripes) I was bothered by the way the lines warped at the neckline.

Miista

Sale items are up to 40% off, with an additional 10% off code for Black Friday

I love vintage shoes.

I do not love being 5’5 with size 10 feet :(

Shoes are one of the few categories where shopping secondhand is particularly difficult, even more so if you have big feet. Living in New York means my shoes have to be practical and sturdy, but comfortable enough to take me all over town over concrete, cobblestones, and mysterious puddles. Of course, they also have to be cute.

My husband bought me Miista’s Yumi Boots in Brown Brush-off Leather for my birthday - they’re the perfect brown-black shade and are the exact shaft height I’ve been hunting forever. They were comfortable enough for several miles of wear right out of the box, but have continued to soften and mold to my leg with more wear. I also considered the Maple Boots in Navy Brushed Leather, but decided that the blue wouldn’t be as easy to wear.

A few other styles I really love: the Kristi Mules (in Burgundy Polished Leather or Toffee Crinkle Leather), the Prudence Sneakers, and the Mariela Boots.

Everybody World

I’m a certified t-shirt girl, and I’ve tried a lot of tees. I wear a t-shirt 90% of the time I’m in my house (which is a lot), and they’re all one of three options: a vintage tee, a merch tee, or a perfect cotton blank from Everybody World. My husband and I have multiple versions of their Trash Tees, which are made of 100% reclaimed waste cotton.

My two biggest issues with plain white t-shirts were that I wanted a slightly different fit and length for different outfits, and that sometimes a white tee is just too white. Both problems were solved with Everybody World. Their tees come in a classic pure White and the shade “Scour,” the perfect creamy off-white that I actually find myself reaching for more often. My favorites are the Baby Trash Tee and the Boxier Trash Tee - both styles are cropped, giving me the relaxed fit of a classic men’s t-shirt but with a cropped hem that lends itself to styling options my full length vintage tees don’t. I have my eye on the Tailored Trash Tee for my next order.

My husband also has the Tubular Pants and the Trash Zip-Up Hoodie, both of which he really likes and have stood up very well to wearing and washing.

CUUP

25% off sitewide

The CUUP modal bikini is the only underwear I own. I gradually transitioned my entire underwear drawer to CUUP several years ago and never looked back. As much as I would love to wear 100% cotton undies, I just don’t like the way they look or feel. CUUP uses modal (with a rayon bamboo gusset) which is a semi-synthetic made of tree cellulose that’s texturally similar to silk but performs a lot like cotton. The flexible fit means I can have them sit higher on the hip, and the slinky material has a smooth look that doesn’t ride or bunch.

A note here: as much as I love CUUP’s underwear, I hate their bras! I’ve tried a few different styles and returned them all. I bought one CUUP balconette style swimsuit on final sale. Despite being branded as a bra company, I’ve never seen a bikini smash my boobs quite like this one did. Do not recommend.

All of the items linked here are being shared through my ShopMy, meaning I receive a small commission for some of the sales made through this newsletter.