Amplify Your Profits
Learn to identify, date, and sell vintage clothing. Vintage is defined as 20+ years old, making anything pre-2005 technically vintage today.
Metal zippers, no care labels (pre-1971), union tags, metal buttons, hand-finished details. Very valuable but rare at thrifts.
Early plastic zippers appear, mod styles, A-line dresses, bold prints. "Made in USA" common. Look for Talon or Coats & Clark zippers.
Care labels required after 1971 (use for dating!). Polyester boom, earth tones, bell bottoms. RN/WPL numbers help date pieces.
Bold colors, power shoulders, synthetic fabrics. Country of origin required on labels. Designer logos become prominent.
Minimalism, grunge, oversized fits. Currently very hot market. Look for single stitch tees, vintage band shirts, early streetwear.
Low-rise, butterfly clips, bedazzled everything, velour tracksuits. Currently trending with Gen-Z buyers.
💡 Pro Tip: The shirt tag alone isn't definitive. Use multiple indicators together: tag style + country of origin + care label + construction details.
| Category | What to Look For | Value Range |
|---|---|---|
| Band Tees | Single stitch, 70s-90s tours, bootleg concert shirts | $50-$5,000+ |
| Movie/TV Promo | Cast & crew shirts, premiere events, vintage promos | $30-$500+ |
| Sports (Vintage) | Starter jackets, old logos, defunct teams | $50-$400+ |
| Designer (80s-90s) | Versace, Moschino, vintage Chanel, YSL | $100-$2,000+ |
| Workwear | Vintage Carhartt, Lee, Dickies, denim chore coats | $40-$300+ |
| Military | M-65 jackets, flight jackets, camo patterns | $50-$500+ |
| Levi's | Big E, 501 redlines, vintage 505s, trucker jackets | $100-$1,000+ |
💡 Golden Rule: The more rural/suburban the thrift, the less picked-over. Urban thrifts near colleges are competitive; suburban thrifts 30 min out are goldmines.