I didn’t realise it was possible to feel so unfashionable, even while surrounded by piles of clothes collected from a variety of the most renowned brands. It was official: I was experiencing a complete fashion crisis, but with pain almost always comes beauty… Enter Vinted, the holy grail of second-hand clothing apps. I’d, of course, heard of the app before, but to be honest, I didn’t really understand the hype. Whenever I looked over my own Vinted feed, all I saw was a jumbled assortment of random tops and skirts. But, in the spirit of second chances, I decided to give it one when I realised my wardrobe, severely lacking in originality, required some serious assistance. And so began the lasting love between myself, and Vinted.

I’m not the only one who’s hooked. Vinted is the third-largest fashion retailer in the UK, trailing just behind Primark and Next (according to Retail Week), with over 17.4 million users in the UK alone. Founded in 2008, Vinted has since exploded into a thriving business, with its HQ in Lithuania and offices situated all across Europe. Its success boasts a variety of sources: a plethora of items at your fingertips, low prices, unique, vintage pieces straight from the wardrobe of their original owners, zero fees for sellers, and the dopamine hits that come from successfully hunting down that hidden Vinted gem.

“The key is to hit the heart button as much as possible”

Moulded by years of experience, I’m here to show you how to truly make the most out of Vinted. These tips and tricks resurfaced for me recently as I attempted to recruit a sceptical friend onside. As we sat together scrolling through Vinted in our kitchen, we began to transform her feed into the clothes she actually wanted to see. The art of perfecting your dream Vinted feed is a worthwhile endeavour, and it can make or break how you feel about the app.

I’d suggest that you start by searching for your favourite brands, the type of things that you wear everyday and just see what comes up. Pinterest works beautifully alongside Vinted; I’m often found flicking between my fashion board on Pinterest and my Vinted feed, to look for things I have recently saved. As you search for brands, key words, colours and materials, the key is to hit the heart button as much as possible. Anything you remotely like, heart it. Yes, you might then receive messages from some sellers begging you to buy the item you liked, but ignore them – liking is just a key part of the Vinted curation process. Another trick is to scroll down below the item you like until you see more Member’s items and Similar items. When you find a good seller, check out their profile; you can always follow them and check for any bundle discounts – if not, just ask! Through these types of searches and likes, your Vinted algorithm should already start coming together nicely, but don’t forget that there’s more to Vinted than the clothes alone. There’s also a treasure trove of belts, jewellery and scarves waiting to be found, so keep digging!

“Just a friendly reminder to inspect those Vinted photos very carefully”

Always remember to check the condition of the clothes first – is it ‘Very good’ or just ‘Satisfactory’? When you search, you can filter through a variety of categories including conditions, size, price and more: I would recommend doing so if you want to avoid ending up with a holey pair of jeans, or a makeup stained t-shirt. And just a friendly reminder to inspect those Vinted photos very carefully: I learnt the hard way that the ‘long multi-textured’ skirt which looked blue in the seller’s photos was, in fact, not denim, but black corduroy. Let’s just say my expectation of a denim maxi was not fulfilled by the long black skirt that arrived in plodge… Quality, condition, colour and size are all worth checking, however tempted you may be to make a snap decision in fear of a Vinted gem being snatched up by someone else!

“It’s worth it for the thrill of the steal”

And finally, onto the buying; what do you do when you actually find something you really like? Always make an offer. Vinted is supposed to be a reasonable, second-hand clothes marketplace, so let’s keep it that way. Vinted allows buyers to make offers up to 40% less than the original listed price, so make the most of this. Even if your offer gets rejected by the seller, it’s always worth a try. My own Vinted offers have been rejected countless times, but it’s worth it for the thrill of the steal. Remember, you aren’t just an online shopper, but an entrepreneur using lowball offers to build your wardrobe.

So, as Vinted takes the fashion world by storm, why not take advantage of the endless second-hand clothing at your disposal? Whether it’s finding the perfect pair of distressed jorts for the summer, a pre-loved maxi dress for your next formal or those boots you’ve been trying to find since forever, your well-trained Vinted feed will have them all after following my tried and trusted guide.