How to Shop eBay: Vogue Editors Share Their Secrets

I enjoyed filtering vintage dresses by decade, taking a ride in the fashion time machine. The process gave me a new appreciation for the vintage pieces I already love in my closet, as I searched for other items from some of the same designers. One of my favorite finds was this shirt from an Adidas x Missoni collab. I’m excited to work my new-to-me pieces into my spring wardrobe!

Laird Borrelli-Persson, Senior Archive Editor

Roberta di Camerino is known for her velvet bags, but I’ve been interested in the straw bags she made, which I always associate with the first wave of post-war Made in Italy fervor. This one has butterfly-themed hardware.

Alexandra Hildreth, Fashion News Writer, Vogue Runway

Spring 1997—once on the cover of Vogue, and from the same collection as the Gucci G-string… need I say more? A slice of fashion history!

Lilah Ramzi, Contributing Editor

What a surprise to see Fashion Conservatory—a dealer I’ve shopped with before and always trust—selling on eBay! I adore them for their very vintage pieces (don’t come here for Ford-era Gucci). My latest score is a striped 1950s dressing gown from Garfinckel & Co., once Washington, DC’s most fashionable store, where, on the famed third floor, women could buy copies of the latest Paris fashions or the best American design. The dress itself is irresistible: bold black and yellow stripes, a nipped waist, and a sweeping skirt. Black and yellow is such an underrated combination—graphic, cheerful, and unmistakably chic.

Liam Hess, Senior Lifestyle & Weddings Editor

One of the most treasured sections of my wardrobe is a small but mighty collection of jazzy Dries van Noten shirts—a not-insignificant portion of which I acquired on eBay. As temperatures begin to thaw, I’m already thinking about summer ‘fits—and I’ve always wanted a piece from the iconic Dries x Verner Panton collection. (Fun fact: I attended this show, and wanted to buy it all immediately, only for the pieces to sell like hotcakes—meaning none of it went on sale, shifting everything into a price bracket I couldn’t afford—devastating.) So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this killer linen short sleeve number, featuring Panton’s iconic wave patterns in a delicious shade of honeycomb. I’ll be wearing this all summer long—and, I’m sure, for many summers to come.

Emma Specter, Culture Writer

These Prada mules are so stunningly perfect (sexy yet understated, my exact size, and low-heeled enough for me to actually wear them out and about) that I couldn’t believe I managed to snag them on eBay. Dreams do come true!

Mark your calendars: the Vogue Vintage Market is back for round two. With thanks to eBay, there will be an impeccable curation of vintage and pre-loved pieces ready to find a new home in your wardrobe. If you haven’t already—now is the time to secure your tickets, simply RSVP and make a donation here.