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Suit and belt bag, Intsangu.
An Acquired Taste
Fashion’s resale market is thriving.
So we went shopping.
Suit customisation really is a never-ending story. In this chapter, a neon biker belt bag injects a bolt of colour and creates a bespoke silhouette.
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Dress, Vintage with Love. Earring, Nevernew.
Model Oleshé Solomons has plenty to smile about in her generously draped evening dress. This strong-shoulder design shimmers with a silver lurex thread — just the type of gem you can expect to find at a reseller alongside supersize costume jewellery. As this gold earring proves, when offset with a natural beauty look, bolder is definitely better.
Dress and pants, Vintage with Love. Sandals, stylist’s archive.
Experimental layering makes for an original, truly personal look. Underneath Oleshé's draped dress, silk chiffon trousers bring an easy elegance. Then a pair of utilitarian sandals shake things up into a modern, iconic ensemble. The secret to success here: the tonal consistency of all-black-everything.
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Suit and belt bag, Intsangu. Sneakers, stylist’s archive. Scarf, Vintage with Love.
Giant men's tailoring abounds at resellers, as seen here on model Tyron Ness. Go for wools and natural fibres, and don't be afraid of the oversized. More fabric means greater opportunity to tailor these pieces to your liking. Recent runways show everything from slouchy to skinny, so just follow your instincts.
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Wrap Dress, Project 4 SS21.
Tyron "arrived on set with a really cool haircut," says hair and makeup artist Claudine Németh. "I enhanced the beauty of his curls with a curl-defining cream."
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Knit, Vintage with Love. Trousers and earrings, Nevernew.
Claudine is an expert in natural beauty — all the better to elevate model Loryn van Wyk’s resale ensemble. “To achieve this hydrated makeup look, I used cream-based products,” she says. “A cream blush is key. I added a warmer colour on the eyes, and finished the look with a beautiful natural tint on the lips.”
Dress and blazer, Vintage with Love. Trousers, Intsangu. Sandals, stylist’s archive. Sunglasses, Nevernew.
An elegant layer, like this smoking suit jacket, channels a confident, androgynous energy when treated like a casual shirt — sleeves scrunched up and paired with irreverent accessories.
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Why, you might ask, does it make sense to compare clothing with food? You can’t eat a shirt, and you can’t wear a cracker. But conceptually, the two aren’t that different. They’re both essential to your day-to-day routine, tied closely to taste, culture and personal identity — and can be somewhat taken for granted because of their omnipresence and mass production.
So then, if a great dish famously tastes even better the next day as leftovers, could the same be said for clothes and shopping? The answer, proven by this story, is a resounding yes. None of the clothing on this page is new. We sourced pieces from three of Cape Town’s finest resellers: Vintage with Love, Nevernew, and Intsangu.
It’s as much a character-building exercise as it is a sartorial one.
And why exactly, you might also ask, are these clothes subjectively better because of their past lives? The shopping experience, for starters, is a lot less pointed than purchasing new items in a mall or online: no one is trying to force anything on you or lure you in with discounts (they don’t need to — their prices are far lower for pristine product). And because there’s only one of everything, each thing feels unique.
To browse the rails at a vintage or resale boutique (of which there are many to discover in your area) is to recalibrate your personal taste, seeing what you gravitate towards because you actually like it. It’s as much a character-building exercise as it is a sartorial one. Consider this story your tasting menu. Dig in — enjoy! —
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Shirt, Vintage with Love. Trousers, Nevernew. Shoes, stylist’s archive.
Timeless shirting is a given at almost every reseller. Paired with sneakers and a soft, frayed, just-over-the-knee cotton short, this button-up gets a seasonal silhouette update.
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Shirt, Intsangu.
With a wealth of shirts to choose from, look for distinctive details like a double collar, unexpected cuff, and unique buttons. It's well worth scanning the male and female sections, and keep an eye out for original colour combinations in classic patterns like an evergreen stripe.
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Shirt, pants and skirt worn as scarf, Vintage with Love.
You won’t have to search too far to find something (faux) furry, fluffy, or otherwise unusual. Textural textiles, styled as a scarf or other accessory, effectively elevate an otherwise simple look.
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Coat, Intsangu.
It’s a well-known fact that what goes around will always come back around in fashion — a great mindset for vintage shopping. Sometimes all a faux fur needs to feel fresh again is a popped collar… and a thorough dry clean.
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Jacket and trousers, Intsangu. Knit, Vintage with Love. Clogs, stylist’s archive.
Outerwear is the category where resellers really shine with a high-quality offering that’s almost ridiculously affordable.
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Jacket and trousers, Intsangu.
This cropped jacket has almost too many excellent details to list, but we’ll do it anyway. There’s the double collar, tortoiseshell buttons, sleeve pleats, pocket flaps, locker loop, and classic mac shape. The good news: there’s a lot more where that came from at Intsangu.
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Shirt, Intsangu. Trousers, Vintage with Love. Shoes, stylist’s archive.
This look, for which you'll pay around R600, is inspired by one which would cost £2000 at some of our favourite luxury brands. The oversized black shirt, men's suit trouser, and ballerina-esque flat strike a perfect balance between masculine and feminine tailoring.
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Knit, Vintage with Love.
Sometimes all you need is a shift in perspective. Loryn wears a fluffy knit back to front, flipping the neckline to plunge elegantly in the back while drawing a chic, clean line in the front.
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Shirt and trousers, Vintage with Love. Coat, Intsangu.
Finding your forever trench is a noble resale mission. Our advice: opt for a mid-calf or longer length, a larger size for layering (remember, you can always belt it), and masculine utilitarian details.
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Trousers, Vintage with Love. Sandals and socks, stylist’s archive.
There's a thin line between pyjama and black tie dress codes. Think about it: this slouchy trouser in a slinky, luxe fabrication with an oversized men's shirt (or even a simple tee) and elevated jewellery is poised to stare down any ball gown.
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Shirt and frayed shorts, Nevernew. Suit shorts, Vintage with Love. Sneakers, stylist’s archive.
Utilitarian workwear is another perennial resale category. Tyron wears this flap-pocket shirt in a sturdy cotton, styled with suit shorts layered over a soft frayed cotton pair for a look that's entirely his own.
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Dress and blazer, Vintage with Love. Sunglasses, Nevernew.
Emphasise a classic outfit with a large, expressive pair of sunglasses. You could even have your prescription put into a sturdy frame. This is a level of style whimsy we strongly endorse!
Fashion Reseller
VINTAGE WITH LOVE
Website
Fashion Reseller
NEVERNEW
Cape Town
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