If you've been keeping up with trends, you'll know that Y2K fashion is taking fashionistas by storm. From baggy jeans to crop tops, platform shoes to mini denim skirts, and colourful hair clips to over-ear headphones, they are making a comeback while showing a knack of nostalgia for some millennials who thought these trends were shelved for good. In response to the return of Y2K fashion, Guru By Bangkok Post has gathered a list of thrift shops and secondhand markets that offer unique fashion pieces to pull off a style statement. Who's ready to pop some tags?
MOTT (Museum of Tees Thailand)
Open hours: 11am-5pm, weekdays only
MOTT (Museum of Tees Thailand/fb.com/mott.thailand) is a destination of choice for vintage t-shirt collectors. Whatever rare vintage graphic t-shirts you have on your bucket list, chances are MOTT has them. Located in Lat Pla Khao 50 alley, the standalone museum/shop is renowned for its rare finds, with a particular focus on 70s and 90s bands and music tours t-shirts. Everything showcased here perfectly embodies the timeless saying "old but gold”, with prices ranging from below B1,000 to more than B100,000. Some are priceless because they are solely for display at their rotating exhibitions.
Know Where Studio
Open hours: from 1-7pm, Tuesday to Sunday
Know Where Studio (ig.com/knowwherestudio) is a playground for hypebeasts to hunt down their favourite American streetwear labels. Hidden down a small alley on Phahon Yothin Road, within a short walk from BTS Saphan Khwai, the store specialises in authentic, rare clothing, sneakers and accessories. Your favourite label, such as the Californian clothing brand Stussy, has its own corner, displaying everything from vintage to just-launched collections. The hot stuff is updated on their Instagram. The boutique boasts a wide selection of vintage graphic tees well-organised by hues on hangers. Pretty much everything is a find, but you still get that thrill-of-the-hunt feeling.
The Trapeze Swingers Store
Open hour: 12-10pm, Tuesday to Sunday
Tucked away inside a rustic wooden house in Chana Songkram alley, just off Phra Athit Road, The Trapeze Swingers Store (bit.ly/3lYJjZB) is figuratively a treasure trove with hidden gems inside. Here, you'll discover fashion items from days gone by, such as classic t-shirts, vintage jeans, second-hand footwear and vintage brass jewellery. Keep a keen eye on occasional designer garments and accessories that come with a wallet-friendly price tag. The boutique is open by appointment only, so be sure to call ahead at 086-332-1045.
(Un)Fashion Vintage Collection
Open hours: 10am-7pm, daily
Located within the walls of the brick house on Ekkamai's main road, (Un)Fashion Vintage Collection (bit.ly/3kgaiPX) is one of Bangkok's long-standing second-hand boutiques. The shop specialises in vintage, handcrafted leather goods from Italy, including shoes, bags and accessories for both men and women. It also offers second-hand fashion from designer labels at fair prices, making it a tempting destination for thrift shoppers looking for a bargain. We've spotted a vintage Gucci for B8,900 and a Celine clutch for B8,730. Recently, they opened a new location in a larger home on Sukhumvit 39, aptly named (Un)Fashion District S39, which includes a cafe and a vintage and ceramics shop.
Wooden Submarine
Open hours: 1-8pm on weekdays and 1-6pm on weekends
There are many reasons why vintage lovers shop at Wooden Submarine (fb.com/Woodensubmarine). Aside from a wide selection of menswear imported from New York, with a focus on rare Americana apparel, the gist is that they understand what shoppers truly want: low prices. You can find the vintage shop nestled inside Phetchaburi 18 Alley, and visiting is available by appointment only, which can be made by calling 081-255-2866. In the meantime, check out their goods online.
Horse Unit
Open hours: 11a,–6pm, Thursday to Tuesday
Fashionistas who appreciate workwear and military closet will love Horse Unit (fb.com/horseunitshop). The owner's collection is so well-curated that Thai celebs, Pachara "Peach" Chirathivat, Thanachai "Pod (Moderndog)" Utchin and Mario Maurer are among the shop’s fans. Inside unit number 4 of Charoen Krung's warehouse 30, the shop offers a vast collection of utilitarian and military garments from the 50s and 60s, including jackets, cargo pants, graphic t-shirts, boots, duffle bags, canvas totes and everything to pull off your chic workwear style. Beyond that are vintage furniture and film cameras.
The Vintage Store
Open hours: 10am-10pm
No shop in Bangkok understands the need for high-end vintage fashion like The Vintage Store (thevintagestorebkk.com) on the 2nd floor of Central Embassy. Standing out with its aesthetic wooden shopfront, the fashion boutique offers genuine and highly collectable luxury items for vintage fanatics with big pockets. Expect haute couture, handbags, costume jewellery, heels and accessories from the crème de la crème, such as Chanel, Hermes, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, to name a few.
Srinagarindra Train Night Market (Talad Rot Fai)
Open hours: 5pm-1am, Thursday to Sunday
Nestled behind shopping mecca Seacon Square on Srinagarindra Road, Srinagarindra Train Night Market invites thrift hounds for a treasure hunt. Plenty of boutiques selling vintage collections from yesteryears take up two of Talad Rot Fai's zones: one is an open-air flea market, and the other is an indoor market designed to resemble a classic train station. Don't know where to start? BKK Manicplace (bit.ly/3kp9sQE) has gathered vintage sports attire and second-hand workwear for affordable prices. Similarly, Double T Store (bit.ly/3kkD6Xt) specialises in wallet-friendly Americana menswear and retro Hawaiian shirts, while Anda Maleen Vintage (fb.com/AndaMaleen) has your vintage womenswear hunting covered.
Patthavikorn Market
Open hours: 8am-8pm, daily
If there's a line that perfectly describes what's sold at Pattavikorn Market on Soi Nawamin 72, it's "one man's trash is another man's treasure”. Vendors, or rather someone who makes use of pre-loved stuff from decluttering their homes, lay everything out on the concrete floor for a yard sale, with prices starting at B2 apiece. You never know what you’ll find from a big pile of random clothes, but it promises a fun thrifting experience. A pro tip: make sure to put disposable gloves on before digging into a mountain of junk that hasn’t been cleaned for a while.
Shinjuku Outlet
Open hours: 11am-9pm, daily
Thrift hounds, get ready to rifle through second-hand clothing from Japan and South Korea at this thrift shop chain, Shinjuku Outlet. With several branches set up across Thailand, this place is one of the thrift stores that allows you to try before you buy. What makes them so special is that you are charged by weight, starting at B39 per 100g, and they offer deals like three pieces for B100.
Bang Sue Junction Shopping Center (Red Building) & Chatuchak Weekend Market
Open hours: 10am-8pm, daily / 5-11pm, Friday to Sunday (mostly)
Bang Sue Junction of Chatuchak district has become synonymous with Bangkok's thrifting scene, offering not just one but two second-hand meccas like Bang Sue Junction Shopping Center and Chatuchak Weekend Market. The weekend flea market seems like a maze sometimes, but it's actually divided into different sections categorised by vendors' merchandise. The first to third sections, sois 38-52, are a fashion zone; check out Rockingdoll (fb.com/rockingdollshop) for vintage handbags and Youlookverygoodtoday (fb.com/youlookverygoodtoday) for second0hand dresses. On the opposite side is Wintage Chatuchak, which is locally dubbed as the 'Red Building', with retro and second-hand fashion shops taking up the 3rd to 5th floors. The bottom line here is that you must counterfeit-check everything you want from those places.
Green Gate Market, Wang Lang Market
Open hours: 9am-6pm, daily
Wang Lang Market (fb.com/marketwanglang) is a foodie's paradise, boasting countless mouth-watering street food stalls. However, amidst the bustling bazaar lies a hidden gem — a second-hand market known as "Talad Werng Pratu Kiew" or "Green Gate Market". As the name suggests, visitors must look for the green wrought-iron gate in front of the indoor flea market, where they can thrift to their heart's content and discover a treasure trove of unique and affordable pre-loved items.
