The Best Under-the-Radar Online Shops
We love Zara as much as the next girl, but truth be told, sometimes it feels more fulfilling to unearth a piece that no one in your circle likely owns. How do you achieve this without engaging in a full-fledged sartorial treasure hunt? With a few under-the-radar shops, that's how! Scroll down to see which ones we've got our eyes on right now.
1. Mercantile Vintage
Let the seasoned professionals at Mercantile Vintage scour the globe for the best one-of-a-kind pieces to introduce to your closet.
2. Mixed Business
Using feel-good natural materials in clean silhouettes, Mixed Business offers the best wardrobe basics.
3. Loéil
Trend-driven pieces that won't make your wallet sad. Merci, Loéil.
4. Frances May
Frances May is a grandmother- and granddaughter-run boutique that carries independent designers your closet will thank you for.
5. BNKR
The folks over at BNKR keep our wardrobes chock-full of Australia's best designers.
6. Front Row Shop
Come to Front Row Shop next time you need a conversation-starting piece that won't break the bank.
7. Local Eclectic
We turn to Local Eclectic for unique, well-crafted pieces from emerging designers.
8. Modern Citizen
Modern wardrobe builders that are not only versatile but also affordable—that's what Modern Citizen is all about.
9. Style Nanda
Style Nanda is a Korean-based online shop that serves up a fun and playful mixture of low-cost, trend-forward pieces.
10. James Rowland Shop
James Rowland is a well-curated marketplace for vintage and designer wear.
11. Oak + Fort
Looking for unfussy, uncomplicated staples to mix into your look? Search no further than Oak + Fort.
12. Garmentory
Garmentory lets you directly shop curated indie boutiques and emerging designers. Expect top-notch pieces like this floral pajama shirt.
13. American Two Shot
Think of American Two Shot as that cool friend who effortlessly mixes and matches prints and textures. Bonus: She's letting you raid her closet.
14. Shop Super Street
Shop Super Street has a unique point of view, cohesively blending multiple aesthetics of fashion, art, and culture.
15. Scout
In addition to its beautiful vintage findings, Scout also offers its own collection.
16. Bird
Open since 1999, Bird is a Brooklyn-based store that's owned by a former Barneys and Steven Alan buyer who has an eye for ultra-cool pieces like this jumbo-size scarf.
Do you shop at any of these sites? Tell us in the comments!
Nicole Kliest is a freelance writer and editor based in New York City who focuses on fashion, travel, food, wine, and pretty much anything else that's amusing to write about. After graduating from Pepperdine University with a bachelor's in journalism and creative writing, she started her career back in 2010 as Who What Wear's photo editor and throughout the last decade has contributed to publications including Fashionista, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, The Zoe Report, PopSugar, Fodor's Travel, and several others. She also copywrites and has worked with clients such as Frame, Sea, 3x1, Intelligentsia, and others to develop brand voices through storytelling and creative marketing. She's very passionate about the ways we can improve our sustainability efforts in the fashion industry as well as cultivating content that's diverse and inclusive of all people. When she's not checking out the latest restaurant opening in her West Village neighborhood or riding her bicycle along the West Side Highway, she can be found scheming her next trip somewhere around the world. (Up next is Vienna.)