Vintage kilo sales : are they worth it?!
Hello friends! Today I thought I would share my thoughts of vintage kilo sales and tell you my honest thoughts on if they are worth it. If you love vintage and you have never been to one, or if you are starting to get into vintage and think it could be a great place to scoop some bargains. Then this post is also for you!
I have been buying vintage clothing for over 20 years and even dabbled in dealing them from time to time too. So I promise, I know a lot about buying vintage clothing and buying it for good prices too! So today I thought I would share my thoughts on vintage kilo sales and if they are worth it!!
What is a vintage kilo sale?!
A vintage kilo sale is where you go along to an event which has a boat load of vintage and preloved items and you pick as much or as little as you want and once you have selected your items, it’s weighed out and you pay for the items by weight. In my experience it’s often charged at around £10 a kilo, but I have seen sales charging up to £20 a kilo.
The clothes are often organised by clothing type, like jackets on one rail, jumpers on another and the bags and shoes piled high. Nothing is in size or colour order, you really just need to get in and get digging around.
The vibe is basically like a sample sale meets a charity shop warehouse.
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is it worth going to a vintage kilo sale?!
This is a tough one. In my experience they can be a little disappointing, however, they can also be a fun experience. Personally, I would say if there is one near you and you fancy an unusual shopping experience with a friend, then go, but don’t travel far and don’t expect too much. Let me explain!
How much do clothes cost at a vintage kilo sale?!
I have been to a few vintage kilo sales in my time and one thing I definitely noticed, is that a kilo is not as much as you would think! For instance, a bag of sugar weighs a kilo, but if you were to find a really cute vintage wool jumper, that could easily weigh a kilo and a jacket or coat could weigh up to two kilos. As I mentioned, kilo sales can charge anywhere from around £10-20 per kilo which could mean items end up being surprisingly expensive. For instance, a nice tweed coat could cost £30/40 and you have to wonder if it would cost that much in a charity shop. Hell, it might not cost that much in a vintage store. And you wouldn’t have to rummage in a pile of in laundered clothing to find it.
Check for holes, stains and damage
Which is another important point, make sure you check every item over thoroughly, as some pieces have stains, holes and damage to them, so you could end up paying mode than you anticipated for an item, especially if it’s heavy and you need to have it repaired to washed at the dry cleaners. Generally these items are not cared for before sale, so you have to check the clothes yourself.
I don’t want to be a misery, but you might find it’s no cheaper than shopping at Beyond Retro or Rokit and those stores have incredible items to choose from and they have usually been well selected and are in good condition.
Look out for lighter weight items like silk dresses
Before I move on, it’s worth mentioning that if you are planning on going to a vintage kilo Sale to buy lighter weight items; like silk scarves and slips or vintage tee shirts, then you might find you benefit from buying at a kilo sale more than if you are on the hunt for denim jackets or tweed coats. As you will get a lot more bang for your buck with lighter items.
what kind of clothes do you find at a vintage kilo sale?
Next up! In my experience, I have always found there was a lot of junk to sift through in order to find the good stuff. There is a lot of 90s and 2000’s era items which can feel a bit more ‘dated high street’ than ‘exciting vintage’. So do be aware that there might be a lot of junk you need to sift through to find the gems. Also, it’s possible the best items have been pulled out already by the company running the sale. As often vintage kilo sales are hosted to clear the less desirable pieces at lower prices… the only thing is, is that it’s not as cheap as you might think.
That being said, if you find something you adore, you might get it cheaper than you would in a vintage shop. So it’s really about what it’s worth to you… and if something is perfect for you, then amazing!!! What a win!
are vintage kilo sales good for vintage resellers?
If you are going to a vintage kilo sale to find items to resell for a profit, then you might be disappointed that the prices are higher than you expected and the stock isn’t as good. I would personally advise you to head to a church jumble sale or a good local charity shop instead. Sorry!
Not all vintage kilo sales are the same though and some will have better stock and some will have worse stock. They will also vary in terms of how much it costs per kilo.
Whilst it can be a fun shopping experience if you are at a loose end, I personally wouldn’t travel far to one nor would I go in expecting too much.
keep checking the weight
Also, it’s worth asking a member of staff to weigh items for you as a guide before you go to pay for them. Just so you have an idea of how much you are spending and don’t have a nasty surprise at the end.
Gosh! I sound like such a misery guts, don’t I?! If you are tempted, go to one and see what you find and how much you spend. You might be pleasantly surprised! But for me, I’d rather have a good eBay or vintage search or go round charity shops, car boot sales or vintage shops.
Another type of sale which is similar and worth seeking out, is ‘fill a bag’ vintage sale. In my experience, that’s a similar way to shop but way better value. You can ram loads in a bag and you know exactly what you are spending too: plus it’s quite fun putting items in a bag and then trying to fold items even tighter to squeeze one more item in! Fun fact, I once found a Hermes silk scarf at a fill a bag sale!
Pros & cons of vintage kilo sales
Pros: it’s fun digging around vintage clothing and potentially finding gems, there’s usually a lot of stock to choose from, lighter items can be fairly cheap
Cons: it’s hard to know how much you are spending until it’s time to cash out, clothes are often dirty and might need repairs, items like jackets and coats can be very expensive, stock is often very ‘picked over’ by the company hosting the sale so you are unlikely to find designer or really special vintage items (like Chanel bags), it’s often not as cheap as you might expect, not good for vintage resellers
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Ta da! And there we have it! My review of vintage kilo sales and if they are worth it! I hope It’s not too negative but I have found there’s better ways to shop for vintage. I really hope it helps and let me know if you have any questions!
