The 5 Vintage Shopping Trends That Will Be Big In 2022

While prepping our 2022 wardrobes may involve finding out what trends and styles will be big in the coming seasons, what’s popular in the world of vintage shopping could be something entirely different. Thrilling, the online marketplace that stocks some of the best vintage shops’ finds from across the country, took on the task of finding that out for the new year, along with its newly released Year In Review for 2021.

“We felt like it was really important to put a report out that explains the differences between what we’re seeing in trends in the vintage world, versus what you’re seeing in more of your departments or runway fashion shows,” Brittany Cohen, Thrilling’s Senior Director of Fashion, tells NYLON. The team gathered data from the site, boasting inventory from 700 vintage stores, including search data and sales performance, to help determine what vintage fashion trends took over 2021 and what could have the potential of being big in 2022.

But figuring out what the future holds for vintage shopping goes beyond just online statistics. Jennifer Jefferson, Thrilling’s Director of Content, also notes that being in constant communication with their vast network of sellers and collectors, as well as their community across social media, has helped inform their predictions.

“We’re getting feedback all the time; people looking for unique things, looking for very specific kinds of trends.” says Jefferson. “We really took a look at what everyone was searching for, if they weren't talking directly to us, as well as what people were asking for in our DMs, over emails, and with our personal shoppers.”

Ahead, Jefferson breaks down Thrilling’s top five vintage fashion trend predictions for 2022 and what everyone could be secondhand shopping for over the next 12 months. Read on for more.

2022 Vintage Fashion Trend Prediction No. 1: Chanel Reboot

With Chanel handbag prices on the rise and limited inventory, Jefferson sees shoppers turning to secondhand retailers to try and cop something from the French fashion house.

“I don’t think that people will ever stop shopping luxury, I just think that they are engaging with it in new ways,” she adds. “Because of the supply chain being so sporadic, we just never know what’s happening with it, which means that the availability of goods has decreased. I think that we are going to find, as production levels are lower and prices go up, that people are going to look and shop luxury in new ways. We are really excited to see that. Our number one search right now is for Chanel.”

So while getting a brand spanking new Chanel item might be more difficult than before, there’s plenty of options to choose from if you scour the right vintage shops. You might even get a good deal while you’re at it, too.

2022 Vintage Fashion Trend Prediction No. 2: New Americana

Thrilling noticed its shoppers buying American brands the most through 2021, from Gunne Sax dresses to Levi’s jeans, as well as vintage Coach, Liz Claiborne, and Banana Republic. With secondhand shopping continuing to become the norm (and sometimes as an alternative to buying fast fashion), the retailer believes that the demand for these local names will only increase in the new year.

“Based on the people that were shopping with us, they were falling in love with Americana again, which is super nice to see,” says Jefferson. “There’s such a hierarchy, I believe, in fashion, where it has to be expensive and it has to be designer to matter. Our shoppers are saying that it just has to be good. People are choosing their wardrobe based on their individuality and personal expression — not necessarily based on who’s on the tag, in a traditional sense.”

2022 Vintage Fashion Trend Prediction No. 3: Day & Night Lingerie

Corsets and bras as going-out tops has transformed the way we think of (and show off) lingerie, and Thrilling sees the potential of this category’s growth in the vintage space. “Shoppers are thinking of [lingerie] as a fashion choice, as kind of outerwear that you wear outside of your bedroom, per se,” says Jefferson. “The runways are also putting it back into the mainstream, so then people are more likely to be interested in looking for it.”

Thrilling predicts slip dresses, sheer and lace fabrics, lace-up garments will be big during the warmer months of the year. “Plus, a lot of the [lingerie] silhouettes that were around in the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s are coming back,” adds Jefferson.

2022 Vintage Fashion Trend Prediction No. 4: Fruit Bowl Colors

“Dopamine Dressing” has become the antidote to our mostly-loungewear wardrobes over the past year, and that easily translates with a bright and punchy color palette. (Even beige enthusiasts Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen played with pops of color in their latest collection for The Row.)

“Come spring and summer we will see lots of warm neon colors, like strawberry, lemon, limes, and tangerine,” notes Jefferson. “We expect to see vintage monochrome sets take centerstage — we saw our prediction come to life at the Valentino Spring 2022 Couture show.”

2022 Vintage Fashion Trend Prediction No. 5: Abstract & Psychedelic Prints

Alongside bold colors will be a growing penchant for abstract and psychedelic prints. On Thrilling, most of its sales in 2021 were printed garments, and the popularity will only go up this year.

“People were looking to get dressed again but they were not looking for the little black dress or another pair of jeans. They were looking for something show-stopping,” says Jefferson. “By 2022, we’re going to see a lot more people really exploring that, in a way that's super fun, super young, and super eccentric. I think that's going to be really exciting to see.”

This trend has already leaned heavily towards trippy prints, from party pants to ‘60s-era mod motifs, but most of it was coming from designer names and mainstream retailers. But savvy shoppers are starting to catch on it seems, going straight to the source to see what vintage sellers have to offer instead.