From The Pumpkin Patch

I can’t think of a better way to spend a cosy afternoon than rummaging through my local thrift and vintage stores, hoping to uncover hidden treasures.

It’s the thrill of the hunt, the excitement when you pull out something amazing, the nostalgic trip down memory lane. I just love it.

I wanted to share some of my favourite thrift and vintage finds dating back from the 70, 80s and 90s. I hope it can inspire someone else to start shopping second-hand – it’s fun, economical and the older items are usually higher quality than what you can find in the stores these days.

I usually have more success with vintage items when I shop at specialist stores, but sometimes I get lucky and find vintage gems at the thrift store!

And yes, the 90s is officially classed as vintage now. I really am getting old…

Vintage autumn leaf sweater

This was my first thrift find of 2024, and I can’t think of a better way to start the year.

It’s always a thrill to stumble across genuine vintage clothing at the thrift store, particularly when it’s in great condition and absolutely adorable. I mean – the grandma style, the autumn leaf-print collar and the little maple leaves? It’s so me.

I did a little research and discovered that this sweater was made in Canada (of course!) and sold during the 1990s. I picked it up for a steal at £5.50, but I would have happily paid much more.

Vintage horse sweater

One of my favourite local stores is Leech Vintage, with their carefully-curated selection of 80s, 90s, and 2000s clothing.

The prices are definitely higher than the thrift stores, but it’s worth it to be surrounded by genuine vintage brands and clothing instead of wading through a flood of fast fashion items.

I picked up this vintage 90s Tulchan horse sweater for £20 last year and it quickly became one of my prized possessions, as it looks great over a white turtleneck and a simple pair of jeans. I just can’t resist a cute embroidered pattern!

Merry Mushroom pot

I am obsessed with Merry Mushroom, a kitschy ceramic pattern sold at Sears during the 70s.

It’s not commonly available in the UK, so I made sure to keep my eye out for any pieces when I visited America. I was so happy to find this colourful little pot for just £15 at an antique store in Utah!

I’ve read some horror stories about vintage kitchenware, so I don’t plan to cook with it. I think I’m going to turn it into a plant pot, or maybe even try to grow some actual mushrooms in it.

Merry Mushroom plant spike

You know how some animals have to be adopted together, otherwise they’d pine away without each other?

In that same Utah antique store, right next to my Merry Mushroom pot, was a matching Merry Mushroom plant spike. They’re pretty rare to come across and I’ve seen them selling online for around £100, but this one was mislabelled as a ‘bottle cork’ and priced at just £10.

I just couldn’t bear to separate them.

This little mushroom is now one of my favourite autumn decorations, and I love seeing it peeking out of my plant pot throughout the season.

Vintage mushroom soup mug

This adorable mushroom soup mug from the 80s was my thrifting holy grail for over a year. I searched for it constantly, but could never spot one amidst the bric-a-brac that lined the shelves in every store.

Until one magical day…

I like to imagine that it had been waiting for me all that time. Who knew that sheer happiness could cost as little as £2.50?

As you can see, thrift and vintage stores aren’t just filled with junk – you can find some real gems that are exactly your style hidden amongst the clutter.

My advice is to be patient – nine times out of ten I walk away empty-handed, but when I do eventually make a rare purchase I know that I will treasure the item for years to come.