One of the things that really confounded me when I first moved to Rome was the lack of thrift stores. I could not figure out where you could go to buy anything used.
I am a bit savvier now and love the occasional wander through the weird world that is the mercato dell’usato and even the very occasional dig through the bins and tables of used objects that find their way to Porta Portese on Sundays.
However, if you want really high-quality vintage items, you have to know where to go and one of my favorite retro stores is Twice Vintage in Trastevere.
The store was founded by two sisters and is just up the road from Bar San Calisto, in one of my favorite parts of the cute Roman neighborhood.
There is no discrimination across the ages and you can find pieces here that date back to the 1920s through the 1990s.
The shop is brimming with unique pieces, and stocks clothes as well as accessories like handbags and shoes.
There is also perfectly worn-in denim, but this being Italy – you can also expect to find a selection of amazing designer vintage pieces.
There might be Fendi bags from the 70s or iconic Ferragamo flats. Maybe you can also score a vintage Balenciaga scarf while you’re at it.
It seems that Italy has a lot of love for vintage Americana, so you will find an eclectic mix of sportswear and retro labels from the other side of the pond, as well.
The beauty of the store is that you never really know what treasures you might find so it is always worth popping in to browse around. It is a bit pricy, but the pieces are all really excellent.
Twice Vintage
Via di S. Francesco a Ripa, 7
Rome, Italy (Trastevere)
Open Monday – Saturday from 10:30 am – 9 pm, and Sunday from 11 am – 8 pm.
Mercantino shopping is my favorite in Italy! I paid 5 euros for a true shearling coat, 70 euros for a vintage mink…. also got a real burberry coat … we always shop the vintage and mercantino first! Oh, and a unworn pair of PRADA rainboots, still in the box, for 70 euros… just a few of my amazing finds! I find that some of the good stores that are not overpriced are not in city centers.