Second-hand style

Sick of paying through the nose to look like everybody else? Check out the definitive guide to vintage, second hand and celebrity cast offs in the capital

Where can I buy men's second hand jeans, vintage jackets and cool t-shirts?

China Vintage (or Furugiya Atotie) in Houhai is probably one of the longest running second hand shops in Beijing. 'We've got lots of stuff, particularly from the '70s collected through friends and acquaintances around the world,' says Li Yong, the shop's owner. 'We set it up purely for our own enjoyment because we'd like to get to know more people with the same interest in clothing as us.'

China Vintage these days tend to cater more for men, with a great selection of jeans that look nicely worn, including vintage Levis, mostly for around 800RMB, and a rack full of vintage shirts - from a dark blue retro Fred Perry shirt (100RMB), to a long sleeved American '50s red, black and white plaid one (80RMB) if rockabilly style's your thing. Also in abundance are some relatively cool t-shirts featuring the twisted logos we've seen somewhere before, (ie, on a lads holiday in Turkey) and others that are more original, like the bold red t-shirt with the black Bruce Lee print on the front (all t-shirts cost 100 RMB).

China Vintage (Furugiya Atotie) 6 Yandai Xiejie, Houhai, Dongcheng district, (tel 133 662 85573). Open 4pm-9pm, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. 拆那 西城区后海烟袋斜街6号

But I'm a girl, I want shoes and handbags!

In that case there's really only one place in Beijing you need check out, and that's Discover. Located on the North Forth Ring Road, Discover is a small but perfectly formed boutique with just a handful of clothes racks, a good number of handbags and a handful of cute shoes, sunglasses and belts. All gathered by the lovely Chen Xi, a number of them even display their date or have a photograph of the garment on the catwalk pegged to them, just in case you were in any doubt it was the real thing. The shop, says Chen, was set up in the hope that women in the habit of buying expensive things they never wore, rather than keeping them in the back of the wardrobe for years, would acknowledge the fact and give them a new lease of life. As a result, the shop is brimming with second hand but mostly unworn gear from around the world and dating back as far as the 1970s in the case of one vintage rust coloured Valentino handbag (worth an estimated 20,000RMB). A pair of canary yellow court shoes cost 300RMB and a cool soft black leather studded clutch purse just 200RMB. Clothes include dresses, jumpers, tops and skirts from Sportmax, Burberry, Mark Jacobs and Prada costing anywhere between 500RMB to a few thousand. Chen plans to open a second shop next year so watch this space.

Discover Rm 108, Building 5, Sankongjian, Yayuncun (cross over the overpass from the Ito Yakato Supermarket and walk about 100 metres down the side road, it's on the left), Beisihuan Dong Lu, Chaoyang district (tel 131 6428 8125). Open 10am-10.30pm daily.朝阳区北四环东路亚运村三空间5 号楼108室

What about ex-celebrity clothing – any of that in Beijing?

Well the name China's First Celebrities' Second Hand Goods Shop says it all really. Brand new and located inside Sanlitun's 3.3 Fashion Mall, this really is a first for China. Selling second hand clothes doesn't carry the same appeal here as it does in the West and the idea is hard to sell locally to say the least, with the majority of people believing that re-wearing clothes is only for the desperately poor. This shop gets round the problem by pointing out that the clothes on offer have not in fact been worn extensively by the celebrities, but rather for a photoshoot, film or event of some kind. They also have a whole wall of signed certificates and photos from the celebrities giving their consent. From a signed Guoan football (would anyone really pay 1,999RMB for that?) to a pair of Miu Miu Mary Janes worn by singer Na Yung (800RMB) and a great black leather jacket of Jin Qiaoqiao's (3,000RMB), this shop is a real treat for, well everyone. Cui Jian's guitar, items from the set of The Banquet and the more elaborate dresses and outfits are only available to buy through auction, but the rest of the stuff on display can be purchased on the spot – our favourite items included a pair of Diesel boxing boots for just 320RMB and a Christian Dior long white lace wrap (1,200RMB).

China's First Celebrities' Second Hand (Pre-owned) Goods Shop (at the back of the third floor) 3.3 Fashion Plaza, 33 Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang district (tel 5136 5507; www.dongxihui.com.) Open 11am-11pm daily. 东西会 朝阳区三里屯北路33号三点三商城

I like clothes with character, where can I get some great 'dress up' and retro gear?

For clothes that actually look vintage, in styles harking back to the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s, Chu Kou Cheng Yi Dian is a good start. A mixture of factory rejects, stock from Hong Kong and genuine vintage, there's plenty to get stuck into. Wide-leg light blue Lambretta jeans (170RMB) are a fun buy and, as with all great fashion trends, have come full circle this season. They've also got dresses in every style from '70s flower power to '50s preppy (around 150RMB), and stock the odd turquoise faux fur jacket (200RMB) or men's military camouflage coat (170RMB). Alternatively, for a real pick of the best, try shopping online at some of the more popular foreign vintage shops that deliver to China, such as London's Pop Boutique (www.pop-boutique.com) or check out a plethora of stores on Melbourne's crazily cool Retrorentals site (www.retrorentals.com.au/links).

Chu Kou Cheng Yi Dian 168 Gulou Dong Dajie, Dongcheng district (tel 6404 6347). Open 11am-10pm daily. 出口成衣店 东城区鼓楼东大街168号

And what if I want to scout my own vintage finds?

'The government's cracked down in recent years and it's a real shame because there used to be some fantastic markets in Tianjin, Kunming, Guangzhou...' laments Tana Eupene, the first foreigner to open a vintage shop in Beijing. 'Now they've all been knocked down as a result of gentrification and all of these clothes warehoused during the late '60s and in Japanese and French markets in China are gone.' As a result, if you plan to find vintage yourself in China, the safest bet is to go to the established markets in places like Hong Kong and Shanghai, or even Panjiayuan. In Shanghai, try Nan Fang Curio Market (69 Jiuxiaochang Lu) that's chock-a-block with vintage and second hand ethnic clothes and costume pieces – particularly stalls 32 and 33 that are favourites of Chinese designer Vivienne Tam. In Hong Kong (221-226 Gloucester Rd) Beatnik is a colourful shop selling second hand American casual wear and '70s t-shirts, and in the Granville Circuit off the Granville Road is Pharo's, another fun find.

Sarah Keenlyside and Helene Soderqvist