Affiliate Disclaimer
My husband is half Dutch, so about two years ago we visited the Netherlands—and of course, we spent time in Amsterdam. Among all the fun things we did, one of my absolute favorites was thrift shopping. And let me tell you… Amsterdam is a vintage thrifter’s dream come true.
If you’ve ever gone thrifting in America and felt a little underwhelmed—whether by the lack of true vintage pieces or the low percentage of natural fibers—you don’t have to worry about that in Amsterdam. There are so many thrift and vintage shops, and walking through them honestly felt like, Oh my God… so this is where all the good vintage went. I’m joking (kind of), but as a longtime American thrifter, that’s genuinely how it felt.
I’ll be transparent here: I grew up on West Coast American prices. So yes, I’m going to be impressed when I see a fur coat selling for €100 instead of $600 for the same quality back home. Even though Amsterdam is a big, expensive city, I was still blown away by the pricing—especially for natural fibers. That’s why I truly think it’s an amazing place for Americans to thrift.
Below are the shops that stood out to me the most, why I liked them, and one of my favorite finds—which didn’t even come from a store.
Vintage of Amsterdam
This shop is pretty petite and compact, which I don’t mind, but you will be bumping shoulders with people. That said, there is so much inventory packed into the space. I found a 100% cashmere scarf here for under $5, which was perfect because I was absolutely freezing and very underprepared for Amsterdam in November (yes, I was there in November).
This store really shines when it comes to jackets. There were tons of vintage leather jackets, and the fur coats were actually very reasonably priced—around €100–€200, and even some closer to €50. A lot of the pieces are natural fibers, very eclectic, and very true to the shop’s name. If you love statement vintage, this is a must.
I’ve linked all of these shops in each of the titles if you want to look them up before your trip.
Second Life Amsterdam
I was genuinely impressed by how big this store is, especially considering how small the storefront looks from the outside. Inside, there were so many fun, bright pieces. Of course, inventory changes constantly, but when I was there, I saw lots of fur items, knits, heels, long coats, and dresses—many of them vintage.
They also had a lot of accessories, though personally I didn’t gravitate toward that section style-wise. By the time I got here, I was pretty tired, so I don’t think I gave it the attention it deserved. Still, it’s absolutely worth visiting if you’re looking for high-quality vintage pieces.
Episode
Episode is a chain, and honestly, this one didn’t hype me up as much. I felt like there was more synthetic clothing than I personally prefer. That said, they are still miles ahead of most U.S. thrift stores when it comes to breathable fabrics. Just by sheer volume alone, you’ll find cotton, wool, linen, and other natural fibers.
This store felt more geared toward a younger crowd. Since my personal style leans more chic maximalism, nothing stood out enough for me to justify making room in my luggage. I’d recommend Episode if you’re into Converse, skater vibes, or Y2K looks. It felt very hip, granola-backpacker energy to me.
There are about four Episode locations in the city, so if you have time, it doesn’t hurt to pop in. Just be prepared—it’s a lot, and I personally felt overwhelmed and didn’t stay long.
Time Machine
This store was super cool… just not for me. A lot of the pieces were very militaristic and super vintage. I was impressed by how old and eclectic some of the items were, even if they weren’t my style.
If you’re into really out-there vintage or historical-looking pieces—and don’t mind paying a bit more—this would be a great spot for you. I was also pretty tired by the time I got here, so I’ll admit I didn’t give it my all, but it still deserves a mention for how unique it is.
Waterlooplein Market (My Favorite Find)
The last “thrift shop” isn’t actually a store at all—it was a tent stand at the Waterlooplein Market. I wasn’t even planning to shop there. My husband and I were walking to a restaurant, and I got completely distracted (as I always do) by the street vendors selling everything from antiques to secondhand clothes.
There was one stall in particular with racks of secondhand jackets under a large white tent. Every jacket was €45. I was about to leave when I spotted a leather bomber jacket hanging high up. I asked the vendor if I could try it on and immediately checked the lining. When I realized it was genuine shearling, I knew I had to have it.
A real shearling bomber jacket for €45. That is insane.
The leather was worn in some places, but not damaged—and leather is relatively easy to restore. (I later bought a kit on Amazon and recolored it back to a deep, dark brown.) I had zero space in my luggage, so I wore that jacket everywhere… including the flight home. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.
If you’re at Waterlooplein Market, definitely check out any secondhand clothing stalls you see. It’s on the other side of town from some of the other shops I mentioned, but Amsterdam has vintage stores everywhere. You’re bound to stumble onto something special.
Final Thoughts
My thrifting excursions in Amsterdam took about two full days, and we walked the entire time (we didn’t even take the tram, which honestly would’ve sped things up). I visited many thrift stores, but these were the ones that truly stood out and stuck with me.
If you’ve thrifted in Amsterdam and found shops just as incredible, please share them in the comments—I’d love to check them out next time I’m there. I hope this guide helps you on your trip and inspires you to shop for natural fiber vintage pieces at amazing prices.
Happy thrifting 🤍
