Vintage Shopping in Rome: Monti
Shopping for vintage clothing is an activity I try to do in any new city that I visit. Different countries and cities around the world have different clothing styles and brands, which are best reflected in a city's vintage clothing stores.
In Rome, the American vintage style is very popular. Clothing from the 80s and 90s from brands like Nike, Adidas and Levi's is highly sought after by Italians. For visitors, stores that cater to Italian vintage are also popular. Finding vintage Missoni, Versace, and Pucci pieces that are one-of-a-kind is why so many fashion lovers flock to Italy and its fashion industry.
Shopping vintage and second-hand is a passion of mine. Finding a beautiful jacket, carefully embellished shirts, sequined dresses and classic bags gives me so much more satisfaction than shopping for clothes at ASOS or Zara (not to say that I don't shop there because, let's be real, it happens way too often). I've found a favorite area of Rome where the shopping, both boutique and vintage, is fantastic. In the neighborhood of Monti, you can find almost anything that you're looking for and some things you never knew you needed. I've listed some of my favorites below.
- Humana Vintage Humana is one of my favorite vintage stores that I’ve found in Rome, because of their collection and the idea behind the brand. It’s based in Europe and is dedicated to reducing clothing waste by selling used and vintage items. We have such an issue these days with fast fashion, with the popularity of Zara and H&M in Italy taking over smaller shops. Vintage shopping is a way to support sustainable fashion, while finding interesting pieces that aren’t being sold all over the world. Humana also has frequent 50% off sales that make their affordable prices too good to resist.
- Pefibo Vintage Clothing: the quintessential Roman vintage shop, Pefibo is known all over the city for its products and brand. It embodies the American vintage vibe that's so popular here and has larger collection of popular items like leather and jean jackets, leather skirts, Levi's jeans and branded tees. It's location is Monti is smaller than the other in San Giovanni but both are worth checking out.
- King Size Vintage: King Size has a very similar vibe to Pifebo with classic items and a huge variety. I really love their smaller backroom full of leather, shearling, and suede jackets, as well as their large wall of high waisted Levi's.
- Le Vesti di Messalina: Compared to the previous two places, Le Vesti is much smaller and geared more towards men's vintage. That said, if you're looking for any type of jacket/coat/wool wear, it's a great option.
- Mercato Monti: One of the markets that I mentioned in this post (link), Mercato Monti is held every weekend and has products from Italian artisans on sale. Many booths have handmade clothing, vintage reclaimed items, or specially chosen imports from other countries. For this week right before Christmas, the market is open every day until the 25th.
The thrill of searching for a great piece is one of the best parts of shopping vintage. And when you go back home, you can bring with you something special that reminds you of your trip. I'd love to know what your favorite vintage buy (so far) is, in the comments.