The city of Florence is known for its clothing. Leather jackets, boots, and purses spill out of windows, line every street. Grabbing the first thing you see is very tempting, especially when these items are practically being handed to us.

But what if we stopped and really considered ourselves for a second?

The average American produces 82 pounds of textile waste per year. This is only worsened by the modern hunger for rapid consumption and fast fashion, with brands like SHEIN, H&M, and even Zara. Many organizations in Italy are working to create a circular economy (that is, an economy based on reuse and recycling rather than creation and consumption). Instead of contributing to more consumerism, we can try to reduce our environmental impact, using clothes that are already made and have proven their quality by their longevity.

Here are my picks for the best three vintage clothing store in Florence, so that you can reduce your environmental impact and still take a piece of Italian fashion home with you.

Humana Vintage:

Humana Vintage, located at Via delle Belle Donna 4/6 R, is a perfect introduction to vintage shopping. They specialize in clothing from the 1960s to the 1990s in a variety of styles. Most of their pieces will run you 10 to 30 euros, but the clothes are frequently on sale (especially when they’re about to get a new collection, which happens every six weeks). Their clothes are excellently organized by type of item and gender, which eases the transition when switching from shopping retail to second-hand.

All of their clothes are donated from people in the area, so you’re getting authentic Italian fashion. The clothes are gathered by Humana, an organization that is dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of Italy and moving towards a circular economy! By shopping here, you’re not only improving your wardrobe, you’re improving the environment of the country in which you’re a guest.

La Noia:

If your taste lies more in the alternative, La Noia is the place to go. Founded by two post-grad students in 2023, La Noia Vintage is an independently-owned, stunning slice of 90s and 2000s fashion. “La Noia” translates to boredom or discomfort, which was inspired by the restless feeling instilled in the founders, as it was in many, after the Covid pandemic (which was only intensified by the experience of being freshly out of college).

The store is small, but the quality renders the quantity obsolete. They have an incredible variety of clothes, from pieces made by labels long discontinued, designer pieces from the runway, and intricate items from as early as the 1960s.

La Noia has an extremely wide price range, depending on what you buy. You can find something there for you from the price of ten euros to three hundred.

Vintage Del Buttero:

Vintage Del Buttero is a beautiful beast that might be better suited for a more experienced thrifter: the walls of this little stall are stuffed with hundreds of colorful true vintage pieces in haphazard formation. But it’s a wonderful chaos! Every item there is unique, loved, and hand-picked by the owner, Daniella. The style is generally very 1970s, but not exclusively. With the amount of gorgeous items here, you could probably find any outfit you’ve ever dreamed of.

Vintage Del Buttero is located in Florence’s flea market, Sant’Ambroggio stall number 19. Like La Noia, the clothing prices will entirely depend on the clothing you select. However, with the owner’s keen eye for style and quality, without a doubt whatever you buy will be worth it.

Written by: Jackie, Fall 2024 Florence student from Belmont University