Best Vintage

We really are spoiled when it comes to the Northern Quarter, particularly Oldham Street. This little shop has much more variety than Pop Boutique, and I am more than on board with the way in which everything is colour-​coded. COLOUR-​CODED, I mean, flicking through the cardigans and jumpers is like stroking a lovely vintage rainbow. And for people like me who actually organise their wardrobe by sleeve length, colour, skirts, pants, summer jackets, winter jackets (don’t judge me, I like things neat) this is a real treat. It may take away that whole ethos of having to put an effort into rooting around during vintage shopping, but a) come on, it makes life easier and b) for some people, clutter scares them a bit. I’m not saying me, by any means, noooo… *Shies away from computer screen*
Anyway, mild OCD aside, Best Vintage might have a somewhat confident name but I do think it lives up to it. Apart from the efficiency of the arrangements the prices are completely reasonable — £8 for a cute little woollen tank top is spot on, really. It’s a lot easier to navigate than gargantuan warehouse Vintage for example, and has a more rustic and homely feel than Pop Boutique, plus it’s just the right size (navigating some of the smaller vintage stores within Afflecks can result in entire displays falling on you). And as Sophie has affirmed the window displays really are delightful. Give Best Vintage a try and see if you think it should keep its name, or perhaps downgrade to ‘A-​OK Vintage’ or ‘So-​so Vintage’. I’m in the ‘Best’ camp myself.

I’m liking the vibe from best vintage. Professional, laid back, good quality pure vintage. There was a dj on the decks spinning out great tunes that enhanced the shopping experience a little bit more.
I saw a few things when browsing through the rails but I couldn’t stop to admire or purchase. Funds and time limiting my tracks today. I’m definitely wanting to go back on a mega shopathon in the Northern Quarter which will include a stop off at Best Vintage.
Best Vintage do 10% student discount. Amazing. And they offer an alteration service too. All your vintage loving needs met.

Exceptionally audacious name aside, Best Vintage is yet another in a line of places offering women (and occasionally men) all the retro clothes they could want at varying prices and quality. Like all of these places, they allow people to dress in a more unique fashion than the high street stores, and the prices are reasonable as well.
They do men’s wear as well, with a range of shirts and ties on display. A great place to look smart yet also dapper. I’ve waited a long time to use that word in a review, I can tell you. Never has it been more apt.

A newcomer to Manchester’s vintage scene, Best Vintage has already proven that it can match its more established neighbours. The store has a great range of items for men and women, but it’s got a particularly good selection of dresses. With a rail that runs from one side of the store to the other, I was in fancy frock heaven when I first went in here!
Some vintage shops can seem a little intimidating, but not this one! They play great music, the staff are friendly and there are nice window displays. So shopping here feels like a really nice experience. The prices are incredibly reasonable too; you can get your hands on a lovely dress for less than £20. I think there’s student discount available too.

Best Vintage is a fairly new face on Oldham Street, and quite a pretty face it is too. The window display is always really eye – catching, usually including some seriously sequinned and embellished garments on what has to be the best-​dressed mannequin in the North West. Of course, a girl like me can’t see a sequinned 80s minidress teamed with a Chanel-​esque cardi and a top hat, and not go in.
So in I go, and the promise of the window really delivers. Best Vintage is a shop in the vein of Piccadilly Gardens’ Cow; it’s clean, it’s tidy, it’s organised. And the clothes are actually *good*! And cheap, too. For a lot of shops, slapping the word ‘vintage’ on something apparently gives them the right to charge an extra tenner for it, even if it’s rubbish. Not at Best Vintage. Here, there’re garments of every shape, size, variety and era, organised beautifully.
The dresses and skirts do tend to be on the wee side, which is probably down to the fact that women used to be skinnier, and nowadays we’re all just eating ourselves into oblivion (if you believe the Daily Mail), but with so much variety, you are likely to find something you like, that fits. Dresses are priced at around £15, skirts around £10, and cardigans around £18. And with such cheap accessories, you could end up with an entire outfit for £20!
The boy’s section is great, especially the waistcoat section, weirdly. It’s more for shirts and ties and jackets than vintage logo tshirts. Again, well-​priced, and great for the more dapper gent.
The staff deserve a shout-​out, too. I was served by a lovely boy with a Leeds accent, who said I could bypass the ‘no returns’ policy if the shirt I was buying didn’t fit the boyf, which I thought was a really great bit of customer service.
To my mind, Best Vintage isn’t the *best* in Manchester, but it’s close enough. Great clothes, great prices and great service.

Because Manchester doesn’t have enough vintage shops. I’d say Best Vintage isn’t anything special. True, they have amazing window displays but the few times I have been in nothing have tempted me too much.
Just standard little blouses and things although it must be said that tops are harder to find in vintage shops usually so brownie points at least for not being racks and racks of dresses.
Another bugbear here — the changing room curtains don’t close properly. Ok, we’re not in a chain store here but I don’t want to see or be seen when it comes to this. Get some new curtains, people.