Buying Secondhand Shoes Is High-Risk But High-Reward—Here's What I Look Out For

Do you follow Andrea Cheong on Instagram or TikTok? If you don't, you should. She has become a trusted and approachable authority in an arena that many find daunting to step into—sustainable fashion. On her platforms, Cheong breaks it down into easily digestible, bite-size pieces of information to arm you with more sensible shopping tactics. With her wealth of knowledge and very good taste, we just had to knock on her virtual door. In this month's column, she guides us through the murky world of secondhand-shoe shopping. 

Some of the hottest footwear trends are actually best found secondhand, if you know what to look for. And after reading this, you will. Shoes can be a challenging category to shop preloved, but it’s a high-risk, high-reward kind of game. Most of the time when shoes go to resale they don’t retain anywhere near their original price, and this is great news for shoppers looking for specific styles, because there are tonnes of great-value finds to be discovered on resale platforms like eBay, Vestiaire Collective, Vinted and Depop.

But before we get into it, there's one thing to note: flaws are fine, but it depends which ones. Damage to shoes is more or less expected, especially if the product listing doesn’t describe the item as "new with box" or "never worn". Some flaws are acceptable—for example, a scuff on real leather (patent leather is a no -no; it’s very difficult to restore) can be fixed if you’re willing to pay. Leather soles are extremely common with designer shoes and often, they need resoling, but this is still more affordable than buying a brand-new pair outright.

You may even come across listings of shoes that have a rubber sole attached to them, and don’t be put off—the seller has saved you the trouble! However, some issues are irreversible or would require a specialist to resolve, such as yellowing on plastic shoes, water damage, stretched-out shoes (if they're leather, water and a hairdryer may do the trick but can only rectify so much), split soles (this happens frequently with poor-quality plastic moulds) or bubbling or puckering on the surface. Shoes with these flaws aren't worth it, no matter how good you think the deal is. 

Now, here are my three top tips for shopping excellent secondhand shoes, along with some great, covetable finds you can shop now, though they probably won't be around for long. 

Embellished heels are having an eternal moment, but many of the bedazzled styles that have stolen our hearts over the last few seasons unfortunately don't last very long. One classic style that’s entrenched in pop culture (and my wish list) is the Hangisi from Manolo Blahnik. These hit the spot if you’re looking for sparkle and come in a rainbow spectrum of colours. One of the best places to find them are on Vestiaire Collective, where they sell for around half (or sometimes less than) their near-£1000 retail price.

One of the most versatile and comfortable shoe styles there is, ballet flats will always have a place in my wardrobe. They’re also a really great option to search for second-hand, especially if you’re looking for quality over the latest seasonal trend. Pretty Ballerinas, French Sole and Repetto are brands known for their long-standing collections of ballet flats, and there are plenty of classic styles up for resale. Chanel is a coveted name in the world of chic slip-ons—fabric styles come with a more economical price tag but are harder to clean, so it may not always be worth it if you’re not on first-name terms with your local cobbler!

I'm 5’1", so if there’s one shoe style that I'm thrilled is trending again, it’s the pointed mule, which is so good for elongating silhouettes. It’s also a staple of the '90s and early '00s, where Prada reigns over the secondhand market. Be it classic leather, eyelet detailing or patterned styles, the aesthetic is to embrace the vintage vibe, so take your pick. Choosing secondhand with this style is definitely the way to go, as full-priced designer pairs from the likes of Amina Muaddi retail for around £600 and up. They’re cute, but vintage is cuter.

Next Up: Shoes Are My Specialist Subject—11 Pairs That Are Key This Year