‘Sometimes you have to have an open mind and let the pieces find you - that's part of the joy of vintage shopping: you never know what you'll encounter on the next rail’
With time on her hands and a love of trawling charity shops and flea markets nurtured since childhood, it was a no brainer for Dulcie Emerson to start curating a collection of second hand, vintage pieces from her university bedroom. A decade on she established Human Sea Vintage, offering a vintage edit of clothing, shoes, jewellery and accessories all sourced in the UK, with handpicked items based on their quality, condition and potential to fit seamlessly into a modern wardrobe.
I first started selling on eBay and Etsy about ten years ago when I was away at university in Manchester, primarily as a way to fill time between my eight hours of lectures a week! I was inspired by my favourite style bloggers who often sold vintage in addition to sharing their thrifted outfits and it seemed to me a fun way to rehome finds that weren't my size or didn't suit me when charity shopping. The idea of being able to turn my love of charity shopping into a business from my bedroom also appealed to me. In April 2019 I graduated from Etsy and launched Human Sea as an online boutique.
My parents are both very interested in antiques and vintage and so I grew up visiting flea markets and antiques shops for family days out and this gave me an appreciation for the design and craftsmanship of many eras, as well as the ability to identify different decades, patterns and materials almost by osmosis. My mum used to have a permanent stall at the local junk market and would send me there as a kid to help clean and so I'd often have a good browse after dusting her ornaments.
Like most vintage sellers, I am constantly dipping into charity shops and flea markets to see what I can find, although during the pandemic I have been sourcing more from eBay, which is a great way to find special pieces but can also be more of a gamble in terms of guaranteeing the condition. I stay abreast of trends to see what types of styles are in demand, make note of breakout trends on Instagram and keep an eye out for unusual, quirky items that will make my customers smile. But sometimes you just have to have an open mind and let the pieces find you - that's part of the joy of vintage shopping: you never know what you'll encounter on the next rail.
My best recent vintage find was a vintage Yves Saint Laurent velvet handbag which was £4 from a charity shop in London. (I didn't realise such pricing was possible in this infamously expensive city!)
I still kick myself for not scooping up a rail of 1980s tweed Celine suits from a charity shop. I couldn't justify them at the time because I thought they were a little on the 'frumpy' side and I didn't think they'd be an easy sell, but this was before the brand went full circle and brought back its heritage aesthetic!
There are so many online stores today that offer highly curated collections at affordable prices so I recommend following a few on Instagram that reflect your personal style and then switch on notification for new items and subscribe to their mailing list so that you can shop their latest arrivals as soon as they drop. Thrift stores like Traid offer a tighter edit of sought-after labels with vintage than regular charity shops so are a fun and accessible way to add second-hand into your shopping trips. I also recommend setting up eBay alerts for specific items from your wishlist - you might just get lucky!
I live in jeans and Converse, but my favourite pieces are probably all the special pieces I secretly squirrel away and only bring out for special occasions. A few items spring to mind: a bright orange linen trouser suit by Paloma Wool that I had to order as separates from different sides of the world; lime-green suede sandals by Maryam Nassir Zadeh; a black and white gingham dress by Rejina Pyo with bows that tie at the shoulders; Gucci cat-eye sunglasses with enamel detailing at the outer edges... I'm quite the hoarder of pretty things!
There are so many good reasons to shop secondhand: it uses fewer resources, is better for the environment and supports a circular economy in which items have a longer lifespan. It can also be an enjoyable and inexpensive way to curate a unique wardrobe that reflects your individuality. With a little time and patience, the rewards are much greater and longer-lasting than a short-term fast-fashion fix. I also want to support small businesses and independent sellers who pour so much heart and soul into what they do.
Sustainability is one of the key motivations behind Human Sea so it makes sense that it guides every decision I make for the business. The store is run from a room in my flat and so doesn't require any additional overheads such as heating or electricity seeing as I am working from home anyway due to Covid-19. The electricity in my home comes from renewable sources. I walk or use public transport where possible when vintage shopping or visiting the post office. I am passionate about restoring and repairing items in order to save them from becoming landfill, so I take lots of items to the local dry-cleaner and cobbler to be professionally restored. There is however more I would like to achieve in the months ahead, for example phasing out parcel tape and bubble wrap and replacing with biodegradable alternatives. An electric car for sourcing trips is also a longer-term consideration...
I run Human Sea around my full-time job so time-management is always a challenge and has to be squeezed into evenings and weekends. I am in a constant battle to stay on top of my inventory as I'm constantly sourcing new pieces however shooting and uploading a new collection is a big undertaking at the moment. My advice to anyone starting out is to start small and do what you can around your current commitments - building a customer base organically takes time, but if you post little and often you will gain a following over time that will be supportive of you and your mission. Some of the best advice I was ever given is that 'perfection is the enemy of progress' and this is a good mantra to have when starting a side-hustle in order to keep pushing the needle forward.
I have some exciting collaborations in the pipeline that will launch this autumn - watch this space! I am hoping to run some pop-ups once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, although I appreciate that it could be some time until this dream becomes a reality. My aim now is to continue to adapt to the evolving situation and make sure that I have a product offering that meets the needs of my customers during this strange time.
The vintage community is a source of constant inspiration, knowledge and companionship for me and there are too many favourite sellers to list! But if I had to name three, they would be:
Los Feliz - Barcelona-based Nadia is a true original, sourcing and styling vintage with a flair and sense of humour that is totally inimitable. She is also a highly talented art director and the collections she shoots for her website are next-level and totally Vogue-worthy.
I Am That - This cool and colourful brand has nailed the modern vintage aesthetic, creating an online shopping experience that feels totally fresh and of the moment. By collaborating with studio brands and designers, I Am That supplements its vintage offering with one-off pieces you won't find anywhere else.
Debbie Digs Dallas - My best friend and co-vintage hunter Emily runs a store inspired by the wardrobe of her imaginary alter-ego, Debbie. Expect all sorts of eccentric Y2K goodness, punctuated with wild bags and shoes that will take an outfit from safe to stand-out.
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