With Halloween approaching, the demand for affordable and do-it-yourself costumes is on the rise, and many start turning to vintage stores for unique pieces.

The popular season drives the Sheffield community to become more sustainable, which leads them to shop at these independent businesses.

Lucy Lockwood, 27, store manager of Vulgar, said: “We don’t specifically sell costumes, but many of our pieces can be repurposed for Halloween looks.

“We had someone come in wanting white shirts and fur coats for a costume idea, and they wanted to re-wear it for a wedding party afterwards.

“A lot of customers come in with creative costume ideas, and I think it’s great that they are choosing to shop sustainably.”

Vulgar is a popular vintage store on Devonshire Street that specialises in unique pieces inspired by subcultures. They offer a range of items, from bold patterns and festival wear to designer labels like Burberry and Prada. It also stocks popular 90s to 00s streetwear brands made from recycled vintage fabrics.

Lockwood emphasised the sustainability aspect of vintage shopping, noting that many customers look for versatile pieces that can be worn and repurposed beyond Halloween.

She said: “No one wants to buy that many new clothes, but if you can buy something for a Halloween costume that you can wear again, that’s always a good idea.”

Other vintage stores along the same street have also noticed this trend, but not just during Halloween.

Vintage Vintage is a relatively new thrift store that opened along Devonshire Street over a year ago.

Rebecca Winn, an employee at the shop, noticed that business has been picking up a lot more during the season.

Rebecca, 23, said: “We have had people coming in to ask for dungarees and easy, quick Halloween costumes.”

The varying experiences of vintage stores in Sheffield highlight how the Halloween season impacts small businesses and how sustainability runs through Sheffield.

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