The common piece of clothing hanging in your wardrobe that could bank you £1,000

Brits could have clothes worth thousands of pounds in their wardrobes. Experts at secondhand fashion retailer Messina Hembry have revealed the clothing items with huge resale value.

Recently, Selfridges was selling a secondhand Prodigy T-shirt for £995 and an original Oasis Definitely Maybe T-shirt for £1,280. The demand for pre-loved fashion is soaring. Recent data showed that over 80% of consumers aged 18-34 wear secondhand clothing, and a third purchase secondhand clothing monthly. Messina Hembry has revealed the items with the highest resale value, with vintage band tees, Levi’s denim, football shirts and North Face puffers all topping the list. Josh Hembry, COO, said: “Many people may not realise that the old clothes gathering dust in their wardrobes might actually be sought-after pieces that have come back into fashion. Vintage band tees are another great example. The merch you bought for £20 at a concert years ago could now be worth several times that.

“It’s always worth doing a bit of research before donating or throwing old clothes away. Make sure to check what similar items are selling for online. You might be surprised at how much your old favourites are worth.”

Here are eleven clothing items with huge resale value:

1. Vintage band tees – Original tour T-shirts from bands like Nirvana, Metallica, and Oasis now sell for hundreds, or even thousands. The rarer the design, or the more iconic the era, the higher the value.

2. Levi’s —The most valuable model is the Levi 501, the brand’s original straight-leg fit. The rarest jeans have a capital “E” in LEVI’S on the label, as this was the logo used before 1971. The really old pairs can go for thousands. 

3. Carhartt – Workwear has become a streetwear staple. Limited-edition collaborations and older pieces with the original logo are now considered highly desirable and can fetch hundreds in resale value. 

4. Patagonia – Retro fleeces have surged in demand due to their bold colours, unique patterns and timeless quality. Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T pullovers from the 90s are especially popular, with prices between £50 to £100.

5. Football shirts – Classic kits from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, especially those featuring nostalgic sponsors or iconic designs, can now sell for hundreds. Shirts from major clubs and 90s England home kits from memorable tournaments are very high in demand.