Long Live Noihsaf Bazaar
On my not-so-secret source for the best secondhand shopping
A special thank you to Noihsaf Bazaar for sponsoring this dispatch of Long Live.
When I say “not-so-secret,” I’m alluding to the fact that I love this website so much, I wrote about it for Vogue. It was my dear friend Arielle (remember the sofa?) who turned me on to the site. She was wearing one of the chic, sack-esque dresses we both gravitate toward. When I asked her where she found it, at a dinner where we were kindly ignoring our uninterested male partners, her eyes lit up. “Noihsaf,” she said, hesitating with pronunciation, but not with unbridled joy. She sent me a link. I pitched a story to the Fashion Bible. The rest is fashion history.
Or it would be, if I hadn’t continued to buy and sell on the platform fervently since. Not sold on abandoning your hideous Poshmark interface? I chatted with founder and style expert, Kate Lindello, to get her POV. Here are my three strongest arguments for giving Noihsaf Bazaar a shot.
Curation That’s Cooler Than You
Here’s the best part about Noihsaf: it’s only hits. There’s none of those weird private label pieces that clog searches on eBay and Poshmark. Your search won’t be spoiled by pages of Forever 21 pieces mislabeled as “vintage.” Brands like Rudy Jude and No. 6 reign supreme. Check this full list of brands for proof. A hot category right now? “Vests are definitely having a moment. I am seeing a variety come through that are knit, V-neck with buttons, fisherman-type with the large cargo pockets, and pull-over style. They really are seasonless and layer well so I’m all for it!”
The Human Touch
None of the drama of bundles or bots or lowball bids behind a faceless profile. People on Noihsaf are people. “I like to think we offer more of a personal experience than other resale sites. I am often told (and have experienced myself) friendships are formed through a purchase. Someone once told me ‘Noihsaf feels like shopping in your cool friends closet’ and I couldn’t agree more,” shares Kate.
You can ship with whatever provider is easy for you and customize shipping prices, too. In order to make an offer, users have to comment publicly on your piece. I don’t have scientific data to back this up, but every interaction I’ve had on the site, even when I accidently gave my little sister something the day before it sold, has been lovely.
Small Business Owners, Unite
Whenever I’m packaging Noihsaf package, I always joke about operating my small business. Christian has yet to truly laugh. The thing is, Noihsaf makes it easy to organize pending orders, tracking numbers, and taxes, for those of us power cleaning our closets enough to need that sort of support. Plus, the small processing + selling fee encourages fair pricing. The Noihsaf community is full of lifers. “Most of our current community are people who have been with us from the VERY beginning,” Kate says. "It’s been amazing to launch our new site and have these folks who have watched me take this side hobby and 10 years later launch a career out of it. Their support really is why we exist.”
Archived Outfits
In honor of this very special dispatch, here are 10 of my favorite things on Noihsaf (under $100!) right now. If you know me, you know this assignment was one of those “pinch me, how is this my job?” moments. Sentimentality aside, let’s do some shopping.
Chartreuse chore jacket for $80! This is spring embodied.
Cara Cara dress for $100! It’s giving chocolate brown in a way that feels timeless.
Colorful balaclava for $42! Handmade and much better than a pilly beanie.
Dôen blouse for $80! The ric rac plus the sailor collar—a perfect match.
Rachel Comey clogs for $60! Get in on the clog life for a very discounted price.
Sandy Liang jeans for $75! Retro and comfy.
Why not make this $42 woven leather bag your new signature? For $79, you can be the best part of any rainy day. This $75 dress is very The Sound of Music. Go from dinner to dancing in this $45 black ruffle top.
Honorable Mentions
I tapped Kate for some of her favs.
As you know - I love skincare! I think living in a state with very distinct seasons drives my need for trying out a whole lot of skincare products. Right now I am very much digging Monastery products. I use their Rose cleansing oil and Attar Floral Repair Concentrate every night and it feels like a necessity here in Minnesota.
I don’t buy a lot of makeup, but I did discover this Byredo stick in the color great sands through a friend. It is the perfect everyday shade to brighten your lids and smells really good (?!) - which is something I haven’t experienced with eye makeup before!
As far as shows go - I will talk about Pamela Adlon’s show Better Things (Hulu) until I am blue in the face. Watching it is a form of therapy for me now. (EV approved!)
I asked Kate about her best find on the site to date. Personally, I just ordered a Batsheva dress (pictured) for my bday from Noihsaf.
“I started Noihsaf almost 10 years ago so I have accumulated a lot of “best finds”, but I would say this vintage silk Dior jacket I got probably 7 years ago is my favorite. It’s so chic and elevates any look. It will be one of those items that will be in my rotation until the day I die. I say this a lot about Noihsaf, but it really acts as my fashion wishing well. There are so many specific items I have on my wishlist and without fail it eventually comes through the site. Most recently was this Mozh Mozh zip-up sweater I had been wanting. Now I just need the matching pants.... Do your work universe!”
Exteriors—a fascinating departure from Annie Ernaux’s classically interior POV. This book made me want to journal observations more often.
Generations—moving memoir and portrait of a family, especially loved the forward by Tracy K. Smith.
On All Fronts—Clarissa Ward’s breathtaking career in journalism. A must-read for anyone exploring the field or curious about how the sausage gets made.
This Time Tomorrow—a very touching portrait of the love between a mother and father. Incredibly appropriate! Could listen to with kids in the car and still so touching.
Mother In The Dark—if we’re friends, I’ve probably already told you to read this. Much love to Tori for the intro to this sharp, emotional book on how we relate to our mothers.
Thank you so much for reading. Recently, I wrote about easy Vday gifts under $50 and romantic getaways for Clever. Also, I wrote about maude for Beauty Matter! See you next Thursday! x
Didn’t know and now totally obsessed!
Truly the best. It’s been awhile since I’ve perused NB...I love that she has a site now. 😭