the molehill vintage lover's guide to rome
my top store recs & a cheat sheet for shopping vintage italian designer online.
Good morning!
My corner of the internet is abuzz over the Baggu x Sandy Liang 2.0 collab coming out today (9am online, 10am in stores—good luck, godspeed). The Terminator bunny is my favorite print because it’s a cheeky nod to the knockoff Gucci/LV bags sold on Canal Street.
As a paid reader perk, I’m raffling away 3 of the blue market plaid pieces from the PR package I received but realistically won’t use: the large market bag, the large pouch, and the standard Baggu.
To enter, just leave a comment below sharing one thing on your summer 2026 bucket list. I will select 3 winners by next Wednesday by responding in the comments; each winner will receive one of the 3 items.
Over the next month, I’ll be sharing several travel/city guide newsletters recapping my time in Italy. We’re kicking it off today with the Molehill vintage lover’s guide to Rome.
Dare I say Rome is my all-time favorite city for vintage shopping?
It exceeded my expectations, both in terms of the selection/curation and how many things I ended up actually purchasing. I think it boils down to two main reasons:
Vintage clothes and jewelry in Rome tend to be aligned with my personal style—colorful, expressive, and funky! Lots of prints and drama. Comparisons to shopping in Tokyo kept coming to mind…while I enjoy vintage shopping in Japan and have found some gems, the overall selection at a standard secondhand store leans Americana and workwear, which I’m less drawn to.
The sense of antiquity in Rome permeates the air. You are surrounded by ancient ruins and monuments; you can’t help but marvel at how old things have endured through time. It puts you in the mood to sift through 15 trays of costume jewelry and appreciate the past lives of objects. Vintage shopping in the Eternal City…how romantic!
This guide covers my top vintage recs in Rome, including what the selection is like at each shop, and what I actually spent $ on.
I also want this guide to feel engaging and useful even if you are not visiting Rome!
So, I’ve included an “Italian vintage brand cheat sheet” at the end of the newsletter with brand names and keywords to search online. If the vintage piece I bought had a tag with a brand name on it, it’s included on the list. Also, some of the stores I mention offer online/IG Story shopping.
1. Cavalli e Nastri
140 Via del Boschetto (also locations in Milan and Madrid)
I stumbled upon this shop in the most memorable way. After a breakfast of pizza bianca and green tea, I was wandering around the ivy-covered streets of Monti taking pictures.
Then I saw a blue pleated blur on a store window mannequin and thought…wait a minute…is that an Issey Miyake set???