Since moving to a new town, I've been lavishing in thrift store heaven. The stores are so good that I can't even bare to walk into a store that sells new clothes, except if it is Old Navy and the sweater is three dollars, or if I'm shopping for underwear/a bathing suit/socks.
The thrift stores can meet my every clothing and home decor need. And by thrift stores I typically mean Goodwill, because they are da bomb. The further you go out into the country, the more clean, organized they are, and most importantly the better the clothes and the smells are too.
Which brings me to Etsy. Etsy is great for buying "vintage clothes", but it can be difficult to find something because there is just SO much. Its always convenient to have a general idea of something you might want. But lets face it, most of us don't most of the time. If you don't know what your looking for, then its best to find a store that you really like, and then bookmark that store, adding it to your "favorites". If you are searching for something specific, these "trendy" tags might help, even though they are stupid and embarrassing to even type. Just make sure no one is around.
"mod"
"hippie"
"boho"
"rockabilly"
"romantic"
"feminine"
"funky"
"secretary"
(I know its horrible, but you get the idea)
Also, don't forget what article you are looking for:
"dress"
"blouse"
"sweater"
"flats"
and if you want a print or are looking for a color?
"plaid"
"floral"
"stripes"
"blue"
I wouldn't bother searching for a size, because nobody puts them in tags for some dumb reason. If measurements are there, (as they really need to be), the best thing to do is compare the measurements to a similar article that you have that fits you well.
Another helpful tool is to search for seasons: "winter", "summer", "fall", etc. You can also limit by price (on the left) to find sweet dealz!
Here are some favorite Etsy stores and a sampling of their goodz.
Rainbow Jaguar (vintage from New Mexico, I have a soft spot for this area)
Penorus (fabulous and cheap jewelry and other thingz!)