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Everything old is oh-so new again. Especially when it comes to clothing and accessories, where the trend du jour is all things vintage.

This won’t come as a surprise even to anyone with just a slight eye for fashion over the past year, with vintage couture dominating both the red carpet and the streets. As designers have always turned to the past for inspiration, anyone who loves vintage knows the thrill of going straight to the source and finding rare one-offs which thankfully you won’t find at Sportsgirl.

So the faithful vintage-lovers head to the local St Vinnies, the markets, or the tucked-away vintage boutiques and rummage painstakingly through the racks to find that piece to call their own. Online vintage stores are now the latest source added to the mix, and are truly a goldmine for those time-poor hunters.

One of the best online vintage stores in Australia is Dorothy and Evelyn (www.dorothyandevelyn.com.au). Owner & designer, Rebecca Post, sources unique pieces from all around the world - from Portobello Markets to Paris, to the American mid-west and Venice.

The catalogue is a bohemian’s dream, with a wide range of affordable items including ‘50s & ‘60s charming day dresses, retro skirts, leather belts & bags, and one-of-a-kind hats and jewellery, just to name a few. It also offers an international sizing chart, online credit card facilities as well as shipping worldwide.

Plus it’s easy to navigate – taking you from catalogue to shopping cart in a flash. And a tip: you do need to be fast, as the hottest items go very quickly.

Another site worth checking out is Vintage Vegas (www.vintagevegas.com.au). While Dorothy & Evelyn is a trip back to the golden years, Vintage Vegas is more of a homage to the excess of the ‘80’s – glo mesh, anyone?

This is a prime source for accessories with a large variety of sequinned purses and cute boleros, as well as colourful costume jewellery. The range is small and there is no online shopping facility with transactions via email only. It’s a small site with items you can easily find at your local op-shop, but would be a gem for those not wanting to sort the duds from the must-haves.

However as any true vintage lover knows, it’s all in the hunt…