5 PLACES TO FIND CLOTHES YOU LOVE SECONDHAND
I will preface this post by admitting that I am very much not a fashionista. Before I knew about the perils of fast fashion, I am one of those people whose idea of clothes shopping was browsing the clothes aisles in the supermarket whilst trying to simultaneously placate whinging kids in the trolley and remember what I actually came into the supermarket for. So for me, a slower approach to fashion (in the loosest sense of the word) and embracing the world of #secondhandfirst was actually something of a relief. Shopping in charity shops, especially if you have kids in tow, is less stressful to me than the 'big city' and the harsh (cruel) lighting of a changing room surrounded by sylph like clothes horses. I can park the kids in front of the toys/books and browse the rails in relative peace. Oh, and I save a ton of cash too, at the same time as I save the planet (and my sanity). Halo officially polished.
Now if you're new to the world of sustainable(ish) you might be wondering what the big deal is about fashion and clothes. Here are some stats to freak you out that quite starkly demonstrate the impact of fast fashion on both people and planet, and if these aren't an incentive to shop for at least some of your clothes secondhand, then quite frankly I don't know what is.
By shopping secondhand we're reducing the demand for raw materials (and the water and carbon footprints associated with them). We're not giving our hard earned cash to companies who may well be knowingly or unknowingly complicit in exploitation of garment workers and child labour. And we're saving clothes from landfill. Another #winwin.
OK, so now you're hopefully convinced about the merits of buying secondhand, what are your options for finding pre-loved clothes you'll love?
YOUR OWN WARDROBE
- The average British women hoards £285 of clothes she will never wear.
- We wear just 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. The rest just sits there silently berating us for our impulse buys or our weight gain.
So set aside an afternoon to go through your wardrobe. Take everything out, empty your drawers and dump it all on the bed. You will probably be shocked by quite how much there is there. Go through it piece by piece - make three piles: keepers, charity shop, and a mending pile. Be realistic about anything you've not worn for a long time - is it becasue you're hoping to fit back into it one day? Did you buy it on impulse before realising it really doesn't suit you or go with anything else you own? Take a look at the keepers - how can you mix and match what you've go thther to ceate different looks and outfits? Get creative!
YOUR FRIEND'S WARDROBES
Have a 'swish' with your friends!
Get together a small group of friends (it helps if you're all similar sizes), each have a clear out and then get together for an evening of clothes swapping and maybe a cheeky glass or two of something.
CHARITY SHOPS
Get to know your local charity shops, and pop in whenever you're passing to cast your eye over any new stock.
Go in with an open mind, and also keep in mind what you already have at home, and how any new items will fit into your wardrobe. There's a theory that charity shops in well-off areas are more likely to stock high end items, so if that's your kind of thing, why not test it out!
eBAY
If you're looking for something specific - a particular brand or item - then eBay can be a great place to look. You can refine your search to only include 'used' items, and can search by size, colour and brand.
DEPOP
I confess I had no idea of the existence of this site until it came up in an online search when I was researching my book (The Sustainable(ish) Living Guide - out Jan 2020 😉 ) It all looks very pretty, a bit like Instagram - all the pictures are square boxes mostly with achingly hip people pouting and showing off their clothes. But the clothes are for sale.
