charity shop clothes

I’ve had a bit of writer’s block over the past week or so. I’m full of ideas but the words don’t seem to make much sense when I get my fingers to a keyboard. Showing you my recent outfits is always a good way to inspire me though because I love putting the photos together so much, and the response I get is always somewhat motivational. I’ve been apart from the majority of my wardrobe for over six months now but they are finally back with me and I’m excited to style up some new looks with what I’ve gathered since then. You might remember these DIY jeans…

WHAT I WORE: Vintage Yellow Leather Jacket (Jumble Sale) // Golf Blouse €3.00 (Charity Shop) // Ripped Jeans (DIY + ASOS) // Wanderlust 101 Boots (Dr Martens)* // Denim Chokers (Yours Again)* // Sunglasses (Jumble Sale) // Headscarf (Jumble Sale) // Rings (Unknown)  

These photos have a different colouration to usual as I think its overall aesthetic deserved a greener hue, don’t you? Technically, this is a brand new outfit as I recently took to a charity shop and picked up three new items (make sure you’re following me on Instagram as I often share these sorts of things on my Instagram Story!) which I’ll undoubtedly share in future posts, including this golf print blouse which I almost didn’t take to the check-out.

I think styling often comes easier when you look at an item from a broader perspective rather than the item itself, in detail. I was drawn to the print of the blouse as it reminded me of a vintage scarf print and how it would work well with denim (more on that below) in the summer but was off-put when I realised it as golf themed. I don’t think one would suspect that on first glance though which is what made me push past my hesitance and add it to my wardrobe (the money going to a good cause of course and the item being saved from being passed on elsewhere). 

The hints of red, yellow and blue are what make it a little bit more me. I can add on my trusty yellow jacket and have it blend in seamlessly along with my Dr Martens which have elements of each colour in their print. Don’t forget – there’s sustainability in keeping an item for years on end when the item itself isn’t directly ethical or sustainable, like my boots.

As the title of this post suggests and as I’ve already mentioned, I knew this silk-like shirt would work well with a denim texture clash which brings us back to my DIY, ripped and dip-dyed jeans. I think for most people, the rips would be enough to end their life in a wardrobe but they are still the perfect fit and the rips now allow me to move more freely. Pro tip, though; perhaps don’t rip elasticated jeans as they will just keep. on. ripping. 

The blend of white is what keeps the outfit crisp and clean and leaves for a blanker canvas for accessorising. Also, the block colours of the majority of the outift ties in with the stripes of the shirt. See what I mean about looking at things as a whole? 

~ WHO MADE MY CHOKERS ? ~
Simona Uvarovaite, the founder and designer of Yours Again. Yours Again produce their collections in Lithuania but some pieces are also created in Denmark where Simona is based. Their Instagram is full of behind the scenes photos.

Speaking of accessorising, these chokers from Yours Again (a brand in my ethical directory) came into my life with perfect timing. I’m not one for blouses without a top button (this can be easily fixed with a needle and thread of course) but these recycled denim chokers make up for it and quite frankly look better altogether than what another button would do. I’ve never actually worn chokers before although they have always interested me. I believe it’s because I’m quite lazy in the accessories department. You’ll usually only see me with sunglasses and a handbag.

Yours Again turn used and pre-loved denim and jeans into new pieces whether that be chokers like mine or their first collection of waistcoats and jackets. I understand their pieces are on the higher end of the scale in terms of price but I can tell that they are coming from a committed and loving team which means you’ll be able to treasure the journey and story your clothes have been on. Plus – they look amazing and I can’t wait to style them up again soon.

I also added a headscarf to tie in the green of the blouse and I actually love the outcome. It was a decision I made last minute before stepping out the house and sometimes those sorts of decisions are the best kind.

How would you style up these chokers? Have you been second-hand shopping recently? Let me know in the comments!

I’ll be back soon with (hopefully) lots of new content for Fashion Revolution Week…

Like every outfit post it seems, it’s been a while since my last. Quite honestly, my appearance hasn’t been on top form over the past few months because I’ve been living in a tent, out of a dust covered house and now a very limited amount of clothes as we start exploring in Sardegna (Sardinia). But I thought I’d take a moment to share with you something I’ve been wearing a lot recently. You may notice I’ve worn the top half of this outfit in photos already but an outfit isn’t much of an outfit without something on the bottom!

WHAT I WORE: Yellow Leather Jacket €35 (Jumble Sale) // Pink Turtleneck £5 (Charity Shop) // Navy Satin Trousers €5 (Jumble Sale) // Dr Martens Pascal Mirror Shift Suede Boots (Mastershoe-MyShu)*

Looks familiar, huh? It probably looks familiar to my whole family seeing as I’ve worn this outfit about 500 times since I bought all of the pieces. It’s a colour blocking outfit and it was even more block-y when I was wearing it with my white platform heels, but I’ve refined it now which means it blends out in the right places. The majority of it as you will see above, is second-hand. Everything other than the Dr Martens and one of my rings are previously owned which means I’m happy to promote the whole look.

And luckily, even though I was wearing it with a winter coat over the top at home in England, the weather here in Sardinia means I can wear it with everything on show. That’s one thing about winter I dislike – sometimes you’ll be wearing an outfit you love, but you have to cover it up with a coat or jacket that isn’t quite as exciting.

Speaking of jackets, I’ve worn my yellow leather number so much more than I expected myself to. One of my biggest concerns before purchasing it was ‘What will I wear it with?’, but it seems I can wear it with quite a lot. I haven’t had the chance to wear it with a dress yet, but I know with the right shoes and accessories, it could work well with something floatier than what I’m wearing here.

The trousers are probably one of my favourite purchases of late. The satin texture is surprisingly wearable, and as I mentioned above about the block outfit blending in certain parts, the sheen and shine to them ties in my Dr Martens. There’s something really satisfying about the contrasting colour of the rest of the outfit, tied in with the shoes and trousers. I’ve yet to wear the matching suit jacket as I was about to adjust the shoulders before another earthquake hit… but you just know I’ll be shooting an outfit as soon as it’s ready to wear.

Sunglasses €2 (Jumble Sale) // Middle Finger Ring (Unknown) // Index Finger Ring (Arezzo D’oro Diamond Cut Stacker Ring – Gemporia)* // Ear Cuff (Claire’s)

If you read my second hand shopping post, not only would you have seen the top half of this outfit before, you would have seen my jewellery and sunglasses. I’m a very simple jewellery person. In fact, I’m so simple that I now hardly ever take my rings off. The only real things I change up are whether I’m wearing a watch or whether I have an ear cuff on (which I really wish was a real piercing. I was planning on getting my helix done, but I haven’t had the time yet). This recent discovery in semi-permanent jewellery has made me question why people worry about mixing silver and gold. My watch is gold but everything else I wear is silver. Mix it up! Forget the norm! Wear what you wanna’ wear. We haven’t got time for rules.

I’ve come to the conclusion that my Dr Martens are a fairly sustainable purchase. They’re not the most ethical from what I know, and there are definitely better options (even from Dr Martens themselves with their vegan and Made in England collections), but if they’re going to be lasting me years and I’m only buying a pair every once in a while, I don’t feel too bad about it. I’m always talking about how we have to take small personal steps to becoming more ethical and sustainable in our lives, so I’m going to admit that this is a small step I have yet to take.

What have you been wearing recently? How would you style a yellow jacket? What’s your small step you’ve yet to take? Let me know in the comments!