second hand shopping

One of my favourite books is “Women in Clothes“. Truth to be told, I haven’t read it in a while, but I still appreciate every page of it and will definitely have a re-read at some point. It’s somehow such an inspiring read filled with such diverse and wonderful women, and it raises some really thought-provoking questions to ask yourself. If you want to know more about the book, you can read about it here, but for today I wanted to focus on one specific question in the survey…

Are you generally a good judge of whether what you will buy will end up being worn? Have you figured out how to know in advance?

As someone trying to do their best in creating the most ethical and sustainable wardrobe possible, I think about what I buy a lot before actually purchasing it. I’m not going to lie and say I do this in all aspects of my life, because I don’t know where my bedding is made or how the mugs I drink from were produced, but when it comes to my clothes I can assure you that I try to be as conscious about things as I can be. So when it comes to working out whether I will actually wear something, I believe I have started to nail the process on the head.

Generally these days, I don’t shop on the high street. I don’t even step foot in places like Primark anymore because they just don’t interest me and I know I don’t agree with how their company works, so that does whittle down the decision process a little.

I don’t have to think about where something is made because generally, I’m shopping from places that base their work around exactly that – transparency. I’m hopefully going to be doing a post to re-launch my ethical directory, but if you want to see where I shop from beforehand, I guess you could go take a look at it now anyway…

That doesn’t, however, get rid of the sustainability factor. A big factor of shopping ‘slow fashion’ is cutting down on your consumption of products so that you don’t have as much waste in the future, and so that we can start lowering the amounts of items made. We’re all guilty of getting rid of clothes and that can be for several reasons; the fit, the style, a fault, or like the point of this post, just realising we should never have bought it in the first place.

Trying to think about what I already have is one of the most important things, which leads me on to part of the advice section below, about trends. I personally believe that trends are one of the biggest reasons we don’t end up wearing what we buy.

In the moment it might seem like a great idea, but a few months later when yet another trend is cropping up, you’ll be wanting to get rid of the old and get back in with the new. So… how do we avoid that and know we’ll actually end up wearing what we’re buying?

Ask yourself if it’s a trend piece…

As I said above, trends really are a big reason as to why we as consumers waste so much. They’re made so that companies can continue to make profits; if you’re always made to feel like you’re missing out, then you’re always going to want to buy what’s there before it’s gone. Ask yourself if it’s really going to be something you’ll want to wear next season, and the next, or whether it’s something that is only there for the ‘hype’.

Does anything you own already match?

I had this dilemma with a coat recently. It was faux leopard print fur in a bright blue colour, and it looked pretty awesome; granted it was second-hand and that would have been perfectly fine to wear, but if it hadn’t had been, it would have been a bit of an obscure purchase to buy when what I’m wearing currently, hardly matches at all. I like to think about how many outfits I can make with an item. Will this skirt match any of my tops? Could it work mix-matched? Would it work with tights in the winter?

A really great challenge is the ’30 day wear’ challenge, which aims to help you wear an item for as much as it’s worth. If you can wear an item thirty times or more, then it’s probably been a worthwhile investment. So ask yourself before you buy; could you see yourself wearing it for 30 days?

Can you find an ethical or sustainable alternative?

There are brands out there that cater to trends. One of my favourites is currently ASOS’ Reclaimed Vintage. According to a tweet I received, all of their products are made in the UK from reclaimed vintage fabrics (hence the name). Their pieces are pretty damn affordable for what they are, and they change according to the season.

So when you’re buying something that isn’t necessarily coming from the most trustworthy of sources, ask yourself if you could put it on hold to find an alternative that will not only last you longer but also won’t do any damage when it comes to the earth, environment or the fast fashion industry that we need to start changing.

Even shopping second hand can cater to trends too. I picked up a pink roll neck sweater from the RSPCA charity shop (featured in these pictures, and styled in this post), and ever since, I’ve been seeing them everywhere. It might take a little longer to find, but it is possible. Scroll through eBay! Check out Depop on your phone or even the Oxfam website (yes, they ship outside the UK).

Sleep on it…

That’s a phrase that brands producing 52 micro-collections a year probably don’t like to hear, but it’s something you should really start doing more often. If you walk away from something you catch your eye on, you’ll know for definite if it’s really worth buying if you sleep on it and wake up still thinking about it.

That’s actually what happened with that pink roll neck sweater (other than literally sleeping). I walked out of the shop unsure, and ten minutes later I was walking back in and trying it on before handing over the (new, plastic) £5 note to buy it.

Snap decisions and impulse purchases are all well and good if you know that you’ll actually end up enjoying what you buy more than the excitement of actually buying it. It’s exciting, right? Going shopping and seeing something that you know will leave you with a buzz when it’s wrapped up in a bag in your hand?

But what if that purchase costs less than the cup of coffee you’re about to drink to give yourself a breather from all that walking around? What if the delivery costs more for that dress you’re about to buy in the sale? What is that really saying about it?

You’ll know you’ll end up wearing something you buy if you think about it first. Be conscious – that’s pretty much my main motto at the moment.

What are your tips on knowing whether you’ll wear something you buy? Let me know in the comments!

It’s been quite some time since I’ve posted a fully fledged outfit post, My Style or ‘editorial‘, so before I crack on with fashion week content, I thought I’d keep you in the loop with what I’ve been wearing recently. I’ve been rediscovering old gems in my wardrobe, starting to transition into autumn and have been picking up some more second-hand treasures…

WHAT I WORE: Mesh Grid Top (Blue Vanilla)* // Grey Sheer Hem Slip Dress €6.00 (Jumble Sale) // Shark Purse (ASOS) // 1B99 Dr Martens (Mastershoe-MyShu)* // Rings (Various) 

The amount of colour I wear has definitely dropped by a fair amount in recent times, so I find myself gravitated towards darker pieces that are usually in minimalistic shapes, like this slip dress that I spotted on the back of a door at a jumble sale. I’m so glad it caught in the corner of my eye because it’s something I never knew I needed but is almost something I’ve unknowingly been looking for.

I think the location of its original home put me off at first (an old lady’s living room – so it was probably owned by an elderly woman before me), but I think that’s something that you have to look past when it comes to secondhand shopping, because really, if I hadn’t had mentioned it was secondhand – I totally could have pulled it off as a high street piece, right?

There’s just something so effortless about being able to literally slip it on, whether that’s on its own or layered on top of something…

  LOCATION: Senigallia, IT  🇮🇹

…which is what I did, this time around, with an item I haven’t worn in a while. Due to its almost plastic texture, I don’t wear this mesh grid top very often, but I’ve kept it in my wardrobe for, as I mentioned, layering. The dress is slightly lower in the neck than I’d usually go, so if I’m in the need for covering up, adding a thin layer underneath which doesn’t take away from its fit can be quite useful. I also don’t want anything to take away from the straps, because they’re doubled up and it adds that touch of ‘sophistication’, I suppose.

I didn’t go completely colourless either! I know most people associate pastels with spring, but in my opinion, icy, cool tones work really well in the cooler seasons too… not that it’s particularly cool in Italy right now; I think my frizzy hair is a testament to the humidity!

I believe my way of accessorising this outfit is what caused people to stare at me in what I would class as a fairly ‘normal’ outfit (but who cares about normal, eh?). Yes, that is indeed a shark shaped purse. I’m not sure if I’ve featured it on my blog, but it was a gift from my brother and is one of those more wearable novelty items, even if it can barely fit my essentials in it. The grey matches up with the mesh floral print within the dresses hem, and the silver matches my rings because I’m officially a big ring person.

The ring on my left middle finger is now a permanent ring… I even have a tan line forming, and I’m quite intrigued to know how long it will be staying put for! Years, maybe?! My Dr Marten’s are also a fairly permanent fixture on my feet because the weather is cooler now, so I can get away with wearing them without my feet boiling out. Sad news, though; there’s a small bit of stitching which has come apart on the right zip, which is a shame because I haven’t even had them for a year yet! The first Dr Martens fault I’ve ever had! I’m definitely going to be getting in touch because that’s obviously a little sad.

How would you have worn this dress? What have you been wearing recently? Let me know in the comments!

Have you checked out my #16in16 feature yet? A campaign by Take Part all about what it’s like to be a 16-year-old in 2016. Take a look!
I’ll be back soon with, erm, what I think is going to be an LFW illustration every day! We’ll see how that goes…

As you will have gathered over the past few months on this blog, I’m a huge advocate for second-hand shopping. Ever since I picked up a turquoise floral dress from a charity shop when I was about seven, I’ve been in love with the idea of recycling clothes and keeping them in the world for longer, because, why not? When I found out about the Traid #SecondHandFirst week, I knew I had to write up a little something-something to share…

SECOND-HAND OUTFITS: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6

The point of this week (23rd – 29th November 2015) is to raise awareness of the power of second-hand shopping. It’s a chance to get more people on board with the idea and let people know that it’s more than just old dirty clothes in a dingy little charity shop – it’s a chance to recycle clothes that are perfectly usable and stop them from ending up on landfill sites. Traid want as many people as they can to make a pledge to source their wardrobe with second-hand clothing, whether that’s vintage, hand-me-downs, charity shop donated or re-vamped one-offs.

~ TAKE THE PLEDGE ~ FOLLOW @TRAID ~

I’ve commited to sourcing 50% of wardrobe second-hand, just like Susie Lau (Style Bubble) and I’m sure, many other people. You don’t need to commit as much as that (you can commit more if you like!) but setting yourself a little target can really make you more motivated to becoming a savvy shopper – thinking more about being ethical and sustainable, rather than being splurgey and spendy. The outfits in the first image are all outfits featuring second-hand items so yes, you can still be stylish and shop second-hand. We just need to all start proving it!

How much of your wardrobe will you commit to sourcing second-hand? Have you already taken the pledge? Let me know your thoughts on second-hand shopping in the comments!

P.S If you’re in the UK on Saturday November 28th, please pick up a copy of The Telegraph Magazine as there maybe a little feature of my Mooi en Lief by TDP collection in it! Eeep! 🎅🎄

I’m sorry that of my very few recent posts, that today’s is another outfit, but I didn’t want to miss this month’s Changing With The Seasons post, so I just had to pop this up. I really hope you don’t mind! I’ll try and have some different kinds of posts up soon… I’m just still trying to get my mojo back. Anyway, here’s how to dress for summer…

WHAT I WORE: Embroidered Blouse Dress (ASOS) // Vintage Floral Denim Two-Piece (Jumble Sale) // Blue Pleated Skater Skirt (H&M) // Nike Trainers (JD Sports)*

Okay, let’s just jump to it… THIS. TWO. PIECE. I don’t even care if 99% of this post is just all about the jacket and skirt, because looook. at. it. You won’t believe this when I say it, but I picked this up for £5.00 at a jumble sale. It fits like a glove and it is just stunning. I probably styled it in a bit of an odd way, but I was just too excited to share it that I had to include it.

The print is just beautiful and gives that sort of modern vibe even though the set is obviously vintage. I’d say it is probably an 80s/90s piece due to the baggy arms and oversized feel, but I honestly don’t mind at all. I think it’s going to be so fun to style, especially as you can wear the jacket and skirt separately. No doubt you’ll see it in a future #OOTD!

Now let’s talk about what’s underneath (okay, well erm… I probably worded that wrongly)… firstly, the top. This is actually a fairly old ASOS purchase, which I don’t tend to wear as it’s a fairly scratchy material but I think it worked well for an added contrast of colour.

Next up, where is the blue skirt? It’s like the Where’s Wally? of an outfit post… but it’s fairly simple. So I didn’t cheat, and stayed tied up with the CWTS series, I popped the skirt underneath my new floral denim number and created a faux pleated hem. What d’ya think? Yay or nay?

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And as I like to do for this lil’ series, here’s my video! It’s just a fun way to show you what the outfit’s really like on and get a bit creative. I think I may have had the exposure settings a bit wrong with this one, so sorry about the darkness, but I think it’s okay… I hope you enjoy a very rare YouTube appearance from me.

Hopefully I’ll be back soon with a very exciting announcement (hopefully) so do stay tuned! I think August is going to be a very busy and eventful month so hopefully in September I’ll be back to my usual self again, brimming with ideas and hopefully posting more designed based posts. That’s my goal! Until then… speak soon 🙂

Tomorrow (24th April 2015) is Fashion Revolution Day! If you’re not sure what that is, well I’m here to explain. Fashion Revolution is a campaign to raise awareness of the true cost of fashion, show the world that change is possible, and celebrate all those involved in creating a more sustainable future. I’m quite passionate about the whole thing and I believe you should be too. There’s quite a good explanation over on Huffington Post too!

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As part of Fashion Revolution Day this year, they’re trying to get as many bloggers, writers, YouTubers and influencers to share a “#Haulternative” video or blog post. The idea is to inspire as many people as possible to get back into the charity shops, raid through jumble sales, purchase vintage gems and think more about expensive, quality, investment buys than huge hauls of cheap and cheerful items.  I think it’s such a great idea and it shouldn’t just be aimed at bloggers either; YOU should get involved too.

You can watch my #Haulternative video above. I’ve picked out a few of my favourite second hand items. Some of them were seriously cheap and look seriously cool among most of my wardrobe. If you are inspired by this video and blog post, make sure to let me know in the comments! I’d love to know what you purchase…

I didn’t want to just talk about some of my favourite pieces though, I wanted to talk about why second hand shopping is actually really important. In my opinion so many people shy away from charity shops and jumble sales because I suppose the idea is a little bit odd. You’re wearing something that a stranger has already worn before. I get it. It is kinda’ weird, but when you think about the positives of buying second hand, you’ll probably want to go shopping straight away…

You’re helping the environment…

Clothes that you pick up from the charity shops and vintage stalls have been worn before, and they’re there to be worn again. It’s fashion’s way of recycling. This stops clothes from being chucked into the landfill sites and being completely wasted. A perfectly usable pair of jeans could be sat there in your local Oxfam waiting to be worn again! If you remember that you’re helping the planet and reducing waste when you purchase, then you should be able to forget that someone else has worn the same jeans.

Second hand clothes come with a purse-friendly price tag…

Unless you’re shopping at a top end vintage designer store, most second hand items will be cheap as chips. You can watch my video just to see a few of the bargains which I have picked up. I mean, who can resist £1 KENZO shorts?! The more expensive charity shops tend to be those with higher quality, more interesting pieces but even then you probably won’t be spending more than £25, which in my opinion is still a bargain. So if you’re on a budget, get down to your town’s weekly car-boot sale and find something for less!

Purchasing items at charity shops and jumble sales doesn’t just help your wardrobe…

It’s in the name, “charity” shops! When you buy, you support a good cause. I’ve listed below just some of the places your money goes at popular charity shops across the UK…

…but don’t just think only charity shops help! Things like car-boot sales and jumble sales help your community! Even on eBay, you help somebody out by putting a few coins back into their purse 🙂

Most pieces are as good as new…

As I mentioned above, a pair of perfectly usable jeans might be out there waiting for you, but not just jeans! I’ve found so many pieces (like the ones in my video) that are in perfect condition and look as good as new. So you don’t have to worry about anyone thinking you shop second hand… and if you do feel worried, or anyone does mention it, direct them to this blog post and explain why it’s much better to be wearing someone else’s clothes than something brand spanking new!

Ask the brands you wear #WhoMadeMyClothes Share your #Haulternative

Those are only a few of the amazing positives of shopping second hand. I hope it has inspired you in some way! I definitely want to start buying more second hand pieces, because you really can find some brilliant pieces in your price range. And, if you do, make sure you not only share your #Haulternative shopping spree, but make sure you tweet the brand that is on the label with #WhoMadeMyClothes to see where it came from! Now go and get spreading the word!