Second Hand September

Second hand clothing has been the biggest up and coming trend of the 21st century, whether that be going to a vintage store, charity shop or buying vintage designer from sites such as The RealReal or Vestiaire Collective. There is no way we can deny that Gen-z has chosen which path they now want for the future of retail clothing. Social media influencers such as Emma Chamberlain were cultivators in making vintage cool again, by filming themselves going ‘thrifting’ and subsequently showing how they styled their finds on Instagram. If you hadn’t already heard, some of the biggest luxury names in the business are getting on board, earlier this week Gucci announced a partnership with luxury reseller The RealReal, for every Gucci item purchased or sold The RealReal will plant a tree through the non-profit organisation One Tree Planted. Sustainability is at the forefront of everyone’s minds and so we wanted to show you how easy it can be to shop the latest trends second-hand.

CHARITY SHOPS
Charity shops are one of the most obvious stops for second-hand clothing but be warned, if you are buying to re-sell on Depop there has been some controversy on the topic, the demand for clothing from these stores has driven up the prices meaning a lot of the population who depended on the low cost of charity stores can no longer afford the clothes there. This doesn’t mean that we should abandon shopping at charity stores altogether but just to be aware of the consequences of buying to re-sell.

DEPOP
At this point, who hasn’t heard of Depop, perhaps the fashion retail platform of our generation. Not only is it a way to make money from selling old clothes but also buying into the latest trends through other people’s closets which has drastically helped with lowering consumption of fast fashion and hopefully help in the fight against irreversible climate change and waste. Depop is great for both high and low-end pieces but do expect to pay a premium for both.

CLOSETS
One of the most underrated places to find great second-hand gems is your parents/grandparents closets! There are years of fashion trends there and as so many of the trends that were around in their time have circulated back, it is very likely that you will find something to transfer to your own closet. A tip I find useful is to search through them frequently which means I am constantly finding new items that have come back into fashion.

Zara Osaka has been very lucky to find some amazing pieces at charity stores and models some of them here:

The skirt Zara is modelling is Burberry and was bought off of Depop for £30

The detailing on this cardigan is so beautiful and perfect with high waisted jeans or trousers, this one was picked up in a charity store in Derbyshire for £10

These knitted vests are in high demand this season and are in every high-street store but looking in charity stores could mean that you find something unique. Top tip: look in the men’s sections. Zara found this one in a charity shop in Newcastle for £4!

This bag is Zara’s mums and these shoulder ‘pocket bags’ are so easy to wear and seen everywhere now.

This faux fur coat is perfect for putting over an outfit when going to drinks or dinner and was only £20