Words by Alex Taylor
With so many options on offer, finding secondhand clothes that suit your style has never been easier.
We’ve officially entered the final week of Secondhand September, an initiative launched by Oxfam in 2019 to encourage us to stop buying new clothing throughout September. The ultimate goal is to influence a greener approach to fashion within a month that revolves around increased buying, thanks to Fashion Week and the transition from summer to autumn.
Secondhand September has established itself as a highly regarded, global effort many look forward to and partake in. Its influence has been huge, raising awareness and increasing public action in the push to change the world’s outlook on fashion and make the industry a more sustainable place.
But when September has been and gone, what next? Do we forget about sustainable fashion until next September comes around? We believe sustainability and greener thinking should play a continuous part in people’s fashion choices. So, as well as encouraging people to refrain from buying new throughout September, we need to shed light on some of the small, easy changes you can make throughout the rest of the year.
1. Give secondhand shopping a go
Secondhand shopping can be daunting for those who are new to the game. Where should I go? How do I know what to look for? Will I find anything I like? The answer is YES. There are so many ways to try secondhand shopping, and we can guarantee there is something for almost everyone. Our recommendations for newbies include:
- Try different types of secondhand shopping to see what you enjoy most and have the best luck with. This includes charity shops, car boot sales, vintage shopping, and online shopping (think eBay, Depop, and Vinted).
- Research what’s on your doorstep – both TikTok and Google are useful resources for learning about the best places to thrift in your local area.
- If there is someone in your life who loves thrifting, join them! Walking into a charity shop for the first time and navigating what seems like a never-ending jumble sale can be tricky. So, going with someone who can show you the ropes is always a good move.
2. Try renting for your next big event
Christmas? New Year’s? Birthdays? Important occasions? Simply want to look great this weekend? Next time you’re looking to spend some big bucks on a party outfit, renting might just become your new best friend. The past couple of years have seen rental platforms such as HURR, By Rotation, Onloan, and Rotaro blow up in popularity. The reason behind this? Well, rather than forking out hundreds or thousands of pounds on one new dress or suit, people are seeing immense value in paying a fraction of the price to wear multiple killer outfits through renting instead. What’s not to love?
3. Shop with more sustainable brands
If secondhand clothes and renting aren’t your thing, you can still shop more consciously when buying brand-new, too. There are plenty of eco-friendly brands out there that are creating incredible clothes made with high-quality materials. Not sure where to look? We previously published an article highlighting some of our favourite sustainable brands to shop from this autumn. Even if you switch to making a handful of your purchases from brands such as these every year instead, you’ll be contributing to real change.
4. Care for and make the most of what you already have
Finally, as well as the things you can do to shop more consciously, there’s a lot to be said for what’s already in your wardrobe. It’s time to put aside a few hours to take everything you own out of your wardrobe, try it all on, and take the time to analyse how you feel wearing each piece. Make yourself a ‘keep’ and ‘donate’ pile. The goal is to identify what you feel great in and what might be better off going to another home.
Then, with your final ‘keep’ pile, have a go at putting together outfits you love. This will bring new life to your clothes and re-spark the creativity and joy that fashion brings us, reminding you what drove you to buy those pieces in the first place. It’s also important to take care of the pieces you own. Make sure you understand the requirements of different materials to wash, dry, and store all of your clothes in the best way possible.