Why Second-hand Shopping is a Mood for 2020

We all know that sudden feeling of inspiration you get when your friend finds a super cool piece from their local Oxfam charity shop (or ‘thrift store’ as our transatlantic neighbours call them). But second-hand shopping isn’t just about finding a dope vintage sweater, it encourages individuality and saves the environment too. Here are three reasons why you should give the charity shops a second chance:

Channel your inner Greta Thunberg

Our global population is (finally) becoming more environmentally-conscious, so there’s no denying that the fight against fast fashion continues to be a hot topic. Although many of us are guilty of buying into the fast fashion trend, the majority of our wardrobes are actually the product of the second-most polluting industry in the world, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development. So, what can you do? Buying second-hand is a great step in the fight against fast fashion as it ultimately reduces the resources used and polluting by-products produced, such as CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Not only this, but buying second hand also means that less synthetic clothing is being thrown out, resulting in less plastic sitting in our landfills. It feels great to stand with Greta in the fight to save the environment, but don’t beat yourself up about the odd purchase from your favourite high-street store.

There’s no better time to support local businesses than in a global pandemic

We hate to admit it, but the older generation are right: a very large proportion of our everyday life does heavily revolve around social media. But who said that’s a bad thing? Use your favourite social platforms such as Instagram – or our lockdown saviour TikTok – to find a small business that you can help out in exchange for a jazzy upcycled garment. Next time you type your favourite fashion website into your search bar, try social media shopping instead. There’s definitely a fashion student out there who could really benefit from your help right now, probably slaving away re-working second-hand clothes for extra pocket money to fund their final project. Small business owners often send their parcels in super cute wrapping with handwritten notes, too – what’s not to love?

It is all about the price tag (sorry Jessie J)

Not only can second-hand shopping land you with some pretty cool garms, it’s very often a lot kinder to your bank account, too. It’s definitely not uncommon to walk out of your local charity shop with a pair of £2 vintage jeans or a 50p oversized t-shirt, although it’s not all about the spending. Setting up your own mini-shop on apps such as Depop is free and ridiculously easy, allowing you to earn cash from the comfort of your bedroom.

For proof of how simple, second-hand styling can work wonders, check out our Style Lessons to Learn from Timothée Chalamet.