WHO’S FOR SECONDS?
SECONDHAND, vintage, thrift, recycled, re-sale, no matter what you call them, they are all essentially the same thing, clothes that have been pre-owned and pre-loved. So, if buying something that has previously hung in someone else’s wardrobe doesn’t float your boat, look away now.
It’s Secondhand September, an initiative launched by Oxfam to encourage people not to buy any “new” clothes for a whole month.
It coincides with the launch of the charity’s secondhand boutique inside Selfridges on Oxford Street, curated by former Vogue stylist Bay Garnett, whose vintage credentials are about as good as they get. Selfridges has purchased all the stock and all proceeds go straight to Oxfam.
Our high streets are packed with charity shops. They are a lifeline to those whose economic situation leaves them with no other option, and if you have never ventured inside one, they aren’t all a jumble sale with tatty looking stock.
Far from it. Let’s not forget they have to function like any normal business, while their workers may be volunteers, each store needs to turn over enough money to pay their rent and rates, so more often than not the merchandise is nicely ordered by product category, size and even colour to make shopping more appealing.
Staff sift through the donations carefully and remove any undesirables such as smalls (Covid precautions are also in place, with donations being quarantined before being put out on sale).
Of course charity shops aren’t the only port of call for preowned clothes, there are the online market places such as eBay and De-pop, perfect for those wanting to buy high street clothes that perhaps they missed the first time around.
There are also “curated” vintage shops popping up online. Curated, in this instance, means cherry picked for their quality, washed and repaired, however the prices are slightly higher for their troubles.
If you’re a designer label lover but find the prices too high, then second hand is the way to get your kicks without the hefty price tags.
With the rise of re-sale sites such as Vestiaire, Vide and HEWI, you can get your hands on nearly new clothes and handbags from some of the world’s biggest luxury brands at knock down prices and you don’t even have to leave the house.