The smart money’s on Liam

THIS is Second-HandSeptember, an Oxfam campaign to encourage people to buy previously worn clothes, rather than new expensive ones, or bargain-priced disposable fashion with a short lifespan.

Oxfam says: “Every week 11 million items of clothing end up in landfill.

“Throwaway fashion is putting increasing pressure on our planet and its people - it’s unsustainable.”

Every town has a choice of charity shops - there are more than 11,000 of them in the UK and Ireland.

My wife Maria has been a volunteer at the Hospice shop in Honley for more than 10 years and we have bought mirrors, small items of furniture, books, and the occasional item of clothing.

There are bargains to be had, although I am wary of clothes being described as pre-loved. If they had been really loved, they wouldn’t be hanging on a rack in a charity shop. They would be worn out.

Like my GAA bomber jacket (Gaelic Athletic Association) I bought 15 years ago in Ireland. It has frayed cuffs and trim. Many items from my wardrobe have gone to the Hospice shop, but my GAA jacket will remain with me for ever.

These days I have been known to splash out on eBay for secondhand clothes, not always with success. I got carried away with waistcoats and now have more than Moss Bros. But I have a very smart

Ben Sherman blazer and Maria has a Pretty Green jacket, the clothes range designed by a Liam Gallagher fan, although she is a former mod rather than a fan of his music.

So in the spirit of the Oxfam campaign, I have been back on eBay (avoiding waistcoats). I have seen a rather nice linen suit for £30, am tempted by a 1970s tuxedo, and have two bids in for Pretty Green jackets.

Unlike my wife, I am a Liam Gallagher fan, and need a replacement for my Irish bomber jacket.