What, this old thing? Vinyl trousers
The influencer, and repeat-wear expert, reveals how her wipe-clean trousers have become a wardrobe staple
if you are one of the people in my life who raised an eyebrow when I bought these pretty-out-there PVC pants and warned me that I would never wear them, consider this a very public, ‘I told you so.’
Don’t get me wrong, I do see your side of the argument. I’m no expert, but these vinyl trews are made out of pretty much one of the worst fabrics you can think of in terms of sustainability. They were cheap (under 50 quid), and were purchased from one of the biggest fast-fashion brands on the high street. Plus, they look like the kind of thing you would parade out once, only to end up entangled in your very own Ross Geller debacle, desperately trying to peel them off with baby talc (disclaimer: they do get rather sticky when you go dancing).
The truth is, I have worn them so often that I have actually had to wean myself off, lest I forever be known as the girl-with-the-(fake)-leather-legs. And I knew all along I would wear them to death because they go with everything, from chunky knits to my collection of blazers, all my boyish tees and sexy camis. Heels, trainers, boots: you name it, they work with it. And they wipe clean.
Yesterday, a salesperson caught me ogling the Galliano saddlebags that were displayed in a vintage pop-up. Trying to sell one, she clamoured purposefully, ‘And, they’re sustainable.’ To which I (a little too angrily) answered, ‘No they aren’t. They are just a slightly less damaging alternative to buying something new that you will only wear a few times.’
So trust your instincts. If you love something, high or low, expensive or cheap, eco or not, that’s OK if you are going to wear it. It’s the always needing new stuff that we really need to work on.