The 411 on second-hand style

By Sophie Hutchinson, Second Year, History of Art  

The Croft Magazine // Inspired by Oxfam’s campaign, Second Hand September, Sophie Hutchinson gives a beginners guide to sustainable second hand shopping.

It’s easy to feel good about ourselves for refusing a plastic straw or bringing our own coffee cup to Pret – but there’s a glaring, often overlooked environmental sin that many of us commit without much thought.

Those unnecessary ASOS orders, the buying of a new outfit for every occasion, and the needless purchase of multiple items of clothing whilst out shopping, ‘just because’. Fast fashion and our reliance on it is one of the biggest issues our planet is facing today.

According to Oxfam, producing one pair of jeans can require up to 20,000 litres of water; and, new clothes bought in the UK create enough emissions to fly a plane around the Earth over 900 times.

Staggering facts such as these encouraged Oxfam to launch the campaign ‘Second Hand September’ to encourage consumers to take a 30 day ‘no-new-clothes’ pledge. A philosophy which can fit into the student lifestyle to help bring secondhand fashion attitudes into every calendar month.

There’s never been a better time to buy second-hand - charity shops are a great place to start. In more affluent areas you’re more likely to find pieces from high-end brands, so Clifton is a good place to head.

Vintage shops are perfect if you’re after a slightly more curated selection - Park Street and Gloucester Road are home to multiple. For one-of-a-kind motorsport and fur jackets, hit up BS8. Or if you’re after accessories, RePsycho on Gloucester Road has everything from classy berets to cowboy boots.

If you don’t feel like venturing outside, or you have something specific in mind, try online vintage stores like Rokit or Beyond Retro.

On Depop, some sellers list current pieces from shops like Topshop and Zara, so if there’s something that’s caught your eye in store, check there first to decrease your fast fashion footstep.

Depop is a goldmine for vintage band tees, and preloved clothing from Insta-brands like Brandy Melville, Réalisation Par, and Reformation. Be wary, though, of sellers flogging cheaply mass-produced wholesale items.

You can usually tell their listings apart from secondhand items as there will be multiple sizes available, or it’ll have an estimated shipping time, usually of a few weeks.

Finally, swap out ASOS for its sister site ASOS Marketplace, which is home to hundreds of independent boutiques - Dark Paradise Vintage is a personal favourite!

So, try something new and shop second-hand! Great looks don’t have to come with such shocking environmental impacts.

Featured: Becca Mchaffie / Unsplash

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