Reuse, Recycle.”

Thankfully, there is a fairly simple solution. Charity shops provide two things: one, a place for clothes to go instead of straight to landfill when they are no longer wanted; and two, somewhere for people to shop for pre-loved clothes, which will last longer in their wardrobe. The idea of a ‘capsule wardrobe’ is central to this – the aim being to own clothes that exist outside of trends so that your outfits never go out of fashion. This makes it easier when choosing clothes in charity shops, but it also means that as a consumer, you won’t need to worry about buying new clothes to keep up with trends –something that is really important to a lot of people, especially in a cost-of-living crisis.

Charity shops provide high quality clothing for really affordable prices, and while sometimes it takes a bit of sifting through things to find something you like, that just makes it more rewarding when you do. Also, if you’re not sure on something, it’s easier to commit to buying it – if you decide you don’t like it later, you’ve only spent £3, it went to charity, and you can always re-donate the item! After you’ve been a charity shopper for a while, there is also something very satisfying about putting an outfit on and realising all of it is second hand. By shopping second hand, not only are you supporting charities, but you’re allowing the shops to continue running, improving the experience for more people. PLUS you’re saving clothes from landfill, and avoiding supporting the fast-fashion industry.

So next time you’re coming up with an outfit, try shopping your own wardrobe first, and if that fails you, shop someone else’s!