4 minute read
What, this old thing?
FASHION
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With pre-loved being the new fashion "buzz word," Astrid and Sue talk about their jouney and guide us into a more ethical and sustainable style.
Astrid's fashion journey began further back than she can remember. As a child, she always had a love of clothes and an even stronger sense of style. Coming from a small isolated village with the odd jumble sale, limited funds and a mum with a sewing machine, Astrid, although she didn't realise it, had begun her passion for sustainable fashion.
Oh, the sheer pleasure and joy of finding a hidden treasure for a few pence at a jumble sale! And if it didn't fit, I would alter it, if it was the wrong colour, I would dye it. This soon led to charity shops and then on to dress agencies, eBay, Vestiaire, kilo sales, and clothes swaps. At this point, it wasn't about being sustainable and I wasn't looking at the bigger picture, I just have a love of clothes. As I grew older and started earning money of my own, more time was spent on the high street which I interspersed with my second-hand finds. I bought too much, spent too much and always seemed to need something "new" for a night out.
Sustainability started after I retired. No longer having the cash to be frivolous, and with an abundance of clothes I already owned, I began to sell them on eBay. This whole process led me to think more and more about my shopping habits and how out of control I had become. This all coincided with my new Instagram platform and the responsibilities it entails. I contacted a preloved designer agency, Timpanys that was based near me and together we came up with a plan; we would show the Instagram world how diverse preloved designer wear is and at a fraction of the price!
My thoughts soon led to less fast fashion and more long-lived fashion. I started dwelling on ethics and sustainability, which led to a gusto of research of places I wanted to buy my clothes from.
I suppose the point I'm making by sharing this is that we can all become more aware of our shopping habits. Don't get me wrong, I still succumb to the high street occasionally, but I will always try and find a preloved version first and will always constantly re-wear and re-love my exciting wardrobe
> @astridiwantyouinmylife
Meet Sue, MUA, style influencer and the other half of our pre-loved Queens. Sue has made a life long decision to only ever purchase clothes that are pre-loved or that she will love forever. Read and find how to fall in love with slow fashion.
I know I’ve hit the mark with my oddball sense of sustainable style when I get a raised eyebrow from a fellow parent at the school gate. I can often turn up the ante with a second hand find I have in my wardrobe.
I get no sense of excitement from walking through the doors of Westfield and I was never going to be an Instagrammer sharing her hauls from big name brands and ‘coming at you live’ from a changing room.
I get my buzz from having a rare Sunday off from family life and having the day to myself, scouring the rails at Clerkenwell Vintage Fair or Frock Me Vintage in the atmospheric Chelsea Town Hall. I love stepping out of Notting Hill tube and walking past the coloured houses on a Friday morning to see what rare finds I can spy at Portobello Green Market. Or happening upon the vintage shops of Haight Ashbury in San Francisco on our West Coast family road trip (I didn’t get long in them before the faces on my family told me I’d had my time!).
A lot of people say to me, "I could never wear that" and that is my aim - to make people braver with their fashion choices and convince them that second hand /pre-loved/ charity most definitely IS for everyone. There's more to life than the high street. I looked beyond and now I very rarely buy new or fast. Sustainable is where it’s at.
Online finds from Rokit Vintage and Beyond Retro never fail me when I’m looking for something specific. I’ve bought some fabulous items from Waiste Vintage, One Scoop Store, and always keep a keen eye on Manifesto Woman. Second hand and true vintage sites are popping up on Instagram all the time and many people are unaware of Asos Marketplace. It's a forum where individual sellers/boutiques can sell their vintage and secondhand wares.
My wardrobe is pretty full of designer garb, but I would never now buy high end/designer brand new. My favourite pre-loved site and my most successful buys come from Vestiaire Collective. My latest finds are a much longed for pair of Gucci Marmont loafers in Silver and a vintage Gucci horsebit shirt - in my size and at the right price point!
Just remember, it’s not sustainable if you’re buying more than you need. Each pre-loved buy is much considered... but I warn you, a few bargains in and you’ll be hooked!
> @mamma_see_mamma_do
