The perks of secondhand fashion (from a lifelong fashionista)

I’ve been wearing secondhand clothes since before I can remember. First, it was through hand-me-downs from my brothers during my childhood tomboy days. Later in my teenage years, it evolved to crafting my own personal style using the super eclectic range of clothes in thrift stores. It was a rare and unique opportunity to find my passion at an early age, playing dress-up by mixing vintage and trendy pieces. I loved secondhand shopping and styling so much that I built a career on it!

Even with all the style and excitement, I got from secondhand shopping, it took years for me to publicly come out as a secondhand fashionista. It was social taboo because of the stigma attached to it like the perception of dirty, mouldy clothing and the idea that it was only for poor people. Fortunately, this stigma has shifted, and secondhand fashion is becoming popular and even more fabulous.

One of the most surprising things I discovered about secondhand fashion is that it teaches you to figure out who you are and helps you appreciate yourself. As opposed to following fashion trends, selecting pieces to form a cohesive wardrobe from a plethora of clothes from multiple fashion eras and diverse cultures naturally makes you dig a little deeper beyond the surface to figure out who you are and what you want to express in your style. Eventually, I discovered a few more perks to this wonderful world of secondhand.

1. Social sustainability – Majority of the people who make our clothes are women in poorer countries, mostly in Asia and Africa. They are exploited because they are not paid fair, liveable wages where they can afford the basic life essentials such as healthcare, education and adequate food for themselves and their families. This happens despite working 12 – 16 hours a day. Buying secondhand sends a message to brands that we will stop buying their clothes when they are exploiting garment workers. It’s important that we inform these brands and urge them to pay liveable wages so that the workers do not end up unemployed.

2. Environmental sustainability – Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. About 80 - 150 billion new garments are produced worldwide each year, more than double what was made in the year 2000. Of the garments made each year, 85% ends up in landfill or incinerated. Most of this pollution happens during manufacture and disposal.  Secondhand shopping reduces reliance on raw materials, chemical procedures and fashion waste to landfill which all contribute to environmental damage. A circular economy with secondhand is a much better way to go.

3. It’s more affordable – Secondhand is such a great option for your savings and when you’re on a budget. However, considering the vast amount of environmental damage that fashion is responsible for, it’s essential to bear this in mind so that we prevent overconsumption of secondhand fashion. In a previous article, I explained in more detail why secondhand fashion is not about being cheap.  

4. Self-empowerment - I alluded to this earlier when I talked about knowing and expressing yourself in your style. Secondhand can be a relatively quicker and easier way to glide on the path of inner growth and self-discovery. If you choose not to follow fashion trends that have been dictated, you’ll realise your personality, goals, character or lifestyle will be the tools you use when you’re choosing your pieces. It can strengthen your self-image and instil a stronger sense of confidence.    

5. Unique personal style - Needless to say, shopping secondhand means your style is likely to be authentic and different from the usual. If you value individuality when it comes to your wardrobe and outside the box fashion styles then secondhand is your new (or existing) best friend.

This month, Oxfam UK is running a SecondHand September campaign where they’re inspiring people to say no to new clothes for 30 days #SecondHandSeptember. In the UK, 13 million items of clothing end up in landfill every week. In Australia, 6,000 kilos of textile waste ends up in landfill every ten minutes. Oxfam’s challenge is a fun opportunity to help reduce fashion waste by fully immersing yourself in secondhand fashion if you haven’t done so already. To find sources for secondhand clothing that are local to you, you can search online for clothes swaps, thrift stores, markets and wardrobe rental/hire platforms. Here are a few online platforms: Yordrobe, Ekoluv, Depop, Etsy, Carousell, Poshmark, Marketplace and Beyond Retro.

STYLING

With this ensemble, I went for a mixed pattern, monochrome look using a staple tan waist belt to break the monotone pattern. Finished the look with leopard-print stilettos. I added the vintage, red clutch bag for a bright colour pop. The standout features of the outfit are the ruched sleeves on the polka dot top and the monochrome chessboard pattern on the skirt because it demands your attention. When you’re styling yourself, choose pieces and combinations that make sense to you and make you feel good.

Outfit sourced from:

Polka Dot Top - Savers Australia Op Shop

Monochrome Chessboard Skirt – Marketplace

Tan Belt – Noffs Op Shop

Red Vintage Purse - Marketplace

Leopard-print Stilettos – A wardrobe staple 

♥ Nina Gbor

Instagram: @eco.styles

Why secondhand fashion (thrifting) is not about being cheap

Like most of my outfits, this ensemble is preloved. The top is from an op shop and the skirt is from a luxury/designer second-hand store. I’ve been op shopping and eco styling since the age of fifteen. Even though I’ve forged a purpose-driven career of fashion sustainability and climate activism from it, I realise that many still hold the view that preloved apparel is something taboo, shameful or only for those with low incomes.

With the plight of fast fashion where 80 to 150 billion new garments are manufactured every year, we’re consuming approximately 400% more than we did over 20 years ago. We’re buying more, wearing less and sending nearly three-fifths of likely reusable (and sometimes still new) garments to landfill or incineration each year. The fashion and textile over-consumption and waste problem are a major dilemma in climate change. This is why choosing preloved clothing can no longer be seen as just a money-saving endeavour. It is a planet-saving one.  

For years I’ve shared images of preloved outfits from op shops, thrift stores, clothes swaps, vintage stores and markets. The intention is not only to share what I enjoy, but mainly to shift the negative stereotypes around second-hand clothing. If I’m able to fascinate with a glorious masterpiece sourced from op shopping, then I always hope it will inspire the start of people’s slow fashion journeys. Op shops and preloved sources have the unique ability to bless you with the magical experience of finding that rare piece that lights up your world when you wear it.

However, I never mention the price of the pieces I wear because I believe it might not be best to focus solely on the affordability factor. Preloved clothing is for everyone, of every income level and background. Therefore, price should not be the only reason to op shop. It’s a given that preloved clothing is cheaper. And it’s perfectly okay that some can only afford to shop at thrift stores. However, for those who still think it’s only good for when you’re on a shoestring budget, here are some reasons to go preloved:

• Buying one used item reduces its carbon footprint by 82%.

• Op shops are charities that use their funds to help disadvantaged, marginalised and vulnerable groups like children, the homeless and victims of domestic violence.

• The eclectic range of preloved clothing in stores and online lets you sample and mix clothing of multiple styles, genres and eras. It lets you see yourself in a different light, as a suggestion that anything is possible for you. With that, it becomes empowering and makes your style unique and iconic.

STYLING

This retro pattern skirt is the centre piece in this look. In being simplistic, I chose a blue top that has chemistry with the blue lines in the skirt. This light blue shade of the top complements or works well with any of the other colours of the skirt: purple, pink, black or royal blue.

Styling tip:

I wore this elegant piece to play in the sand but by all means, try wearing a pair of dress shoes, button down shirt or silk blouse with a skirt like this. It converts it to a look to wear to the office, an art exhibition or other occasion. If you’re bold enough, dare to pattern clash this skirt by wearing it with a floral, polka dot or patterned top with corresponding colours.  

Outfit sourced from:

Blue Armani Top - The Green Shed Op Shop

Perri Cutten Retro Skirt – Second Mode Luxury & Designer Preloved Store

♥ Nina Gbor

Instagram: @eco.styles

Photography by Pepper Street Photography

References:

https://www.thredup.com/resale?tswc_redir=true

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2020/1/27/21080107/fashion-environment-facts-statistics-impact

Bright Yellow Winter

My wardrobe is full of vibrant colours to keep my style fun and playful. Recently the days have gotten shorter and the weather colder for many of us in the southern hemisphere. To help me mentally cope with the colder, darker days, I up the ante with BRIGHT, BOLD COLOURS!

Exhibit A: this super bright yellow early 1980s hand-me-down I got from my friend’s mother, Maryanne. Maryanne is my good friend Kylie’s mother and she has had this gorgeous yellow number since the early ‘80s before she had Kylie and her sisters! Fortunately for me, none of them wanted the dress so I got it. I rocked it with a pair of light brown studded falcon ankle boots I found in a preloved boutique. 

Have you ever noticed that most Winter attire in retail are usually dark and neutral colours, while summer clothes are often bright, cheerful and colourful? I think it should totally be the other way around. We should have bright clothes in winter to raise the energy and ambience of the cold, dark days with cheery, vibrant colours. And then in summer, when we already have longer, brighter days, more sunshine and generally lighter moods as a result, we can opt for darker colours and/or just maintain the colour vibrancy. 

 I do my best to extend my summer wardrobe through to winter by wearing thermals underneath clothes and jumpers when needed. This means I get more use from my clothes, buy less clothing for winter and therefore waste less clothing. And quite significantly, I get those bright, energetic, colour boosts in winter. It also has a positive effect on anyone who sees me on a winter day because they get hit with an uncommon dose of ebullience. 

So, this dress is a metaphoric toast to those of us with winter days ahead of us for the next few months. Stay warm and keep it colourful! 

Outfit sourced from:

1980s yellow dress: Hand-me-down from Maryanne’s wardrobe.

Light brown studded falcon boots: U-Turn Preloved, Vintage, Designer Fashion Boutique

Photos by Brunela Fenalte Photography. 

♥ Nina Gbor