Secondhand September

Secondhand monochrome outfit.

I chose these monochrome secondhand looks to herald the start of Spring here in the merry land of Oz (Australia) and to also mark the beginning of this year’s annual Second Hand September campaign by Oxfam, UK. I’ve been shopping secondhand since I was a kid, long before sustainable fashion was a movement and before it was seen as cool to shop secondhand. I started my career in sustainable fashion career years ago by styling glamourous secondhand pieces on Instagram to inspire people to take out the stigma of wearing used clothes. It thrills me that the mainstreams world has finally embraced it and campaigns like this one help further normalise wearing used clothes.  

Monochrome outfit restyled to look casual using a t-shirt, white sneakers and crossbody bag.

The purpose is to give clothes a longer life by promoting the use of secondhand shopping and donating. The goal is to promote clothing waste reduction to landfill, reduce fashion’s impact on the climate crisis.  87% of all unwanted textiles are sent to landfill or incinerated while 12% is recycled mechanically by being broken down into fibre, rags or material for insulation. Only about 1% is chemically recycled back to reusable raw materials. The fashion industry is partially responsible for the climate crisis. 95% of textile waste can be reused or recycled. Buying and donating secondhand clothes gives them a longer life by delaying or stopping them from ending up in landfill. This slows down the consumption of fast fashion which contributes to protecting the planet, its people and reducing fashion’s contribution to climate change. 

And by shopping secondhand, we’re reinvesting money into vital work of charity shops like reducing poverty and other worthy causes like inequality and illnesses. 

How Secondhand September works? Throughout September, buy only secondhand clothes online (if you need to shop) or in your local op shop. And also donate clean, quality items to op shops/thrift stores. And then share your one-of-a-kind finds in your socials with the hashtag #SecondHandSeptember.

Smart casual look using square pattern monochrome jacket.

STYLING

About 99% of my large wardrobe is secondhand. I chose these monochrome, Audrey Hepburn-60s inspired ensembles with a kind of 'je ne sais quoi' vibe to them. I’ve used a monochrome rah-rah skirt, vintage hat and tan belt to create a glamourous and sophisticated, the reused the 3 pieces to create a casual look with sneakers, a t-shirt and a few more pieces. 

Restyling interchangeable pieces in your closet to create different outfits makes your wardrobe far more versatile which can minimise your temptation to buy more clothes and lead to less fashion waste going to landfill.

 ♥ Nina Gbor

Instagram: @eco.styles

The secret to Audrey Hepburn’s timeless style and magic

There’s so much to say about the greatest style icon in history. This is why I’ve written two articles about her style and her humanitarian work. Today would have been Audrey Hepburn’s 92nd birthday. Her style was timeless and she’ll probably always be the biggest style icon there ever was.

I believe what made Audrey Hepburn so enchanting was that she had much grace, integrity and a strong sense of self. As film star in Hollywood’s golden era, she changed the landscape in the 1950s by being herself, instead of playing up to the unsavoury narrative which most women were subjected to at that time. She enjoyed the glamour but she never seemed vain about fashion. The clothes did not define her. Instead, she brought a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to her outfits. She presented herself with a lot of empathy for people and authenticity which compounded her style and made her even more memorable. She was simply who she was. Her integrity is what torpedoed her style into timeless, iconic status. And it’s the reason that the magic of Audrey Hepburn is still just as fresh as it was in the 1950s.

There’s a major lesson to learn from Audrey’s example. We’re in an era where our external image defines the lives of many of us. The obsessive, narrow focus on what we look like, the size of our bodies and all the other physical, external stuff has become extreme. It seems we’re forgetting to develop the internal higher values along with the external. Things like genuine empathy, real connection, personal growth, authentic kindness, care for the environment, etc. Without all of this, there’s a chance that vanity becomes the driver for our decisions. In which case, many issues occur which are unhealthy for people and planet. Attaining the perfect wardrobe and body might be fantastic but the full package is really complete when you’re also diligently working on those internal values. Without them, we’re in danger of just being like a shell. Empty. Albeit a good-looking shell, but still shells nonetheless if we’re not growing internally.

Audrey had an abundance of beauty (internal and external), style and integrity. She was not perfect but her influence and memory are still strong even six decades after she came onto the international film scene. It’s likely her influence will remain for many decades to come.

♥ Nina Gbor

Instagram: @eco.styles

Secondhand fashion; a secret weapon for self-empowerment

The stigma of wearing secondhand clothing is fading so fast, that fast fashion might become obsolete in several years. According to ThreadUp’s 2019 Resale Report, the value of the secondhand market, which is currently worth $24bn (£18bn) is expected to reach $51 billion (£39bn) in 2023.  

I’ve been op shopping and eco styling since the age of fifteen. Back then, it was seen as taboo. Kids would make fun of me if they knew my wardrobe came out of secondhand (preloved) stores. The old and outdated perception about preloved clothing sees it as something for a ‘certain’ type of person, something dirty and only for people who can’t afford retail prices. For fear of being bullied, I stayed in the closet about where my clothes came from, even though I fully, albeit secretly relished the unique look that op shopping gave me. It took several years before I mustered the courage to come out as a preloved stylista. Fortunately, it’s fast becoming the cool thing to do.

My style always made me stand out and I fully embraced the feeling of individuality. My outfit spoke (and still speaks) volumes whenever I walked into a room. In a world where I never felt seen, heard, valued, included in mainstream media or pretty much anywhere else, having the chance to express my persona through of a vast, eclectic range of exclusive garments felt, in some way, like I had found my voice. Even though it wasn’t immediately verbal (that came later). It was my way of loudly expressing myself without metaphorically feeling like I would have to scream to be heard. It allowed me to be seen, which subsequently opened up possibilities for me to be heard a little more often. The way I combined colours, patterns, vintage styles with contemporary styles garnered people’s attention. The intention was not really to wear clothes that got attention. I only wore outfits to please myself alone. However, it made people curious about me, probably because they struggled to place me into any one stereotypical box. That suited me just fine because like most people, I hate being labelled or put in a box. Regardless, I was happy to share my affection for preloved styling and knowledge of sustainability with them.

For the last four years, I’ve been posting preloved outfits on my platforms to help shift the negative perceptions of secondhand, by styling them elegantly. Part of my goal in all of this has been to help people see preloved garments in a new light; as something sophisticated, stylish, aspirational, creative and even enigmatic. In addition, I hope to inspire more people to fully embrace preloved clothing and experience for themselves the type of style magic that’s conjured whenever you wear something rare and exclusive. 

Today’s outfit is no exception. I’m featuring a black silk preloved dress that has a 50s style cut. I found nearly all the pieces of this ensemble in various op shops. The silk dress from a Salvation Army store in the U.K. The black luxury designer Salvatore Ferragamo bag is from Pandoras op and I found the faux fur scarf in a Salvos op shop. Preloved clothes contributed to my self-empowerment but, in the many pathways that exist, I think when there’s a sincere higher purpose or calling as the basis, the journey to self-empowerment is so much more authentic and powerful.

According to Bloomberg, the luxury fashion resale market is poised to expand by an average of 12% per year through 2021, compared to about 3% for the primary luxury market. As fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world, the rise of preloved is definitely a win for the environment. For me, it’s helped me win some self-love, respect, confidence and has opened up opportunities for me to use my voice for positive change.

STYLING

I decided to go ‘Gatsby’ on this black silk number by wearing the luxurious, glamorous faux fur scarf with a luxurious black and gold purse and some stiletto heels. To give it the 1950s touch, I wore a petticoat to puff out the skirt – lower half-section. 

Styling tip - A black dress is too easy to style up or down. Just switch the glamourous accessories for simple, everyday ones. Have fun mixing different accessories and pieces with the frock to create alternative looks. Make it work.

Sourced from:

Black Silk Dress: The Salvation Army Charity Shop, UK

Black Salvatore Ferragamo Purse: Pandoras at O’Connor Preloved Op Shop

Brown Faux Fur Scarf: Salvos Op Shop

Photography by Angela Elgiva. 

♥ Nina Gbor