A Few Reasons Why You Should Start Secondhand Shopping

Secondhand shopping was something that was always frowned upon when I was growing up. Despite being raised within a working class family and accepting hand-me-downs on the sly, I grew up in the heart of a wealthy area of Essex where fellow teens were casually sporting the latest Burberry quilted jacket and Louis Vuitton bag, and the idea of shopping in charity shops or car boot sales were seen to be unacceptable. It wasn't until I moved away for university and started really managing my own budget that I started shopping secondhand regularly and found a love for it, especially with the huge vintage revival which suited my yearning for anything from the 60s and 70s perfectly.

Shopping used items nowadays and trawling through charity shops is no where near as looked down upon thanks to vintage becoming 'cool' and covetable again. Although it's starting to die down a little bit away from mainstream trends now, it still influences them tremendously. I've pieced together a little reminder as to why switching our shopping to vintage and secondhand shouldn't be forgotten anytime soon.

Dress: Vintage via Oxfam Festival Shop

Hat: Catarzi x ASOS

Bag: Mango

Boots*: Kurt Geiger

Save yourself some cash

It goes without saying that if you start swapping your usual shopping habits and open yourself up to shopping secondhand, you're likely to save yourself some dosh. Your bank balance will feel a bigger and more positive impact if you secondhand shop in charity shops and car boots sales. Whilst some vintage shops can be cheaper than shopping on the high street, charity shops are considerably cheaper with items ranging on average between £2 - £6 each dependent on the charity shop and the item. Some charity shops are more expensive than others, but it's just a case of exploring your local ones and learning the average cost price across them all.

Car boot sales are even cheaper than charity shops and over the year I've managed to pick up some incredible vintage pieces for as little as 30p per item! You absolutely have to be prepared to rummage through a lot of junk, but it's worth it for some of the treasures you find at the end of it! Understandably I understand spending hours searching through a pile of rubbish isn't for everyone, but I absolutely thrive on it. Don't knock it until you've tried it!

You'll find items that are unique and no one else has

There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of someone asking you where you got your new dress from and replying in a smug tone, "Oh it's vintage, darling!", and smirking knowing they'll never find a replica... or maybe that's just me being particularly evil?! 

This is especially the case when shopping vintage and finding more antique style pieces that aren't currently being mass-produced, meaning it's less likely someone else will have an exact replica of it. High street fashion can become a little stale when everyone starts wearing the same pair of studded ankle boots or floral printed dress, but adding a touch of vintage into your wardrobe is actually a little more refreshing despite the garments usually being older than you are! There's also a certain charm about an item of clothing having another life and story before it came into your possession, particularly if its history dates back to another decade. 

Save the planet as well as your wallet

An absolutely horrifying amount of clothing fills up our limited landfills across the globe. According to a study, this year Britons will send up 235 million items of clothing to landfills in one season alone. The rise of 'fast fashion' and cheap high street retailers means consumers are more likely to purchase disposable garments, which are thrown away within a few months filling up the limited and valuable space we have left. Recycling unwanted items by donating them to charity, customising them or mending them can help reduce the amount of unnecessary clothing going towards landfills. By opening up your spending habits to shopping secondhand, you'll naturally be reducing the demand for new goods, which wreak havoc on the environment during mass production.

Purchasing used goods also helps towards saving the excessive energy used and pollution created via transporting brand new goods. Of course, there are still some carbon emissions in the transportation of used items travelling to the charity shop, post office or vintage store, but it's significantly lower than the mass-produced pieces being flown around the world from huge factories. Thrift shopping naturally results in a significantly lower carbon footprint and it's an easy change to make. Another positive point is that by shopping second you'll also saves on packaging waste, which accompanies buying new goods in the form of plastic, tags, cardboard, etc. 

You'll end up with new exciting things that you didn't plan for

When we shop on the high street, we always go out with a rough idea of what we're looking for. However, when shopping secondhand it's mostly a game of chance and seeing what you discover! I personally find this exciting and I've returned home with items I'd never even imagined before but absolutely fell in love with when I saw it in the shop. It's a good way to become a little more adventurous with your style as you can't curate it and plan it as well beforehand, whereas the high street where everywhere usually has roughly the same set of trends during any given time.

However, if you do like the idea of knowing exactly what you want, but still want to save some cash and lower your consumer carbon footprint, then you can use websites such as eBay or Depop to search for specific items for a fraction of the retail price. I use them both religiously to hunt for particular high street goods that have caught my eye. 

By making a few small changes to your shopping routine here and there will start to make a difference on your personal style, your savings and your impact on the planet. Despite being an advocate for secondhand shopping, I still shop on the high street but it's still significantly less than my shopping amongst vintage and charity shops. Basically you don't have to cut out your trips to your fave high street shop every so often, but by reducing them and replacing them with an secondhand alternative you'll be doing yourself a favour, as well as the environment.


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