Tag: charity shop

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Thrifty Things

Here’s to a thriftier new year

With 2020 now in the dust and many of us hoping a change of calendar means a change of luck in 2021, is there much chance for a slower fashion world? An article by the New Statesman from October last year broke down why a pandemic alone wouldn’t leave too much of a dent in the fast fashion industry. Even though there was a dip in online retail sales in April, people soon had the urge to spend, and by July online stores recovered quite significantly. Kate Nightingale, a consumer psychologist, says a reason for this may be that the COVID pandemic leads to “mortality salience” which can cause us to act and, of course, buy more impulsively because we’re faced with the idea of death. Who hasn’t indulged in moments of retail therapy at points of crisis in their life?

If you’re going to splash out on some new threads then why not say goodbye to carbon footprint filled, sweat-shop manufactured goods in 2021? Vintage sites like Beyond Retro, as well as second-hand clothes from depop and eBay are great alternatives. If you miss being able to support your local charity shops then Oxfam have their own online store which is still active through lockdown, as well as Age UK and others now using eBay to sell their wares.

The UK is in lockdown once again and many of us are experiencing those familiar quarantine blues, especially after a socially distanced Christmas season. Somehow the 120th drinks over video chat don’t quite hit the same anymore, and a lot of us have taken to brooding like moody teenagers who can’t go anywhere, although instead of our fake IDs not being convincing enough it’s more we can’t buy a Scotch egg accompanied by ten pints in our local, or even congregate in parks for stealth tinnies in state-approved groups of sixes. Even with the vaccine seemingly just in sight, lockdown is dragging more than ever. I especially can’t go anywhere apart from a few exciting hospital trips a week until vaccinated as I’m halfway through 6 cycles of chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, so do or don’t worry about the lavender-pink ombre being my real hair.

Speaking of moody teenage years, mine weren’t especially different to anyone else’s; insisting on collecting Smiths albums on vinyl, thinking Pulp Fiction was totally the greatest film ever and, of course, updating my tumblr blog of the soft/pastel grunge variety. If you remember anything about this genre of tumblr fashion it was a lot of pink/purple hair matched with combat boots, oversized jumpers/shirts with crop tops and the shortest shorts- essentially grunge- but make it pretty. A near modern day equivalent (now I suddenly feel ancient) is probably the ‘e-girl/e-boy’ style which is popular amongst the youth of today- hermit teens with a semi-ironic aesthetic to express. In my case the powers that were parents and Catholic school would never have allowed bright hair dye and upside down crucifix necklaces, so while my fourteen year old self merely admired the soft grunge aesthetic, these e-kids are out here really doing it, even if it’s just mostly in the confines of their bedrooms for TikTok videos.

Hair loss from chemotherapy is pretty unavoidable for the most part so a month into treatment when I started shedding everywhere I decided to shave it off and embrace the whole wig thing. Immediately I was drawn to pink as it’s a colour I’d never actually commit to with my real hair. I wanted to make the shade pop with a dark clothing base, so I went for this men’s black Hugo Boss blazer, appropriately oversized for that grungey vibe:

If you like blazers then a mix of well fitted and men’s size L ones are essential, if you’re torn on the day then why not go for both at once
I guess it was fate that I happened upon this sign last year and found my dream too-big blazer
Behind blazer number 1 is…
Pinstripes really shouldn’t be taken seriously, take a pair of scissors to them and stick it to the man, or whoever
Some might say it’s incompetence, I prefer to call it the raw hem effect. If you can’t find the perfect shorts suit just buy a regular one and cut the legs off. A better, less lazy person than I could even tailor it properly. Pair with skin coloured tights and it’s ready for any season
A graphic tee should be just that
I thrifted these boots about a year ago and I’m pleased to confirm they’re still alive and well, my tights on the other hand not so much. But what’s a ladder if not acceptably soft grunge?
Windswept wigs call for statement vintage earrings

Price breakdown (including delivery for online purchases):
Hugo Boss Blazer- £2.50, Essex & Herts Air Ambulance Charity Shop, Colchester
Pin stripe suit- £16.99, eBay
T-shirt- £19.10, eBay
Boots- £14, eBay
Earrings- £2.50, Vintage St Helena Hospice, Colchester

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Thrifty Things

Who needs Black Friday? A #thrifted outfit for under £19

An outfit for when you’ve got a boiler to fix at 9:00 and a St Andrew’s Day celebration at 12:00. Just kidding, we’re still in lockdown/tier restrictions, but of course that doesn’t stop us all buying for when things will one day be, we hope, ‘back to normal.’ As is the Black Friday tradition, many online stores were offering huge discounts on clothing, furniture, electricals etc. Even though Black Friday sales projections were predicted to be lower overall than in previous years, research from PWC suggested that those interested in Black Friday could spend more as a result of the second lockdown. This would be due mainly to pubs etc being shut, resulting in redirecting ‘forced savings’ to the sales.

With the assumption that fewer people in general will spend because of lockdown/restrictions, some retailers such as Pretty Little Thing took their offers to unsavoury extremes. Many garments were sold for mere pennies, prompting us to question even further the ethics and true cost of fast fashion. Greenpeace rightfully pointed out that “when the cost of clothing is staggeringly low, you have to wonder about the human cost of making that garment, and whether it comes from a supply chain of exploitation…remember when you see clothes selling for cheap, this always comes with a cost to people and the planet.” Read this article for more insight on the current PLT scandal.

My hope is that through this blog I can show an affordable and sustainable alternative to fast fashion websites, where personal style is not sacrificed. With charity shops reopening after the 2nd lockdown, and the option to buy second-hand on Ebay, depop and so on, why not give thrifting a go?

My outfit in this post cost just £18.75 (see full breakdown of costs below) and I was fully able to embrace that turning point in the year when we say a wistful, regretful goodbye to Autumn, while still simultaneously greeting the Christmas season. Of course, this look also embodies my loyalty to Scotch whisky (note the tartan scarf). The Autumn/Christmas crossover mood is, for me, very Douglas Sirk’s All That Heaven Allows (1955):

A closer look at the white, denim jumpsuit- surely everyone’s favourite wardrobe staple. Surprisingly even without a coat it kept me pretty warm
Feeling too shy for a kilt? Try a tartan, wool scarf. This one, like the best whisky, was actually made in Scotland
Faux croc for that extra texture
Walking away briskly from my responsibilities
Felt like I’d struck gold when I came across these
As it turns out not the best shoes for traipsing through a leafy, muddy park- but they lived to fight another day

Breakdown of cost:
• Jumpsuit- £3, British Heart Foundation Colchester
• Bag- £2.95, Scope Camden
• Scarf- £1.20 plus £3.10 postage, Ebay
• Shoes- From the Vintage St Helena Hospice in Colchester many years ago, I can’t remember the exact price so I’ll give a guesstimate of £6
• Earrings- £2.50, Vintage St Helena Hospice Colchester
Total: £18.75

Categories
Thrifty Things

I styled cycle shorts for under £13 #thrifted

I don’t particularly like cyclists. I especially don’t when I’m trying to enjoy a refreshing quarantine-era park walk and they seem to zip right past every five seconds, but I will appropriate their culture. Who in the past few years hasn’t worn cycle shorts for anything but sports? Festivals, running errands, lounging around during Covid-19; all equally valid situations which call for the garment.

I’ve had these cycle shorts for many years now, and although not thrifted I wanted to use other second hand pieces to create a look which involves something other than just an oversized t-shirt and bare-feet (the usual). I arrived somewhere between Princess Diana and Joan Crawford:

Joan drama up top and Diana comfort below

Feel like giving up during isolation? 1940s shoulder-padded-power-suit your way through it.

I’m a fan of a one-hole belt where one end can go through, loop round, and then be tied free-style at whatever tight-ness you want/need.

Unsurprisingly, Colchester’s St Helena Hospice clearance shop (a favourite) makes up a large chunk of my outfit:

  • Blazer- £1, St Helena Hospice clearance shop, Colchester
  • Belt- £1, St Helena Hospice clearance shop, Colchester
  • Bag- £1, St Helena Hospice clearance shop, Colchester
  • Shoes- Ebay, £6.30 (including p&p)
  • Earrings- Ebay £3.25

Total: £12.55

Conclusion: Sprinkling a casual piece like bicycle shorts with old Hollywood star inspired elements can in fact elevate your isolation mood. Plus a martini/quarantini a la Joan Crawford in Humoresque helps. Stay safe everyone.

Categories
Thrifty Things

A Birkin-Beatty inspired second-hand look for less than £29

It’s that time of year again, people celebrating and rejoicing that spring has (kind of) sprung, and the sunnier weather likes to trick us into thinking it’s here too. The season may be fast approaching, beginning officially on 19th-20th March, but winter doesn’t seem to show any sign of giving up its frosty grip. Yep, it’s still freezing. So what to do if you want to dress for the sunshine and the cold? Well, you can take what you consider the epitome of wondrous winter fashion, in my case Warren Beatty in the 1971 film McCabe & Mrs. Miller:

And throw that in a blender with the best of care-free spring style, for me Jane Birkin is the ultimate:

Then somehow after trawling through my vintage and charity shop finds I ended up like this:

Ready to face this confusing season-crossover period with 1970s-or-bust ‘tude. My main focus for the outfit was this unreal-ly luxurious coat which I found in Colchester’s Salvation Army shop for just £4.50:

Even though we’re nearing the end of winter, I knew I wasn’t going to wait until Nov 2020 to wear it, so I figured I’d pair it with more spring-time appropriate pieces to balance out the fur’s mighty heft. I found this shirt in the old faithful St Helena Hospice Clearance shop, where every item of clothing is £1. It does have a button missing, but I don’t mind, the gap allows me to appreciate more of that spring breeze/crisp winter air. A soft, suede-like feel, but still thin and lightweight.

I got the flares from Stour Vintage in Manningtree, it’s well worth a visit for the upstairs section of women’s retro clothes, no men’s unfortunately, but there’s furniture/records downstairs. I like these trousers as the denim isn’t stiff, it feels very comfortable and thinner than regular jeans, so even in much warmer weather they’d still be very wearable.

The bag’s origins I don’t fully remember, I’ve had it for a few years now, but I’m pretty certain it’s from the Vintage St Helena Hospice in Colchester Town. It has that straw/wicker basket vibe which immediately evokes Jane Birkin. Maybe if I keep dropping the contents of my bag everywhere then, like Birkin, I too can have a bag designed for and named after me with throngs of people waiting in line for one. Anyway, back to reality…

I bought the shoes from Ebay when I realised I was lacking a spring/summer pair of flats that I could wear til they start to fall apart (as is the usual pattern, I guess I have an aggressive stride when en route to stock up on vermouth and olives). They’re neutral/cream, but the question is how long will they remain that colour? In their second-hand, yet pre-scuffed, condition they look fairly new-ish, and like the shirt and jeans aren’t as stiff as their counterparts. These shoes aren’t from the world of traditionally tough and sturdy brogues, they’re softer and haven’t (yet) cursed me with blisters.

I tested out this look in a range of locations, were they as exotic as Jane Birkin’s favourite Parisian markets? Or as thrilling as McCabe’s entrance into a 1900s Washington mining town? Well, you decide. Here we have a stylish, brutalist car park entrance, something Colchester does so well:

And then we have an equally exciting, similarly-coloured off-white wall with a fascinating textural wood centrepiece. Clearly, I was captivated:

Finally, this classic brick wall and, with a spring-time flourish, some lush green foliage:

And the expression reads: “Foliage? For spring? Groundbreaking.”

The cost breakdown:

  • Fur coat: £4.50, Salvation Army Colchester
  • Flares: £12, Stour Vintage Manningtree
  • Shirt: £1, St Helena Hospice Clearance Shop Colchester
  • Bag: £5, (estimate) St Helena Hospice Vintage Colchester
  • Brogues: £5.70, (including postage) Ebay

Total: £28.20

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