A Year in Secondhand Shopping
Photo by Hanna Postova on Unsplash
As we start a new year, I’d like to share some of my favourite pieces throughout 2023 along with some history and a little back-story.
I’ve been an enthusiastic thrifter since childhood – the legacy of a mother who loved jumble sales! In my avid crate-digging, I soon discovered how much I preferred vintage clothing, the fabrics are better, and the clothes are overall better made, with some really great innovative details such as wonderful prints, crochet inserts, and capes or floating layers. I’m always looking out for new pieces – table-top sales in the winter, car boot fairs in the summer, and charity shops all year round.
January
This vintage 1960s cape was a charity shop find. It’s Welsh wool in a fine geometric woven design and was made by Tregwynt woollen mill (Melin Tregwynt), which produced woollen cloth since the 19th Century and still does so today.
February
This vintage 1940s dress was another charity shop find. It’s made of silk crepe in black, with a heavily beaded white collar. I was lucky enough to see the Chanel exhibition at the V&A recently, and it reminds me of some of her earlier pieces.
march
It’s not just clothing that I find on my travels. This antique velvet drawstring bag was found at a local car boot fair. Also known as reticules, these little soft bags became very fashionable in Edwardian times as the sleeker fashions meant less room for hidden pockets, and ladies needed something to carry around their bits and pieces.
April
The weather was still unseasonably chilly, so I was dressing for winter in this photo. The coat is vintage Burberry, found on Vinted. The skirt was a charity shop find, it’s 1970s and is made by C&A. The boots are also vintage 1970s and were bought from a tiny vintage stall that used to be on the pier at Herne Bay.
may
It's not vintage, but a vintage-inspired second-hand purchase from eBay. This dress is by Wyse who does beautifully cut, high-quality vintage inspired pieces. Their dresses are so pretty and can be dressed up or down.
June
Vintage Laura Ashley! Their vintage dresses are so gorgeous – the 1970s prairie dresses are beautiful too, but this one is from the 1980s as you can see from the puffed sleeves and ‘milkmaid’ shape. It was another charity shop find.
July
Another 1970s dress. This was made in India and was purchased in another charity shop (so was the hat). I’ve got a photo somewhere of my mother in 1980, wearing an almost identical dress. Indian-made and inspired clothing was hugely popular in the 1970s with the hippy, Eastern-inspired style movement.
August
I love this second-hand Barbour Jacket from eBay, it’s perfect for outdoor pursuits (as has always been the main demographic of this brand), and washable, so it doesn’t matter if it gets a bit mucky. I added a vintage silk scarf from a charity shop, and the jeans are vintage Levis.
September
I do love a flowing 1970s dress! This one was bought from Vinted and is made by Kati at Laura Phillips – a well-known brand from that era specializing in flowing and romantic dresses with floral patterns and frills, really tying in with the ultra-feminine vibe of that era.
October
Another Welsh wool cape! They’re great for changes in season because they’re lighter than a coat and work well in changeable weather. This one is slightly later, from the 1970s and was probably originally part of a set (they came with matching skirts, trousers, waistcoats). This was a car boot sale purchase, and perfectly timed as the weather was just getting colder!
November
Yes, this picture was actually taken in November! It was really mild, and this vintage kaftan is surprisingly warm. I think kaftans are hugely underrated as a garment – they look great, they’re versatile, and they’re comfortable. This one is from the early 1980s and is made of crushed velvet – it was another charity shop find.
December
Finally for December, a design classic, in a traditionally seasonal red colour. This Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress is made of silk jersey and was bought on Instagram. Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) designed the wrap dress in the 1970s for the modern liberated woman. Comfortable and flattering, it’s also iconic!
I love vintage clothing for its history and its quality, but also for the reduced environmental impact of shopping second-hand. Not all the fabrics are that great (polyester shirts, I’m looking at you), but it’s still part of my aim to reduce my impact on the environment and reject fast fashion for its terrible impact on the people who have to produce it, as well as on the environment.