This article was written by Ceri Heathcote for posh-swaps.com, a website for swapping, buying and selling second hand and vintage clothing. Clothes swap and buying and selling second hand clothes is a great way to reduce the impact of fashion on the environment and to save money
It might seem like a bit of mad thing to do but increasing number of women are turning away from buying new clothes, instead opting for vintage and second hand. This is sometimes due to economic factors, sometimes due to environmental considerations and sometimes because they are fed up of the same styles of clothing that are in the shops.
There are a number of benefits to wearing second hand clothes including the reduction of waste and landfill, saving money and looking a bit different to everyone else. Buying clothes from the usual high street shops could lead to looking just like everyone else. Wearing second hand and vintage clothes opens up a whole new world of shopping with a massive variety and choice of clothes that are likely to be a bit different to everyone else.
If you do decide to never wear new clothes again, you will need to plan and prepare, whilst second hand and vintage clothes shopping is great fun and very rewarding, it can take a little time. The key to finding great second hand and vintage clothing is knowing what styles will suit you and picking out the real quality and well made pieces. Second hand clothes can be subject to a little wear and tear so it is important to check each piece carefully and be aware of what is acceptable to you and what is not. Some damage can be easily repaired e.g. missing buttons or a tear along a seam, other damage like mildew or tear in an obvious place will not be so easy to correct.
Second hand clothes shopping is not just a hobby, it is a way of life. You will probably not find everything you want or need in one shopping trip and you will need to constantly search every where that you go for pieces that you love. Prices and quality of second hand clothes will vary depending on where you shop, but it is probably best to look in as many different places as possible to maximise your chance of finding the clothes that you need. Jumble sales, car boot sales, dress agencies, vintage shops, charity shops, specialist fairs or markets, second hand clothing websites and classified ads are all great hunting ground for second hand clothes.
Always have some sort of idea about what you want and need but also be a bit flexible, you are sure to find something that is not on your list that you completely fall in love with and just have to have.
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