Second Hand September: Reflections

As September draws to an end I thought I’d give a little rundown about how I found Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign. The UK is facing a huge problem with fast, throwaway fashion. Clothes are so accessible and cheap, that buying a new outfit for every occasion is seen as the norm. A lot of these then end up getting sent to landfill, 11 million items a week to be exact! Oxfam’s campaign has aimed to encourage people to donate to charity shops instead of throwing clothes away, but also as an alternative to buying new.

It’s estimated in the UK we buy two tonnes of new clothes every minute - click the picture for more info.

I’ve always loved having a mooch in charity shops; there’s something exciting about not knowing what bargain you might stubble across. Unlike my boyfriend who hasn’t bought a ‘new’ item of clothing in nearly a year (amazing!), I haven’t ever used them as my only source of clothes.

I had an interview this month and I immediately panicked about my clothes. It was short notice, I was already down in London with no time to get my ‘smarter clothes’ from home. Having never had an office job, and preferring to live my life in dungarees and trainers, my wardrobe wasn’t really kitted out for smart interview attire. Luckily, I found some fancy Hobbs trousers for £6 in a charity shop, and instead of panic-buying a cheap shirt I borrowed one from a friend. I did however have an issue with shoes. I have weirdly wide feet so struggle to find shoes in general, I’ve never really had luck in charity shops and I certainly didn’t have time to search. This meant I had to break my Second Hand September! I chose to invest in some M&S shoes because hopefully they’ll last. The outfit must have been lucky as the interview went well, and I’ll be starting with them next week (yay!). I managed to secure a few more items over the weekend, including a brand new H&M skirt and an ASOS top, so I feel more prepared now!

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some not so great experiences in charity shops. Last month I discovered Missguided’s dodgy sizing - on one of the hottest days, whilst stuck in a dress in the changing room, I contemplated whether the £4.99 would be worth paying just to be able to cut off the tight bodycon from around my shoulders. Last week, I nearly started a fight with a man when he picked up a photo frame I was making a beeline to, he proceeded to hold onto it for 10 minutes whilst browsing before eventually buying it! It was gutting but a quick reality check as I walked out meant I didn’t get too upset about a photo frame I knew I didn’t really need…

Charity shop top tip: Head to a nice area of your town, or even have a day out somewhere new; it’s amazing how the standard of things go up! Alternatively, if you don’t have the means or time to visit shops, Depop and Ebay are great for second hand bargains too.

Is it just me or has felt like brands such as ASOS have been pushing more sales this month? Maybe it’s just on my radar a little more because I know I can’t buy things, but everywhere I look on the high street there seems to be sale signs! It’s made me think about my relationship with our fast fashion culture. I’ve been getting excited about the prospect of buying a new jacket as we enter autumn, without even considering the jacket I bought excitedly last year. There’s a lot to be said about only buying items that you absolutely LOVE, trying not to impulse buy, and really considering every item.

I’ve really enjoyed the challenge of Second Hand September, even if I did break it for some shoes! Hopefully even if you didn’t take part, it’s made you reflect on the way you shop! I’m certainly not going to stop my regular visits to charity shops!