Second Hand Clothes

picture from http://news.sky.com

With the credit crunch and news of the worst recession since the end of the second world war, most people are having to make changes to their spending habits and cut back on their expenditure. Amongst all of the doom and gloom, you can still look stylish and feel good by keeping up with the latest new fashion, it just needs a little bit more thought. Here are some tips on how to find your credit crunch style:

• Review your wardrobe carefully and decide what you really need (if anything).
• If you do need anything new choose carefully. Find a style that really looks great on you and opt for quality that will last.
• Try swapping clothes that no longer fit or do not suit you. Swishing parties are a great way to do this or you can try a clothes swapping website.
• Keep your clothes in tip top condition by storing them carefully and mending, sewing on missing buttons etc rather than throwing away and buying new.
• Update last years clothes with a few new accessories.
• Sell your second hand clothes that you no longer want to make a bit of cash to invest that new piece of clothing.
• Buy second hand and vintage items, second hand designer clothes will cost a fraction of the price of new.
• Try buying clothes in sales, designer sample sales or using online discount sites.
• Look at fashion blogs for ideas on how to look stylish on a budget. There are lots of street style blogs which will give you fashion inspiration on how to look good without spending a fortune.

Officially speaking vintage describes clothing that is from the period between 1920's and late 1970's. Anything before is usually described as antique and anything after as retro or second hand. The exception is with high end designer gowns which can be considered vintage just a few years after the original collection.

Of course, there are huge variations in the way that people use the term vintage and it is sometimes used to describe anything from second hand clothing to new clothing with a vintage look.

Vintage is often sold through vintage dealers, stores and websites although lately there are more online stores, auction sites and clothes swapping sites that sell second hand and vintage side by side.

As a rule vintage clothing is usually thought of as a piece of clothing that holds its own and has a lasting value beyond the period when it was created.

pictures from http://www.style.com/

Fashion is something of a merry go round. The same trends some around over and over again. Whilst each season may bring a slightly different take on each trend or it may be worn in a different way, you can always find second hand clothes that fit in with the seasons must have trends. Here are some of the key trends that come around over and over again:

Fifties- circle flared skirts, pencil skirts, cropped capri pants, neck scarves tied at the side, glamour, gloves, Dior New Look.

Sixties - mini dresses, baby doll dresses, optical,geometric and psychedelic patterns, black and white,

Seventies - flared trousers, kaftan tops, hippy, boho, folk, disco inspired, punk, tartan, tracksuits/ sports wear, afghan fur trim and cheese cloth, platform shoes.

Eighties - the power suit, skinny jeans, neon brights, shoulder pads Doc Martens, new romantics, dance wear/ leg warmers,

Minimalist- shift dresses, suits, neutral colours

Military - double breasted, epaulettes, military style badges, brass buttons, gold and red trims.

Nautical - stripes, navy and white with red and gold trims, double breasted coats or jackets, sailors collars, wide legged trousers

Patterns - florals, animal prints, African and tribal prints, stripes, polka dots/ spots, paisley, tartan and plaid.

Feminine Frills - these never really go out of fashion

Rock Chic - leather jackets, black skin tight jeans or leather trousers.

Duffle coats

There are probably many more that are not on this list but this gives an idea of how easy it is to find on trend second hand clothes.

At the moment, there is a trend for ski wear. Buy Adidas Stella McCartney ski wear and ladies ski jacket for a look that is sure to come back into fashion.

Second hand clothing is fast becoming the most trendy way to find very stylish clothing and minimise the environmental impact caused by the manufacture,transporation and disposal of clothing. The recent passion for fast fashion has caused a huge increase in the amount of clothing thrown into landfill as well as the gas emissions and chemical waste caused by the increase in clothing manufacture. Cheap clothing made from manmade materials is particularly damaging to the environment due to the petro chemicals used in manufacture and the non biodegradable products produced.

There are many ways that consumers can buy eco fashion including organic cotton, hemp, soy and bamboo clothing and clothing made using recycled materials. Second hand clothing is the most cost effective way to buy eco fashion and definitely offers the most choice.

Second hand clothing can be found in variety of places from charity, second hand and vintage shops to auction websites like ebay and clothes swapping websites.

Welcome to Second Hand Clothes, a blog dedicated to looking stylish and individual, whilst saving money and protecting the environment.