Your Guide To Second Hand September

With September only days away, it’s a natural time to start thinking about the change in weather and autumn wardrobes. In the past, I used to be one of those people who would buy an entirely new wardrobe every season. But those days are long gone. Like so many of us, I have become much more conscious and aware of my shopping habits and when Oxfam launched its ‘#SecondHandSeptember’ campaign in 2019, it made me think even harder about how planet-friendly my wardrobe was. 

The campaign is designed to encourage people to take steps towards sustainability by refraining from buying new clothes for 30 days. While this might sound like an easy feat, the truth is, many of us have a habit of purchasing outfits for specific occasions, only to wear them once before they’re relegated to the back of our wardrobes. I have previously been guilty of this. What I love about #SecondHandSeptember is it's more than just a one-month challenge; it’s a brilliant way to rethink your shopping habits and embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. The goal is to inspire lasting change. Sustainable fashion doesn’t just mean buying someone else’s pre-loved items – there are many other ways to get involved.  

I like to shop my own wardrobe by starting with a good wardrobe cleanse. Working out what I no longer want to wear inadvertently sparks lots of new ideas. This is also a useful practice when I’m shopping pre-loved; that way, I know exactly what will go with existing items in my wardrobe. While a wardrobe clear out can feel daunting at first, it’s incredibly rewarding once completed. The effort is well worth it when you see the results: a curated, organised wardrobe that truly reflects your personal style. I attack a cleanse by making sure I’ve given myself enough time to see the job through. I take out all of my clothes and group them into categories, workwear, occasion, holiday etc. As I’m going through the piles, I try on and take pictures in the mirror of anything I am not sure about. Then I ask myself all the classic questions: does it bring me joy? Why do I own this? And so on. Anything that I don’t want, I either give to charity, sell on Vinted or take to a car boot sale. In the summer, you can often find me at Capital Car Boot in Pimlico on any given Sunday. 

I’m not exaggerating when I say that rental sites have changed my life. As a self-confessed social butterfly, the urge to have a new outfit for every occasion has been part of my fashion DNA since I can remember. Rental has eliminated panic buying for a single occasion. I also now rent out some of my wardrobe on By Rotation to keep my circular fashion habits going all year round. 

Shopping pre-loved has also been a game changer. By saying no to new purchases, I stop pieces from ending up in landfill and save money by scoring some bargains. Buying pre-owned clothes and bags online is my weakness – there is so much on offer. I love that I can often get one-off pieces that no one else has or track down an item I missed out on the first time around.