Whenever things like second hand September or slow fashion season come around I always want to create heaps of content for them because sustainable fashion is something I'm really passionate about, but when the time comes I often find myself at a loss of what to actually post, I suppose because I'm already doing it.
A few years ago I embarked on slow fashion season and posted about it a lot because it was a challenge for me that I could share my progress on. But now that's kind of just my life. Slow fashion (primarily second hand nowadays) is just the norm for me. So while second hand September is a great way to get involved in second hand fashion and discover a new way of shopping, it's not just for September.
So how do you make it stick?
THE WHY // I think for me, the fast fashion crisis was simply something I could no longer ignore and once I realised that I didn't actually need to contribute to it at all there was no way I could look back. Once you have that in mind it's much harder to enjoy shopping on the high street and much easier to see shopping sustainably as a new and fun challenge. There are obviously issues with accessibility and shopping second hand, limited sizing ranges being the main one, but if you have the privilege of your size being readily available then you'll have absolutely no trouble shopping second hand at all.
MAKE IT FUN // The main way I think I managed to make it stick was by making it fun, and it is fun. You have to find a whole new way to shop and put outfits together and it's so much more enjoyable than just spending an afternoon on the high street wasting money on clothes you'll go off in a few months. You also get the opportunity to reinvent your style a little because you're thinking more about what you actually like rather than what the high street shops are telling you to like.
SET CRITERIA // Before buying a new (to me) item of clothing these days I always first think: what will it go with in my current wardrobe? is it practical enough that I'll wear it frequently? do I already own something similar? I oddly find myself being more mindful in my purchases now that I shop sustainably than I was before.
ATTEND A CLOTHES SWAP // I may do an entire post on why I love clothes swaps so much, but they are the exception to my criteria because I find them a great way to try out styles that I maybe wouldn't usually go for or to pick up something that I may only wear for one season because the beauty is you can just swap it back. I'd really recommend finding a local clothes swap as they're popping up everywhere now. I can highly recommend the HU5 With Friends clothes swap in Hull!
If you've taken part in second hand September and loved it, why go back?
Amy x
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