This is Why You're Not Finding Anything in Second-Hand Shops

Don't despair - the wardrobe of your dreams is just a few trips to the charity shop away

If you prefer listening to reading, this is taken from an episode of my podcast Catwalk Rebel.

I pretty much only buy second-hand clothing. I transitioned to this way of shopping a few years ago after ending my long-time love affair with fast fashion. Today, pretty much all the clothing I buy comes from charity shops or online second-hand destinations such as eBay, Depop or Vinted.

Full disclosure: these are not all the clothes I have – I am sometimes gifted clothing by brands I work with. However, clothing I buy for myself is almost exclusively secondhand. Whenever I'm complimented on my clothes, I always make sure to say that it's from the charity shop or from a pre-loved app, in order to promote second-hand shopping and show that it can indeed be possible to dress the way you want to dress while saving money and helping to save the planet.

Did I just say “save the planet”? Indeed I did. Shopping second hand is one of the most ethical ways to shop, as we're using materials that are already in circulation instead of taking any new resources from the Earth. We're also saving clothing from landfill – and when you consider that every second, the equivalent of a garbage truck of textiles is burned or sent to landfill, helping to reduce this should be a top priority for anyone who wants to shop ethically.

Secondhand knit, faux-leather trousers and boots. Bag gifted.

So, when I receive compliments on my clothes and mention that they're second hand, the reaction is often: “lucky you, I never find anything in second-hand shops.” Through my years of being a secondhand shopper, I’ve learned that people are really struggling with finding things they like in second-hand shops or online secondhand fashion destinations. So today I wanted to share some thoughts on why that might be.

These tips come from my own experience through the years while shopping second hand and some of these issues were true for me when I was just getting into pre-loved shopping. So they might be true for you too, and once you overcome them, it will be your colleagues referring to you as “the queen of secondhand”.

Reason one: you don't give it a fair chance.

You’ve been once and decided it’s not for you.
When I just moved to London, I went to a charity shop in Camden and didn’t see anything I liked. From that one experience, I decided charity shops were not for me and returned to H&M. Years later, luckily I gave charity shops another chance and the rest is history. My advice is easy: try again. Don't give up. Keep an open mind. Visit different shops, go online. Keep looking and I promise, your treasure will show up. It's just a matter of time.

Secondhand jacket, dress, and bag

Reason two: You stay way too local.

You might be visiting only the shops on your street and in your area, which is keeping you from second-hand shopping success. Branch out! Jump on a bus and go explore other areas. I often venture into locations a bit further away to explore their pre-loved fashion offering. If you live somewhere where not many people are donating great stuff, it might be easy to feel like there is nothing good in charity shops, when in reality you might just be in an unlucky area. When you visit a new city, discover the local second-hand scene. You’ll be glad you did.

Reason three: You won’t seize the day.

You won't jump at opportunities.
I get it, you came looking for a pair of jeans. But you came across this amazing jacket that you probably won’t ever see again. Second hand is all about taking those opportunities - it’s not like the high street, where there’s more where that dress or top came from. Obviously we shouldn't over-shop, overconsumption is never pretty and we should only ever buy things that we will actually wear, but the point here is: if you find something you love, get it. I once found a short black romper in a shop when I definitely wasn't looking for a romper, and I wear it all year now, it's one of the most worn items in my wardrobe. So moral of the story: life is short, buy the jacket. Or romper.

Secondhand everything, including my favourite embroidered faux-leather jacket

Reason four: You won’t make an effort.

Once again, we're not on the high street here. We cannot be lazy. A quick glance at the shop windows and a once-over inside the shop won’t cut it. Take your time and search through the racks. Take stuff out, look at it. Go for another stroll among the shelves. The hidden gems are often just that – hidden. Making an effort also means coming back. Just because there's nothing today, that doesn't mean there will be nothing tomorrow. Patience is a huge part of shopping second hand. Which brings me to…

Reason five: You want to be quick.

This mainly goes for online shopping. Sometimes we'll go on the website or app, type in what we're looking for, give the results a once-over, and then go, “okay, there's nothing” and click out. But not so fast – maybe tweak the search terms, add a colour, write vegan leather instead of faux leather, or try different keywords like jumper or sweater or knit. This just might make your searches a bit more effective. I know, effort again. But you can’t expect to do a treasure hunt and then not do the actual hunting.

And the final reason, number six: you have prejudice.

If you go into this thinking that second-hand fashion is second-rate, you’ll probably end up making all the aforementioned mistakes and your prejudices will be confirmed. I was this way with vintage clothing - I thought vintage had a certain aesthetic, and that it wasn’t my style. But then I gave Martlets Vintage a chance and found my embroidered faux leather jacket there. Next, I went to a vintage market and ended up going home with an 80s Pierre Cardin dress. Lesson learned: have an open mind.

Second-hand shopping is different from high-street shopping - it’s less predictable and sometimes yes, less straightforward. But it’s also more exciting, more creative, often CHEAPER and definitely always more fun. Also, you’re helping the environment in a significant way. What’s not to love?

Photos by David Camilli