WHY BUY PRELOVED AND VINTAGE?
'Fashions fade, style is eternal.' Yves Saint Laurent
Let’s be honest, buying clothing, shoes or handbags, except perhaps those that have reached iconic status, such as the Hermes Birkin, Kelly and the Chanel 2.55, never has and probably never will be considered wise investments.
However, if you were diligent about selling your unused clothes, unlike fictional heroine Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, who famously announced 'I like my money right where I can see it: hanging in my closet,’ your return-on-investment otherwise know as "ROI" could be impressive.
It's far better to observe the mantra, "Money looks better in the Bank, than hanging unused in your Wardrobe."
As you read this, think about all those once much-loved items that are taking up precious space in your wardrobe, nestling in drawers or hidden away in forgotten corners. Then take it one step further and start de-cluttering. This is also an easy way to work out what pieces your wardrobe may be missing.
Sort into three piles: the classics that have staying power; items that might need sartorial tweaking by a tailor; and those that have totally outlived their usefulness. The joy is you may find a long-forgotten gem that suddenly works for this season; you can sell those items that no longer suit your lifestyle/age/environment while refreshing your bank balance; the rest can hopefully be recycled by a charity shop.
Of course, the magical part is that you are contributing to the ever-growing need to be environmentally responsible. When you consign clothes, bags or shoes, you can feel good knowing that less items will be finding their way to a landfill.
But it’s also about honouring the design creativity, the beauty of fabrics and masterly craftsmanship. It can be about a second chance to buy an item you missed first time round. It’s part of the sustainability movement and fashion economics.
Because when even the simplest silk blouse or cashmere sweater can have a price tag of over £1,000; and the average price of any designer shoe is now £500, it makes sense to recoup some of the costs even for those with unlimited funds. For the rest of us buying pre-loved offers that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy designer labels.
"Style doesn’t have seasons. Nothing is démodé when it’s a great piece." Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, Fashion Director/Fashion Editor at Large 1985–1995, Vogue, from In Vogue: The Editor's Eye.