Jumper £10, Salvation Army, jeans, Seven for All Mankind £10,
 The Emporium of Loveliness, Marlborough, boots Moda Pelle £119 (2018)

Are you worried about the planet? Have you stopped shopping for new clothes in line with Oxfam's Second-hand September? Jane and Beryl, despite loving clothes almost more than anything else, are reining in their fashion horns and finding creative ways to have their fashion fun but at less cost to the environment. 
Their favourite is second hand, mostly from the charity shop or specialist second hand emporia, but they also favour dress agencies, good old swopping, making their own and the new kid on the block, namely, hiring. 




Dear Reader, Jane and Beryl know that you will say, 'But I don't have the time to scour the country's charity shops for bargains and they never fit me anyway!' And it is true that this way of shopping can be time consuming. But Jane and Beryl's answer to that is, keep your eyes peeled at all times and enjoy the thrill of the chase. These trousers came from Tumbled in St Ives and were £28. Jane is wearing them here with a jacket from Mint Velvet's sale and last year's Jones boots, to add a pop of colour. Caveat: too much vintage or second hand in one outfit can go horribly wrong. Jane and Beryl often mix old and new to good effect. 



However, Beryl is in pre-loved top to toe here, but thinks it works. She often buys things that she would like to afford full price, but cannot cost justify/afford, such as this Samantha Sung dress. New these range from £500-£1500. This one cost £49 from I Should Co Co, Inkpen, Berkshire, as did the green Jigsaw boots £70, which are at least five years old. The Osprey bag above is small (tick), mock-crock (tick) and green (tick), all this season's trends, but cost £8 (from a charity shop) and a further £8 for a saddler to repair the stitching.   

Burberry Mac £180, Seven for All Mankind jeans £10,
Brolly Save The Children £5, Boots Stadivarius  £25, Mango handbag £49

Part of dressing sustainably is adopting our mothers' approach. Beryl's mama bought high quality items, which she treasured. Upon entering the house, she changed into housework clothes, before tackling the grib-grob. This Burberry mac would have been £1500 new, Beryl paid £180, in a charity boutique. It is not really a fashion item as the detailing changes very little, but it is a classic. Jane says it will see Beryl out. That's cheery, thinks Beryl, who has funked this up with a pair of last season's leopard print boots. Proof that there's life in the old girl yet, she thinks.




Jane has always loved the thrill of making clothes, either for herself or others. Her latest wheeze in this department is a knicker making class at Franklin's of Salisbury. And to all those who can rarely find pants they love, she strongly recommends it. Take a day off from your busy lives and get down there. It is incredibly therapeutic on many levels.

Free jumper originally from Urban Outfitters, cords Bitte Kai Rand £159,
past season's sea salt brogues £25 (sale) Watering can model's own.  
Jane is a little taken back by  Mr McGregor's gardening clothes popping up on her small friend, but clothes inspired by elderly vegetable growers, not to mention small rabbits has been a strong look for a couple of winters now.  Fashion is having an anti-fashion moment, which is great for the environment. Wide cords, Fair Isle, cable, tweed and stout boots all have longevity.  
Beryl's jumper was swapped at school by her daughter: Beryl kept nicking it, until Esme capitulated and gave it to her. Whatever happened to swishing? Can we have that back please? 


Jumper Monsoon via Oxfam £10, boots from Jane's wardrobe, bag, John Lewis £79


Sometimes Jane and Beryl can't be bothered with the fusty, musty, dustiness of the charity shop and require a more refined shopping experience. This is where the specialist second hand shop comes in (see below). Jane bought this silk wrap around skirt for £45, probably from Anthropologie originally, in Heavens Bazaar, Bath, from the lovely Jo. The shop is beautifully laid out and is full of wonderful and carefully selected clothes - there is a separate room full of the genuine vintage - and evening as well as day wear. And should you go there, cast an eye into Mercy in Action, a classy charity shop opposite.


Jo Harbour wears items from her shop, topped off with a vintage jacket by So Far de Moi priced at £95.


And finally some second hand kit Jane and Beryl love, and have been loving, for years...





Moschino Cheap and Chic jacket £45, Foxtrot Vintage, Hungerford 
1960s hat £3 Save The Children 
Paris labeled vintage bra £5 

Jane wears (left) 1920s velvet cape £60 and 1950s dress (right) £25




2 comments

  1. Obviously this is Jude's favourite post so far! Love the kit girls keep doing it for the Planet & our super Charity Shops. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just to say Jude, you are the original when it comes to this, and the world is just catching up with you.

    ReplyDelete

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