Do you ever find yourself wearing the exact same outfits every day?
Interchanging a jumper or T-shirt, chucking on a slightly different version of the same old jeans?
It’s a tale as old as time: we will forever be wanting new clothes, trendy clothes, clothes that will magically make us fit in and stand out in precisely the right quantities.
And if you, like the average human being, feel just a twinge of guilt donating your hard-earned pounds to another villainous fast fashion company, what’s the solution?
Of course, we could all invest £1000s into a sustainable wool jumper made from mushrooms and biofuel.
By “we”, I am referring to millionaires only.
If you aren’t in that happy minority, you could always take a stroll into the secondhand side of life.
With websites such as Vinted and Depop offering clothes from a variety of brands for a fraction of the price, style on a budget appears attainable.
However, shipping and site fees can occasionally make the price higher than new and buying from strangers will always add a slight risk.
Not to mention that many of the brands listed are fast fashion regardless, therefore you’ll end up buying clothes that will not stand the test of time/ a washing machine.
Perhaps charity shops are the best option then.
It’s a moral double whammy: preventing unwanted clothes from piling up at landfill and giving money to a variety of worthy causes.
But with limited stock and sizing, you often have to be lucky to stumble upon the right find.
I asked my fellow students to see if secondhand is always the best option for young people.
“I prefer secondhand shopping, both due to its environmental benefits and its cost effectiveness,” said Ava Cockings, a first year A Level student.
“However, I can see the tedium it can bring for some- spending time trekking through multiple shops not always finding what you came looking for.”
I’m not saying that just one person ambling into an Oxfam will miraculously solve climate change and the issue of fast fashion.
But perhaps a shift to more sustainable shopping habits could hold the key to individuals producing a global impact.
