Secondhand

 

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Dress: Perri Cutten via Vinnies Paddington jacquard

Mules: Wittner leather

Bag: Elk via Mott & Mulberry leather

Belt: Empire Antiques painted wood, rope

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There's a clear movement towards sustainability in the fashion industry at the moment & if you happen to read any fashion magazines, you'll probably already know about it. Due to the fast-paced nature of the industry & the obsession with new-now-next in the supply chain, it's one of the world's biggest polluters & the incredible amount of wastage is, quite frankly, horrendous. In the main, clothing doesn't seem to be "made to last" anymore & is quickly discarded, only to end up as landfill. I'm not an environmental campaigner or climate change activitist or anything of the sort & I'm probably as guilty of buying fast fashion as the next person, but the older & (hopefully) wiser I become, the more I'm attempting to make small, subtle changes in order to make an impact. Not only do I keep/store many clothing items for years in order to re-wear at a later time (owing to the cyclical nature of fashion trends), I also give away my unwanted clothing to receptive family & friends or donate in small batches to charities, make sure to hand wash when possible for longevity & shop for many items - particularly accessories - from op shops & secondhand stores... which brings me to the outfit pictured... This stunning gold & black geometric print jacquard shift dress from Australian label Perri Cutten retails for over $500 yet I discovered it - practically unworn - at my local Vinnies Paddington for $25. I've styled it up here with a pair of tan leather pointy-toed mules from Wittner that I've had for at least five years, a matching tan leather crossbody bag from Elk via the lovely Mott & Mulberry boutique that definitely won't go out of fashion anytime soon & a vintage painted wood & purple rope belt from Empire Antiques that seems like it was made in the late 1970s/early 1980s in some tropical destination that I'm happy to give another life to in my wardrobe this spring/summer & into the future. Clearly, I'm not trying to be preachy here when it comes to secondhand or op shopping & I know it's not possible for everybody for a variety of reasons, but I've long felt that vintage/antiques/second hand items are amazing & full of character & deserve a second life (in fashion, jewellery, furniture & home decore) & hope that this might inspire you to go out & find something a little bit special that might need a second chance...