Some how I made it to 25 without ever going to a Swap Shop. In theory they are totally my bag. Another women’s trash is another women’s wardrobe as I’ve learned from years honing my charity shop trawling skills. So how come I’d never made the leap and got truly stuck in about it? Apathy? Perhaps. The real reason though? The only Swap Shop really worth going to is out in the Southside. It took the BFF taking part in a styling challenge to finally get me South of the river and in to the swapping spirit.
Jacket -Swap Shop
Denim Dress – Swap Shop
Shoes – Doc Marten 1461
T-shirt – Abandon Ship
Bag – River Island
Necklace – Georgia Wiseman
I’d been meaning to go to Glad Rags for the longest time – especially after clocking Betty’s vintage Pringle cashmere find for tuppence but I’ve never really had much of the occasion. However for Fashion Revolution Day my Betty was part of a style challenge. With a Swap Shop thrown in to the mix, how could I resist? I raided my wardrobe for my best quality goodies that I love but no longer wear and made my way South.
Glad Rags was everything I wanted it to be and more with some really beautiful bits and bobs on offer. Alas I’m still on my shopping ban (it still counts if it’s second hand!) so if I really wanted something new I was going to have to sharpen my elbows and ready my eye. Truthfully I wasn’t sure what to expect (part of me dreading rails upon rails of second hand Primark) however everything was broken up by what you handed in – Designer/Vintage, Premium High Street and High Street -with each rail bursting with some utterly gorgeous options. The first thing I made a b-line for was a gorgeous Mary Katrantzou t-shirt for Topshop (super mega chuffed with that guy) before scoring this beautiful shearling biker (perhaps not the most seasonal of choices but I’ve wanted one forever and the condition is fab) and a cute boxy denim dress. I walked away with 3 items that I absaloutley love to pieces and just know I’m going to get tons of wear out and best of all it was totally free!
Of course it’s not all about just getting our fashion on. It was about promoting people to be shop more ethically and looking for sustainable clothing choices. This included buying high quality pieces but also knowing who made your clothes and they were safe while making them. Fashion Revolution Day was on the 24th of April and marked the year anniversery of the Rana Plaza Factory distaster (the deadliest garment factory accident in history) and is a worldwide platform for promoting and celebrating best industry practice by asking you to Be Curious, Find Out and Do Something.
It was a brilliant event about a fab cause (I think we can all agree we need to be asking questions about how our clothes are made) plus by Betty won her challenge! I won’t be leaving it so long for my next trip to the Southside. I can’t wait for my next Swap Shop as it really is a brilliant way to
update your wardrobe and find some new treasures on a tight budget. Swapping really is the way forward.
