5 reasons I love second-hand clothes and you should too

This is a collaborative post.

As you know I am a bit of a yo-yo dieter. I lose weight then I gain weight all with the aim of one day finding a place I am happy with my body. In the meantime, I change my styles of clothes as well as the sizes I wear frequently, my poor wardrobes!

I love shopping for second-hand clothes on places like Rumage.co.uk when I can and wanted to share with you the reasons why.

Wardrobe of clothes hanging in a variety of colours

Summary of Contents (Quick jump links)

5 reasons I love shopping for second-hand clothes

It is better for the environment

I am not a massive fan of fast fashion. It tends to be cheaply made and cost less but as a result, it fills up landfills when it gets old quickly. I much prefer staples that are well-made and last well. This way if I change my mind on items I can donate them to charity or sell them second-hand and know they are living on for someone else instead of filling up the ground!

You can buy more clothes

If you are spending less on clothes you can justify buying more in my opinion! Who doesn’t love buying more clothes? Imagine instead of spending £100 on a dress for a special occasion you could buy one you love for £10!

You are wearing different from everyone else

Have you ever turned up to a wedding and realised someone else is wearing the same outfit as you? If you buy second-hand this is so much less likely to happen. Everyone looks in the same shops for outfits for special occasions so inevitably someone will be wearing something similar, if not the same!

There is more variety

If you are looking for a black skirt, for example, the variety in shops will be relatively limited and linked to the latest fashions. Maybe this doesn’t worry you and you just want a style that flatters you!

By hunting the second-hand market through a site like Rumage you are sure to find a huge variety to choose from so you can get exactly what you need.

You can afford higher-end brands

If you usually buy supermarket or high street priced clothes, you may find you can afford some designer items by shopping second-hand. I love to be able to wear a dress that was once £200 and not feel like I am wasting money!

My favourite second-hand buys

One thing I have bought many times second-hand is jeans and hoodies. They are so hard-wearing they will last forever it seems but I easily get bored of the ones I have and want new styles or colours. By shopping second-hand, I get to try new ones without breaking the bank!

I also love buying second-hand occasional outfits. If I am going to an event and know that whatever I buy I am unlikely to wear it again then why would I want to spend over the odds for it, it is one day after all!

What should you buy second hand?

If you are new to buying second hand then I recommend you start by looking at what you are missing in your wardrobe and would love. Do you need a summer jacket or perhaps you would love some jeggings but are not sure if they would suit you?

If you are losing weight it is a great way of wearing nice clothes throughout your weight-loss journey without spending too much on new clothes every time you drop a dress size!

Be brave and have a look on Rumage and see what you can find, let me know what tempted you and any bargains you get in the comments!

How to shop second-hand in minutes

Do you shop at places like Shpock, eBay and Preloved but find trawling the sites for what you need takes time? Or perhaps you like to visit charity shops but come home with more books than clothes as they don’t have what you are looking for? On Rumage you can search them all at once, think of it as a second-hand search engine!

If you are looking for something specific, for example, I love the fit of Boyfriend jeans so a quick search shows me ones that may be suitable with brands such as Vintage Levi, Boohoo, TU and New Look, there is something for everyone!

5 Reasons I love second-hand clothes shopping