Loved Clothes Last with Save Your Wardrobe

By Georgia Taylor.

Over the years that I have been shopping second-hand I have built up a huge and varied collection of vintage spanning the 30s right to the early-2000s. Shopping vintage is so fulfilling as each item is so unique not just in the way it looks but also in the story that it tells. I know the specific stories of some of my90s vintage which has been raided from my mum’s wardrobe (a particular favourite being her Body Map dress which I am far too short to ever wear)! And her stunning 1950s salmon-pink ballgown bought in South Carolina in the late1980s, mum wore it to her graduation ball and I have been fortunate enough to wear to a few weddings 30 years on! The vast majority of my vintage is thrifted which means I get to make my own stories with all of the pieces. Having an emotional connection with your wardrobe is absolutely crucial to conscious consumption and a sustainable fashion mindset. Clothing should have these multiple life lines and Save Your Wardrobe is a great way to make sure you are wearing everything – even those pieces gathering dust right at the back!

Save Your Wardrobe App is such a useful tool to let you utilise the full potential of your wardrobe. Having a reminder on your phone of everything in your wardrobe means it is so much easier to make coherent outfits, and every day I use it I get major Cher from Clueless vibes! Really thinking about the clothes you already have and styling them in new and inventive ways is very rewarding, and the most sustainable place you can shop is your own wardrobe. To get you inspired for the DUCFS collaborative competition with Save Your Wardrobe I thought I’d take you through a few of my favourite vintage pieces, where I found them, and the stories behind each and every one of them.

My 1970s lilac suit

This two-piece suit set is definitely one of my favourites, it is so difficult to find good condition 70s vintage, especially in the charity shop. When I found this matching suit set in lilac in the British Red Cross charity shop in Newcastle for £13 I could not believe it. I have worn the flared trousers regularly but have yet to find an occasion that is as fabulous as the suit. Lilac is such an on trend colour, especially for this A/W 20/21, pastels are absolutely not just for spring, and it fits seamlessly with my more modern pieces!

Early 2000s does 70s poncho

This is an incredibly recent charity shop find and I have found myself wearing it all the time! The poncho enjoyed vogue in the 70s, the 00s and as essentially a fashionable blanket it is the perfect for working from home 2020.

Free People dungarees

Another Durham charity shop find! These dungarees give me such a 70svibe, especially with a dagger-collared shirt underneath which is almost always how I style them. They make me like ‘if I could run across the beach into my own arms, I would!’ a la Jackie Burkhart from That 70s Show. If I had as much Jessica McClintock for Gunne Sax as she does I could die a happy woman.

80s Karl Lagerfeld Shirt

Yet another Durham charity shop purchase! I remember seeing this shirt which had been put in the wrong size section (a little reminder to always check all the sections)! I recognised the distinctive ink-drawing style in the stunning pattern covering this shirt and when I checked the label I could not believe it was vintage Lagerfeld! I think this piece is early 80s but it could be slightly later as no shoulder-pads. Either way it is absolutely one of my favourite vintage pieces and for £2.75 it was an absolute bargain!

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Knitted vest with a statement collar

The statement collar is going absolutely nowhere as a trend for A/W 20/21 and it is very much available in the charity shop! I found this shirt in a Newcastle charity shop and I am OBSESSED with that collar! As soon as I saw it I knew it would work with another ‘trendy’ piece enjoying a slightly obnoxious vogue, the sweater vest. Mine is obviously second hand and was definitely a golfing jumper in another life! I love the colours and I think as a vintage combination these two pieces are right on trend.

Vintage YSL blazer

The piece that I won’t stop going on about! My vintage YSL blazer which I bought from one of the charity shops on North Road. This is without a doubt the most beautiful item in my wardrobe, not only is its construction and detailing stunning (the YSL print on the gold heart buttons?!) but it fits great! I wore this to the DUCFS 2020 show and I am so happy that I have been able to make new memories in it.

My never-ending prairie dress collection

Honestly, I could write an entire article about my70s prairie dress collection. My thrift gold-dust piece is my most recent edition, a beautiful Kati by Laura Philips prairie dress, with, you aren’t going to believe it, the original belt! This looks fab with my (also second hand) brown cowboy boots and (also second hand) 60s leather coat! I built this all together as an outfit in Save Your Wardrobe as I had not realised how beautifully the brown leather colours match the black and neutral tones of the dress (the app lets you sort by colour and it is such a useful feature).

I hope that all my favourite colourful vintage and second-hand finds inspire you not only to jump on Depop or Ebay looking for your own vintage gold-dust, but also to shop your own wardrobe! So often the perfect item is something you already own and with Save Your Wardrobe it is so easy to make new and exciting outfits from the comfort of your own bedroom!

Remember to check out the competition details on either our Facebook or Instagram pages! Participants will have from Monday the 23rd to Sunday the 29th of November at 6pm GMT to enter.

Photography by Beth McKenzie

Edited by Caragh Taylor