Posh Swaps Blog

Some more lovely pictures for this weeks second hand style weekly. You may have noticed that most of our pictures are from the US. Is this because the UK doesn’t have any second hand style? Surely not. If you have any pictures of lovely outfits that you have put together including one or more second hand or vintage items, please email them to us at posh-swaps@heathcotecommunications.co.uk, we will gladly link back to you.

Another great picture from Pork Chop Rules on Flickr Wardrobe Remix. The pink looks great on her.

vintage boots,levis,Dior sweater from the thrift store 2.99

Thrifted:
Banana Republic Blazer - $6
Magazine brand polka-dot blouse - $3
Yellow leather handbag (weirdly, from Franklin Covey) - $4
Teal Fioni sandals (new) - $5

A lovely outfit from Karla of Karlas Bonanza - Karla explains why second hand blazers are great second hand buys, they are usually well made of sturdy fabric so do not suffer from piling, shrinkage etc,  they are not usually worn out as the styles change so often, women don’t usually wear them very much before recycling them.

pictures from www.style.com

Never let it be said that those wearing second hand and vintage clothes are not up with the latest trends. At London Fashion Week, Charles Anastase showed a great collection inspired by second hand clothes. His collection reflected the eclectic style that many vintage and second hand clothing enthusiasts already love and regularly wear.

I love the mixtures of textures and colours. Charles managed to create a very fresh and vibrant collection using old ideas. A great collection but I really prefer the real thing when it comes to second hand clothes, much more cost effective and better for the environment!

This week we are delighted to feature some great second hand outfits and some amazing photographs.

This ditsy print floral dress gets a  real colour lift from the gorgeously bright cardigan. It’s not what you wear it’s how you wear it. Picture tagged as Thrift by Ampersans on Flickr.

This is a really elegant black evening dress, a classic and a real investment buy. Who would have though that it was bought second hand from a thrift store. Picture by Irina Slutsky on Flickr.

Junky Styling was probably one of the first labels to use second hand clothes from charity shops and the like to create completely new pieces. With 11 years of designing and making their unique designer clothes and countless collections under their belts, founders of Junky Styling, Annika Sanders and Kerry Seager are still best friends and have the same team working in their Brick Lane shop and production site.

The original Junky Styling clothes were made from recycled mens suits that were deconstructed recut and transformed into completely new pieces with a twist. These days they create all sorts of gorgeous creations and also show at London Fashion Week. You can even have their designs made up in your own old clothes.

pictures from SS09 collection

Kate Winslet - Oscars 2009, picture from www.sify.com

The key to finding the right clothes that look stylish is all about finding the clothes that are right for you whether they are designer, high street, vintage or second hand. Finding the right colour clothes is an important part of looking really stylish.

Depending on your skin tone and hair and eye colour, you will have a range of colours that make you look amazing. You will probably already own some clothes in these colours. These are the clothes that make your skin glow when you wear them. You will also notice some colours that really don’t look great and make you look washed out. Celebrities pay stylists of lots of money to find clothes for them in their best colours. This is part of the reason that they always (welll almost always) look amazing in their Oscar gowns.

You can use the expertise of the celebs stylists without spending the money. It is simple, all you need to do is find a celebrity who has a similar colouring to you. All you need to do is find pictures of them in magazines or on websites going to big events. You can bet they have had a stylist to help them pick out their dress. If the colour looks great on them, then it will probably also look great on you. Of course you never actually know until you try it so it is worth holding a fabric in the colour close to your face to see how it looks.

It is also worth experimenting and trying colours that you have never considered before, you may be suprised by how good they look.

This weeks second hand style weekly features two great looks that have inspired me to include more colour in my wardrobe.

Hail In Tall Glasses by Non No Yes on Wardrobe Remix

Target cardigan (2 1/2 yrd old)
Floral vest - Village Thrift
Vera Wang for Kohl’s top (I just got it 2 days ago and I’m in <3)
Mossimo jeans - Rugged Warehouse
Italian leather rididng boots - Village Thrift 

What really strikes me about this picture is the beautiful colour and how well it suits her colouring. It is well worth working out the colours that really suit you and then seeking out second hand clothes in these colours.

Porkchop Rules on Wardrobe Remix 

I love the way the pink top has been combined with the grey blazer for a gorgeous smart casual look.

All wardrobe remix photos used under the flickr creative commons licence

Picture from The Sartorialist - A great place for style inspiration

Are you fed up with the credit crunch and recession? Are you broke but want to look stylish and trendy? The word frugal seems to have become a regular part of my vocabulary and I am now practicing frugality in most areas of my life. But is still possible to look stylish and be frugal. Here are my top ten tips to style on a budget.

1. Sell - Have a regular clear out of your wardrobe and sell anything that you no longer wear. I am sure that you can put the money to good use.
2. Swap -If you are getting bored of your clothes and need  a change, swap your clothes for a refreshing new look without spending any money. 
3. Buy - If you desparately need to buy something new, try second hand. Designer clothes expecially will be a fraction of the cost of new.
4. Invest - When you do have to buy new clothes, make sure that you invest in quality basics that will last for seasons to come and if they do no longer fit you can be sold second hand.
5. Mend - If you do damage your clothes, try mending them rather than just throwing them away. For a really good piece of clothing it will be worth your while.
6. Care - store your clothes carefully. The better you look after them, the longer they will last. Remember to use cedar wood to keep away those pesky moths that love nibbling at cashmere.
7. Accessorise - If you feel in need of  anew look a few new accessories can turn an old outfit into something completely different.
8. Inspiration - get inspiration on how to look stylish on the cheap from fashion blogs. There are many that focus on vintage and second hand style and fashion on a budget.
9. Discounts - when you do buy new clothes, buy online and look for discount voucher sites to ensure that you get best value for money.
10. Individual Style - It’s not about what you wear, it’s about how you wear it. Develop your own unique style instead of following trends, that way your clothes won’t go out of fashion and your wardrobe will be timeless.

Do you always find yourself reverting to the same types of clothing? Do you find it difficult to wear something different? Do you feel bored with your look but don’t have the confidence of budget to change it?

Well now is your chance. Have a good clear out of your wardrobe. Work out which of your clothes don’t do you any favours and also which clothes you haven’t worn for  a year. All of these clothes can be either swapped or sold. High street shops tend to stock lots of similar styles of clothes and tend to only follow the fashion for that season. By looking for second hand clothes, you will find a much greater variety of styles, making it easier to find something that looks amazing and that you really love.

When swapping clothes, you can afford take a few more risks than you normally might as you aren’t actually spending any money. Try going for a completely different look or if you are not that brave just try changing a small part of your look to start with. Perhaps some gorgeous accessories to brighten things up or a fabulous top that you can wear with your jeans. Try layering different items of clothing, mixing patterns and clashing colours, contrasting different styles and playing with different proportions. If you don’t feel one hundred percent comfortable wearing a skirt, start off by wearing a skirt over leggings or  a mini dress with trousers.

Just remember that variety is the spice of life so have fun!

This is the first ever Second Hand Style Weekly post, a weekly feature of individual and unique style using second hand, swapped and vintage clothes that will act as a source of inspiration for others. I would love to feature photographs of your second hand style, so please email them to me at ceri@heathcotecommunications.co.uk. The only requirements are that they do not contain nudity or in decency in any way, and include at least one piece of second hand clothing (oh and only over eighteens, no children please). Please give details of the second hand or vintage clothing and any other details of interest. In return, we will give you credit and link back to you if we publish your photo.

This week Second Hand Style Weekly features:

Elgin.jessica on Flickr’s Wardrobe Remix Group

All items are thrifted newer items from Goodwill (shirt is H & M, jeans are Express), except the earrings are vintage. The shirt is worn backwards so that the snaps don’t show. I love the colours and retro print of this top. It looks great layered with the long sleeved brown top.

Mai Le’s on Flickr’s Wardrobe Remix Group

*snake scarf by rosemary kim
*enon shirt from a show at bottom of the hill
*black eyelet dress from a thrift store, bought for $6
*black tights from the sock shop
*shoes from a 2003 trip to hong kong
*blue wool coat bought used in 1996 for $65 from das pussycat (no longer in business)
The coat is amazing. I love the style, the colour and the detail.

Karla of Karla’s Bonanza

Thrifted:
Skirt with sequin detail, Dean Alan: $7
Never-worn BCBG Platform Sandals: $3

Karla is living proof that you can wear second hand / thrifted clothes and look gorgeously stylish at the same time. The sequin skirt is beautiful.

All wardrobe remix photos used under the flickr creative commons licence

The glossies just seem to have caught on and started telling us what we really know. The latest trend is individual style. That is doing your own thing, wearing what ever makes you feel great and not wearing anything just because it is the latest trend.

Women have developed a new found confidence in showing of their own style. They can feel free to wear clothes that really suit them and show off their personality. They can have fun trying out new looks and combining different clothes including designer, high street and vintage.

That does not mean that you can’t wear clothes that are in fashion. You can wear what ever you like. Gain inspiration and ideas from the latest fashions, celebrity style, some one else that you have seen and combine it with your own ideas and personal touch.

Even the designers have cottoned on to the latest trend and are designing clothes that are really unique, different and really show off their talents.

My style is all about contrast. I like to contrast different elements of an outfit including colour, pattern, texture, proportions, shape and style to give an interesting and eclectic look. How would you describe your own unique and individual style?