In an age of never-ending newness, I find that having something unique or vintage is much more sophisticated and interesting than fawning over the latest trend. In a sea of the same ‘It’ items that are on everyone else’s shopping list, it’s refreshing to try something different. During  this past year I have noticed a big change in attitudes towards secondhand. They herald a positive movement towards slower fashion and an optimistic outlook for the future.

I always spot some really eye-catching pieces on Vestiaire Collective, an online secondhand luxury store.

Buying secondhand means a chance to give a piece of clothing another life. A lot of the time when I buy secondhand, the items are unique and I don’t usually see anyone else wearing the same boring uniform. Compared to ‘high street’ fashion, vintage and retro clothing tends to last longer – it was better made in the first place and meant to stand the test of time. In addition, depending on the piece and the brand, its usually affordable and most of the time you don’t pay the full price.

It’s often easier going online to forage through the treasure chest of preloved fashion, as good second hand or vintage stores can be hard to find. Online, you can scroll through the clothes from the comfort of your own home with a nice cup of tea.

On Vestiaire Collective, the items go through an authentication service (so you know they’re the real deal).  Vestiaire Collective are very reliable – they know their stuff, do their research and know the provenance of all the items they put on their website. There are a lot of brands to choose from, with selections of curated vintage pieces and lots of different styles. Whether you’re looking for things from Hermès, Rixo, Patagonia or Sandro, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

As well of all the benefits of buying secondhand, there are many positives to selling as well. Instead of throwing away an item in perfectly good condition simply because you don’t want to wear it anymore, you can give it a second lease of life by selling it to someone else who can cherish it in the future.

Top: Prada,  Belt: Yves Saint Laurent,  Skirt: Ralph Lauren (All via Vestiaire Collective)