Our winter wardrobes are the ideal starting point for venturing into vintage and pre-loved clothing. Because we need to wear so many layers and add on multiple accessories, it’s easy to introduce an element of retro or upcycled apparel into your contemporary outfit without feeling you are plunging headlong into the past.

In Cheltenham, we are lucky to have a selection of vintage clothing outlets, dress agencies and charity shops either in, or not far from, our neighbourhood. My favourites are not just in the town, but also in easy to access places like Tewkesbury, Worcester and Gloucester.

Just type ‘vintage clothing’ into your search engine and specify the geographical range you are prepared to travel around, and you should find something appealing. Don’t restrict yourself to specific vintage clothing shops either, as antique markets, reclamation centres and craft stores can also be sources of second-hand, retro, and upcycled garments, jewellery and accessories.

Stocking quality pieces that have been well-preserved

Some specialist vintage stores can be expensive, as they source and curate their collections very carefully and put great importance on stocking quality pieces that have been well-preserved. To own garments like these feels like a privilege if you are someone who is interested in fashion culture and creativity through the ages.

However, if you want to start out at a lower price-point, jumble sales and charity shops can be surprisingly good sources of retro-style. Though be aware that organisers and managers are now very discerning, and good quality pieces will be priced accordingly, or even sifted out from any donations received, so it can be quite a challenge to find a really extraordinary bargain!

Some of the very high-end pieces which find their way to charity shops will probably turn up on eBay or in other auction facilities. If this is the case, you may still end up paying less than the hoped-for price, particularly if you are looking for pieces which are not in the most popular sizes. Whatever you pay for something, if the funds are going to charity, someone needy will benefit, so you can look good and feel good too!

eBay, Vinted and other purveyors of pre-loved clothing are a great way to start your sustainable wardrobe. A word of warning though: if you do buy without being able to try something on, be sure you ask for the actual measurements of the garment before you commit. A piece labelled a size 10 in, say the 1970s, will be a lot smaller than a size 10 manufactured today. Standard clothing sizes have increased over the years, so labelling cannot be relied upon.

Source pre-loved clothing at ‘pop-up’ events

Another good source of pre-loved clothing or even just some inspiration for your new sustainable wardrobe, are the many one-off or ‘pop-up’ events increasingly being held around the UK now that green issues and sustainability are becoming more popular in the backlash against fast fashion.

On Sunday 15^th January in Malvern, another Flea and Collectors Fair takes place at the Three Counties Showground. This event offers a wide range of sustainable shopping from furniture and lighting to fashion and jewellery. On Sunday 12^th February, a ‘Vintage Kilo’ fair is being held at Leisure@Cheltenham and is part of a national initiative where the customer is invited to browse stalls and fill a bag with their choices, before paying for the items by weight. Quite the innovation!

In Leckhampton, Cheltenham there is the chance to check out the From the Ground Up Sustainability Festival at St Philip and St James’ Church on Saturday 4^th February. This is a volunteer-run event on all aspects of sustainability, and this year’s programme includes Fashion Reframed, a mini-fashion show featuring pre-loved and upcycled clothing, and a panel discussion on ethical and sustainable fashion.

However you choose to source your vintage and sustainable fashion, have a great time searching!