IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AN POST
Tips from THE GLOSS and An Post to give your pre-loved clothes new life …
“Put the LBD on ice: A key trend this winter is a little sparkle, from tinselled knitwear to sequin-clad co-ords and tops, as seen at Dries Van Noten, Stella McCartney and Stine Goya.”
“However, there’s no need to pay a premium for such items, as they always pop up in charity shops such as Oxfam or St. Vincent de Paul, and pre-loved sites,” says Penny McCormick, THE GLOSS Contributing Editor and a self-confessed vintage veteran.
“One of my best pre-loved buys is a vintage Bruce Oldfield sequined bolero, which I have worn each winter and for which I always receive compliments. My most recent was a red satin top – the colour of the season – sourced for a song in a charity shop. One of my top tips for shopping pre-loved is to look at the current season’s trends – from colour, to cut or fabrics – before you go shopping, then see if you can channel the trend in pre-loved bargains online or in store.”
What are good investments? One of THE GLOSS team’s favourite pre-loved stores is I Can Tell By The Moon Vintage in Blackrock, Co Dublin, where owner Vittoria Caprara says there has been an uptick in sales of sleek reversible trenches, oversize menswear blazers layered over pretty ruffle neck blouses, butter-soft ’90s leather coats, chunky wool knits (such as Aran and trachten), quilted folk vests and elegant velvet jackets. “Vintage suede has taken centre stage this year, with our recent selection of caramel-toned Italian suede coats selling out in less than 12 hours,” says Vittoria, who posts items to customers in Ireland and elsewhere.
THE GLOSS editors are all sustainable shoppers, which chimes with an acknowledged truth that consumers are now prioritising buying and selling second-hand or pre-loved items.
Recent research, conducted by Ipsos B&A on behalf of An Post, reveals that under 34-year-olds are the driving force behind the growing trend of selling pre-loved goods online, spearheading Ireland’s transition to the circular economy.
The research found that, while one in four consumers have sold goods online, this figure is significantly higher among under 34-year-olds (45 per cent); saving both their pockets and the environment.
Image consultant Maria Macklin, founder of House of Colour, is well versed in the art of shopping second-hand. In 2022, she vowed not to buy anything new for the year and succeeded. Some of her tips for shopping pre-loved include knowing the style that suits you best before you start. “When you find something that ticks all the boxes – colour, style, fit, function – then snap it up. There will only be one of them. I lost a couple of things because I hesitated. When I returned to buy them they were gone.”
She also advises people to switch off subscriptions and emails from clothing companies. “Unfollow these and influencers on your social media platforms, unless you use them for inspiration. Stop the temptations and have a purchase pause. Instead, subscribe to pre-loved sites. Set up notifications on Vestiaire, eBay and Depop, then filter by size, colour, style. Have a shopping list and know where your clothing gaps are to focus on that.”
Macklin is also a fan of renting clothes, particularly occasion wear, from established sites such as DesignerRoom.ie and Happy-Days.ie. “This allows you to wear something you might not otherwise afford, while the garment won’t be ‘squatting’ and taking up space in your wardrobe for the other 364 days of the year. Most rental companies will take care of the laundering. All you have to do is collect and return within a given time frame.”
Renting an outfit for an occasion is especially popular among those aged 16 to 34: 20 per cent having rented an outfit to wear once over the past year – double that recorded among all adult respondents.
An Post works closely with Louise Lawlor of Rented Threads to deliver occasion wear to consumers, providing customers with prepaid envelopes and boxes to return their outfits easily. They launched a Send Preloved series with tips and videos on how people can get involved in the circular economy by reusing, reselling and repairing their goods.
It’s food for thought and perhaps an incentive to declutter our closets and make some money at the same time. According to An Post’s recent survey, three out of four adults who sold online will do again. Depop is currently the platform of choice, closely followed by Facebook.
“Buying and selling pre-loved goods is a simple and sustainable way of making some extra cash, while also giving another lease of life to items that we no longer use. Getting started can be a little overwhelming, so we provide pre-paid packaging with no weight restrictions across 900 post offices nationwide, and emission-free deliveries on most of our routes,” says Richard Miley from An Post.
Taking the very best photographs of your items helps, so consider lighting, backdrop and angle. A nice backstory about the piece and why you bought it can also make it stand out and get snapped up!
An Post is fuelling this resale revolution by removing the weight restrictions on their popular prepaid postage envelopes and boxes to support selling and sending pre-loved items with ease. You can now send any item that fits inside to anywhere in the Republic of Ireland, from €6, with no weight restrictions.
For more tips, visit: anpost.com/preloved
