My Recycled Wardrobe

I can't remember the last time I bought a brand new item of clothing from a regular shop.  The January sales just don't float my boat. When you're used to buying high quality vintage pieces for under a fiver even a 75% discount doesn't seem that attractive and the racks of identical stuff make me shudder. I hated wearing a uniform at school and there's no way I'd choose to wear the same as anyone else in adulthood.

 I'm content rummaging through cast-offs at car boot sales, charity shops and jumble sales for a unique, eye-catching garment. Everything I own is found by happy accident, or by friends who know me well. Each morning when I pick something out from the wardrobe to wear I can instantly recall my feelings when I found it and the price I paid.

I love the clothes I own and I never get bored or disillusioned with my collection, they are like old friends, we've been together ages and share a history. Many garments have been with me for years, travelling around the world together and shared many drunken nights out and wild weekends.

This silk scarf was bought from a local vintage shop for £1 in November. It was a freezing cold, snowy day and I'd met a friend for a quick pre-Goa jaunt around the town's charity shops. After I bought this we spent the rest of the afternoon in Wetherspoons, too cold for further shopping.

I nabbed this 1960's Finnish Hokka Modell wool coat from a sea scout jumble sale on a swelteringly hot midsummer day in 2008. The bizarre lime, orange, purple and navy colour combination means it tones with almost everything I wear it with and it always looks fresh and exciting. Not bad for 20p!

Last December Barnardo's had a stacks of Urban Outfitters stock donated. These tights were originally £12 but priced up at a bargainous 48p. The vintage Dents' leather gloves were 20p from a car boot sale in 2007, it was a humid August day and the lady was glad to get rid of them and thought I was mad for even thinking about my winter wardrobe.

 If you're not already a convert why not make 2011 a year of second-hand shopping?