Wandering the city streets, getting lost and discovering new and exciting secret places is one of my favourite things. Maybe it's because I'm a country girl, more accustomed to stretches of fields, woodland and the odd tractor, but city life beckons. Partially, it's why I chose Birmingham for university. It's the second city, cheaper and less scary than the mammoth that is London. Also, my campus is just outside the city and is very quiet and green - you can take the girl out of the country... ;) The nearest city to me at home is Norwich - it's a beautiful city, with the centre boasting Roman ruins and plenty of cobbled streets to get lost on. Today I went on a day trip to Norwich with my mum and sister in search of vintage and second hand treasures - I found two dresses, a skirt and a bag (soon to appear in outfit posts).
I love vintage shopping. I've heard countless people complain about vintage and second hand - it's 'dirty', 'too much effort' or 'too hard to find' they say. And they are right in one sense: it is easier to simply turn to the high street. It's familiar and comfortable, and it's no wonder that thousands of us flock daily to shops like Topshop, H&M and River Island, especially with the increasingly busy lives we lead. However it's also rather clinical: well ordered racks of the same dress 5, 10, 20 even times over; bright fluorescent lighting beaming overhead; the same annoying number 1 track pounding through the speakers; hoards of other shoppers armed with baskets, bags and crying babies...
Don't get me wrong, the high street is amazing. Now good quality and relatively cheap (despite the increasing hike in prices) clothes are universal. The high street has democratized fashion, bringing the runway trends to the masses and allowing the masses a place in the conversation that is the fashion industry. We now, as the consumer, have a far louder voice, whether that be used to challenge unfavorable trends (remember the'bras for kids' scandal?) or unethical practice (e.g. sweatshop revelations). As a university student especially, the high street is a god send. The majority of my wardrobe consists of high street purchases, and it is because of the high street that I can attempt to emulate the kind of looks that I can only dream of.
However, I think we have lost something so important in the mad rush of fast fashion; we've lost our own identity and our own sartorial voices in the void of demand and production. It's almost a given now that someone else at a so-and-so's party is going to be wearing the same black Topshop bodycon dress. While the high street does allow more of us access to stylish, quality clothing, it also seems that we're in danger of looking too similar. With vintage that's not the case. Yes, maybe some vintage shops smell a bit funny, a bit musty and, occasionally, like someone's attic. And yes, maybe it does take more time to sift through the tat before a treasure is found, but that's what makes it so rewarding. Discovering something that, now, is one of a kind is an amazing feeling. Not to mention the history of vintage pieces; every vintage item has lived a life already. The idea of adding to that heritage and story is a pretty beautiful thing I think, and it is my favourite part of the vintage shopping experience.
So, the moral of this rant is: I urge you to try vintage shopping. Only if it is once, or if you don't even buy anything, try something different. You never know, you might find 'The Perfect Dress' for so-and-so's party that you know no one else will be wearing...
- Esther.
Outfit details:
Blouse: second hand
Shorts: Forever 21
Boots: Office
Necklace: Accessorize
Bag: my mum's (thank's mum! ;P)
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