Sustainable style: Embracing autumn fashion with second-hand finds

Autumn comes and goes, but fashion stays, although transformed each time. Expect this autumn to be extra chic – we’ve had plenty of inspiration throughout spring and summer, and it’s finally time to embrace the spooky season and bring out these elegant coats, prints, boots, and other accessories and staples. However, let’s not forget what role and benefits sustainability weaves into autumn fashion – a great way to find unique, timeless pieces is to visit a local vintage shop, whether online or physical. Undoubtedly, you’ll be able to find many pieces that’ll fit your wardrobe for the upcoming autumn, so let’s see what exactly to look out for.

Wild leopard, wild autumn

Throughout summer, we’ve witnessed many creative and chic apparitions of the ever-present leopard print. The return of the print was quite unexpected – a few decades earlier, it would’ve been considered quite promiscuous and perhaps even salacious, but today, it’s the go-to choice to add a bit of fun and wildness to your wardrobe and overall look. One of the easiest but most effective ways to style your leopard print staple is to pair it with some black pieces of clothing: add a light leopard print shirt to a black camisole and, say, a skirt, and you’ll immediately have all the eyes drawing to the animalistic piece on top. The possibilities are endless, but the one rule to adhere to is that if you feel comfortable – you’ve done an excellent job. Vintage shops these days are packed with leopard prints: skirts, shirts, dresses, anything you want. Whether you visit an online vintage shop or a physical one, you’ll be sure to find something that’ll fit your wardrobe and preferences – keep searching, and you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for!

Tartan, check, plaid – so mad!

The timeless plaid print and its variants are set to conquer this year’s autumn fashion. The burgundy reds, emerald greens, and cobalt blues on turtlenecks, scarves, pants, skirts, dresses, and anything will surely give your look that cosy yet elegant touch. Nothing speaks sophistication like a vintage Burberry scarf, though a new one can certainly be pricey. Tell you what – you don’t need to get a new one to add that chicness to your look, just browse a vintage shop, virtual or physical. There, you can find great quality pieces for a reasonable price, not to mention your input to the sustainability initiative and circular economy promotion. Even if you don’t score a Burberry piece, there are plenty of clothes and accessories to choose from, such as woollen scarves, cosy jackets, and maxi skirts for your choosing. Don’t forget to check out the shops as often as possible since many of them add new pieces to the assortment daily!

Vests for cosy sets

Autumn can be quite an unpredictable season, depending on where you’re located. Aside from that, there often are some days when the morning can be pretty crisp, yet the afternoon serves blazing sunlight. Vests are a perfect way to harness such unpredictable weather – wear them in the morning over a shirt and put it aside in the afternoon. Such functionality and versatility offer many ways to wear these pieces. For example, if autumn in your area proves to be a fourth month of summer, you can even wear a vest alone – pair it with a jean skirt for that cowgirl look or choose earthy tones for funky cottagecore. Later in the season, choose knit vests – aside from their unbearable cuteness, they also provide warmth. Ergo, you can look dazzling without freezing yourself. Closing in on winter, you can resort to puffer vests for outerwear – they’re perfect for when it’s quite frosty but not really cold yet. You can start looking for vests in vintage shops in summer already – chances are they’ll be even cheaper, yet that won’t jeopardise the quality. Of course, minutely assess each piece you find for any signs of wear and tear, and accept the idea of getting professional repairs if you really like what you see.

Why vintage?

Shopping in vintage stores allows you to find unique and timeless pieces for a reasonable price, not to mention the lesser environmental impact. By shopping vintage, you reduce the carbon footprint associated with producing new clothes and add your input to the sustainability movement and circular economy. It’s great that it becomes easier every day to hone your sense of fashion and be sustainable simultaneously.

The editorial unit