So, in preparation for my event tomorrow at Save the children, I have been practicing with Facebook live this week, sharing a couple of my reasons to shop second hand.

Beautiful Vintage 

” I love the history and back story that might be attached to vintage pieces and they are totally unique. I believe clothes reflect a person when they are wearing them and onwards, when they are passed on, they carry an energy with them. Marie Condo asks us whether items spark joy and it’s that energy that can resonate.”

My tip – always keep an eagle eye out for vintage, hold the item, look at the details and go with your gut, does it spark joy?

Contemporary designer and high end bargains

“There are bargains to be had if you have the patience for 2nd hand shopping. With a designer or high end garment, you can expect better quality fabrics, a better cut, better manufacturing and better finishing … this all means clothes that are more comfortable to wear, more hard wearing and look better for longer.”

My tip – Be patient and get to know your labels; read magazines, even the pages you can’t afford.

It’s been a fun week, my favourite comment on my first livestream was “Expert knowledge with a hint of Acorn Antiques at the end”. Later that day, I was talking to someone about my qualifications and I realised; “I don’t claim to be an expert at all but the knowledge I am sharing is many years of just doing it; shopping second hand and upcycling, collecting projects to be altered and restyled.”

So here’s my timetable of Facebook livestreams for tomorrow;

11am – my #haulternative outfit; I’ll be wearing something vintage, something designer, something upcycled and an investment buy.

11.30 – we’ll have a live rummage of the rails of the charity shop.

12.00 – I’ll share some upcycled pieces and my designs for some things I’ve bought to be upcycled.

12.30 – Upcycling live – I’m going to be doing some sewing and having a go at this slashing technique on a sweatshirt I bought yesterday.

So join me in person, come and say hello. Or log in to Facebook and catch a livestream or two. Hopefully, I’ll get a couple of volunteers to do my quality quiz, a few test to assess the quality of fabrics and how well clothes are made.