Jen Graham, also known as Charity Shop Girl on social media, is a secondhand fashion stylist who wants to encourage people to shop in charity shops. She believes that buying pre-loved clothes has opened the door to sartorial experimentation and that it gives people the chance to be more adventurous with their style. With growing pressure on the cost of living and a rise in eco thinking, preloved fashion is booming, and the secondhand market is on course to take 10% of global sales.
For Graham, the relative affordability of charity shop purchasing gives people the freedom to express themselves and try new styles. “I charity shop for two reasons: one, because I love the rummage and two, because I know how much that money helps these charities, which are not government funded but are there when we need them,” she says. For just £5, you could purchase preloved clothes from charity shops like the Air Ambulance Service, where Graham is an ambassador. This small amount can put cannulas on board one of their helicopters, for example.
Graham is passionate about inspiring people to embrace their own style through charity shopping. She advises beginners to start by going to curated charity boutiques and recommends going with a list and a mental note of their likes and dislikes. Charity shop donations come in all varieties, including vintage looks from different eras. Graham has successfully inspired her audience, which ranges from teenagers to a woman aged in her 80s, to shop at charity shops. “For people just to make those small changes is massive,” she says.
According to Traid, 65% of people in the UK wear secondhand clothes, and 80% of all secondhand purchases are made in charity shops. SQLI Digital Experience also conducted research that revealed that Brits are no longer embarrassed to buy from charity shops as they try to save money. 73% of UK adults say they are now comfortable being seen heading into a charity shop due to the cost-of-living crisis.
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