I would describe her as a pint-size firecracker, full of spirit and a force to be reckoned. She has an eye for detail. A knack for design. A passion for clean lines and a beautiful eye for secondhand finds.
Meet my Mom.
My secondhand Icon.
I have to admit, everything I know, I got from her. So now it's time to discover my Mom's very own second-hand story.
I wrote this interview 6 months ago, one month before she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The last few months have been filled with endless health challenges for Mum, but she has been fighting on like a champ, never giving up, and always making time to be our number one fan and ultimately the driving force behind everything we are doing! In honour of Mother's Day I wanted to republish this piece to shed light on the woman who has been the inspiration behind Secondhand Styling UK from the very beginning. Launching this business during a tough time for my Mum and I, has made our relationship even stronger. This brand is built upon a lot more than just clothes, it's about the people who bring the stories of the clothes together. And of course, the clothes that bring the people together. Secondhand styling UK gave us both purpose in a world whereby we both felt we could no longer control.
And I have promised myself; I will never let the world forget the reason why SHSUK began. It's because of you Mum!
What is your very first secondhand memory?
I bought a jumper for 2p from a jumble sale (it was a long time ago!) I loved it and thought it was really trendy (Punk was all the rage at the time!). My dad made me throw it away. He was not happy with second hand clothes being worn by his children. He was a very proud man. Anyhow, I worked on him and within a few years he was scouring the charity shops with me for bargains and became a big fan of car boot sales!
How has your relationship with buying second hand changed and transformed over time?
I used to buy from second hand shops because of budget constraints. As a single parent with a beautiful daughter I wanted to give the very best of everything to I just never had the money to buy new. Now I buy second hand because I love the idea of buying an object with a history, with a story. And there's so much more to choose from when you buy second hand - with fashion in a charity shop spanning so many decades you're not restricted to 'what's trending'. And you can buy without deliberating too long about it as well. Instead of thinking 'will I get the wear out of this thing to justify the investment?', I go into a charity shop and think 'that could work and if not, I'll donate it right back!'
Who taught you what you know today when it comes to choosing and buying pre-loved items?
You make mistakes, you learn - the lessons are not so expensive when you are buying second hand.
What are your top tips for sourcing second-hand clothes?
Size - if its too big you can take it in with a few pins or a belt, if its too small, you're just going to have to find a smaller friend to give it to!
Top tips for sourcing secondhand home goods?
Buy local, otherwise you will end up paying a fortune to get it shipped to you (I paid £20 for a mega brilliant coat rail once... and £100 to get it home! )
How do you think society's perspective of secondhand style has changed over the years? what do you think the future of secondhand style looks like?
We used to live in a disposable society where it was OK to wear a thing once and then throw it away. Now we've learnt that every action has a reaction and the stuff we have thrown away is causing someone some problem somewhere. We have a responsibility to ensure we are making the most of the World's resources with as little impact on others as possible. It's a consciousness that has really come into being in recent years. Everybody's rubbish is someone else's treasure. Value what we have and if it's no good for you put it back into circulation 'cause someone will find a use for it. Second-hand styling is what I love though, a sixties mini skirt with Seventies glam boots and a nineties statement necklace topped off with a vintage trilby! Looking good, expressing who you are, and knowing that you can go anywhere and no one will be wearing the same!
As a parent, what values do you think have been installed into yourself and passed on to me because of our ability to source secondhand?
The ability to appreciate something for what it is, loving the cut, the finish, the way the cloth falls, the colour, the pattern... and not because of the marketing blurb that's telling us because so-and-so wears that thing, we will be as happy and successful as them if we buy it.
What do you wish you would have saved to have passed on as secondhand?
My wedding dress: a really plain white cotton Laura Ashley summer dress, nothing fancy but quality cloth and well made - it got chucked when I divorced, but I think you would have loved it!
