The Fall Wishlist
You know I love a challenge, especially a wardrobe related one! While there’s no denying there are some incredible pieces out there at the moment, many of which i’ve pinned and added to my wishlist, I’ve been thinking….could I find my entire wishlist second hand? Especially now i’m back in England and the charity shops near my parents house are pretty epic. For anyone who is new here (hello, welcome!) i’m not buying anything ‘new’ until january next year, following a year long no buy that radically increased my creativity and appreciation for the wardrobe I do have. My hope is this serves as a reminder that even when you’re lusting after a coat by The Row or Toteme (it me), those pieces can serve as inspiration for a second hand treasure hunt (irrelevant of your budget). There’s just something so satisfying about finding a thrift version of something high end that’s your my wishlist, for several reasons:
You save some cash! Not only can you save money, but you can make your dollars go further by investing in higher quality fabrics at a lower price verus if you were buying a similar item on the high street that cost more but not necessarily as high quality.
You get to enjoy an item that’s already been loved, and you’re less likely to be as precious (therefore making you more present) when wearing said clothes.
Often times the inspired by thrifted item brings its own energy, it’s own character and something that the newer piece might not be able to offer, especially when everyone else is wearing the exact same thing. While there are definitely scenarios where you can find like for like on the preloved market, I like to use pieces on my wishlist as a guide and a nudge in the direction my wardrobe wants to take me.
The Brown Suede Jacket
My wishlist item was this Massimo Dutti Suede jacket, and I’m over the moon to say I found an incredible second hand version for $27 on Depop. I think Massimo Dutti are doing suede so well, and have been for a while now. I love the rich chocolate brown but I wasn’t fixed on finding this exact shade of brown when I was looking second hand. What drew me into the Massimo Dutti one was the weight, in that it’s more like a shirt than an actual jacket which means i’m far more likely to wear it in LA as well as on my travels to colder climates. Depop has no shortage of incredible suede jackets, and sure enough I found this one by searching the men’s department in order to get the slouch and boxy fit you know I love.
The Plaid Shirt
My wishlist item was this gorgeous Rohe shirt (i’m having a thing for duck egg blue and brown together, and generally any colors you find in nature) but I was open to multiple colorways. Plus I didn’t want to spend $550 on a shirt when I knew I could find a great piece for less than a fiver! Sure enough I found one in a dreamy fall colorway (rusts, red, browns and mustard) for $3.75! This shirt with the Chanel rouge noir on my nails is such a dreamy pairing! Since I moved to LA shirts have taken on a pivotal role in my wardrobe since there’s very few months when I get to really experiment with cold weather layers. Therefore shirts are often worn as an additional layering piece year round, I just experiment with different thicknesses of fabric and different textures. At this point I feel like I need a hashtag for how much I shop menswear second hand. #founditinthemensdepartment because this too was also in the mens section.
The Bandana
My wishlist item was this Lee x Buck mason Bandana, but I managed to score a very similar one for $1.50, from what we call L’boro’s ‘Granny Market’ (it’s exactly what it sounds like, lots of lovely Grandma and Grandad’s selling all their bits and bobs on market stalls). I love a scarf, and it was this time last year that I started experimenting with bandanas and loved what they bought to more laid back outfits. They’re also a nod to my alter ego who lives in a cabin in the woods and writes at a typewriter, who walks her dogs on mountainside hikes, only to return for a pot of tea and some homemade cake. That’s what I love most about clothes, they allow us to express every part of ourselves.
The Burgundy Sweater
My wishlist item was this M&S one, seriously…how good is M&S at the moment?! Now i’m back in England visiting family it was one of the first places I wanted to go, especially after seeing so many amazing UK creators sharing pieces that look like they could easily be from Net A Porter. I can’t lie, I get such a buzz going to a giant Marks & Spencer. The food haul and the clothes are where it’s at if you want a good time! So this is the one item I haven’t found second hand…yet! What I love about shopping second hand is the thrill of the chase. Letting go of expectation when you’re shopping second hand makes the experience that much more enjoyable. It comes back to not being in a rush, and hey, sometimes you find a piece brand new that is the exact thing you want, and that’s ok too!
The Black Wool Coat
My wishlist item (*cough* pipedream) was this Row black wool coat, but I found a second hand made in England, cashmere and wool black coat for $9.95 in the thrift store! WOAH! This is when the magic of finding a second hand gem really makes you feel like you’ve hit the jackpot! You can already see how well an item has worn, how much life it’s already lived and has yet to live. The quality of a second hand piece like this is glaringly obvious and it’s so satisfying. My old black wool coat no longer fits me so this was more of a replacement item but what a find! It feels so luxurious, fits exactly the way I wanted it to and goes with everything in my wardrobe. A classic piece that I’m excited to be able to wear for many years to come!
The Gold Watch
The dream watch (if money was no object) is a gold Cartier Panthere, but this vintage Seiko I found on eBay for $20 does exactly what I want it to do. It even comes with a new battery in it! This hasn’t arrived yet (hence why there’s no styling images) but i’m very excited to wear this with my gold bracelet stack i’ve been slowly building over the past ten years. As someone who hasn’t worn a watch for decades I want to test the waters before investing in a fancy watch. I’ve been thinking of getting a watch for a while in a bid to stop using my phone for the time, and reduce my need for carrying it with me all the time.
I think five out of six is pretty good going, and I have no doubt I will find a burgundy sweater at some point, so i’ll keep you posted! I really enjoyed this challenge and I love the pieces i’m adding in to my wardrobe.
Thanks so much for reading.
Harry x
*Some links contain affiliates and any gifted items are marked with *. You can shop my wardrobe here and learn more about The No Buy Styling Course here.
I virtually always shop secondhand without a plan and so this is a very different approach for me — I like that! Xx
The thrill of secondhand shopping 🛍️ it’s like no other especially when it’s something on the wishlist, not just a whim!