Guilt Free

Fashion

Katie West
 Fashion stylist and second-hand lover, Katie
Styles, started ‘Guilt Free Fashion’ in 2009. Fed up
of the recession, and needing more inspiration, Ka-
tie turned more and more to her favourite charity Buying Vintage is the ultimate fashionistas best
shops for new clothing and ideas. This guide will friend. Save the environment and the purse
be a vintage lovers best friend. Small enough to fit strings at the same time. It offers ultimate creativ-
in your hand bag, and big enough to include all the ity, and complete uniqueness. Vintage tells a story.
tips you’ll ever need. Say goodbye to fast fashion
and uninspired high street outfits, and hello to the
new ‘second-hand chic’.
Make Do And Mend

You may or may not have heard of the ‘Make Do and Mend Campaign’. Start-
ed during World War II back in the 1940’s, it was basically a fashionistas
cheap n chic challenge. During the war, uniforms were more of a necessity,
and due to supplies struggling to cross over the channel, clothing rationing
was introduced. Women had to save up coupons to be able to buy the most
basic of clothes, and fashion was pushed aside. That is, until 1943 when
The Ministry of Information introduced the campaign. Started to encourage
families to make the most of what they have – be it repairing older clothes,
or reinventing them into something completely different with the help of
clothing patterns in magazines. Garments were created from curtains, knit-
ted items were unravelled and completely transformed, and clothes were
generally better looked after and appreciated.
This book will bring back some of the most popular Make Do and Mend tips,
re-invented for the 21st century family, and will make shopping in second-
hand shops a completely new experience!
Recycling And The Impact

Recycling is back in a big way. There are so many ways you can get rid of
your unwanted clothing, without it going to waste. Textile bins, charity
shops, charity bags delivered (you don’t even have to step out of your own
home!), and the old favourite, passing it down to family members.
So in this day and age when ways of recycling are so readily available to us,
why is the environment still suffering? In fact, according to TRAID (Textile
Recycling for Aid and International Development), 900,000 tonnes of cloth-
ing and shoes are thrown away in the UK each year. From this only 200,000
tones are actually saved for recycling. The rest ends up in landfill sites.
This book isn’t intended to patronize or to guilt, but it is intended to raise
awareness. Every consumer doing their own little good deed for the world
we live in will hopefully encourage the next generation to do the same.
It is so easy to walk into a high-street retailer and easily buy an outfit for un-
der £50. What many forget to remember is that that t-shirt, which cost £3
to buy, was probably made for a lot less, and in turn the worker that made it
was paid merely pence. This book isn’t intended to stop you from shopping,
merely to challenge your views, and to make your money go a little further.
Chances are you can buy an entire outfit from a charity shop for under £20,
and chances are, it will also last you a lot longer. It really is that simple.
What To Look For In A Second-Hand Shop

Walking into a charity or second-hand shop for the first time can be daunt-
ing. All those social perceptions pop into your head – it’s dirty, smelly, and
the worst thing – someone else wore it!But once you get past these and actu-
ally delve in you will have unleashed yourself into a treasure trove. Shop in
a charity shop, and chances are you’ll never end up wearing the same outfit
as 20 other people again.
There are a few things you need to look out for in a charity shop ;– Firstly
is size. Vintage sizing (i.e. from the 50’s, 60’s) is completely different from
today’s sizing. If your ever unsure about the size of something, try it on. If
you love something, and it’s cheap, buy it. You can alter it, or have it tailored
to your size and shape.
-Secondly, pricing. Never buy anything just because it’s ‘cheap’. Chances are
you won’t end up wearing it. Buy things that were made with quality fabrics,
and will last well.
-Last, but by no means least, is to keep an open mind. Don’t pick up an item
you love, and put it back as you can’t see yourself wearing it. Of course, don’t
buy for the sake of it, but open your eyes and see the potential. Those 90’s
stonewash jeans can turn into the latest denim shorts. That 1950’s dress
can easily be updated by snipping off an inch or two, and that pretty scarf,
that you can’t quite see yourself doing anything
with – well that easily becomes a belt, a head tie or simply tied around the
strap on your handbag to completely transform an item.
Updating An Item Of Clothing

Are you bored of your own clothes? Do you open your wardrobe day after
day and are left feeling uninspired? Never fear, as the customising clothes
section is here! Your wardrobe isn’t as bland as you think – everything can
be recreated. Not only is this cost effective, but it means all your clothing
will be original as well.

The best (and easiest) way’s to update your wardrobe are;

-Raise the hem – this can be on trousers, turning jeans into denim shorts, or
ankle-grazers. You can also turn a maxi dress/skirt into a mini with a few
simple snips. It really is as easy as that.
-Take an old jumper/cardigan/top and replace the buttons. Add colour-
ful one’s, bigger one’s or even shaped one’s – your item will be completely
unique.
-Take your basic items – plain t-shirts, jeans, and skirts - and dye them. If
your clothes are becoming faded, a cheap fabric dye from a haberdashery
will refresh them and make them vibrant in no time.
-Grab lace, fabric, or any material and make cute Peter-pan type collars,
which can be sewn on or safety pinned to give a top or dress a completely
new look.
-Get some plain t-shirts, some printer transfer paper and make your own
designs to iron on.
Basic Sewing Skills

Customising clothes is one of the best ways to refresh an outfit. Be it mend-

ing a repair on something you would have otherwise thrown away, or adding
something to an outfit to make it unique. Having a knowledge of basic sewing
is a great skill to have, and can save many an outfit.

For a basic running stitch simply;

-Grab a needle and thread from a local haberdashery.
-Cut a piece of thread no longer than your palm to elbow.
-Thread the thread through the eye of the needle.
-Tie a small but tight knot at the other end of the thread.
-Grab your fabric and place the needle and thread through the back of the
material.
-Bring the needle through, and back down. Repeat

Try to keep your stitch as neat and straight as possible! You may want to
draw out a line using tailors chalk first.

This basic sewing stitch will get you everywhere. A dress or trousers too
long? Simply stitch up the bottom, or Wonder Web it! Need to sew back on a
button? Simply use the basic stitch to attach it back on.

Soon you will be knitting your own scarf’s, sewing your own clothing pat-
terns and customising everything in sight!
Keep these in mind on your next second-hand mission.
A plain t-shirt is easily turned into a stylish vest simply by cutting the neck- An old fashioned pleated skirt is turned into a strapless dress simply by
line and sleeves off, and adding a peter-pan collar with left over lace mate- moving up to the correct position (adding more elastic if necessary) and
rial. adding a belt around the waist.
Old pleated trousers are completely reinvented by simply snipping off to an An unflattering length dress can be altered into a fashionable new outfit sim-
ideal short length, and hemming either with a simple stitch or wonder web. ply by snipping and hemming.
Never Forget...

- Always go in to a charity shop with an open mind. That calf length skirt
may look awful on the hanger, but by simply adding a belt to it, it can turn
into a strapless dress.
- Consider bigger sizes, if it’s cheap enough to buy, it’s easy enough to have it
altered.
- If you break something/rip a hole – do not throw it away. Simply use your
basic sewing skills to mend it.
- Reading washing instructions carefully – by hand washing or sticking to
the instructions, you save yourself a lot of time, and also save your clothes
form shrinking/discolouring in the process.
- Use simple customisation skills – safety pins are a brilliant quick fix for tak-
ing in an item, or rolling up the hems.
- Use any left over fabric to make home ware – cushion covers, or simply
placed in a frame.
- Look out for offers in charity shops – some give you membership cards to
collect points, others give you vouchers to spend in high-street retailers
when you donate old clothing.
- Check tags on clothes. You never know what you might find lurking in a
second-hand store – Dior, Chanel, Hermes – anything is possible when you
rummage!
- If in doubt, recycle! If you can’t do anything to an item, or you’ve bought
something you regret, give it back, and let the next fashionista have their
way with it!
Charities And Contact Details

Here are a few useful contact details to get you on your way. Contact your lo-
cal charity shops, delve in to your own little Aladdin’s cave, and don’t forget
to donate!

Age UK: 08001078977 www.ageuk.org.uk

Barnardos: 02085508822 www.barnardos.org.uk
British Heart Foundation: 02075540000 www.bhf.org.uk
Cancer Research: 02072420200 www.cancerresearchuk.org
Mind: 08457660163 www.mind.org.uk
NSPCC: 02078252775 www.nspcc.org.uk
Oxfam: 03002001300 www.oxfam.org.uk
PDSA: 01952 290999 www.pdsa.org.uk
Red Cross: 08448711111 www.redcross.org.uk
RSPCA: 03001234555 www.rspca.org.uk
Salvation Army: 02073674500 www2.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/www_uki.
nsf
Save The Children: 020 70126400 www.savethechildren.org.uk
Scope: 020 76197100 www.scope.org.uk
Sense: 08451270060 www.sense.org.uk
Shelter: 08445152000 www.shelter.org.uk
Sue Ryder Care: 08450501953 www.suerydercare.org
YMCA: 020 70702160 www.ymca.org.uk