Charity shop bargains & wardrobe staples.

Hi everyone! Happy November! Wow it feels weird to be saying that - where has the year gone? I have actually decided that I'm going to start posting once every 2 weeks - I wanted to do it every week but it is SO hard, and now that the nights are dark so early and I'm starting a new job where I wont be finishing until 6, well finding time to shoot blog pics is going to be even more difficult! So once every 2 weeks it is.

How was everybody's Halloween? I had a fab evening watching scary films at my friends house and terrifying myself silly for the night - as well as spending the day in work dressed up as part of the fabulous duo that is Daphne and Velma (see here) What did you all get up to? I absolutely love looking at everyone's Halloween ideas, whether it be make-up or costume. Its such a fun time of year don't get me wrong - but despite this, it's certainly an event which makes me consider the amount of items being purchased, only to be worn for a few hours and then disregarded forever, never to be worn again - which is something I'm guilty of doing myself this year!

I've seen a lot on the internet the past few weeks about 'fast fashion' and how it's having a huge negative effect on the environment, and it's made me feel very guilty as I am definitely a big part of the problem. Since creating this blog, I've certainly wanted to buy a lot more clothes in order to be able to create more content and keep up with the trends. This is something I have decided to actively try and tackle and hopefully improve by changing my personal shopping habits. When i was younger, I was very much in the mindset that I could not wear something out more than once. Now I look back and there are so many items that I could have re-worn, styled differently, and so many items I wish I still had!

After reading Megan Ellabys post about fashion sustainability, I also saw that she donated a heap of clothes to her local charity shop. I decided to head down after work and have a nosey, and I came away with a number of items, including these amazing chocolate brown wide leg trousers by H&M for an amazing £3. YEP! THREE POUNDS.

Whilst there I realised that I have really fell out of touch with charity shop and vintage buying. I used to do quite a lot of rummaging through these shops a few years ago and I don't really know why I stopped - as they can often be treasure chests for clothing and accessories! These pants are a really thick material, and their deep neutral brown shade makes them the perfect autumnal trouser, they actually have a rust shine to them when they are in the sun which is so beat! This look is definitely interchangeable as well, swap the trainers for a pair of white chunky heeled boots and its perfect for a dressier occasion. When thinking about fashion sustainability, I'm really trying to focus my thoughts on how I can re-wear pieces for different situations, so being able to dress an item up or down is really key.

I'm also trying not to buy clothes just for the sake of it, and I'm really thinking about pieces which will last me a long time. Like this checked shirt for example, from Emma-Louise Connelly's collection with Nasty Gal. A checked shirt is a wardrobe staple, and it's an item which can be so easily worn in many different ways. For this look I've tied it at the waist to show off the high-waist style of the trousers and accentuate my waist. But I would also wear this shirt under a dungaree dress with tights and chunky boots, or unbuttoned over a T-shirt with a pair of jeans, or buttoned up and worn loosely with a pair of fitted black flares. The possibilities are endless!

This outfit is the epitome of autumnal styling. The shirt and the trousers compliment one another so well, the colours within this outfit give me a really cosy feeling. It's the perfect look for a cloudy November day with the neutral tones of green, beige and rust mirroring the varying shades of fallen leaves.

I hope this blog post inspires you to have a venture into some charity/vintage shops and see if you can strike gold like I have with these bargain trousers! I have also compiled my own huge bin bag of unloved and unworn clothes which I will be donating to a charity shop. And I'm going to try and take steps to make more sensible and efficient purchases - and I hope this post makes you want to try and to do the same!

I hope you loved this look as much as I do!

Chlo x

Trousers - H&M purchased in Cancer Research Uk - (Similar here, here, here)

Shirt - Nasty Gal (Similar here, here)

Shoes - Adidas