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Hands up if you’d like a Chanel 2.55 handbag at a fraction of the original price? That was the question I asked myself ten years ago and the classic quilted beauty remains my most treasured sartorial possession - my super stylish nest egg. Fashion shouldn’t be disposable. The best clothes and accessories can last a lifetime. Sustainability and luxury aren’t mutually exclusive. Celebrity culture has made vintage and preloved fashion more accessible and aspirational. Apart from being a more conscious way to consume- it’s appeal lies in its finite supply. Anyone can curate a wardrobe of one-off pieces. Clothes are generally considered to be vintage when they are 20 years old or more. Anything more than 100 years old is antique. Surrey’s preloved shopping scene is thriving! From sustainable luxury to affordable designs these boutiques are eco-friendly goldmines offering savvy fashionistas the ultimate treat that won’t break the budget. Wins all round! This isn’t about wading through someone else’s dusty cast-offs or broken trinkets. Surrey’s preloved and vintage boutiques are carefully curated - the clothes, shoes, bags and accessories are beautifully displayed. For originality, price and delight you can’t match these treasures. The golden rule for fashion foragers is - if you see it and love it, then buy it - you may never get the chance again.
From industry matriarchs to high-street designers, labels are important because they depict a designer or reference a time in history but look for great fabrics, craft and workmanship too.
Imagine going back to the endless elegance of the 1920’s wearing a flapper dress with a cloche hat. Listen to the sound of sequins as you party at Studio 54 circa 1975. Wear your mini like a 60’s modernist. Feel the pull-of-the-past in Versace’s medusa black and gold belt or revel in the rareness of retro with a Birkin or Kelly. You should be so lucky!
You never know what gems you will unearth- it’s the thrill of the chase and having something different to your peers. In french vintage translates to ‘millésime’ which means ‘the best years’ - I couldn’t agree more. Bon shopping!
Preloved Boutiques in Surrey Damsel Designer Dress Agency, Ashtead Phoenix, Cobham Annie and Arthur's Yard, Dorking The Edit, Dorking The Posh Dress Agency, Farnham Circle, Haslemere Meldon House and Home, Limpsfield Fusspotts, Oxted Gracie’s, Reigate Re-work.It, Reigate Secrets Fashion Agency, Weybridge
Spin Preloved, Horley
Misty and Claridge, Guildford
