You might imagine that my sisters — Violet and Eliza — and I were brought up with all the new clothes we could possibly want. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
For as long as I can remember my mother, Emma, the Duchess of Rutland — who raised us at our ancestral home Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire — has been passionate about buying second-hand clothing, long before it was trendy.
She was never snobby about buying other people’s cast-offs, preferring to see it as giving new life to special garments. She passed her passion to us.
Pictured is Lady Alice Manners wearing vintage fashion. Paule KaSelling for £450 Cost new: £815Silk dress with heart print and crystal buttons, Azzaro Selling for: £296 Cost new: £775 Alice says: This look is a real mood lifter – I love injecting colour into my life through my wardrobe. If you are dreading Christmas this year, you can choose a bright colour to cheer you up!
Plum long-sleeved stretch dress, AlaiaSelling for: £275 Cost new: approx. £2,000 Alice says: I love this beautiful plum colour for this time of year – it’s so rich and yet also demure. This dress gives me a lot of volume thanks to its clever cut. It would be great if I wanted to hide a little bit of my bottom, or if I have an upper arms complex.
Cream floral print silk blouse, Zimmerman Selling for: £295 Cost new: £700-800 Black velvet spaghetti strap mini dress, Alexander Wang Selling for: £290 Cost new: £600-700 Alice says: This is the ultimate little black dress, versatile with a large dose of sass. If you’re with your family, you can tone it down by adding a blouse underneath.
Green velvet dress with lace collar, Saint Laurent Selling for: £380 Cost new: £1000 Chanel shoes Selling for £395 Cost new: £780 Alice says: Velvet Saint Laurent with a delicate lace trim and sailor style collar – what more could you want? The dress is elegant and stylish, yet it can also be worn with many different body types due to the deep neckline.
A trip to one of the many London shops that sell second-hand designer goods became an integral part of every girl’s life from the time they reached their teens.
‘You can choose one thing,’ Mum would say and in we would go, brimming with excitement at the thought of what hidden gem we might find, something we could never have dreamed of buying new.
I remember going to the shop Sign of the Times, a stalwart of Chelsea since the 1970s, when I was 15 and choosing a pair of black Ralph Lauren evening slippers with a little emblem on the front, for the bargain price of £75 — a fraction of what they would have been new.
These shoes were my school shoes for quite a time. This was eleven years ago. They are still mine.
For my 18th birthday, I was given a classic black Chanel bag, second-hand from the same shop, which would have been at least £2,000 new, a sum I would never have been able to afford. I’ve still got that too.
There are many dress agencies that can help you find stylish and pre-owned clothing, accessories, and other items on the High Street. You also can shop in charities for some great finds.
Naima printed puff sleeve dress, Ulla Johnson Selling for: £220 Cost new: approx. £700 Balenciaga biker boots Selling for: £500 Cost new: £950 Alice says: If print is your thing you can’t get better than this. This model also features an elasticated waistline with an adjustable tie fastening, which makes it ideal for post-Christmas lunch. It’s a comfortable, stylish option that offers both style and comfort.
Pictured from left: Eliza, Alice and Violet Manners at their family home, Belvoir Castle
Whether it’s High Street or high-end, the principle is the same: choosing pre-loved fashion not only helps the planet, but gives you far more bang for your buck.
As I have found time and time again, it’s possible to buy exquisite designer clothes pre-loved for a comparable figure to some High Street offerings — and they’re much more likely to last for ever. You can pick up a designer dress for a fraction of its original price — £200, say, rather than £700.
When I was 17, I still have the Burberry teal evening dress that I bought. It was hanging from the rail on the second hand. I recall feeling excited to discover that it had still the tags.
A similar style was found in an amazing Tom Ford evening gown (full length, velvet, strapless), a few years back. The neckpiece connected to the back and had the most incredible choker effect. Knowing that new it would be in the region of £3,000 to £5,000, I knew I was getting a good deal at less than £1,000.
Just after I bought it, the pandemic hit and I couldn’t wear it until my dad’s birthday celebrations at Belvoir last year. But I wore it again just the other week to a charity dinner at the V&A museum and I know it will be a go-to favourite for many years to come.
I believe there’s a slow but discernible shift in consumer thinking towards buying second-hand, vintage or pre-loved pieces, as people realise there is something to be gained in recycling what we already have.
When I was 14, there was nothing trendy about pre-loved — Mum was well ahead of the curve — it was just a lot of fun. Now I know it’s sustainable, too.
Think about this: According to thredUp second-hand company, the carbon dioxide savings from Christmas if everybody wore a party dress this year would equal 56 million cars being taken off the roads for one day.
Thanks to the explosion of fast fashion, it’s not just an issue over the festive season. What might seem like a bargain in the January sales isn’t such a bargain for the planet if it’s worn only once.
Mum can be credited for reminding me that I’d rather own one of these beautiful, pre-loved gifts than have a wardrobe full of throwaway High Street clothes.