'I bought no new clothes for 18 months - even my wedding dress was secondhand'

30 July 2023 , 19:38

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Nada in her beautiful 1970s ivory frock with husband Nigel on their wedding day

I went without buying any new clothes - apart from socks, tights and underwear - for 18 months. In that period I had the tricky task of buying a wedding dress and ended up with a beautiful 1970s ivory frock for the fraction of the price of a new one.

My husband Nigel also sourced an immaculate secondhand velvet jacket for £10, while my wedding ring was made from recycled gold and diamonds. Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden, 64, pledged to restrict clothes shopping to replacing worn-out items, while Joker star Joaquin Phoenix, 45, vowed to wear the same tux to all the awards bashes.

My change of heart came after I realised I've unwittingly been contributing to an environmental disaster that has a bigger carbon footprint than aviation and shipping combined - fast fashion.

Nada with her husband Nigel on their wedding day (Nada Farhoud)

I switched to shopping in second-hand and vintage stores, picking up well-made items such as a gorgeous 1960s wool tartan dress for just £15. I've also bought dresses from Sugarhill Brighton for £5 from Vinted and second-hand Levi's shorts and skirts for £10.

I've also steered clear of sales, saving time, bother and regret Buying secondhand means you can save money and help protect the environment. Oxfam's Online Shop is one of fashion's best-kept secrets, a place where you can buy designer brands and the best of high street names for a fraction of the price. I bought a black and gold sequin top from &Other stories for just £7.

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Nada sourced second hand clothes from Oxfam and Vinted (Nada Farhoud)

Nada's 1970s wedding dress (Nada Farhoud)

On the high street, try Martlets Hospice and British Heart Foundation shops.And look for dress agencies, which sell pre-owned high quality and designer pieces. Rental websites are perfect for weddings and other dressy events. At the top end of the market is a £9.99-a-month membership to My Wardrobe HQ. Others like girlmeetsdress.com let you hire one to three dresses from £19 each.

Looking at the state of my wardrobe, things have slipped a little, but I have just carted off a bag of clothes to my local seamstresses to be repaired and altered - inspired by tailors I met at Kantamanto.

A secondhand dress bought in Vinted (Nada Farhoud)

This dress cost just £5 (Nada Farhoud)

I’ve also signed up to a course near my home in Hove, East Sussex, to learn how to use a sewing machine. Make do and mend helped Brits to get through Second World War rationing. Our clothes shouldn't cost the earth

Nada Farhoud