A Thrifter’s Guide to Sustainably Surviving London Winters
Image Courtesy: Prudence Earl
The cold snap has arrived, but a London winter takes more than woolly jumpers: having to navigate the seemingly freezing streets, the boiling depths of the underground and the varying conditions within UCL’s campus. To solve this challenging problem, I bring to you a simple answer: layers, layers and more layers. However, we must not forget that the fashion industry produces 8-10% of global emissions. To increase everyone’s fashion sustainability, here’s a quick guide for thrifting your winter layers!
Colder months put a lot of pressure on your outerwear, from protecting your extremities with hats, gloves, scarves, and boots, to finding alternatives to that tired winter puffer. As far as the first three are concerned, I would recommend more lightweight options – they won’t weigh you down quite so much once you shed the extra padding necessary to get you to that frosty 9am. A fun skinny scarf does seem to be quite fit for the season. To find the hidden gem that will be your trusted partner through the hardships of a London winter, don’t hesitate to rummage through the scarf and hat boxes of your local charity shop, I promise it will be worth it…
If you happen to be fed up with the North Face puffer you’ve been lugging around since 2020 (if you’re still happy with it, no judgment here) but still want to keep warm, try looking for “weatherproof” jackets with a thicker lining and enough space to layer jumpers on underneath it. I’m thinking oversized leather, American varsity jackets, a long wool coat to keep your bum warm, a groovy fur style jacket with a fun print (please let us give them another winter!). For a quality jacket, I’d recommend going to slightly more curated charity shops, such as Mary’s Living and Giving Shops or Royal Trinity Hospice which can be found throughout London. You might spend a little more, but you will be sure to find a coat that will last you years. Otherwise, give Fulham and Chiswick a go to see what the local yummy mummies and daddies have decided to donate.
Next on the layering essentials list is a good pair of boots. They keep your toes significantly warmer than a pair of sambas and elevate any outfit. However, they can be slightly tricky to find (in the correct size) in charity shops. My tip is to get a hold of your European boot size, find a brand you really like, and get searching on Vinted. Pro Tip - don’t hesitate to search in French/Italian/Spanish to see what the continent is offering….
Last but not least, jumpers: thick knit, lightweight, turtleneck, sleeveless, cashmere, merino, mohair. A plethora is needed when navigating the ever-changing winter weather. My favourite stops for jumpers vary between Cancer Research UK, Traid and Mind charity shops. I personally like looking through the men’s section to avoid the daunting Pink Tax.
So, go out and explore what your local second-hand scene has to offer! Thrifting is a cheap and sustainable way to elevate your winter wardrobe with some really unique pieces. However, my favourite place to go thrifting is my own wardrobe: it’s really cheap, has absolutely no carbon impact and I get to be creative, imagining new ways to style pieces I wouldn’t usually wear!