guide to second-hand workwear
Fast fashion is extremely detrimental for the environment with an estimated 75% of all clothes produced each year ending up in landfill, and there is over 100 billion pieces of clothing produced each year due to the consumer demand for new clothes. This should be reason enough to shop second hand.
This being said more sustainable brands are emerging with the demand for ethical clothing production and consumer concern for the environment. Good On You is a great tool for seeing how sustainable everyday brands are and for finding sustainable alternatives.
I will always be an advocated for buying second hand clothes, and if you buy good quality garments they should last longer meaning there is less need to replace.
Creating a capsule wardrobe is a great way of reducing the need to buy more pieces. Thoughtful purchases mean you have a cohesive style and reduce the occurrences of staring into your closet and screaming “I have nothing to wear!” You can read my guide on building a capsule closet here.
Here’s my guide on finding secondhand workwear to build your perfect capsule closet.
First, inspiration...
Finding inspiration for your workwear wardrobe is key to designing a cohesive and dynamic selection of pieces. Again you can refer back to my capsule closet guide for more details on this.
I recommend setting up a Pinterest board to collect pictures of interest from across the internet. This way you can continue to refer back to what caught your eye and have a rough guide to the pieces you want to look for.
Online marketplaces
Like an op-shop but virtual. Online marketplaces allow you to refine your searches and find what you want through the power of the search engine. Some consignment stores also have online shops and I touch on this below. My favourite online marketplaces are:
Trade Me + Facebook marketplace are a great way of finding inexpensive but good quality pieces. I always look for:
Brands: Country Road, Witchery, Ruby, Cos, Portmans, Superette, Cue, Jacqui e, Trenery, Forever New, Seed Heritage
Materials: Wool, silk, cashmere, leather, linen
Shoe brands: Mi Piaci, Wittner, Isabella Anselmi; Materials: leather, suede or canvas
Designer Wardrobe is good for more designer pieces. I always looks for quality materials such as those mentioned above but my favourite boujee designer brands include: SABA, Camilla and Marc, Veronika Maine and Trelise Cooper.
All the brands mentioned cross over to in-person shopping in op-shops and consignment stores.
Op-shops
There is something so satisfying about combing through clothes in an op-shop, finding something you love that is also your size. Op-shops are great for workwear essentials like blazers and trousers because people frequently donate these pieces.
A tip is to hit up shops in “prestigious” areas of your city where the pieces donated might be a bit more high-end.
Many op-shops are run by charities that do essential work in our communities, such as:
Hospice Shop - Hospices provide free end of life care for those with terminal illnesses.
St Johns - Provides community ambulance services for those who have medical emergencies and need to get to a hospital quickly
Red Cross - Helps vulnerable people all around New Zealand through supporting them in times of disaster or emergency, helping new Kiwis resettle in Aotearoa, delivering hot meals and other community services.
SPCA - Work to ensure animal welfare and prevent animal cruelty.
Salvation Army - Helps those living in poverty and social distress through budgeting advice, food and clothing assistance, life skills programmes and other comfort and support.
Consignment stores
These shops have a more collated selection of clothing. Rather than having to wade through clothing these stores have usually bought pieces of designer clothing and curated the stock. This makes it easier to find more high end and work appropriate clothing.
Some great options below:
Recycle Boutique is based nationwide with stores in Auckland, Hamilton, Mt Maunganui, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown.
Paperbag Princess is located in Whangarei, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin
Tatty’s is based in Auckland and online.
Honour is a Wellington-based second hand shop.
Encore Designer Recycle is located in Auckland, Greytown and online.
Clothing swaps
Some of my best workwear pieces have come from clothing swaps I’ve done with friends. This is a great way to declutter and have some fun. I’ll usually declutter then invite friends over to go through what I no longer want then donate what is left over.
There you have it, my guide to finding good quality second-hand workwear. While finding good pieces may require a bit of effort, it is totally worth it. With the environmental impacts of fast-fashion and consumerism we need to make buying choices that send messages to corporations. Building a wardrobe that is full of long-term quality pieces is essential to reduce the amount you need to consume. Because while shopping is fun, using what is already in your closet is the most sustainable option.
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