Attending My First Ever Kilo Sale !
During my research into
sustainable fashion, I have found myself becoming angry and frustrated with the
waste and damage the fashion industry is creating. As a young fashion student
and a lover of the planet I live on, I think it is important that we take
responsibility for our actions. Did you know that fashion is the 2nd biggest
polluter? Our constant 'want not need' mindset could possibly be the thing that
finally tips our planet over the edge into destruction. I believe that if I can
do anything through my social media platforms, and in-person, it is to educate
others on the damage we are collectively causing. I am not saying that we
should all stop buying clothes and never visit a shopping center again. Let’s
be realistic - that isn't likely to happen, nor is it particularly sustainable.
More to the point, I will probably lose my retail job that I love, and I would
be devastated. However, we can start to think about the small changes we are
able to make. For me, these include:
- Looking through my own
clothes and deciding what I do and don't use. The clothes that I do not use can then be offered to friends and family or (very important: take note) donated to a charity shop! One man's trash is another man's treasure.
- Educating those around me
about what is happening to the planet and encourage them to shop from more sustainable companies. For instance, one day I went into work wearing my new pair of trousers and got numerous compliments and questions asking me where I got them from. I took great pride in saying I brought them from a
charity shop and boasted about how they only cost £1. Fashion is about how the clothing makes you feel, not the price, and damn did I feel good!
If we were to stop shopping from the likes of Primark, they would lose
their business and, it goes without saying, lose a lot of money. This would
create more pressure and give an incentive for them to become a sustainably
sourced brand. Without us, their customers, the business simply cannot
continue. We, as a society, need to stop fuelling the company's fire. I urge
you to not be scared about shopping in charity shops. Think of it as British
thrifting; you can find a tonne of hidden gems in there and the price is better
than any Primark.
Something I also think we should really push is apps like Depop. You can
buy and sell your second-hand clothes and find lots of vintage and fashionable
items for every style type! What's not to like?
So, what has all of this got to do with kilo sales? Well, during my
quest to find alternative ways to shop, I was told about a kilo sale. This is
where you pay for clothes by their weight. It's normally priced at £15 per kilo
and is a more fashionable way of buying second-hand clothes. 1 kilo will get
you roughly 6 women's shirts - that's just £2.50 per shirt!
After having a conversation with one of my friends, we both expressed
our interest in attending the sale and plans were made to go together. I had
many hopes and questions for this trip and thought it would be interesting to
document them on my blog. So, here's what I learned:
The sale that I attended were selling early access tickets for £6. This
meant that you could go in an hour prior to everyone else, so at roughly 10am,
and 'get all the good stuff'. Just by chance, me and my friend arrived early
and sat by the door so we could be first in line for the normal access. We
noticed that a number of early access people were walking out with a mixture of
bag sizes. Some had a full overflowing bag while others walked out with
nothing. Once the normal access was allowed to enter, costing £3, I noticed
workers restocking the sale and during my entire time there I could see at
least 2 people who were putting out more clothes. Personally, I do not think
the early access tickets are needed or a must-buy purchase, as plenty of other
good clothes were released throughout the day. So you can stay in bed a little longer my friend!
Mirrors and small changing rooms were provided at the sale I went to, but
I would recommend bringing a friend with you. They can give you style advice,
hold the changing room door for you, and - most importantly - stand with your
stuff while you pose in one of the mirrors, admiring your vintage outfit! My
friend Dani did a perfect job at doing all 3 of those.
There were a lot of people in the hall. If you are someone who doesn't
like crowded or loud areas, I would not recommend. Although it was a semi calm
environment, you could easily lose each other amongst the hustle. However, I do
believe later on in the day it would be much quieter so perhaps think about
attending then.
Look. Through. Every. Rail! You never know what might have been
accidentally placed there, or what is hiding around that corner! Roll your
sleeves up and have a good hunt. Work for it people! I would recommend you also
have a good hunt through the jeans section. At my sale, they were all placed on
a table and were constantly being replenished. I really didn't see any brands
amongst the other items of clothing, however, jeans had a lot of Levis and
Wranglers and Tommy Hilfiger in a range of sizes and styles. So even if you're
super tiny like me there will be a pair in there for you! Once you have
searched through everything, lookout for the people who are replenishing the
clothes - follow them around if you must. That's how I found a couple of the
tops I picked out and would recommend grabbing ANYTHING you could potentially
like.
Also, think about each garment's potential. Could you cut up a pair of
jeans to make some shorts, crop and distraught a T-shirt to make it more
exciting? Use this as an opportunity to show off your style and get creative. The
world is your oyster.
Yes, they can take card and, yes, they can take cash.
Now, for my final tip: don't go in there looking for something in
particular. Fashion and style are subjective. Look at each item and consider
how you could incorporate it into your style. You could take the same top and
wear it in 100 different ways. Don't limit yourself to saying I only want to
look at summer clothes because the winter jumpers are just as interesting.
Although I did get the vibes of this being an oversized charity shop, I think
it was really interesting the number of young people who were there and I feel
very edgy and cool saying at I attended a kilo sale.
In the end, I only brought one top which totalled £1.65. However, I am
very pleased with it and greatly enjoyed the experience. I think I will try and
attend a summer kilo sale to compare the two seasons. It is definitely a new and exciting way to shop which I will
definitely try again.
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