Thrifty Look Book - Styling Thrifted Fashion | Life of Dahlia

Spending hours scouring through racks of pre-loved fashion is one of my favourite past times and in today’s post I wanted to share with you a ‘Look Book’ I put together.

I was hoping to be able to take this on location, but with the weather lately and have been unwell I wasn’t able to. Maybe when the weather gets a bit nicer I’ll get a chance to do some photos on location.

I know alot of people will often donate their pre-loved items but often they won’t consider purchasing it themselves and honestly I don’t know why because there are so many reasons why you should consider purchasing pre-loved items. Just to give you a couple of reasons, by purchasing second hand you are helping the enviroment by making sure things have a second life and are not just ending up in landfill and

secondly you can often find some real gems, whether it be designer peices or pre-loved vintage items. Or maybe that jacket you had your eye on from last season.

More: Top Opshopping Tips (thrifting)

I’m certainly not perfect I will still purchase brand new items occassionally but I mostly prefer to purchase second hand and in the future I would like to get back to purchasing this way as much as possible. There are obviously some things that can’t always be purchased second hand but purchasing as many items as possible this way it can have a impact.

So before I get into sharing my look book and how I like to style my pre-loved fashion items I want to encourage you to go check out your local thrift store, op-shop or charity store, not only are you helping the enviroment but you are also donating to said charity by purchasing items from them.

Now lets get into How I like to Style Thrifted Fashion…

How I like to Style Thrifted Fashion

This lookbook has taken on a more wintery theme (mostly because that is the season when I am writing this post) and it also shows off a bit of my unique style and how I like to style my thrifted finds (obviously). My aim was to use all second-hand items, though I think there may have ended up being a couple of things in there that were purchased new many years ago (mostly shoes) but for the most part, I tried to stick to that theme because thats what I wanted to showcase here.

When it comes to purchasing and styling pre-loved or second hand fashion, I like to pick items that are comfortable but also suit my style. I usually go for an effortless, casual style but I like to add in the occassional pops of colour and something unique to add something to my outfits. I like to be comfortable but still look mostly put together, if that makes sense.

I mostly like to wear jeans (which I prefer to purchase second-hand if I can) or leggings but I also like to wear skirts or dresses occasionally. I really enjoy pairing my jeans or skirt with a band t-shirt for a casual look. I’ve found some great ones in the mens section, they get the best ones if you ask me so If you love band or graphic tees don’t forget to check them out next time you go to a op-shop.

As for colours I mostly stick to wearing neutrals like grey or black so this is what I look for when purchasing clothes but also I like to add in a pop of colour which could be a hat, shoes or a graphic on a t-shirt as just a few examples. Though I particularly enjoy jewel tones because I feel like its a bit of colour but not in your face and I feel like these are probably colours that would suit most people.

I love pairing one of my motorcycle/ biker jackets (like the one below) with most outfits, they are comfortable but give my outfit a bit of an edge. I have them in a few different colours but my go to’s are often my cream or black ones (two of which I purchased second hand), I feel like they go with pretty much every outfit. I occassionally like to jazz them up with some old badges or lapel pins to add something interesting to them.

I often like to find/wear something just above my size because in winter I can easily wear a jumper or other layers underneath without feeling suffocated or too much tightness around the arms.

For Shoes, I will often wear boots (like my vintage docs) or converse style shoes with most outfits, I like to wear shoes that are comfortable but still look pretty cool. I find that these styles go with most of my outfits. I know purchasing second hand shoes can give people an icky feeling and I totally understand that, if you do want to purchase them I recommend looking for shoes that are near new and washing or sanitizing them before wearing.

I’ve found quite a few near new converse style shoes that I absolutely love so don’t be afraid to look there just sanitize before wearing and you should be okay. I’m sure google can help you out with how to sanitize shoes.

Accessories are hard actually I don’t wear them often but in the cooler weather, I love wearing a beany or scarf if I’m going out in the cold. I’ve found some great scarves and hats second hand again just wash your clothes, hats etc before wearing.

Well thats it, thats how I like to style my outfits, and what I look for when purchasing second-hand fashion items. I want to know What are your must have items in your wardrobe? let me know below.

I hope you enjoyed this post, if you have any questions, like Where are my favourite places to shop for pre-loved clothing let me know in the comments.

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