‘I was a fast fashion addict but now I just visit charity shops – and I’ve saved £5,000’

Jade Finnie was spending £300 a month on new clothes until having to live out of a suitcase for five months proved a revelation

- TIFFANY WALLIS

 

Jade, 26, refused to wear the same outfit twice and would trawl fashion websites for outfits. But since switching to charity shops, she hasn’t bought anything new in three years. Here, the fine art graduate, from Manchester, reveals how she did it…

Slinging a bundle of clothes from my wardrobe across my bed while trying on outfits for a night out with friends at university, I moaned, “I have nothing to wear!”

I grabbed my laptop and searched the Boohoo, Asos and PrettyLittleThing websites, buying six new items and spending £100.

Phew, panic over. Buying online was so cheap, quick and easy – especially for a last-minute night out. I hated wearing anything twice.

I finished my fine art degree in 2016 and moved back to Coventry, still addicted to ordering online and wearing something once, then never again.

From 2017 to 2019, I worked part-time at Asda, earning £800 a month – and splashing £300 of that on fast fashion.

After finishing a shift, I’d go straight to the George clothes section and head home with lots of new items to try.

Despite having 40 dresses, 30 pairs of shoes, 30 tops and jumpers, 20 skirts and more shoes in my granny’s spare room, I still had breakdowns, claiming I had nothing to wear.

“I’m not going out, I hate everything!” I’d cry after tearing all the tops, skirts, trousers and dresses out of my wardrobe.