Second-hand is no longer SECOND BEST!

Fashion expert Alyson Walsh on how to blend the old with the new

-  Alyson Walsh

You are never too old to wear vintage. Even those of us who spent the 1970s dressed in hand-me-downs and jumble-sale buys have ditched the stigma and come round to the idea.

Isn't it brilliant that second-hand is no longer second best? My friend's teenage daughters are all over Depop and Vinted; I love their enthusiasm and singular style, the fact that they care about the environment and are not taken in by fast fashion.

According to research by thredUP, an American online consignment store, the resale market is growing faster than traditional retail, and by 2030, vintage clothing is expected to be twice as popular as fast fashion. Second-hand is cool at last, just as long as it doesn't smell...

While my local charity shops are mostly full of Primark clothes and unwanted CDs, there are plenty of places online to find affordable vintage, and it's definitely worth taking the time to surf the net.