Embrace Second Hand September and don't miss out on year-round bargains

Paper Cup Coffee’s Michelle Langan gives us her opinion on why you should make the most out of pre-owned fashion.

Second Hand September is almost over, but pre-loved bargains don’t have to just be for one month of the year.

If you make the time and effort, bargains can be found, and you can update your wardrobe for a fraction of the price and be sure that you won’t see anyone else wearing the same gear as you.

Where once, charity shops and jumble sales had a stigma attached, pre loved fashion is now having its moment, thanks to apps like Vinted and Ebay, and the revamp of charity shops thanks to the likes of Mary Portas and her pre loved boutique style shops.

Here in Liverpool we have a ton of great charity shops where you can find a bargain if you enjoy the challenge of a rummage.

If designer goods are your thing, you can sometimes unearth big labels for smaller prices, and as a bonus, you will be stopping items from ending up in landfill if they had been binned.

Recent personal hauls of mine have included a genuine Hermes cross body bag for a fiver, and a brand new in the box pair of red patent Prada shoes in a local auction for £20. I’ve also bagged some great dresses from Vinted at a fraction of the price you would pay in a shop. Before you do your pre loved shopping, set yourself some rules.

Be prepared to rummage, open your mind to items you might normally overlook and see how they could fit into your wardrobe. If you find something you love, but it doesn’t fit, remember you can have things altered.

The best bit of buying preloved isn’t just the buzz of buying a bargain – you won’t see another ten people in town wearing the same outfit as you. Plus, you will know you have done your bit for our planet.

Once you try, you will find yourself addicted to the buying buzz that unearthing a real gem brings.

Happy shopping, and here are a few of my faves to start you off:

Barnados 567 Prescot Road, Old Swan L13 5UX

Open Door 28 Allerton Road L18 1LN

Oxfam Allerton Road, 72 Allerton Road, L18 1LW

Lark Lane flea market