Hannah
Hannah’s dress oozes retro-chic, complete with a criss-cross neckline, leg split, and animal print. The dress had belonged to her boss in the 90s, she gave it to Hannah because she saw something of her younger self in her. For Hannah, the knowledge that this dress was worn by her boss when she was younger enhances its individuality and sentimental value. She has paired it with her trusty docs, which she describes as the "best purchase she ever made" because they are so versatile that she can (and does) wear them with everything. Hannah’s style is amplified by her carefully curated accessories. Her assortment of jewellery and sunglasses takes us all over London via different charity shops and vintage markets. We feel that her reputation as the ‘accessories queen’ is very well deserved.
“One of my work colleagues actually gave this dress to me, she said she really saw her younger self in me when we were working together, it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen.”
“I really love wearing things that no one else is wearing, trying to stay original by wearing quirky things, I feel like no one else is ever going to be wearing this.”
“I wore this for my birthday this summer, with all my friends. And that was the first birthday since lockdown so I have loads of amazing pictures in it with all my friends. I'll always remember that my boss gave it to me, and she treasured it forever and now I’m going to treasure it.”
This is such a joyful story, we love that Hannah’s boss decided to gift her the dress, giving it a new life in a new wardrobe. Our clothes can have many life cycles with different owners. Clothes-swapping is one of the many initiatives that have sprung up to combat the environmental and social impact of the industry recently. Rather than buying new, these services allow you to wear entirely new outfits with no extra environmental impact by extending the community with whom we can share well beyond our family and friends. Brands such as NUW, Loanhood, My Wardrobe HQ, By Rotation, Rotaro and OnLoan are pioneering this new form, offering a huge range of styles and subscription packages to help you find the perfect service for you.