Styling St Andrews Charity Shop Finds

Of the many great things about thrifted clothes, I especially appreciate that you don’t really mind destroying them. Ok, that’s a little extreme, but you’re less inclined to baby your clothes, because it only cost you a couple pounds in the first place. This freedom allows you to embroider and crop and cut and hem and paint and transform. The piece can become whatever you want it to be, the only limit is your imagination (...and your sewing skills). 

In Bernardo's, I stumbled upon a white sweater with a high neckline. I have plenty of sweaters so I put it back on the rack, but I kept being drawn back by the stripe detail at the top of the turtleneck, and I figured I don’t have any vests. The sweater was only £5, so I could justify some experimentation. I cut along the seam connecting the sleeve to the body, leaving about a quarter inch of allowance to hem later in case the weave didn’t hold (luckily for me and my less-than-mediocre sewing skills, it did). 

The result was a vest great for layering during these months transitioning from winter chill to spring breeze. I styled it over a silky button down with a pair of jeans and ballet flats, but I think it would look cool over any textured or colorful blouse, or on its own with low-rise pants or skirt.  

While the charity shop boasts tons of wardrobe staples, the real thrill is in discovering unique garments you never even imagined. This is the exact sensation I felt when I found the next piece I purchased: a blue and white striped skirt from Save the Children. As you move in the skirt, the knitted pleats contract and expand, exposing more of the white beneath. The skirt allows the fun textile to be spotlighted by keeping its construction simple, just a circle and an elastic waistband. There’s no tag, so I like to imagine it was handmade by someone’s grandmother (but of course half the fun of second-hand is that I’ll never know). The skirt was a little big for me, but because the construction was so straight-forward, I figured I could alter it myself. I was right, and after a quick straight stitch taking in the waistband a couple inches, the skirt sat nicely on my hips. The alteration process was even easier than I thought it would be, but I always could have taken it into the tailor in town if necessary. 

I styled it with a white long-sleeve shirt I got from the charity shop next door (Sense Scotland), riding boots, and a suede tote bag. 

In Barnardo’s, a couple days after I bought my skirt, I stumbled across another statement piece: a mesh tank with beaded details. The scalloped pattern feels art deco inspired and the deep neckline lets you wear it slightly off the shoulder. 

I styled the top over a black lacy bra and low-rise black jeans, an outfit that felt totally at home at 601 when I wore it to Sinners that night. 

Once I let go of the pressure to find something perfect, charity shopping in St Andrews became way more gratifying. I added some unique pieces to my closet, and just as importantly, I had so much fun altering, styling, and making each item my own. Thrifting isn’t just about finding a good deal (though that’s definitely a perk); it’s about engaging with fashion on a more personal, sustainable, and imaginative level. 

Photography by Cecilia Ryan