a stylist offers her expert tips on shopping secondhand this spring

If a spring clean of your wardrobe is quickly followed by the urge to fill it back up with threads, Emelia Morris has just the tips and tricks to satisfy that craving with secondhand goodies. Pre-loved shopping app Vinted has finally made its way to Aussie shores – yahoo! Emelia walks us through how to make the most of the search options and trend suggestions.

WHEN TO BUY PRE-LOVED OVER NEW Pre-loved is a really good way to play with a trend when you’re not quite ready to spend a lot of money on it. That’s what I like about platforms such as Vinted – you can shop from both directions. You can sell the pieces that are no longer working for you, put some money back into your clothing budget and use it towards something you’ll get more wear from.

You can often find pieces at a better price point when shopping secondhand, but it’s not only about getting a bargain. You might track down the sold-out item you missed, find an older piece from a brand you already love (or even that special vintage piece that has been living rent free in your mind for the past 20 years), or come across the exact colour or shape you haven’t been able to find in stores.

And if you do try a trend and realise it’s not quite you, you can always relist it. Sometimes finding your style involves a little trial and error, it doesn’t all have to become a long-term commitment. The great thing about personal style is that it’s always evolving.CHARTREUSE AND TURQUOISE If there’s a trending colour you’ve been wanting to explore, pre-loved is actually a really good place to start. Chartreuse and turquoise are two colours that will dominate as we head into spring and summer.

If you want to explore a trending colour like chartreuse for example, I’d get quite specific with what you’re searching for. Think about the actual piece you’d like to wear. If there’s a particular piece you’ve already seen from a brand, search the brand and the piece or screenshot it and use image search to see if you can find it pre-loved.

And don’t forget accessories. If you love the colour but you're not sure you want to wear it in clothing, have a look at bags, jewellery or shoes. Bags and jewellery in particular are great for pre-loved because you’re not relying on sizing.LIGHTER TECHNICAL JACKETS The technical jacket isn’t going anywhere for spring, but we’ll see it become a lot lighter. This is one I’d definitely look for pre-loved. I’d look beyond fashion brands too – sportswear and outdoor brands are a great place to search and there can be so much more available once you broaden what you're looking for.

I think the fun part is how you style it. Rather than going sporty head to toe, I love a bit of juxtaposition – a technical jacket with satin or silk shorts, a skirt or a more tailored pant. It’s that sporty luxe mix that makes the look feel interesting.

I’d search things like lightweight nylon jacket, funnel neck jacket, windbreaker or technical jacket and then narrow it down by colour or brand. If you’re into vintage, narrow it down even further and type in the year of the design that you’re looking for.DRESSES OVER PANTS Dresses over pants are coming back in a big way for spring – I think this is a really fun one to explore pre-loved because you don’t necessarily need to search for a ‘dress over pants’ look.

I’d be looking more at the silhouette and fabrication of the dress – something sheer or lace, a slip dress, an asymmetric hem or a more fluid style that you can layer over a pant you already own. This is where I think you can have a bit more fun with your searches. Look at dresses you might normally scroll past and think about them as a layering piece rather than just a dress.

I’d try searches like sheer midi dress, lace slip dress, asymmetric dress, dress, silk or satin slip dress draped, and then get more specific with colour, fabrication, or a particular designer or brand you like.

Get shopping (and listing) on Vinted this-a-way. For more lovely fashion-y things, have a squiz at Paire’s swish summer uniform or take a gander at these one-of-a-kind jewellery pieces. Plus, sign up to our newsletter for more goodness.

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