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<\/p>\nSHOPPING for second-hand outfits is a little different to popping into Primark on your lunch break and grabbing whatever catches your eye.<\/p>\n
However, you can make big savings by getting better quality items for less.<\/p>\n
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As well as creating a more personalised wardrobe that will last you a lot longer.<\/p>\n
Nicci de Vries, 40, was a high street fashion buyer for 20 years before turning her side hustle of selling vintage and pre-loved clothing into a full-time pursuit through online website secondstories.co.uk.<\/p>\n
From scouring selling sites to using social media, she knows a thing or two about sourcing bargain second-hand clothing online.<\/p>\n
Here the Edinburgh-based fashion guru shares the second items you should buy through the likes of Facebook Marketplace and Instagram, as well as the one thing to avoid. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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One of the best things about buying older clothing is that the methods and materials are often superior to modern alternatives, according to Nicci.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cVintage coats are often much better quality – you can get wool and cashmere coats for \u00a315-\u00a320.<\/p>\n
\u201cThings are better made and can last longer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhereas when you look at the material of high street coats it\u2019s usually going to be recycled polyester \u2013 and still cost a lot more.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Trawling online second-hand selling sites for items you love can feel a little like searching for a needle in a haystack, Nicci admitted.<\/p>\n But there are a few tricks to make the process easier.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cStart by making a wish list or mood board of clothing that you are looking for.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll be thinking about what you really want and how you\u2019re spending your money \u2013 rather than going into a shop and coming out with something you weren\u2019t looking for in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicci said you then should try to find and follow sellers you like.<\/p>\n Many will use social media such as Instagram and TikTok as a platform to showcase what they have \u2013 search tags and follow accounts with a style that you like to find out who is selling.<\/p>\n Nicci added: \u201cReputable sellers will make sure items and in good condition and not damaged.<\/p>\n \u201cDifferent people have different niches, but once you find sellers you like, it will become much easier to source items that take your fancy.<\/p>\n \u201cIt does require more patience \u2013 but once you find something you like, it feels more valuable.<\/p>\n \u201cI love that buzz of finding it, that\u2019s quite exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Accessories are some of the best second-hand items to buy online, according to Nicci.<\/p>\n She said: \u201cAccessories are easy because you don\u2019t have to worry about the size.<\/p>\n \u201cSizing can be a bit tricky when buying second-hand clothes online.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t try before you buy and different brands use a range of sizing.\u201d<\/p>\n When it comes to things like hats, scarves and jewellery size isn\u2019t such an issue.<\/p>\n However, knowing your measurements is one way of getting around sizing issues with clothes, Nicci added.<\/p>\n \u201cMost sellers will be able to tell you the measurements of clothing they have to help you find suitable items,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n Thinking \u201cout of the box\u201d with sizes can also work.<\/p>\n Nicci said: \u201cGet something bigger and get it altered, for example.\u201d<\/p>\n You can save money on clothes from your favourite shops by simply buying them second-hand.<\/p>\n Nicci says: \u201cIf you buy a pair of jeans that always fits great, you just need to look for that brand online in your size.\u201d<\/p>\n Using alerts on Facebook Marketplace, as well as sites such as eBay and Vinted can help.<\/p>\n She added: \u201cAll of them will allow you to save a search \u2013 it will notify you every time something gets listed.\u201d<\/p>\n The vintage seller advises making use of filters on Facebook Marketplace and sites such as eBay as another way to whittle down items that you may be interested in.<\/p>\n You can search by brand, colour and size to name but a few.<\/p>\n And Nicci said: "Most of these sites have the option to make an offer so don't be afraid to make use of that.<\/p>\n "You can often get a lower price than the one see advertised."<\/p>\n Things for the home are one of the best to buy online through sites such as Facebook Marketplace, according to Nicci. <\/p>\n She said: \u201cYou can get some really good bargains on Facebook Marketplace.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s stuff being given away for free just because it doesn\u2019t fit into someone\u2019s life.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s also a good place to hunt for stuff for children and babies, she adds.<\/p>\n Her tip is, again, to make sure you have all measurements for spaces where you are looking for furniture to fit. <\/p>\n As Nicci previously mentioned, one of the biggest challenges with buying pre-loved items online can be the sizing.<\/p>\n This can make buying something like shoes especially difficult.<\/p>\n Nicci says: \u201cI\u2019d be worried about buying shoes online if I hadn\u2019t tried them on.\u201d<\/p>\n However, to get around this problem you can try on something similar from the same brand in-store to make it a bit easier, especially with clothes, she added.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2023-mark-greenfield-wrongley-accused-814356789-3.jpg\")
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Accessories<\/h3>\n
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Homeware<\/h3>\n
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