sneak peek of my secondhand collection: H&M leatherjacket, Mads NĆørgaard top (red/white), Comme Des Garcon top (navy/white), Levi’s 501 jeans, Acne alma boots, Acne Jensen boots
I have found that I often find the things I really want to add to my capsules secondhand – whether it’s the more trend-based products or basic products for my year-round wardrobe
/Ā A large part of my wardrobe is secondhand/pre-owned clothing – both vintage findings, but also newer products, which can still be bought new from the brand. When you have a capsule wardrobe, you plan ahead of the coming season what new things you might like to add to your wardrobe, to shake it up so it feels fresh and ready for the new season. Here I recommend that you check your local secondhand stores and the online secondhand stores I have linked below. Make it a habit to review these before you go out and buy something new! I have found that I often find the things I really want to add to my capsules secondhand – whether it’s the more trend-based products or basic products for my year-round wardrobe. Secondhand style is not necessarily colorful boho-clothes; I stay true to my Scandinavian, minimalist style. Again – if you know what you’re looking for, finding exactly what you’re missing in secondhand versions is easy!
En stor del af min garderobe er genbrugstĆøj – bĆ„de vintage fund, men ogsĆ„ nyere produkter, som faktisk stadig kan kĆøbes fra ny. NĆ„r man har en capsule wardrobe, sĆ„ lƦgger man gerne en lille plan forud for den kommende sƦson for, hvilke nye ting man evt. synes man mangler i sin garderobe, for at ryste op i den sĆ„ den fĆøles frisk og klar til den nye sƦson. Her vil jeg anbefale, at du tjekker dine lokale genbrugsbutikker og de online secondhand butikker jeg har linket nedenfor. GĆør det til en vane at gennemgĆ„ disse fĆør du gĆ„r ud og kĆøber noget nyt! Jeg har fundet ud af, at jeg ofte sagtens kan finde de ting jeg synes jeg mangler brugt – hvad enten det er de mere trendbaserede produkter eller basisprodukter til min helĆ„rs-garderobe. Genbrugsstil erĀ ikkeĀ nĆødvendigvis lig med farverig, spraglet, boho-tĆøj; jeg er altid tro mod min skandinaviske, minimalistiske stil. Igen – hvis du ved hvad du gĆ„r efter, sĆ„ er det nemt at finde lige prƦcis dĆ©t du mangler!
Where to shop secondhand
/Ā I love to go thrift-hunting in my local secondhand shops from time to time, and I also like to go to a flea market or two when the opportunity is there. But over the last couple of years, I’ve really got an eye on secondhand shopping online. Below I describe my two favourite secondhand webshops, which I have had great experiences with myself. The list below that is other webshops that I have been recommended but have not yet tried.
Trendsales.Ā (This is a danish website – if you live elsewhere, check the list below to find a similar service). I have used Trendsales since I went to boarding school more than 10 years ago, and through the years I have bought and sold many things in there. I love Trendsales because you can find a lot of great things from popular Scandinavian brands. For example, I have products in my wardrobe from Ganni, Acne and Mads NĆørgaard – all bought at Trendsales. However, you can also find everything from Balenciaga to Cos and H&M in there. Know what you’re looking for, and it’s really easy to find it or at least something similar!
Asos Marketplace. Ā I have bought my vintage Levi’s jeans and shorts in here. In fact, I recently also bought a vintage Levi’s denim jacket, but it has not arrived yet. Delivery time may be a bit long, but it’s definitely worth it! When searching for products here, be sure to check the boxes “vintage” and “preowned” in the search filter on the left side of the page. You can stumble upon new products with tags here, but I’m definitely purely using the webshop because of the many cool vintage products you can find. Of course, you can browse and just look at the selection, but typically I’ve already figured out what I’m looking for when I go to the shop (that’s also the case when I visit Trendsales). If I’m looking for a kimono, for example, because I decided to add one to my capsule, I would simply write “kimono” in the search box, and then browse through the collection.
Jeg elsker at gĆ„ pĆ„ jagt i mine lokale genbrugsbutikker fra tid til anden, og jeg tager ogsĆ„ gerne til et loppemarked eller to nĆ„r muligheden byder sig. Men over de sidste par Ć„r har jeg virkelig fĆ„et Ćøjnene op for secondhand shopping pĆ„ nettet. Nedenfor beskriver jeg mine to favorit webshops, som jeg har gode erfaringer med. Listen nedenfor er andre webshops som jeg har fĆ„et anbefalet, men endnu ikke selv har prĆøvet.
Trendsales. Jeg har brugt Trendsales lige siden jeg gik pĆ„ efterskole for over 10 Ć„r siden, og har gennem tiden bĆ„de kĆøbt og solgt mange ting derinde. Jeg elsker Trendsales, fordi man kan finde rigtig mange fine ting fra populƦre skandinaviske mƦrker. Jeg har fx produkter i min garderobe fra Ganni, Acne og Mads NĆørgaard – allesammen kĆøbt pĆ„ Trendsales. Du kan dog ogsĆ„ sagtens finde alt lige fra Balenciaga til Cos og H&M derinde. GĆør dig tanker om hvad du leder efter pĆ„ forhĆ„nd, sĆ„ er det virkelig nemt at finde lige prƦcis dĆ©t, eller i det mindste noget lignende!
Asos Marketplace. Her har jeg kĆøbt mine vintage Levi’s jeans og shorts. Faktisk kĆøbte jeg for nyligt ogsĆ„ en vintage Levi’s denimjakke, men den er endnu ikke kommet med posten. Leveringstiden kan godt vƦre lidt lang, men den er bestemt det hele vƦrd! NĆ„r du sĆøger efter produkter herinde, sĆ„ vƦr obs pĆ„ at du fĆ„r krydset af i “vintage” og “preowned” i sĆøgefiltret til venstre pĆ„ siden. Du kan nemlig ogsĆ„ sagtens stĆøde pĆ„ nye produkter herinde, men jeg bruger helt klart udelukkende webshoppen pĆ„ grund af de mange fede vintage produkter man kan finde. Du kan selvfĆølgelig browse rundt og bare kigge lidt pĆ„ udvalget, men typisk har jeg allerede sat mig for, hvad det er jeg leder efter nĆ„r jeg gĆ„r ind pĆ„ siden (det gƦlder iĆøvrigt ogsĆ„ nĆ„r jeg besĆøger Trendsales). Leder jeg fx efter en kimono, fordi jeg har besluttet mig for at tilfĆøje en sĆ„dan til min capsule, sĆ„ skiver jeg “kimono” i sĆøgefeltet.
EU online secondhand shops
US online secondhand shops
Finding trends
/ Secondhand clothes dont have to be crazy boho and colorful (peace be with it, if that’s you’re style), nor ‘grandma clothes’ as some of you have expressed your concern for on my Youtube channel. Again, it’s key for me is to know what I’m looking for in advance, and then go specifically after that. Of course, I can just encounter something nice every once in a while, but if you have set your mind for a particular product in a particular color or style, you can better choose the things you want to bring home with you. Steering clear of grandma clothes, haha! So write down in advance what trend, style, color, etc. you’re looking for and work from there.
A new series I’ve made on my Youtube channel is to help you define the biggest trends from season to season. All the trends you see in fashion magazines, blogs, etc. I select a handful trends, which I think are cool and I find some alternatives to you at various online secondhand stores. You can see my first video in the series below. Both pairs of boots on the picture are bought on Trendsales btw.
GenbrugstĆøj behĆøver ikke vƦre lig med spraglet og farverig, ej heller “mormor-tĆøj”, som nogle af jer har udtrykt jeres bekymring for pĆ„ min Youtube kanal. Kodeordet for mig er igen hele tiden at vide, hvad jeg leder efter pĆ„ forhĆ„nd, og sĆ„ gĆ„ specifikt efter dĆ©t. SelvfĆølgelig kan jeg godt bare stĆøde pĆ„ noget pƦnt en sjƦlden gang imellem, men hvis man har sat sig for et bestemt produkt i en bestemt farve eller stil, sĆ„ kan man bedre navigere udenom de ting man ihvertfaldĀ ikke vil have med sig hjem. Herunder mormor-tĆøj, haha! SĆ„ altsĆ„ – skriv dig bag Ćøret pĆ„ forhĆ„nd hvilken trend, stil, farve osv. du leder efter, og arbejd ud fra det.
En ny serie jeg har lavet pĆ„ min Youtube kanal er, at hjƦlpe jer med at definere de stĆørste trends fra sƦson til sƦson. Alle de trends man ser i modeblade, pĆ„ blogs osv. Jeg udvƦlger en lille hĆ„ndfuld trends, som jeg selv synes er fede, og sĆ„ finder jeg nogle alternativer til jer pĆ„ diverse online secondhand shops. Du kan se min fĆørste video i serien nedenfor. Begge stĆøvler pĆ„ billedet er iĆøvrigt kĆøbt pĆ„ Trendsales.
What you should be aware of
/ Speaking ofĀ grandma clothes, I think that the smell of secondhand clothes and in the shops is something that may cause a little anxiety to some people. We all know the scent of “new” when entering a store or ripping up a package from ASOS, and this in itself is really addictive to some. When you buy secondhand clothes, it’s not new. It doesn’t smell new and it may even be stained, be a little worn out or have a hole somewhere. But here it is important again to have an open mind. Is it something you can just fix? Does it just need to be cleaned? Should it be altered a bit on your sewing mashine? Keep in mind that you get “new” clothes at a fraction of the original price, and if you are aware of it you may get something that is good quality as well.
To me it is worth all the trouble. And the fact that you are doing the environment a favor is also not a bad thing. It takes a little more work to buy a secondhand sweater than to click a brand new one home, but good things take time – is that not what people say? Have an open mind, and work purposefully to change your old consumption habits. And again – remember to be aware of what you are looking for so you are true to your own style all the way, and dont come home with impulse purchases or things you can not use with the rest of your wardrobe. This also applies when buying clothes entirely new by the way.
Apropros mormor-tĆøj, sĆ„ tror jeg at lugten af genbrugstĆøj og i butikkerne ikke mindst er noget, som kan virke lidt angstprovokerende for nogle. Vi kender allesammen den der duft af “ny” nĆ„r man trƦder ind i en butik eller pakker en pakke fra ASOS op, og dette er i sig selv virkelig vanedannende for nogle. NĆ„r du kĆøber genbrugstĆøj, sĆ„ er detĀ ikkeĀ nyt. Det lugter ikke nyt og det kan endda have pletter, vƦre lidt slidt eller have et hul. Men her er det vigtigt igen, at have et Ć„bent sind. Er det noget du selv kan fikse? KrƦver det i virkeligheden bare lige at blive rengjort? Skal det sys lidt om? Husk pĆ„, at du fĆ„r “nyt” tĆøj til en brĆøkdel af den oprindelige pris, og hvis du er bevidst omkring det fĆ„r du noget, som er god kvalitet oven i.
For mig er det alt besvƦret vƦrd. Og det faktum, at du gĆør miljĆøet en tjeneste er heller ikke en dĆ„rlig ting. Det krƦver lidt mere arbejde, at kĆøbe en sweater fra en genbrug end at klikke en spritny Ć©n hjem, men gode ting tager tid – er det ikke sĆ„dan man siger? Hav et Ć„bent sind, og arbejd mĆ„lrettet pĆ„, at Ʀndre dine gamle forbrugsvaner. Og igen – husk at vƦre bevidst om pĆ„ forhĆ„nd hvad det er du leder efter, sĆ„ du er tro mod din egen stil hele vejen igennem, og ikke kommer hjem med impulskĆøb eller ting du ikke fĆ„r brugt. Det gƦlder iĆøvrigt ogsĆ„ nĆ„r du kĆøber tĆøj fra ny.
How to make it feel like your own
/Ā This is a bit in continuation of the previous point. It’s about putting some effort into making your secondhand clothes feel like your own, because it actually feels like someone else’s right after you buy it. The first thing I do when I buy something preowned is to wash it, sort of like to “reset” the smell. Then it may take a couple of times use and a second wash before it smells completely like your own, at least if you use detergent without perfume like me. You can also hang it out in the fresh air. Believe me, you forget over time that it’s actually something that once belonged to another person!
Dette er lidt i forlƦngelse af punkt nummer 4. Det handler om at lƦgge lidt krƦfter i, at gĆøre dine genbrugsfund til dit eget tĆøj, for det fĆøles jo faktisk lidt som en anden’s lige nĆ„r du har kĆøbt det. Det fĆørste jeg gĆør nĆ„r jeg har kĆøbt noget brugt er, at vaske det, ligesom for at “nulstille” lugten. Herefter tager det mĆ„ske et par ganges brug og endnu en vask, fĆør det dufter helt som dit eget, ihvertfald hvis du bruger vaskemiddel uden parfume som jeg. Du kan ogsĆ„ hƦnge det ud i den friske luft. Tro mig, man glemmer med tiden at det faktisk er noget der engang har tilhĆørt en anden person!
Selling your own products
/ This is something I’ve practiced a lot over the years and still do today: to resell products you no longer use. I know there are many of us who “donate” clothes away when we clean up our closets. The basic idea of āāthis is great, and if we didn’t do this, we wouldn’t be able to purchase it in our secondhand shops. Having said that, I can’t help thinking about this: we are lucky that today we can find good quality clothes in many of our secondhand stores. Much of the clothes come from another time – a time without all the fast fashion we have today. A lot of the clothes many of us throw in the secondhand containers today are unfortunately fast fashion and are therefore often not in very good quality. Much of it is sentenced to end up at the landfill or perhaps to be torn apart and used as filling in eg. furniture. Fast fashion often has an “expiration date” and is sentenced to lose especially their social value after a really short period of time. Therefore, the quality of it is often “indifferent” because it is not made to last for a long time anyway. It’s jus a really sad scenario to me, and in any case itmakes me consider even more what kind of clothes I buy from new. Imagine how our secondhand stores will look in 10-20 years if this development continues? Well, anyway…
When you buy good quality clothes, you can look at it as small investments that you can sell later because they maintain their value for a pretty long time, even after using it. I even have resold products I have bought used myself! I use Trendsales to sell my products. The fact that I know that it is something that may even be sold again sometime makes me care even more for my clothes.
Dette er noget jeg selv har praktiseret og stadig gĆør den dag i dag: at videresƦlge produkter, du ikke lƦngere selv bruger. Jeg ved, at der er mange af os som “donerer” tĆøj vƦk, nĆ„r vi rydder op i garderoben. Grundtanken i dette er jo super god, og hvis ikke vi gjorde dette, sĆ„ ville vi jo heller ikke selv fĆ„ glƦde af det i diverse genbrugsbutikker. NĆ„r det sĆ„ er sagt, sĆ„ kan jeg ikke lade vƦre med at tƦnke pĆ„ dette: vi er heldige at vi i dag kan finde fedt tĆøj, i god kvalitet i mange af vores genbrugsbutikker. Meget af tĆøjet kommer fra en anden tid – en tid uden alt det fast fashion som vi har i dag. Det tĆøj mange af os smider i genbrugs containerne i dagĀ erĀ desvƦrre fast fashion, og er derfor ofte ikke i sƦrlig god kvalitet. Meget af det er dĆømt til, at ende pĆ„ lossepladsen eller mĆ„ske at blive flĆ„et fra hinanden og blive brugt som fyld i fx mĆøbler. Fast fashion har ofte en “udlĆøbsdato” og er dĆømt til, at miste isƦr deres sociale vƦrdi efter virkelig kort tid. Derfor er kvaliteten af det ofte “ligegyldig”, for det er ikke lavet til at skulle holde sƦrlig lƦnge alligevel. Det synes jeg er en virkelig Ʀrgerlig udvikling, og det giver i hvertfald mig stof til eftertanke i forhold til, hvad det er for noget tĆøj jeg kĆøber fra ny. Forestil dig hvordan vores genbrugsbutikker vil se ud om 10-20 Ć„r hvis denne udvikling fortsƦtter? Gisp. NĆ„, anyway…
NĆ„r man kĆøber tĆøj som er i en rimelig god kvalitet, sĆ„ kan man lidt se pĆ„ det som smĆ„ investeringer, man senere kan sƦlge videre, fordi de bevarer deres vƦrdi langt henad vejen. Jeg har endda nogle gange videresolgt produkter jeg selv har kĆøbt brugt! Jeg bruger selv Trendsales til, at sƦlge mine produkter videre. DĆ©t at jeg ved med mig selv, at det er noget der mĆ„ske kan sƦlges videre engang gĆør ogsĆ„, at jeg passer lidt ekstra pĆ„ mine ting.
Hey Signe – I love your blog and videos and they have definitely helped me pare down my wardrobe and be more mindful of my purchases! I was wondering, what do you do with old clothes that are not in good enough condition to donate? I have a pair of Adidas Superstars that are basically garbage… but I feel like they are too torn up to donate, what do you recommend doing with them? Any tips?
I take it to the recycling station here in town – usually (if it’s absolutely NO good anymore) it has to go in the container with mixed trash that can be burned. But mostly my clothes are in fine condition to donate š
Hi Signe,
I love your style and think that this is something I would like to try…but I am obsessed with your all silver watch. Do you mind sharing the brand name/style number with me please? Thanks so much from a fan in Canada!
Hi Christina! Thank you so much <3 It's a very old one, and unfortunately it's not available more. It's from Sekonda and I bought it on Asos some years back. They do still have Sekonda on their website though, and this one is pretty similar I think š http://www.asos.com/sekonda/sekonda-silver-bracelet-watch-with-black-dial-exclusive-to-asos/prd/6760931?clr=silver&SearchQuery=sekonda&pgesize=15&pge=0&totalstyles=15&gridsize=3&gridrow=2&gridcolumn=2
Very affordable and classic and it’s been lasting great! <3
Hi Signe,
I like your vintage finds. What stores in the ASOS Marketplace are your favorites?
Thanks! :-* My faves are Avelina’s vintage and Dirty Disco Vintage!
Signe Thank you for your recent 2020 challenge video. My daughter just told me she had been excited to find 2 resale/second hand shops near her that I wasn’t aware of. We are similar in size so I have been giving her things of mine for years. Also she was in London for months doing an externship and discovered Portobello Road shops. She came home with a huge secondhand coat because it was Winter and her California wardrobe was freezing! Interesting enough the cat hated the coat for some reason and so we had to hide it otherwise it would be attacked! She said there was a ‘goldmine of blazers’ there! Anyway I look forward as she does to 2020 with renewed interest in being careful with clothing purchases. Her friends at work also trade and share accessories/clothing or donate them to charity.
Signed, I live your UTube channel and style. I have a pair of brown/grey high healed boots that I have had for years. Unfortunately I rarely wear them anymore because everytime I take them off bits of the lining stick to my socks and make a mess on the floor. Do you know if its possible to have them reclined? Who would do that? Or where I could look for someone to do that? Ir is it time to let them go? Thanks for your input!