Secondhand Style Tips with @styleand.sustain

by Carley Lake | Last Updated:   May 29, 2020

Amma of Style & Sustain doesn’t believe in shopping your way to sustainability. “It’s not just about buying from sustainable brands but rethinking your consumption of clothes.” Learn more about her rethinking steps and why swapping, renting, or secondhand > buying new.

So, who are you? 🙂

Hi! I’m Amma, a Ghanaian and French woman currently living in London. I moved to the city 2 years ago to pursue a career in fashion and write about sustainability in the industry. My website Style & Sustain is a space where I aim to inspire fashion lovers like myself to turn to sustainable and ethical fashion while still having fun with clothes. I believe that style and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. When I started, sustainability was not as hyped as it is now. I’m so happy to see the growth of awareness. I’m looking to keep writing and blogging to inspire. I’m also working towards doing marketing consultancy for sustainable/ethical fashion brands.

How do you describe your style?

For the past few years, I’ve focused a lot more on shopping as sustainably and ethically as possible, so I don’t go to just 1 or 2 specific brands or styles. I also usually juggle between vintage, secondhand, swapping, or borrowing before buying from sustainable brands. My style has become what I like as opposed to trend-focused or trying to recreate a look. I’ve really enjoyed that aspect of it actually. I would say focusing on conscious fashion has helped me push the boundaries of my own style. When you buy mindfully that means you buy what you love and every piece reflects you. But if I had to pick words, I would say indie style, afro style, and chic style.

What is your go-to indie style look?

It would be a vintage or secondhand coat or denim jacket to complete a look. I’m always inspired at the Brick Lane Vintage Market or at Here After Vintage. Generally, I love a knit dress, vintage denim, and biker-style boots. Currently, on my blog I focus more on showcasing conscious brands because I want to raise their profiles and show that they are just as great as fast fashion brands with the important element of being good for people and the planet. I’m looking to showcase more of my vintage/secondhand style this coming year.

What’s a piece in your closet you wear to make more of a statement?

I have a vintage yellow velvet coat that I adore! It’s from the Brick Lane Vintage Market and a true treasure of mine that I intend to pass down to my kids one day.

What brands and stores do you love to help support your indie style?  

I love going for ARMEDANGELS, Reformation, and Honest Department. When it comes to vintage, I go to the Brick Lane Vintage Market or Mero Retro in Dalston. I’m also a fan of Mind Charity Shops and 100% support their cause to remove the stigma around mental illness. 

What’s your advice on building a wardrobe you love (that is conscious and ethical!), especially for those just dipping their toes in sustainable fashion?

I think the key is understanding that there are different ways to do sustainability in fashion. It’s not just about buying from sustainable brands but rethinking your consumption of clothes. The best place to start is in your closet—look at what you have and keep just what you love. Then to refresh it, alternate between swapping, vintage/secondhand, renting, and if you don’t find what you need within those options buy from a conscious brand. It’s a constant juggle but ultimately it’s about cutting it all down to have what you need and will use for a long time.

How do you think you (and others!) can do more to be sustainable? What other ways can we be sustainable and create change in the sustainable fashion space?

I think the change starts with you. People will undoubtedly ask what you are wearing and it speaks volumes when you can say it’s by a sustainable brand or is vintage or swapped because this shows that better alternatives to fast fashion exist. I also believe in focusing on just one thing at a time; maybe chose something you can be passionate about and start your sustainability journey there. It can be fashion or food or gardening…whatever works for you and sparks authentic interest. 

Thanks, Amma, for sharing your secondhand indie style tips.