Wearing vintage means different things to different people. Some simply have a love of the 1940s and want to relive that decade in every way they can, some have a penchant for miniskirts, some adore the uniqueness of it all.

Personally, I love the romance behind vintage. I get totally carried away wondering who wore my 1960s earrings the first time round, or who bought my 1920s beaded bag and what occasions they wore it to. Was it a seedy jazz club or a society function? Was the wearer a young debutante or an elderly dowager? I’ll never know, but the history behind items fascinates me.

One thing everyone can be proud of though is that vintage is ‘green’.

Why? Well, vintage is recycling. Whether you’re wearing original vintage or up-cycled vintage, it’s all re-using old clothes. This has to be good, right?

It certainly has to be a huge improvement on the issues caused by the fast fashion we see all over the high street now.  It’s not just an issue of the working conditions and safety issues found in the cheap factories used by the big fashion chains. It’s also the lack of sustainability, the pesticides used, wastage and clothing miles associated with producing a lot of modern clothing.

So embrace vintage and know that you’re doing a little bit for the environment at the same time as looking fabulous! And why not embrace that mid-century mantra of ‘make do and mend’ as well?

You can read more about the issues facing ethical fashion here.