JUNE | Pick 'n' mix interiors, wardrobe conundrums and rediscovering Vinted
Second-hand interiors related inspiration, recommendations and maybe a purchase or two from the past month
I was going to start by saying that June felt like a quiet month but at the same time that feels a bit irrelevant because it was never really my intention that these (free monthly) round-ups just become a summary of what I’ve been up to, which I think can get a bit nauseating (sorry not sorry). Instead they are a big old brain dump of second-hand related things I’ve come across or been inspired by that I want to share with you.
This offering is a little less thematic and structured than usual so I apologise if it feels a bit sprawling but I was on a roll and it felt fun to just keep writing.
I stumbled across Grace Cobb’s Instagram the other day, the former fashion director of Wonderland magazine. Not sure how I’d missed it before but it’s just a really wonderful curation of rustic, eclectic, colourful interiors where it feels like the rules are, there are no rules.
She reposts a lot of imagery from The World of Interiors and so I ended up on their website which I’m not sure I’ve ever visited before. I haven’t ever bought the magazine either and I think I’d dismissed it as being a bit chintz (?) but I really enjoyed digging into their home features - some that were familiar, lots that weren’t. A few of my favourites included this loft in Mexico City, this West London home/studio, this 1720 worker’s cottage in Oxfordshire and this house in Bulgaria.
On the minimalism/maximalism scale I like to think I sit somewhere in the middle - I love a home to feel cosy and lived in but I find too many things and too much clutter anxiety inducing. I also genuinely don’t know how people deal with the dust when you have loads of stuff?? That’s not to say that I don’t get sentimental and like to hold onto things, just not everything - hence why I’m slightly addicted to clear-outs and selling things on. If I have decided to keep something but I’m not using it then I need to know exactly where it is. My worst nightmare is a cupboard full of who knows what… if that’s happened, the clutter has won.
And yet, I think the best interiors are the ones that tell a story through a real pick ‘n’ mix assortment of pieces that make you want to stop and ask questions about how they came to be there. And I think this is what incorporating lots of second-hand and older pieces does so well - creates depth through layers of intrigue. My favourite spaces are always the ones that don’t feel too overthought or intentional and instead like a sort of happy coincidence. Where nothing quite matches but nevertheless there’s a charm to it and somehow it all sort of just about works together.
I’m not saying that’s an easy thing to achieve and the obvious irony is that any space that manages to successfully look ‘unintentional’ has likely seen a huge amount of prior consideration or even a full design. I guess we like to think that rooms just sort of happen but that’s never really the case. I do think that there’s a bravery in not rushing to create a perfect space. The most authentic rooms come together when you can add layers and possessions slowly but surely, trusting your instinct when you see something you like but also not being afraid to work with what you’ve got, and letting those things speak for themselves.
Segueing into (second-hand) fashion now which I haven’t done yet with Second Best. I feel much more inspired by and comfortable talking interiors (a few more degrees of separation) but my love for sourcing second-hand actually started with fashion. My first job out of uni was working for Vestiaire Collective and my wardrobe is still I would say predominantly made up of vintage or pre-owned things.
I am far from an expert when it comes to fashion and tbh I’ve been in a bit of an ongoing funk wardrobe wise for I’d say the past two years… maybe it’s something about going from my twenties into my thirties, moving out of London and back in again, then living out of a rucksack for five months. But I’ve felt like I’ve just lost my way a bit. Didn’t buy much for a long time because everything we had was going towards a house renovation and upon returning to London I started dressing in what I felt like I should be wearing, not what I actually wanted to wear.
However, I’ve realised that my vision for a dream home applies almost exactly to my idea of a dream wardrobe - if I take the sentence I wrote earlier and replace the word interiors with wardrobes, I’d say I’ve hit the nail on the head.
And yet, I think the best interiors wardrobes are the ones that tell a story through a real pick ‘n’ mix assortment of pieces that make you want to stop and ask questions about how they came to be there. And I think this is what incorporating second-hand and older pieces does so well - creates depth through layers of intrigue…
I want a wardrobe to feel playful, a bit whimsical and to have some character - like in a house, I want to have those slightly unusual and interesting pieces that come with a story. But crucially I also need it to be functional, to all work together somehow. Oh and I also need it to strike a happy medium on that minimalism/maximalism scale. The idea of a wardrobe full of clothes I don’t wear? Don’t feel good about it - we’re back to the cupboard full of clutter.
I think aforementioned wardrobe funk comes from not striking this balance - too much whimsy and I start second-guessing myself because I just end up with a random mix of second-hand things usually purchased on the spur of the moment, unearthed during a rummage and bought without much consideration of how it’s going to work with what I’ve already got. I need those functional basics to pull it all together and to give me the confidence to lean into the whimsy.
Someone who I think does strike this balance very well and is also a champion of thrifting (as our friends across the pond would say) is Mya Hansel @myagelber who has become my go-to style inspo of late. A wardrobe built on great basics but that also feels playful, and full of joy and colour. She’s also one of those slightly infuriating people who manages to look good in socks and loafers - how?? Mya has just started her own Substack called Primary School which I’m very excited to read.
So, in my quest to make more intentional wardrobe choices, this month I delved back into Vinted, which I have heard good things about for a while but have never had much luck with myself. Not being able to try things on feels risky but luckily a lot of the prices are SO reasonable these are risks I’m willing to take. I took a punt on some classic Liz Claiborne long white linen shorts that were £5 (!!) and though white, felt like a very practical summer purchase - can be dressed up or down, worn at home or on holiday and go with a lot. Somehow, incredibly they are the most perfect fit. Which almost never happens to me - I have a really small waist but also hips and a bum so I usually struggle to find trousers that fit.
The red LK Bennett mules on the other hand were very much a spur of the moment charity shop purchase. Do I ever wear heels? No. Do I have an occasion to wear them to? No. Do I love them? Yes. Do they make me feel like Carrie Bradshaw on a Friday night? Yes. Also only £10. The definition of a whimsical purchase but I’m sure they’ll come in useful one day… also hang on, is this me striking a sartorial balance between practical and whimsical???
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I wish I could say I got all of my clothes second-hand but that would be a lie. So in the interests of transparency I did also buy this white Cos top recently (sold out online but might still be in store) which has also been an unexpected success story - goes with so much and has already made me revisit a lot of pieces that I haven’t worn in ages. I’m very tempted to get it in red too. Would 10/10 recommend.
So as I was saying, I’ve officially got the Vinted bug. And I’m sure there will be lots of less successful purchases but my plan is to really try and use it to buy second-hand clothes in a more intentional way, and to plug some of the holes in my wardrobe in a bid to wear more of what I own, and to remedy the funk. I also listed some things for sale (on Vinted) that have been sitting in boxes for ages and had some surprising success. They’re not selling for much really (I think £25 max) but I’ve sold eight or nine things in the past week and it all adds up, so I’d definitely recommend trying it.
Back to interiors and I’ve left the best bargain to last. This free cabinet which I came across whilst out on a walk near my parents house. Who could say no! Luckily we had the car with us and in the boot it went. It’s pretty rough round the edges but that makes me feel a lot less precious about it and so I think it will make for a fun painting project. I might go two tone and paint the outside one colour and the inside another. I like the idea of pairing a brown or burgundy with something bright - blue, pink or yellow… some inspo below. Stay tuned…
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If you’ve got to to the end, a huge thank you as always for reading. If you enjoyed it and have a minute, please do share it on Substack or your other socials so that other people can find it too. It can be accessed by everyone by sharing the link.
Until next time! R x