This month's must-have trend
As much as we all adore splashing the cash and returning home with armfuls of new clothes, that pesky credit crunch has been getting in the way of our favourite pastime recently. But now it's time to fight back! No, we're not suggesting you rush out and max out your credit card. This season's hottest fashion trend is 'savvy recycling'.
In a nutshell? Before you head out to the high street, take a good, long look inside your wardrobe. Chances are you'll stumble across plenty of pieces you'd forgotten about - and many of them could be brought bang-up-to-date with a little inventiveness and TLC.
Many of the hottest trends from the past few seasons are still very much in vogue. For instance, 2004's fur gilet, 2007's cocktail frock, and pretty much all of last year's bright colours, pretty florals and ruffles are still good to go now.
What's more, failsafe faithful classics such as your favourite jeans, LBD or spring knits can be spruced up with some clever accessorising. A few examples? Dress up your denims with a super-luxe belt; add a pretty touch to a cardigan with a fabric or sparkly corsage; or brighten up a plain black frock for daytime with a drop-dead gorgeous statement necklace.
The trick is to head straight for shops such as Accessorize and Claire's Accessories or try department store haberdashery departments. And don't just take everything at face value: be inventive. You don't have to be an expert needlewoman to transform a basic piece into a showstopper.
Another great tip is to 'renovate' old separates and jeans simply by dyeing them: visit www.dylon.co.uk for more information.
Of course, we're not suggesting you'll want to recycle everything that's in your wardrobe. Be honest with yourself - and if there are clothes you know you'll never wear again, make the effort to take them to the charity shop.
According to a new survey by Cancer Research UK, more than 40% of us plan to spend less on clothes than we did last year - and one in five of us will be shopping for bargains in charity shops. The result? These shops will sell out quicker, so are in desperate need of more donations. And while you're there, you'll doubtless pick up a brilliant buy or two yourself: now that's savvy recycling at its best!
