At Sunshine Thrift, summer is our favourite season. This can’t come as too much of a shock to you since it’s in our name and our logo is a giant sun who wears cute booties. However, the reason why we love the summer so much is because it is when personality filled fashion and style reaches its peak. From festivals to summer holidays, BBQs to beach days the warmer months provide ample opportunity to whip out your best outfits.
Recently, we chatted with dopamine dressing die hard Stelu Grama who brightens up our Instagram feeds on a daily basis with her fast fashion free colourful, sparkly and fun outfits. So, who better than Stelu to talk to about sustainable summer style?
Not only does Stelu share vibrant and joyful outfits for special occasions, bottomless brunches and the most wonderful holidays, she cleverly shows us how to integrate colour, pattern and a little bit of flare into everyday outfits; the outfits you go back to time and again because they bring you joy and comfort.
At the heart of Stelu’s advice on styling second hand style this summer is organisation. It can be easy to lose track of your summer wardrobe, especially when the winter months feel so long. Getting your wardrobe organised, reminding yourself of what pieces you do and don’t wear and planning your outfits underpins Stelu’s top tips.
Where did your journey with second hand clothes begin? Was there anything in particular which motivated you to try second hand?
I have always been passionate about fashion and creating different styles and therefore loved shopping. I would always look for a bargain and liked searching charity shops or second hand websites, but this would only be occasionally.
Towards the end of 2023, I saw on Instagram that the British Fashion Council said that if we stopped making clothes now, we’d still have enough for the next 6 generations. I looked at my unopened next day delivery ASOS parcel and I just felt terrible for being part of the problem. I loved putting outfits together, looking my best and following new trends but hadn’t truly appreciated the cost.
This made me realise that if there are that many clothes out in the world already, I shouldn’t struggle to find anything I’d ever need or want. So decided I’d set myself a challenge of only buying second hand for the whole of 2024 (I love a resolution and a challenge). And it went from a challenge to second nature and a passion.
What are your three summer wardrobe staples that you return to you year in year out?
How do you go about finding second hand outfits for the summer? Do you seek any inspiration from social media, your friends etc.?
Social media is brilliant for getting outfit inspiration as there are so many colourful and varied creators. I also love Pinterest and use the boards to discover new ways of styling what I already have, or I’ll spot the gaps.
I recently started using Indyx, which is a digital wardrobe app where I can upload all of my existing items but also a wishlist. I then either look on online marketplaces for the specific items I need or go to my favourite second hand spots.
I find that when you shop second hand, you’re a lot more specific about what you buy, you won’t just grab whatever the shops throw at you.
When styling outfits for the summer months do you have a specific summer wardrobe which you pull from, or do you find yourself using pieces in your wardrobe which can also be worn throughout the year?
What advice would you give to someone who is struggling to find their personal summer style?
Get all your summer clothes out and be ruthless about what you don’t wear/doesn’t fit you/ isn’t your style anymore. Keep only what you wear time and time again and see what the pattern is, be realistic and think about what you really enjoy wearing, not what you think you should be wearing, what looks good on other people, etc.
Also go on Pinterest and save outfits that you would definitely wear- Can you recreate them with the items you’ve kept? What else is missing?
I like to plan my outfits at the start of every month for whatever events I have coming up. Start with nailing the outfits for the first month and it will all start falling into place from there.
