style me thrift

This week's interview is with the lovely Jasmine aka Style Me Thrift. I love Jasmine's dreamy, boho, Stevie Nicks style. She also sells vintage clothing so you should definitely check out her Instagram!

Over to Jasmine...

When did you first start shopping preloved? Did anything or anyone inspire you to do so? 

I grew up shopping in charity shops, I remember rummaging through them way before I really knew what they were and long before it became fashionable. My family and I shopped in charity shops, or what my mum calls 'tat shops' out of necessity as we didn't have very much money, but i had a dressing up box filled with vintage beaded dresses that was the envy of all my friends!

I've always loved charity shopping and vintage shops and buying second hand through ebay. I get a real kick out of discovering something I can't live without, and having items that are unique. often the clothes i find in second hand shops are far better quality than i can get from fast fashion stores. 

When I got my first full time job I had more money than I had ever had before and suddenly I could buy that £50 dress from Topshop; but time and time again I found myself wearing the items once or seeing too many other people in them, or the item would fall apart from being poorly made, and I thought "What am I doing?!,", because it wasn't really me and I didn't love any of it. So now I very rarely buy new. Don't get me wrong, I shop A LOT. But I try different styles and re-donate or sell on my clothes when i am done with them. 

Since becoming more involved in instagram, I became inspired by all the lovely ladies online who love vintage as much as I do, I don't have many friends who wear vintage, but I saw people sharing their finds and their outfits and I wanted to be a part of that community. I suppose you could say that it has made me feel more confident in showing my love for vintage and preloved and its stopped me second guessing whether I should just shop on the highstreet like everyone else.

What are your top tips for charity/thrift shopping? 

Don't go in looking for something specific, because it won't be there. Just browse and enjoy looking. Try things on, even if you are not sure because it could look incredible on.

My other tip is to know your measurements, that way if you don;t have time to try you can get a tape measure out instead, I do this at vintage fairs. 

What is your best charity/thrift shop find? 

Over the years I have had some cracking vintage bags, some I still have and others I had gifted to friends or sold. 

One of the things that comes to mind is an amazing 1980's sequin cardigan that is so heavy but a real trophy item, it cost me around £6 from Barnardo's. 

I have another favourite dress that is a 1970's maxi with hussairs on horseback all along the bottom, whenever i wear it people comment on how cool it is. 

What is the one item you still kick yourself for leaving behind? The one that got away? 

There have been so many 

I had this vintage Jaeger hat in a berry colour that someone borrowed at a party and i never got it back. I often think about that hat. (We didn't stay friends...)

Who is your style inspo? 

I remember as a teenage putting on a Janice Joplin CD that was my mum's and looking up photos of her in her huge sunglasses and stacks of bracelets and thinking I wanted to dress like her. That was a turning point in my style and my love of the seventies began there. 

I love Edie Sedgewicks chandelier earrings, Penelope Tree, Patty Boyd, Frida Kahlo, Iris Apfel...

Then there are all the ladies i follow on Instagram who inspire me daily with their outfits. 

What is your best piece of advice for shopping your wardrobe?

Sometime I'm guilty of not doing this enough. But,  I like to take everything out and pile it onto my bed and have a good sort through. 

Then when i put it back, I put the things I have 'rediscovered' and want to wear at the front so i can reach them easiest. 

Thank you so much for sharing the thrifting love with us Jasmine!

If you would like to take part in my interview series please DM me either on my Instagram, Facebook page, or Twitter.