How do you wear something special for your wedding and not shell out a lot of money — while helping the environment at the same time? Buy second hand wedding dresses online.
There’s no doubt that weddings are special occasions. Some drop thousands of pounds (others even hundreds of thousands) on their big day. The average cost of a wedding dress in the UK is reportedly £1,300.
Not everyone has the capacity to allot that much money to a dress they’re probably going to wear just one time — and some may just not see it as a practical thing to do.
READ MORE: Faceconceptstores Ltd: ‘Seasonality and Trends Don’t Mean Anything’
Whether it’s motivated by the need to become more sustainable or you don’t have the money for it or you just don’t think your dress should be the ‘something new’ at your wedding, any reason to look into pre-loved wedding dresses is good.
And a lot of people have joined in this endeavour! There’s been a 103% increase in searches for pre-owned wedding dresses, according to Lyst.
Those who are willing to pay just a little more but want to go second hand for environmental and other reasons have increased in number as well. Page views for vintage designer wedding gowns have also jumped by 53%.
So how do you actually find these dresses? Right now, the safest route is to go online. You may not get the ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ treatment, but if you find the perfect one, I’m sure it will feel just as special — even though it comes to you boxed and handed over by a courier.
Here’s where to buy second hand wedding dresses online.
READ MORE: Is Stella McCartney Ethical and Sustainable?
Wear Next may receive a small commission if you click a link from one of our articles onto a retail website and make a purchase.
For fashion advice and chit-chat, join our Facebook group What To Wear Next or follow us on Instagram.
Bridal Reloved
Want a bridal designer dress for less and don’t mind that it’s pre-owned or a sample? This is the place to be.
Vestiaire Collective
Looking for a pre-loved designer dress that you can wear on your special day? Look no further than this trusted second hand clothing store.
eBay
eBay has always been a haven for second hand treasures. You may need to spend a bit more time checking the seller’s ratings, but I’m sure finding the right dress here will make it worth it.
ASOS Marketplace
If indie’s what you want, ASOS Marketplace is where to go. There are lots of trendy pieces here but there’s also an abundance of unique pieces from independent makers and designers.
Brides do Good
What sets Brides do Good apart from other wedding dress retailers is its charity work. For every £3 it earns, it donates £1 to organisations that help empower women and end child marriage.
Still White
Want to be spoilt for choice? You will be at Still White, where they offer more than 51,000 second hand wedding gowns.
Oxfam
95% of the dresses in this store are donated by bridal stores and they’re offered at around 33% of the original prices.
Beyond Retro
Yes, this store indeed sells pieces that are beyond retro — second hand wedding dresses from the ‘30s to the ‘70s, to be exact.
Loop Generation
The keyword for this store is ‘curated.’ You may have an easier time finding the one for you here because the pieces have already been vetted and picked by the store’s owners.
