Adopting an eco-conscious wardrobe doesn’t have to mean turning into a hemp-wearing earth mama. Shopping secondhand is another way to lighten your environmental footprint — and save money to boot. Whether you’re thrifting, swapping, or shopping and selling consignment, you’re recycling goods that might otherwise find their way into a landfill. With that in mind, the Green Fair is introducing a fashion-focused event to encourage secondhand shopping. The Green Style Market, hosted by Re-Trend, will include a fashion show, a clothing swap, and goods from local vendors.
Organizer Lindsey Smith says she’s passionate about buying secondhand. “It’s become a game, an obsession,” Smith says. “Nearly every Saturday morning before sunrise, in a zombie-like stuper, my boyfriend and I pile into the truck, a cup of coffee in hand, and we go from yard sale to yard sale with the GPS leading the way. I haven’t bought new clothing, besides undergarments, in probably over a year.”
Smith hosted a Re-Trend clothing swap at the Tin Roof last spring, and she says the event was a success, drawing about 70 people. She now promotes Re-Trend as a “nomadic women’s clothing swap” with regular events around the Lowcountry. At the Green Style Market, attendees can bring up to 10 items to swap, and additional items will be for sale for $3.
The highlight of the Style Market will be a fashion show, hosted by Ensemble Consignment Boutique. The models will be decked out in clothes and accessories from participating stores and exhibitors like Consign Charleston, Happy Bags, Groove Girl Consignments, Uptown Cheapskate, and Ocha Baby.
The Style Market tent will be outfitted with items from local Habitat for Humanity ReStores, including a secondhand bar that will serve wine and a specialty cocktail. Attendees can buy anything they like right off the walls, and three dressing rooms will be available for trying on clothes.
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