You may know Verona Farrell best as SecondHandHuns, the account where her street style videos – and Scandinavian-based vintage prowess – explodes across social media at viral pace. Now, exclusively for Vogue Scandinavia, Farrell curates a shopping guide with her hand-picked items to invest in now
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Here at Vogue Scandinavia, it goes without saying that we are firm advocates for vintage and second-hand clothing. But we also know all too well that, while there are an abundance of pre-loved gems out there, it can feel like navigating a jungle to uncover them.
That's why we've tapped local vintage aficionado, SecondHandHun's Verona Farrell, to lead the charge for us. Scroll on to savour Farrell's vintage styling insights and savour her curated mix of second-hand pieces. Run, don't walk, to secure them before they disappear.
Why and how does conscious- and vintage fashion resonate with you personally?
Vintage fashion makes me feel excited about developing my own personal style, I love being drawn to pieces because I inherently like them – as opposed to feeling like I'm falling for a well-marketed trend that I won't wear in a couple months.
I truly believe shopping second-hand can open you up to so many aesthetics that you never knew you would have liked if you were stuck in a fast-fashion rut. There's obvious sustainability reasons why buying consciously makes me feel like I'm doing my part in a small way, but to be honest the biggest driver for me has always been the uniqueness and variety that vintage has to offer.
Which fashion brands or platforms would you recommend to someone who wants to shop more consciously?
Sellpy is your friend. No matter what size, price range or aesthetic you have, you can filter your way through their millions and squillions of pieces. While Humana can sometimes seem a bit saturated by the Y2K trend, I still find so many great pieces, and it's always nice to do some shopping IRL. When it comes to new pieces it's so hard to get to the bottom of which brands are actually operating more sustainably so I usually go by asking myself the simple question: do I love this or do I just want this?
What do you always keep in mind when putting together an outfit?
I think my outfits are quite character-driven. I can feel like I have a completely different style from day to day, but I like each look to make me feel like a certain persona – whether that's Scandi clean girl, '90s model off duty or suited or booted corporate boss bitch.
Related: "I challenged myself to only wear second-hand throughout fashion month and this is how it went"
What are three things to keep in mind when sourcing second-hand fashion?
- Expecting pieces to have a little wear and tear can help develop a realistic set of expectations. It's fun to find the beauty of your clothes having had a past life, and the little imperfections that second-hand brings with it is all part of its story!
- You can always get things tailored. One of the best things about second-hand is the quality of pieces can often be far superior to similarly priced pieces in stores today, so I reckon it's worth nipping into your local tailor to get that perfect fit instead of finding a look-a-like new that might live half as long.
- Sometimes the reality is that second-hand isn't going to tick all the boxes of convenience that a new brand can. When buying new, it's so easy to track down the exact piece you want to add to your wardrobe and sometimes it's tricky to have that approach with pre-loved. For vintage beginners I think a great way to start is by using second-hand to inject some fun into your outfit repertoire and not get too caught up in the hunt for a specific piece because you never know what you're going to find!
Which two or three items in your selection feel extra special?
Everytime I wear pieces from Maria Nilsdotter I feel like such a badass. This week in Paris during fashion week, I felt like every outfit I wore was immediately elevated once I had on a couple of their staple chunky silver rings or serpent earrings. Of course I also included a couple of pieces from my favourite second-hand staple, Sellpy. At the moment I am also coveting these amazing Miu Miu loafers and this Pirates of the Carrabian-esque ruffle top from Dolce & Gabbana.
**Shop Verona Farrell's curated second-hand edit below: **