Three new looks, no new clothes – my secondhand styleover

Jess Cartner-Morley: ‘I want the dopamine rush of an old-fashioned hit-the-shops shopping spree, without the eco-remorse.’ Styling assistant: Sam Deaman. Hair and makeup: Sophie Higginson using GHD and Osmosis beauty. All photographs: David Newby/The Guardian Photograph: David Newby/The Guardian

Can you get a whole new look without any new clothes? Not going to pretend I’m asking for a friend, I’m asking for me. That’s what I want, right now. Something new to look at in the mirror. The surprisingly powerful illusion of a new me that a fresh fit can provide. The psychological shot in the arm of a wardrobe update. These are all good things. Mood-boosting, confidence-lifting, energy-giving, positive things. But, here’s the problem. Those things are good things, yes, but the environmental impact of a new-clothes spree? Not so much. And, since I have a wardrobe full of perfectly serviceable clothes, I can’t possibly justify the carbon footprint – or the price tag – of a trip to the shops.

But … hang on a minute. Maybe there’s a way. What if the new clothes were … old clothes? A fresh look from secondhand clothes would be a win-win, right? Not only are pre-loved clothes more sustainable than new clothes, they are much cheaper. And they are more fashionable than new clothes, because, unless you have been hiding under a rock for the past two years, you will have noticed that secondhand is cool. “It’s vintage/secondhand/pre-loved/my mum’s” is now the fashion flex that trumps any designer label.