WRITER Polly Jean Harrison, 29, from Shrewsbury, says there has never been a better time to bag pre-loved plus-size gear as shrinking fat-jabbers donate their baggy clothes
WEIGHT-loss jabs have changed my life – despite me never having used them or, indeed, losing a single pound.
Dress, originally from Yours Clothing; shoes, Crocs[/caption]
Jacket originally from Lucy & Yak; T-shirt, Anastasia Tasou; skirt and tights, Snag Tights[/caption]
I’m a size 28, and for years, trying to find clothes on the high street has been an absolute nightmare.
So much so that, about three years ago, I ditched conventional clothing stores and began sourcing almost exclusively second-hand items.
But since weight-loss injections have gripped the nation, shopping for plus-size clothes has never been easier — and there’s never been more variety.
And that’s because formerly curvy women are ditching their plus-size clothes in their droves, creating a boom in larger-sized second-hand fashion.
Quite simply, there has never been a better time to shop as a curvy woman.
Around 1.5million people in the UK are currently on weight-loss jabs, with more expected to start now that Mounjaro is available via the NHS.
These injections have helped thousands of people in need of medical help, and with countless others able to access the medication via online doctors, there has been a noticeable ripple effect throughout the fashion industry.
People are losing weight fast and are flooding the second-hand market with their now-too-big pieces.
Second-hand apps, websites and vintage shops are seeing a huge shift in the clothes on offer, as those on the jabs dump their unwanted clothing to make way for new, smaller sizes.
Jo Sherwood, from pre-loved clothing shop Anni & Arthur’s Yard in Dorking, Surrey, went viral on TikTok after posting about how larger sizes are now pouring in as smaller ones disappear.
She said: “The amount of stuff people are bringing in to me at the moment because everyone’s getting skinny . . .
“I’m getting all the big sizes, and all the little sizes are the things we are just running out of.”
One thrilled follower commented: “As a size 20/22 I can never find any nice clothes in my size in charity shops so this is music to my ears.”
Another wrote: “Great! Because I can’t afford Mounjaro or fast fashion so I’ll buy your plus-sized clothes.”
Jo’s shop isn’t an exception, either.
Amelie Rule, from Cyber Cherry Clothes, a second-hand fashion website, says: “In general, at kilo sale events (where items are sold by weight), I have noticed way more plus sizes and barely any small sizes.
“I have seen a rise in plus size on online platforms, too.”
Even Age UK, which has 262 charity shops around the country, has reported a 111 per cent surge in clothing donations in the last year as people shed the pounds.
The organisation cannot confirm that the rise is down to weight-loss jabs alone, but either way, it’s great news for the charity sector — and for bargain hunters like me.
‘UGLY AND UNWEARABLE’
I have been desperate for clothing that both fits and suits me for most of my adult life.
Previously, whenever I’d head to the high street in search of a cute new outfit, I’d always end up coming home empty-handed and absolutely fuming.
High street shops very rarely stock a full range of plus sizes and on the off-chance they do, the clothes are often ugly and unwearable.
And they are always hidden at the back of the store.
But since the fat-jab boom, I’ve had no more changing room tantrums, no more staring at my wardrobe that is somehow full but which has nothing to wear.
Now, I dress in clothes that actually reflect my style and personality and I really get to express myself.
When I first started dipping my toes into second-hand fashion, it wasn’t easy.
Ten years ago, there wasn’t the same market for pre-loved clothes as there is now, so options were hard to come by.
You had charity shops or eBay and that was about it.
Often, charity shops were just as bad for plus-size options as the rest of the high street, although I did once manage to score an incredible pink ice-cream-print dress from Simply Be in my size for under a fiver at a British Heart Foundation shop.
Blue floral dress, originally from H&M[/caption]
These days there are so many places you can go, be it online, apps or physical stores.
Resale has been one of retail’s few growth areas in recent years and the global second-hand clothing market value is projected to reach £272billion by 2029, according to online pre-loved platform ThredUp.
This is two-and-a-half times the sector’s £105billion global value in 2021, and likely does not account for the recent surge in anti-obesity injectables.
For plus-size shopping, Vinted is my go-to. It is budget-friendly and full of hidden gems.
I’ve found outfits for weddings for just a few quid. I nabbed a gorgeous, flowy pink ASOS dress with embroidered flowers on for a few quid.
I’ve kitted out my holiday wardrobe for next to nothing and I even tried hunting for a second-hand wedding dress when I got married in 2023.
My wedding dress is still one of the only things I’ve bought new, from a gorgeous local shop, Heavenly Brides Of Shrewsbury, in the past few years.
There really has never been a better time to shop second-hand as a plus-sized girl
Polly Jean Harrison
I really struggled to find second-hand options in my size, and when I did find them, they just weren’t my idea of my dream dress.
I’ve also bagged bargains at kilo sales, car boots and on Facebook groups.
There have never been more options out there for plus-sized girls like me to look and feel great.
Some of my favourite second-hand finds include a Lazy Oaf dress for £5 (worth £68 new), a rainbow Lucy & Yak dress for £20 (worth £65 new) that I wear weekly, and a really rare Snoopy Halloween jumper that cost me less than £20 and comes out every October 31.
Oh, and I couldn’t live without my trusty Teva sandals that I bought for just £10 from Vinted.
They travel with me everywhere.
I even snagged a designer handbag by The Cambridge Satchel Company for less than a tenner that retailed for over £200.
Of course, it’s not all perfect. It can be really annoying when you want something very specific but can’t find it anywhere — even after hours of scrolling and searching.
Plus, you can’t always return things you’ve bought from Vinted or other second-hand sites.
If they don’t fit right or they just don’t suit you, then you’re kind of just stuck with them.
‘ECO-FRIENDLY’
But it’s still worth it.
Yes, it takes a bit more effort than popping into a high street store, but there really has never been a better time to shop second-hand as a plus-sized girl.
The thrill of scoring an amazing bargain is unbeatable.
I practically rip the postman’s hand off when he knocks on the door with one of my parcels.
Not only is it good for my wardrobe, but it’s also good for the planet and I enjoy the warm, fuzzy feeling I get knowing my outfits are as eco-friendly as possible and have been saved from becoming landfill.
As far as I’m concerned, I’ll be thrifting for life.
My clothes, my bank balance and my conscience have never been happier.
And though I don’t intend to get weight-loss jabs myself any time in the future, I’m happy for those who do — and so is my wardrobe.