I was outraged last week when my French teacher began to mock second hand clothing. So, okay, it may not be for everyone, but if she came across a vintage Chanel dress in a Notting Hill charity shop, would she seriously consider putting it back? More fool her if she would.

Vintage clothing, especially dresses, I find are extremely well made and tailored. Take the courgette toned dress that my aunt bought me for my birthday a fortnight ago. It was not something I personally would have picked out or even imagined myself wearing; however, my aunt knows what she is talking about when she says, “Never, ever throw this dress away.” Having worked in the fashion industry and now being a textiles teacher at a North London school, I instantly believed her, after all, who am I to question her?

When Emma came round to my house I was eager to show her the dress. Even though I wasn’t very fond of it, I had many ideas in which to alter it into something I would wear often in the summer. I put it on, and she screwed up her face, but before I let her say anything, I talked her through the changes that I plan to make. When I have time, I plan to shorten it - being 5 foot 3” - it comes down way below my knees. Next I need to find a patent mustard belt to wear around my waist, which will go with the yellow in the dress, and then a puffy petticoat to fill it out!

She smiled and said that it would look really good, and the colours in the dress compliment my skin tone. At that moment I actually felt really happy, as I was so weary about the dress, and actually afraid of that other people would think. Stupid? Maybe, but it’s true. I’m not exactly the most spontaneous when it comes to dressing myself. If I could - I’d pick Stella McCartney over Alexander McQueen (based on S/S 07 ready-to-wear) any day of the week.

By Petrina De Gouttes