Hey Lucy! Tell us a little bit about you
I'm Lucy Jane, a charity-shopping, fashion-loving, glittery gal from Manchester who absolutely adores all things fashion! I started my fashion blog Infinity Of Fashion at the age of 12 and 9 years later, I'm still here doing what I love. I try to use my online platform to raise awareness for the causes I care about such as sustainable fashion, shopping more consciously and showing my personal battle with Ulcerative Colitis and how I'm making Stoma's stylish and abolishing the stigma! If I have any kind of 'influence', I want it to be a positive one!
Describe your style in one sentence
The mantra for my style is definitely 'more is more', more prints, more colours and more textures! I love mixing everything, being bright, being bold and wearing whatever makes me feel confident!
What is your relationship like with your wardrobe?
My wardrobe feels like a part of my personality and I suppose it is as my clothes are my main form of self expression. It's a collection of so many items that I adore and I think I'm quite protective of it! I will admit, I think I do have too much stuff but when I get attached to certain items I don't want to get rid of them!
You’re quite a queen when it comes to charity shop shopping. What first sparked your interest in second-hand fashion?
I think it was my desire to dress differently to what I saw in the shops, I didn't want the same look as everyone else so when I was 14/15 I started going to the vintage shops in the Northern Quarter in Manchester. I felt so hip and trendy! Browsing around these vintage stores was so much more exciting for me, it was that buzz you got when you found those one of a kind pieces you knew nobody else would have!
After shopping vintage for a while, I realised Charity Shops were pretty much like Vintage Shops except you had to sort through the stuff as it wasn't hand picked for you. There were so many positives of Charity Shopping so I started going and never stopped!
Where is your favourite shopping destination?
Charity Shopping wise I always say any small towns, not big cities! I live around 30 minutes away from Manchester and all the towns local to me always have amazing things but my favourite place is Bury. You can spend a full day going in and out of all the Charity Shops and never get bored, it's amazing!
What do you think is currently missing in the world of sustainable fashion?
I think what is missing from the world of sustainable fashion is a bigger voice that won't be silenced. There is a lot of information out there on sustainable fashion but a lot of the time it's harder to find than information on fast-fashion. The world needs to understand that all fashion needs to be made more sustainable if we want the world to survive.
I also think a shift in 'Influencer culture' could really help make a change in the world of sustainable fashion as they've played such a role in increasing peoples buying habits. I'd like to think if these accounts who promote 5+ different outfit posts a week all from a fast-fashion company changed their habits to promoting a sustainable brand, discussing where their clothes came from or simply re-wearing clothes, peoples habits might change!
What tips do you have for new-to-the-game sustainable shoppers?
- Understand why you want to shop sustainably; is it for ethics, the environment or personal reasons?
- Delete all fast-fashion apps off your phone, then you're never tempted to browse!
- Go into Charity Shops with an open mind, don't look at size or gender simply see what takes your fancy!
- Think 'do I need this' and try on before you buy
- Don't beat yourself up if you aren't 100% sustainable, just doing your bit is enough!
Tell us the story behind your favourite item of clothing
This is a tough one!
My favourite item of clothing is probably my Alexa Chung x Marks & Spencers faux fur white coat which I've had around 4 years now. I remember getting it and it felt like such an investment as at the time, I'd never spent that much on a coat. From then on it became such a staple in my winter wardrobe, I'd even wear it on nights out. Whilst everyone else was freezing to death, I'd be all wrapped up in my big warm faux fur jacket. It's been all over the world with me, from Prague, to New York and many times to London and I never grow tired of it!
Marks & Spencers hold such a special place in my heart as my team supported me so much through my battle with Ulcerative Colitis and helped me grow to become a Visual Merchandiser in a new store, so that makes my connection to my jacket even more special!
