A London bride has saved thousands on her wedding attire by embracing second-hand fashion, finding her dream Vivienne Westwood dress through Vinted. Alice Bolster, 30, a graphic designer from Teddington, has long championed pre-loved clothing. When planning her June 2024 wedding, she was determined to stick to her sustainable values, encouraging her bridesmaids to do the same with a £30 second-hand dress challenge.
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Initially, Alice purchased a £700 Charlie Brear gown—marked down from its original £2,200 price—from a bridal charity shop. But she continued browsing for “the one” and was elated when she discovered a Vivienne Westwood gown listed at £2.8k on Vinted. Negotiating it down to £2.5k, she secured a dress that typically retails between £5,000 and £6,000. “It just fit like an absolute glove,” she said. “It was meant to be.”
Raised in a household where second-hand fashion was the norm, Alice credits her mum, Ruth, who works at Oxfam, for inspiring her love of vintage. Her own wardrobe is now 95% second-hand, sourced from car boot sales, charity shops, Vinted, and Depop. In 2021, she launched a business, We Go Full Circle, selling curated vintage items. For her wedding, Alice stuck to a budget of £4,000, prioritising authenticity over extravagance.
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Alice now considers renting out her treasured gown so that others may enjoy it too. Reflecting on her experience, she said: “It made me feel special and beautiful. There are so many second-hand dresses out there—it’s absolutely worth the search.”
