A happy shopper at a local charity shop. Credits: Maria Lorena Ndong Biko
By Maria Lorena Ndong Biko
Emerged in the heart of London, Holloway is a vibrant neighborhood burshing with character and charm. From its eclectic mix of residents to its bustling streets lined with vintage and charity’s shops, Holloway fashion scene is a reflection of its diverse and dynamic community.
Here, style is not about following trends but more about implementing your personal ethics on every article of clothing, hence the mantra: “Wear your ethics as your best garments.”
Sara: “I try to be ethical”
Sara, who didn’t want to provide her surname, says that she tries to be ethical in her clothing style. She claims that buying what is necessary is more than enough. Her entire outfit is the result of shopping sprees at two charity shops, Scope which is a general disability shop and Oxfam, a charity fighting global poverty.
Sara, featured above, complements her denim dress with a hat with devil horns from Couch UK, as well as a brown leather belt with a pouch attached to it in what she calls a “medieval style.”
To keep herself warm in this cold weather, Sara wears generic black leggings and comfy black trainers. “I think I can make it work,” she said.
When buying new clothes, Sara says she buys repeatedly from charities to reduce waste, reuse and recycle. For her, this is a way to help the community and save money, a process of “being a bit more ethical and helping a charity to use the money for a good cause”.
Three uni friends: “Easy and less expensive”
These three met at London Metropolitan University, where they are all undergraduate students on BSc Cyber Security degrees. They share a sense of style in that they want clothing that is stylish, yet affordable and comfortable at the same time.
Fatima Tifow (left), is wearing a modest outfit in a neutral colour, which she has combined with a Uniqlo coat. In the middle, her friend Vidhu Tyagi is wearing blue classic jeans, Converse trainers, a pastel sweater and a puffer jacket. And on the right, Aman is dressed in comfortable dark grey jeans, black-and-white platform sneakers, and a black sweater.
“I just like easy and less expensive,” said Tyagi, while Tifow and Aman agrees. They don’t have an aesthetic follow up, they pick up whatever clothes they like, but enjoy being mindful and not buying the unnecessary. As students “we can’t afford that much”; their technique is to stay with the classics and choose quality over quantity, while selecting conscious as well as affordable.
Esha Rizwan: “Streetwear, type of baggy with lots of jewellery”
Nineteen-year-old Esha Rizwan doesn’t follow any aesthetic in particular, she just knows what she likes. Rizwan carries a strong sense of streetwear, likes to keep it casual, but making her outfits stand out with lots of jewellery as essentials. She usually shops from places such as H&M, Primark and Shein; occasionally she frequents charities or vintage shops.
At this moment Rizwan is wearing a streetwear outfit formed by baggy grey tracksuit pants, a black tank top with a black puffer jacket, and is supported by brown Uggs, and has topped off her outfit with gold jewellery and rings.
Akoner Sherika: All about street-style
Akoner Sherika, 32, is all about street-style, she is wearing blue ripped jeans with a printed t-shirt with a famous personality all over it. Sherika combines her outfits with a faux hooded jacket, white and beige trainers and a denim tote bag. A pair of Gucci sunglasses completes her look.
Sherika doesn’t choose to shop in charity or vintage shops, but sometimes she finds something that she really likes there, such as a bag or a hat. She loves Kurt Geiger. “I think that’s my favourite brand because they have different types of stuff,” she says, adding that can’t go a day without her lovely bag, and that she loves wearing a faux jacket in this weather.
Nathan Evans: “I tend to shop vintage stuff usually”
Nathan Evans, 42, is wearing a smart-casual outfit, with black loafers with a particular white heart shape, and a grey suit complemented with a power red scarf. Evans claims to maintain a cosy but stylish appearance, adding a faux dark grey jacket. His piece de resistance is a black classic hat.
Evans is not one to avoid the shops. He tends to shop in vintage establishments or in charity shops around the local area or near Portobello. Traid is one of his favourites.
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