Is this proof we're just over fast fashion?

shopping habits
(Image credit: Getty)

Gone are the days (it seems), where you'd buy a cheap dress on the high street without thinking twice about it.

Many fashion brands are embracing sustainability, and it looks like shoppers are following suit, according to a new survey by French brand Patatam.

It found that one in five British women now feel guilty when they buy something new, and that almost two in three were happy to buy second-hand items.

They admitted being more aware of how the making of their clothes can impact the planet in a negative way.

'It’s great to see British consumers becoming more conscious of the impact their shopping habits are having on the environment,' Eric Gagnaire, managing director at Patatam, told Harper's Bazaar.

He added, 'We have seen an increase in shoppers wanting their clothes to have a second lease of life- whether they sell, donate or upcyle them- rather than just sending them to landfill. This shows how much attitudes have changed and how British women are making a move to become more conscious consumers.'

The brand specialises in second hand clothing, sourced from clearance sales and charity shops. In fact, it's not the only in doing so, as we see the rise in popularity of preloved stores such as Vestiaire Collective and Depop, as well as rental services.

Small changes can make a big difference.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.