A WOMAN who hasn’t purchased new clothes in more than a decade has branded a small bridal shop “the place to be for brides-to-be”.
The Bridal Boutique in Uckfield, located above a Cancer Research UK shop, sells new and pre-loved wedding gowns, bridesmaids and mother of the bride outfits, plus top hats and tails for grooms.
Sustainable fashion fan Anna Kilpatrick and daughter Amalia, 14, from Forest Row, held a photoshoot in the shop, modelling some of the outfits for Anna’s Instagram account Not.Needing.New.
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“I was blown away by the boutique. It has the most amazing array of gowns – so many gorgeous dresses in perfect condition,” Anna said.
“When you walk in there, you would not imagine you were in a charity shop from the styling of the boutique.
“Everything is donated but some of it is brand new, with tags, as they’ve been given by local bridal companies clearing their end of season ranges – and for significantly less than half price.”
Anna, a former teacher, now works for an ethical underwear brand and is a firm believer in responsible style.
“Apart from underwear, I haven’t bought any new clothes for around ten or 12 years,” she said.
“I’m also a single parent on a very modest income so I always have an eye on my budget too. But I’m not missing out on anything by shopping at charity shops.
“If people say to me, ‘Gosh – I like your dress’, 99 per cent of the time, I tell them it’s second hand or I might have swopped it.”
Victoria Harmer, trading manager for Cancer Research UK in Sussex and Kent, said the shop had proved a hit with customers from all over the south east since it opened in 2019.
“News has spread by word of mouth, so we have people coming all over. Most of them are obviously looking for good value, but many of them definitely have sustainability in mind too,” she said.
“And they come with lovely, individual stories. One mum came with her daughter, chose a dress and asked if we minded how she paid and got out £300 in one pound coins.
“She had been saving coins for three years to be able to buy her daughter the dress she wanted. It was a really lovely moment for all of us.”
The wedding range from £150 to £200, with most in white or cream.
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