December Event Re-Wind: Mums That Rave & Pichi Nights

We kicked off the festive season with not one but two events to celebrate the end of our pop-up shop at Ladbroke Grove's Pichi Cafe, and ring in an exciting new chapter for Chillie London in 2022, but more details on that coming very soon. We've rounded up the highlights from our Pichi Nights and Mums that Rave events for our readers to look back on, and to get you stoked for all of our future events.

Pichi Nights

Saying farewell to our space at Pichi Café where the Chillie team have been working, vibing and selling IRL since October, Pichi nights brought together two of our favourite things... shopping for pre-loved goodies and dancing the night away.

Joined by menswear seller Oh Gosh! Archive, the night kicked off with Vintage shopping (of course) with a percentage of all profits from the night donated to Crisis UK. We were also joined by bespoke style-lead restoration aficionados Make Nu who were offering bespoke repairs to add a new lease of life to our partygoers pre-loved denim.

Set to the seriously groovy stylings of DJ Nikki Beatnik on the decks, we were treated with food & drinks courtesy of Pichi Café and had a visual feast of artwork by Karen Thomas on display, part of female lead art collective Tart Gallery. There were uber cool Hand-poked tatts by @crightfime on offer, and Tinsel Hair extensions by Amy Ceest, something we never knew you needed until we saw them.

Mums That Rave

Founded by award-winning and Chillie London's favourite DJ Nikki Beatnik, Mums that Rave (MTR) is an Online and IRL community with over 10k followers. Mums That Rave are dedicated to smashing stereotypes surrounding motherhood & women in the music industry, whilst throwing some seriously legendary parties, panel discussions, and events where women can network in a judgement free zone, meet likeminded mums and most importantly have a great time.

Chillie London were truly blessed to be a part of MTR's Xmas Extravaganza. Our founders Natalie & Lydia - who are themselves both Kick-Ass parents, hosted their own styling workshop alongside a panel discussion with other seriously amazing mums. Our workshop was perfectly paired with vintage shopping whilst guests sipped on tasty cocktails and got glammed up with glitter lips & brows courtesy of Lipcote. To finish the night we then raved with Dj Nikki and Mums That Rave's resident MC the super fly MC Tino.

Missed out on their Xmas rave? Sign up to MTR's mailing list, so you can get first dibs on tickets to their future events, we'll see you on the dance floor...

So when's the next Chillie London event?

Although we've sadly had to bid farewell to our Pichi Pop-up, don't worry we will be back in the new year with an even more banging lineup of events, and will be announcing details very very soon... In the meantime you can still shop our fresh selection of pre-loved pieces via our online boutique and follow us on Instagram to stay updated with all things Chillie London! xoxo

The Resellers Curse

What is reselling and why is it so controversial?

With the UK's fashion industry valued at over £26 billion and is the biggest creative industry in the country, it's no wonder that every year thousands of young creatives are attracted to the fashion industry looking to make their fortune.

The popularity of so-called limited edition, rare and cult items which fluctuate with every turn of the trend cycle, has opened up an entire new gap in the market, and an opportunity for entrepreneurial minded fashionistas to make some serious moolah through reselling some of the most in-demand and coveted goods of the moment.

So what exactly is a reseller? Like many things resellers come in different forms and specialise in different areas, but can be summed up as an individual who buys goods with the intention of selling them for profit. Some say that reselling really took off with the rise streetwear; brands who work with limited edition drops such as Supreme and Palace, along with luxury sneakers and designer collaborations saw some resellers have monthly turnovers of up to $70,000 in the brands respective heydays.

But reselling has become a much broader practise, aided by marketplace apps such as Depop, Vestiare Collective and Grailed; expanding off into multiple fashion genres including luxury handbags, interiors, vintage and archival, and is a steady source of income for many people.

Are resellers bad? Yes and no, to many the practice of re-selling is widely regarded as a taboo subject. Like any business strategy with the potential to make a serious profit, it will breed greed, dishonesty and unethical practices if left up to the wrong people. The thing people take the biggest issue with is the fact that when resellers buy stock of limited edition items, they're taking it away from regular consumers who are then forced to buy it back from them for triple or quadruple the price, which I think we can agree is a bit of a shit thing to experience.

But everyone has to make money right? True, and don't get us wrong, not all reselling is bad, especially when what most resellers do is just sell on items for their typical market value which, if there's a high enough demand will be more expensive than it's original price.

Selling Vintage also brings new questions into the conversation, there's more effort in sourcing items for one, and with one of a kind pieces, many argue that the inflation in price is down to the efforts on the sellers-behalf to source & curate such an array of pieces, along with the actual value of the item, which at times isn't cheap. Also easier ways to buy vintage pieces online means you're offering an alternative to buying from fast fashion brands, which to us is a win.

So, should I buy from resellers? If you really want something and it's in your budget then why would't you? Yes, there are a few times where resellers really can take the mick, which is when you're perfectly in your rights to tell them where to get off. But for the most part resellers are genuine fashion lovers who are taking the initiative and running their own business, putting the time in to find beautiful pieces and curate their own platform. So do your research; ask yourself if this business seems ethical, like the right person to give your money to, do they actually genuinely care about the stuff they're selling or are they just trying to scam me out of a quick buck?

But whatever you're buying, remember the number one rule, make sure it's fabulous! And don't get scammed.

How to Start Wearing Vintage

Chillie Journal’s guide to vintage fashion for novices & newbies

When it comes to vintage clothing the seemingly endless combinations of decades and styles can seem daunting if you're yet to discover the magic of re-wearing, but trust us, there's a world of fresh style inspo to be found. The Chillie London team have put together our ultimate beginners guide to start wearing vintage.

Start With a Staple

Introducing vintage to your daily outfits doesn't have to start with a total clear out of your entire wardrobe, that would be unrealistic, not to mention expensive. Instead, start with a single staple piece, something you can add into your existing outfits; something that works well with everything and slots into your wardrobe effortlessly. Think a chic leather trench, some fabulous flared jeans or even something as simple as some classic deadstock gold jewellery.

Bright doesn't Always Equal Best

Sometimes, people tend to associate vintage with the kitschy aspects of the past; don't get us wrong we love a statement piece, but there's so much more to vintage fashion than neon ra-ra skirts and lurex parachute pants. But don't immediately feel like you have to start with the more out there pieces, start simple and focus more on finding silhouettes and materials you like.

Mix Old and New

The best outfits are always a mix of vintage and contemporary, designer and high street. So don't think that in order to wear vintage, you've got to wear head-to-toe retro looks. Instead see this as an opportunity to flex your styling skills and to create some seriously elevated looks. 70's dress? Pair it with some modern boots or trainers. Vintage Levis? perfect to style with your favourite silk shirt and jewellery.

Do Your Research

Not sure where to start? What era really speaks to you? What labels to look out for? Do some research! Start by finding your style inspiration, someone who you think always looks fabulous and go from there; whether it's Paris Hilton circa 2000 or Marilyn Monroe in her Some Like it Hot era. Love a specific luxury designer label? Guess what, you can probably find some amazing vintage pieces of theirs for a fraction of the price of their current season, and the best part? You'll own a unique piece of that brands history.

Invest in What you Love

Not a fan of prom dresses? Easy, don't buy them. Love everything to do with handbags? Then focus your efforts on finding the most fabulous vintage handbags you can find. If you've already got a genuine love for buying, wearing and collecting a specific style, item or piece then being able to find fabulous vintage versions will be even more rewarding, and will add unique pieces to your collection.

Shop Around

Vintage shopping can be an incredibly fun hobby, or more like an extreme sport at times. Enjoy spending a Sunday afternoon travelling to far flung corners of your city to root around shop basements, eagerly picking through railings upon railings of pieces, after which you'll feel amazing when you find a piece that seems like it was just made for you. And if in-person hunting isn't your thing then there's a world of amazing online content (Chillie London being one of the best ones, obviously) curated especially for vintage lovers and newbies alike.

Wear What Makes you Feel Good

When buying any clothing, old or new, the most important thing is to always ask yourself 'Does this make me amazing?' if the answer is anything other than 'Hell yeah' then it's not worth a penny of your hard earned cash. Off the hanger something might look like the most amazing piece you've ever seen, but if you're not as obsessed once it's on then it's just going to sit in your wardrobe gathering dust.

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