When it comes to "Love Island" clothes, the options on eBay were endless. Sadly, I didn't quite manage to keep to the budget of £50, largely due to the annoyingly high postage costs. Yet spending £74 for all three outfits, and knowing that I have saved them heading to landfill, is still a better — and cheaper — option than buying brand new from the retailers.
And there are ways to keep the costs down. Firstly, opt for second-class postage. It's cheaper, although it will take longer to arrive, and if you like a few items from the same seller, you can always ask them to post multiple items together. In my experience, you will usually receive a discount or, at least, cheaper shipping costs.
Secondly, you can either choose to 'buy now', securing the item immediately at, often, a higher price, or you can get into a bidding war and try to score yourself a discount with the auction option, which I did successfully with the yellow dress.
It is important to stress that, with a strict budget, the items I secured were still from typical fast-fashion retailers, which are not deemed sustainable businesses. But, if you are on a budget and are after these brands, then buying them preloved, even if they are still unworn, is a more eco-friendly option.
I love the looks that I secured and hope that this "Love Island" and eBay partnership is a turning point for fast-fashion fans and that we all consider pre-loved clothes as a stylish option for our own summer wardrobes.