Arcadia Ireland

One of my fondest teenage memories is when I shaved my hair and pierced my nose! I was sixteen years old and I wanted to reinvent myself into something “different”. My inspiration was Sinead O’Connor (my idol) and it was during a Late Late show moment on Friday night that I decided it was time for a change. Saturday morning, off I went, along with my mother (bless her!) to make the big change!

Along with that change came a new wardrobe. I wanted to reinvent everything about myself and that meant taking big risks with clothes, hair and everything in between! Those days, the only place you could find “different” clothes was in thrift stores or as we call them here, charity shops! My poor mother trailed every single charity shop with me in search of the wildest, funkiest clothes one could imagine! Sure I thought I was the coolest thing since sliced bread and with each purchase it made me feel like I truly was becoming a very “different” version of the old me. There were purple boots, strange funky hats from a different era, mohair coats with purple trimmings and green buttons, red velvet bell bottom flares and lots more!

Those days, it was almost frowned upon to pick up other people’s old clothes and the shops even smelled of “old world” and dampness. It was not unusual to sort of hide behind a jacket or book when leaving the shop in case someone we knew would see us. My mother and I took a huge risk as we escaped laden down with bags of goods!

Fast forward twenty five years (where did that time go) and charity shops, often called “vintage stores” have now been brought to another level. Clothes are steamed, sorted by colour and texture. The shops only smell now of Jo Malone candles and other trendy things that make it feel more of a retail experience. Charity shops though now represent something a lot more trendy and important too. They are part of the fight against fast fashion and the emphasis on sustainability.

It was a no brainer therefore to use the charity shopping experience as a way to tap into our goals around sustainability in the Dublin Center. We try to print less, play our part with recycling and continue to be a more green space and this was yet another wonderful opportunity to play our part along with engaging with the culture. Last year we launched “Fifty Shades of Green”. The idea was around students designing a sustainable costume for St. Patrick’s day. The challenge was for students to move away from the stereotypes of Irish culture and to tap into modern Ireland and identity. They would spend no more than twenty five euro and design a costume. Once all of the entries are received, we as a team will judge the winning costume!

Our blurb last year went something like this (thank you @Jane Gunn-Lewis

Clothes and St Patrick's Day are both about identity. We dress to show the world what we are feeling, our status, our culture, our religion, who we are. And for Irish people St Patricks Day has become a celebration in many parts of the world to celebrate Ireland and the Irish identity. In fact making it such a big holiday was started in Boston by expats celebrating their Irish identity.

This 50 Shades of Green is where we come together to talk about what we think is 'Irish identity'. Today is about expressing your Irish self - you are here away from home, from people who judge you, see you as a non changing identity, today 'be your Irish version of you'. This doesn't mean you have to dress like a leprechaun, it is about stretching your identity into whatever way you want, at the same time being mindful of sustainability and the value of lessening waste, and getting joy and fun from others' throw-aways. You might be inspired by a fabric, an Irish brand, something that will later make you remember your Irish you.

Last Thursday, I was delighted to be joined by some Trinity and UCD students who wanted to make a difference. We trailed the shops of Georges and Capel Street and took our time to go touch and feel many different fabrics and textures. Not surprising to find that many items of clothing still had their original new tags on them. A surprise to me was to see how charity shops have also increased their pricing. After visiting the top five shops, we found our little gems and were all happy to have played our part!

I’m excited to see what comes out of Galway, Cork, Belfast, Limerick, Clare and Maynooth too!

Long may 50 Shades of Green Last. One small thing can make such a big difference.