With multiple sell-out jewellery collections, a 565,000-strong Instagram following, a supremely popular interiors account and oversubscribed shopping newsletter already under her belt, it seems everyone wants a piece of Lucy Williams‘ aesthetic. And understandably so – the 37-year-old, London-based content creator has impeccable taste and a natural eye for styling, from the cool yet effortlessly chic outfits she shares of herself online to the renovations of her Victorian terraced home.
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If you’re one of her many followers, subscribers or admirers, then we have some exciting news for you: Lucy has partnered with eBay to shine a light on the many vintage and designer treasures to be found on the site – and unveil a few of her secret shopping hacks, too. Here, the tastemaker speaks exclusively with ELLE UK to share her summer fashion wish list, style inspiration, go-to search terms, and her top tips for hunting down the best pre-loved fashion finds.
How do you approach summer dressing?
‘I feel like personal style really comes into its own in the summer, and that’s what I love about it so much. You don’t have to be so put together all the time, you can be a bit more playful and just have fun with it. Think Carrie Bradshaw in her Sex And The City heyday: she’s always a style icon for me, with that slightly eclectic, lots of vintage, all thrown together kind of vibe. In the winter I tend to be quite an “all black” person, but as soon as it starts getting warm I naturally lean more into a more colourful, bohemian, hippie aesthetic – especially when I’m going on holiday. I got this amazing, patchwork-type sheer dress from Coperni on eBay recently, and I feel like that one piece kind of sums up my summer style perfectly. I would wear it literally every day if I could! I also love a bit of vintage Pucci, but I’ll always pack the basics too, like white trousers, simple black tops and cotton pyjama sets, that can be easily dressed up with some great jewellery, a fab shoe or a designer bag.’
What’s on your summer shopping list?
‘I love a straw bag and always have one in tow in the summer, whether it’s something classic or more unusual. I recently found a vintage multicolour striped raffia bag by Balenciaga that I’d never seen before, and on eBay I came across this amazing Prada raffia bag with leather handles that I love. I’m always tempted to add to my sunglasses collection, but the older I get, the more I realise that actually it’s the more classic styles rather than anything too trend-led that suits me best. Finding swimwear that you actually feel good in is also a complete game-changer, especially for those first few days on the beach after hibernating all winter. Brands like Eres and Haight are the ones I really rate – I know that when I put their pieces on I’m going to feel really great out on the sand.’
Lucy Williams’ eBay Shopping List
The Row Leather Clutch Bag
Deiji Studios Women’s Gingham Pyjamas Set
St Agni Pre-Loved Tatami Womens Raffia Leather Sandals UK 5
Acne Studios Pink Satin Dress
Prada Pre-Loved Rare SS03 Vitello Daino Ring Bag
How are you styling this season’s biggest trends?
‘There’s definitely a new boho thing going on right now, that’s more chic art teacher than anything too pretty or ruffle-y. There are lots of different ways of doing it, but I’m tending towards a more boyish vibe – so Bermudas or silky boxer shorts with a white shirt and some big vintage earrings, kind of playing off contrasting those traditional masculine and feminine styles. I’m also loving the slightly orthopaedic-looking, surfer-style braided cord sandals that Miu Miu debuted this season – they go the whole boyish boho vibe perfectly and just look really cool.’
What’s your shopping philosophy, and how do you decide what’s actually worth buying?
‘It depends what day of the week and month you get me on, to be honest, but generally there are a few different questions I try and ask myself before buying something. For example, I really love beautiful knitwear, but I have to remind myself of how much I already have – so, how am I going to wear this amazing grey cashmere jumper any differently to the three I already have? It’s important not to overlap too much. Then, when it comes to pieces I’m not 100% sure about or I’ve been looking at for ages but can’t quite justify, I’ll search them on eBay or wait for them to go on sale, and when they do pop up at a lower price I’ll just go for it.
‘I don’t necessarily believe in only buying something when you have an immediate occasion for wearing it, either – I’ve made that mistake so many times before of finding a beautiful piece during the wrong season and telling myself I didn’t need it in that moment, but then I’m still thinking about it ten months later and kicking myself when the right occasion rolls around. There are key items like a silk slip, a little black dress or a wool overcoat that actually, you’ll always need, so when you find a particularly good one, just go for it. That’s especially the case when it comes to shopping vintage and pre-loved – if it’s something really special or a one-off, and you can see a place for it in your wardrobe or you’ve coveted it for ages, don’t let it pass you by.’
What are some of your saved eBay searches?
‘I have a mental list of pieces that I’ve never quite been able to find. There was this Acne column dress a few seasons ago with tapestry floral prints on it that I absolutely love and am still searching for, as well as one particular Marni silk floral long-sleeve midi dress from around 2007 that I’m always looking out for.
As for more general searches, I love Bode for real investment, heirloom-type pieces that you can imagine keeping forever and handing down, I always keep my eyes peeled for good vintage Fendi baguette bags – I never go off them, they’re just so fun – and I love anything by The Row. I think 1990s is probably my most used search term, though: it’s my go-to favourite decade that’s just eternally nostalgic.’
What are your tips for sourcing the best pre-loved fashion pieces?
‘Use filters to your advantage. You’ve got to be prepared to browse and really embrace the online rummaging, but filters can really make it so much less overwhelming. I usually filter by size and colours, and then set location to UK only so I’m not falling in love with something that’s on the other side of the world and will cost me loads to get here. If you’re just having a browse and haven’t got a specific item in mind, try and think in terms of aesthetics or the general vibe you’re going for. So that could be searching for “minimal 1990s” or “y2k” or “Western” and it really throws up so many different amazing things that you wouldn’t have come across if you were only searching for a brand.
‘My top tip is to just put the word “vintage” in front of anything you’re searching for. It really changes what you get shown and gives you more of a fashion aesthetic and far cooler pieces, as opposed to just something someone bought on the high street last week and doesn’t want anymore. I also try to think outside of the big brands – I’ve found some great pieces by brands like Jasper Conran, Joseph and Jaeger recently, and also Cop Copine that’s having a real resurgence at the moment. Don’t sleep on menswear either, there are some really great pieces out there. And as a rule, don’t size down. It’s too risky if you’re buying vintage – just go bigger if you’re unsure, and about 90% of the time you can get it tailored quite easily.’
What’s your best ever pre-loved fashion find?
‘A vintage Gucci horsebit bag with a chain handle. It’s just the ultimate lazy dressing piece – I can put on a white T-shirt and some jeans, wear that bag, and I’ll feel and look like I have made an effort. It was a really, really good price too. I used to feel a bit nervous about buying those more expensive designer pieces online, especially because fakes nowadays are so well done, but the eBay authenticity guarantee service has been a total game-changer and has totally put my mind at ease.’
Lucy Williams’ eBay Shopping List
Prada Pre-Loved Raffia Tote Beach Bag
The Row Pre-Loved Fisherman Leather Sandals, UK Size 5.5
Victoria Beckham Pre-Loved Asymmetric Red White Green Sparkle Check Dress, UK Size 6-8
The Row Pre-Loved Sandal Heels, UK Size 4
Bottega Veneta Pre-Loved Limited Edition Metallic Purple Mini Pouch Bag
The Row Pre-Loved Ginza Sandals, Size 39.5
You have quite the impressive fashion collection. Can you share any storage hacks?
‘I’m a bit of a hoarder to be honest. I have certain things in my wardrobe that might only get an outing every couple of years, but I will just absolutely never part with them. It’s a constant battle between wanting to keep everything, and equally realising that I live in London and don’t have enough space. I have fantasies of one day having a huge archive for everything, maybe when I’m a fabulous 90-year-old woman… But in the meantime, I try to keep my wardrobe in circulation as much as possible, and I swap stuff in and out between seasons and keep the rest in big storage bags in my loft. I also hang all of my handbags with these little bag hooks on a rail, so that I can actually see what I’ve got and it also means you can stuff them so they keep their shape. Really, though, I just try and jam as much into my wardrobe as I can – it’s constantly bursting at the seams.’
You recently joked about having ‘posting paralysis’. How do you balance social media and switching off when on holiday?
‘I’m definitely trying not to post in real time anymore. Even if it’s just a long weekend, I’ll take plenty of photos but I won’t go through them or look at them really until I’m on the plane home. I don’t think there’s anything about taking a photo that ruins the moment or interrupts time with friends – it’s just a normal part of life now – but it’s the actual act of posting and thinking about the caption and staring at yourself in detail that takes away from your experience. If you’re asking someone to take a photo of you and then you look at it and start self-analysing when you’re right there, it really dampens the mood and can make you feel rubbish if you’re not looking as good in the photo as you did in the mirror. There’s an immediacy to it that can really send you into a spiral, so I always just deal with the photos later. And actually, half the time, when you do that, you realise you look great.’
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Clementina Jackson is the Fashion Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health UK, covering everything from and catwalk trends to buzzy brands and the cult products you need to know about (and shop before they sell out). She also commissions first-person and long-form fashion features, oversees and tests out the latest industry innovations. Clementina previously worked as Digital Fashion Editor at , during which time she profiled high-end designers, interviewed everyone from Priyanka Chopra to Jane Fonda, and launched the franchise to shine a light on size-inclusive fashion. During this time, she was also named as a PPA 30 Under 30 award winner. Having worked in journalism for more than six years, Clementina has also written for the likes of , , , and , covering everything from luxury travel, lifestyle and restaurants to photography and interiors.