Its a sunday morning in December, and the newspaper vendor screams "Get one! get one! financial recession causes fashion depression". It is that time of the year again, where fashionistas are money strapped,but the events (especially weddings) keep piling up.

Increased patronage at Paks bridal Lagos (a discreet wedding gown rental service) is the most recent indicator, of the fashion depression across the globe. To our uninformed reader this rise in rental statistics might be obscure and possibly taken for granted.

However, if the possibility of a fashion lackey Nigerian bride, subjecting herself to a previously worn wedding gown (albeit by another fashionista with divine taste) does not scream fashion depression to you maybe our other indicators might wet your appetite.

These other indicators include luxury foot wear designers like Jimmy choo, breaking the cardinal principle of exclusivity, by granting accessibilty to their works of art, to mere mortals like you and I,through the creation of an inexpensive shoe line for high street store H & M.

But the icing on the cake came when trend setters like Diddy and the Queen of England started recycling their wardrobes, yes you read right, petrified yet?

Diddy is all about his bling and when he starts cutting down on the bling....it definitely raises some brows.

For everyday gals like us, we have been forced to explore a more fashion forward or is it backward solution to the recession, in the form of vintage shopping. In my bid to ensure the recession, does not get my fashion depressed I visited my very own Portabello way (my mothers old suitcases), luckily my passion for fashion was hereditary,and I was amazed at the treasures I found,a versace purse which I debuted the weekend past,a tartan blazer and a funky shoulder padded blouse reminiscent of Balmain(well not quite...but come on we are in a recession,cut me some slack).The blazer and the blouse might need a bit of taking in,but thankfully I live in Lagos, were tailors are an accessible luxury.

Considering fashion is so cyclical, vintage shoping presents, a budget tight but fashion forward fashionista a break-even point. Vintage shopping provides you with trendy options at a cheaper price, with the only down side being, the absence of that brand newfeeling. After my suitcase raid,I got to thinking and I realised that fashion and finance had a few things in common, for one they are both very expensive games to play in,they are both cyclical in trends and finally they both preach the importance of quality and timeless purchases such as purses by versace and chanel . If these indicators are not a cause for hyper-ventilation to fashionistas across the globe I don't know what is.

Fashion like finance is a survival of the fittest,sometimes you win some,other times you lose some.

And to you discerning fashionistas,looking down your nose,at us vintage shoppers, I dare say if the Queen of England can do it,I can do it too.

Miss L.C

xxx