With Love From lends party outfits for free at Oswestry Library

Need an outfit for a wedding, a party or a prom, but don't want to buy something you may only wear once? In Oswestry, the answer might be on the shelves of the town library.

With Love From is a shared wardrobe project that lends party and event clothing and accessories through Oswestry Library, with a launch at Shrewsbury Library planned. Anyone with a Shropshire library card can browse rails of pre-loved clothing, from ballgowns to mother of the bride outfits, hats and handbags, in a wide range of sizes. It is completely free.

Borrowers can choose up to 10 items at a time, so they can have a proper try-on session at home, and keep them for three weeks. There are dressing up bags for children too. All the project asks is that items come back in the condition they were borrowed.

The scheme has proved popular. Since January 2025, of the 750 items donated to the Oswestry shared wardrobe, 423 have been checked out and 99 renewed, and 77 have been bought by borrowers who fell in love with them.

If something gets damaged, the volunteers work with local repair cafe teams where possible. Items beyond repair go into a collection for sustainable fashion workshops, where they are customised and upcycled.

The project was founded by Lizzie Dibble as a community effort run by local volunteers, aiming to reduce the environmental and ethical impact of fashion by encouraging people to repair, re-wear, share and care for clothes that already exist. When it arrived at the library, Siobhan Shaw of Shropshire Libraries said public libraries are fundamental to the sharing economy.

Volunteer Pamela Green sums up the appeal: no more trailing around the shops or flinching at price tags, and the chance to wear something different to every event. Research quoted by the project suggests that extending the life of clothing by just nine months can cut its carbon footprint by up to 20 per cent.

To borrow, take your Shropshire library card to Oswestry Library and ask about the With Love From shared wardrobe.