It’s no secret that, for many women, the cost of childcare can be so high that it makes returning to their job after maternity leave slightly pointless. A 2023 survey, conducted by the support network Careers After Babies, found that less than a quarter of women go back to work full time after having children. Of these, almost 80 per cent ended up leaving within the first year of returning, unable to make it work for them and their families. With the average nursery place in London costing £1,600 a month, it’s easy to see why the maths isn’t adding up for many – especially if you have more than one child of pre-school age.
Yet with a cost of living crisis, simply going from employed to unemployed isn’t an option for many women, who are increasingly turning to side hustles to earn some much-needed extra income – whether that’s selling old baby bits on Vinted, or renting out their favourite dresses on Hurr. For a handful, it’s fast becoming a way to earn a salary that’s comparable to their pre-baby jobs, if not higher.
One such earner is 33-year-old mum-of-two, Kelly Chamney, who has made more than £100,000 from renting her designer outfits from the likes of Rixo and 16Arlington on Hurr. She started loaning pieces in 2021, shortly after the birth of her second child, Felix, when she realised her job in media sales wasn’t going to cut it anymore. “I’ve always treated the lending of my wardrobe like I was running my own boutique,” she tells me. “Although people are spending a fraction of the RRP, I want them to feel amazing and like they’re truly getting a special and personal service from the moment they first message. It’s so important to me that people feel their money is well spent and that they want to come back for more.”
Kelly Chamney has made upwards of £100,000 from renting her wardrobe
Stephanie Burgess, 39, launched her pre-loved resale business, Sister Sister Preloved, after the birth of her second child. With a husband who travelled a lot for work, her career as a teacher suddenly wasn’t so compatible with her role as a mother. During the pandemic, she and her sister Melanie decided to clear out their wardrobes and sell everything on Depop, inspired by their love of thrifting and car boot sales growing up. After seeing the success of that first effort, they decided to do more, eventually launching their own online shop, which does weekly drops every Wednesday evening that are announced on Instagram. “The following grew quite quickly,” she shares. “Within a year of selling our own clothes we were running it as a business, accepting consignment from friends, family, teachers, classmates’ parents, other locals – and even Instagram followers. I’m not far off what I was earning as a teacher, but I’ve also got all those pros that being a teacher wouldn’t give me.”
Even if it’s not equivalent to a full-time salary, the extra cash still helps. “I use my Vinted earnings to pay for various things; sometimes I’ll treat myself to a nail appointment, fill my car up or buy more clothing for my sons,” shares 40-year-old Jenny Grosset, an executive assistant from Edinburgh who has made £2,000 on Vinted. “Other times I will put money aside towards family holidays. Earlier this summer we went to Greece. All the little sales add up and can be put towards something.”
The flexibility is a major bonus for many, allowing parents to work around their children’s schedules. “I’ve turned this into a full-time business and full-time job, but I choose my hours,” explains Burgess. “I fit it around my kids. I drop them to school every day, take them to all their playdates and activities, and I can still do my work. It moulds around my lifestyle rather than dictating it.”
“The cost of childcare can be crippling, so being able to work flexibly, whether for yourself or an employer, is life-changing for many families like mine,” agrees Chamney. “Don’t get me wrong, It’s hard work and it was scary at the beginning, but the flexibility that I now have as a result, and the pride that I get from my kids seeing first-hand all that goes into running a business, is so worth it.”
As well as the obvious financial benefits, for many women, there are psychological ones too – especially if going full trad wife just isn’t an option for you. Having a creative outlet, or a small business to focus on, can reap wonders for the postpartum psyche, allowing new mothers to not only have something just for them, but to also feel like their old self again. “Lending has allowed me to connect back to my love of fashion, while also being able to work the hours that I set for myself,” explains Chamney. “It always feels like it’s come full circle when a new mum says your outfit has made her feel amazing and like herself again – there’s nothing more rewarding than that.”
Even for older mothers, whose kids have flown the nest, the opportunity to express themselves through fashion (and make a little extra spending money from it) is all too alluring – as well as life-affirming. April Salsbury, who is looking forward to her 60th birthday, started using Depop during the pandemic, as her work in the hospitality sector suffered as a result of the lockdowns. “I had so much time on my hands – I decided to style the looks on me as whole outfits, it was like playing dress-up,” she tells me. “I’d change my shoes, my earrings, every time. It just took off. I’d get young girls messaging me saying that they wanted to be like me when they grew up. I’d definitely do it as a full-time job if I could.”
For many, what started as a hobby or side-hustle has now become a fulfilling career. “My dream is to earn enough to save and invest in a studio space where people can pop in to shop and browse the rails whenever they want,” says Burgess. “I just want to be able to keep going and be able to keep supporting my family.”
“My wardrobe has definitely done far more bucket list things than I could even dream of,” laughs Chamney. “TV appearances, the Brits, the Baftas, the Oscars, Coachella and even a few live festival performances. Safe to say it’s the closest I’ll ever get to a main stage!”
