Real Hen With Heart: Amy Hanson-Bevan

Amy is a freelance fashion stylist and personal shopper, having previously worked for the likes of Stylist Magazine and Grazia to name a few, and an array of celebrities including Russell Brand and Alexa Chung. Amy is from North Wales and now lives in Liverpool, after spending 13 years in London.

In January 2023, Amy planned her sister Alys’ hen party and of course incorporated her stylist skills into finding the perfect themed outfit for her… but second hand!

Amy sat down with Amy (yep, we know that’s confusing!) to chat to her about the hen do planning, sustainable party outfits and wedding fashion tips…

AS: [squeals in Leo] Amyyyy!

Thanks for chatting to me about how you planned your sister’s hen do - I know you love a theme and you’re an amazing party planner, so I’ve no doubt it was fabulous. Tell me more about what you did for Alys’ hen.

AHB: Alys has been a massive Disney fan since she was a little girl so I always wanted to incorporate this into her hen do. Seeing Frozen on the West End was something my sister had wanted to do for a really long time so I used the show as a starting point for planning her dream weekend. We secretly secured matinee tickets for £20 per seat so a really fun, affordable activity for the basis of the hen trip - The whole weekend came under £200, something I was really proud of considering how much we fit in the two days! Train tickets, our hotel with a view of the shard, bottomless brunch, karaoke, bowling, 00’s party…we did a lot! The key is to be decisive and plan with passion (and plenty of time) !

AS: Themes are so much fun for hen parties, I think it really brings the event together and gives everyone something to get excited about as a group. But it can be a tricky thing to do sustainably when it involves dressing up - how did you tackle that?

AHB: A key item for every Disney bride has to be the white ears with a veil and I found a pair, brand new with tags, originally from Tokyo Disney on Depop for £25. They are really special as they were limited edition and not sold outside of the park in Japan but with their intricate decoration and personal meaning to my sis, who recognised them instantly, they are something she will treasure forever! Once the ears were in place, I knew I wanted to dress her up as Elsa for the show - but not in the expected, tacky way as Alys has a very reserved style. It had to be wearable and no gimmicky wigs! I am a big advocate for using Vinted so started my search there - adult costumes are often only worn once so feel almost brand new and I found a dress, described as ‘Frozen style ball gown dress’, originally from Shein, for £13. I would never shop from or encourage anyone to buy from Shein but I love the fact that this garment has been given a second life and is something my sister will cherish forever - and not end up in landfill. She wore it for the entire weekend and loved every second! Alys is looking for an excuse to wear it again as soon as possible!

AS: How did Alys feel about having a second-hand outfit and accessories for her hen party?

AHB: Alys honestly didn’t care, she was so happy with the look and feel of the dress and the Mickey ears that I don’t think, unless I hadn’t told her, she would have known they were second hand. Buying from resell apps doesn’t mean that the pieces were less than what she expected as both were a surprise and the items were like new and perfect for the theme! She was stopped by so many starstruck, little girls asking for photos on the way to and entering the show that the experience was all that mattered, not if the dress she had on was new.

AS: Was there anything else you did to make her hen do more sustainable?

AHB: We shared lifts and took the train to London instead of driving by mini bus as I know travelling by train emits 70% less CO2 than by car. I had all the hen do favours such as the Mickey Mouse ears for the group made to order by small, etsy sellers based in the UK as to support local businesses and reduce travel by post distance (not from China!). We only ordered what we needed and I know lots of the attendees gave their ears to their children and grandchildren after the weekend. I also instructed the group to not buy a new outfit for the hen night out and to just wear what they already had in the wardrobe.

AS: Besides hen parties, you’re an amazing stylist and always look fantastic at weddings and parties. What are some of your favourite second-hand or re-worn outfits?

AHB: Working as a fashion stylist, I’ve borrowed clothes from PR’s, brands and designers for clients and photoshoots for 10 plus years but since 2020, I have loved renting out my own wardrobe via the ByRotation app. I was an ambassador for the service at the beginning of the pandemic and loved renting / wearing other peoples dresses from some of my favourite names like Rixo, Ganni and North West based, Molby the label. I’ve bought designer dresses, my favourite being from Stine Goya, that I rewear again and again, second hand for a fraction of the price via Vinted and I also love how smaller, sustainable brands like FRANKS London offer, alongside their own made to order service, inhouse rentals of previous seasons. Their gold ‘Claire’ tiered dress is one of my favourites to re-wear.

AS: What advice would you give to brides, and anyone attending a celebration, who wants to be conscious about the planet when they’re choosing outfits?

AHB: Firstly, look at what you already have and take note of what is existing in your own wardrobe. Do you have something you haven’t worn much but love? If you’re looking to be more conscious but want to try something new without the commitment of buying, try renting clothing from a brand that you’re familiar with to ensure the best fit or simply reach out and borrow from friends and/or family. If you’re looking to buy an outfit to keep, aside from the big resell apps, like Depop and Vinted, there are some great smaller sellers that I've discovered via instagram such as One Scoop Store, The Cirkel and Still White, who sell and buy wedding dresses.

AS: Last but not least, I like to ask everyone - What’s a charitable cause that means something to you? Could you imagine a way to support them at a hen party?

AHB: Initiatives that are close to my heart (since becoming a mum) are organisations like The Small Project and Little Village, who run baby banks across London but there are more than 200 baby banks in the UK. Children’s clothes libraries encourage the reuse, recycling and redistribution of baby clothes and equipment whilst making a huge difference to families facing financial barriers with young children alongside building support networks in the local community whilst doing good for the environment. Hens with small babies/children or Hens with family members or friends who have small kids could bring an item of small clothing or a baby product to the hen to support their local bank.