What is your charity shop bargain of the week?

Pollycat

There's a thread on the Marriage boards about furniture pricing in charity shops, I posted this there:

BHF shop - 3 tunic style dresses.
1. Atmosphere (Primark - probably £10 - £12 new), obvious signs of wear £5.49
2. White Stuff (would have probably cost around £50 - £60 new) BUT had the stitching coming undone under one armpit and the jersey fabric was 'bobbly' £8.99
3. Jasper Conran (designers at Debenhams - would have probably cost around £50 - £60 new) still with the paper 'examined' circle on the inside label so either washed once or not washed £5.49

Guess which one I bought? :rotfl:

The Jasper Conran dress is lovely heavy jersey (I call it 'bouncy' IYKWIM?) just above knee length, wrap-over and in lovely shades of teal circles. Looks a similar pattern to some Mantaray dresses.
Will look great with thick tights and boots.


ETA:
and I've just discovered a pair of high heel calf length leather boots in just the colour to go with the dress.
The boots are made in Italy by somebody Rossi and were originally from TKMaxx (I recognised the circular size sticker) but I bought them from our Hospice shop for £4 a few years ago.


So that's my outfit for this afternoon.

jackyann

Lizling wrote: »

Slightly off-topic, but I've just found out that my favourite two local charity shops are part of chains that use Workfare. I'm very much against Workfare and try to boycott everywhere that uses it, so now I can't shop there any more

Who'd have thought shopping ethically would be so difficult when you're using charity shops?! :mad: :mad:

Our family has been attempting to buy ethically for about 35 years now and it has always been a minefield!
I just do the best that I can, hope others do the same, and know that it's all less than perfect!
You can sign up to Ethical Consumer and set your own guidelines (eg: I am slightly less worried by animal welfare than I am by poor employment practices!) but in the end you just have to make the best of it.

farmeress

I Love this thread!!
I currently reside in Spain, and get back to the uk every couple of months.
I have very little money where as a few years ago I was very comfortable and spent a fortune on clothes etc.
I was in the uk in June and as I could afford to bring only hand luggage over hadn't packed for chilly days...so on the bus I hopped and found the nearest charity shop and picked up some warm items of clothing for £5... it really helped me when I needed it.
Never again will I buy without checking charity shops first

Pollycat

What I like about charity shop shopping is the fact that you'll often get one-off items that nobody else has seen (not to mention the fact that you're helping a charity and saving money, of course ).

I have a wardrobe full of stuff that I've never seen anyone else wearing.

MoaningMyrtle

I picked up a trendy pair of smart trainer type shoes. Navy suede and patent, the make is 'Hogan'. I have never heard of them, a bit of googling later and they are a very expensive Italian brand. They have a shop in Sloane Street and the ones I bought retail for £280!

MoaningMyrtle

Pollycat wrote: »

What I like about charity shop shopping is the fact that you'll often get one-off items that nobody else has seen (not to mention the fact that you're helping a charity and saving money, of course ).

I have a wardrobe full of stuff that I've never seen anyone else wearing.

Yes, I agree Pollycat.

Bogof_Babe

MoaningMyrtle wrote: »

I picked up a trendy pair of smart trainer type shoes. Navy suede and patent, the make is 'Hogan'. I have never heard of them, a bit of googling later and they are a very expensive Italian brand. They have a shop in Sloane Street and the ones I bought retail for £280!

You forgot to tell us how much you got 'em for. That's the best bit :rotfl:.

Pollycat

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

You forgot to tell us how much you got 'em for. That's the best bit :rotfl:.

Ooooh, yes, we need to know how big a bargain you got.

MoaningMyrtle wrote: »

I picked up a trendy pair of smart trainer type shoes. Navy suede and patent, the make is 'Hogan'. I have never heard of them, a bit of googling later and they are a very expensive Italian brand. They have a shop in Sloane Street and the ones I bought retail for £280!

Please don't tell us you paid £279.99 for them! :rotfl:

MoaningMyrtle

Ooh sorry! .........£6.99!:j

TudorRose

Today I got a new lambswool scarf by Johnstons of Elgin for a £1.00. The cheapest one on their website is £25.00