Charity Shop Shopping

SamMoffatt28

My m-i-l buys all of her clothes (except underwear) from charity shops and you would never know it. She always looks classy and very smart. She is a teacher and alot of her work clothes get ruined in the classroom by paint or whatever so theres no point in her buying expensive clothes. I have never seen her looking like a 'bag lady' as someone put it!

Bargain_Rzl

On this subject, does anybody have any recommendations for particularly good charity shops in London? My guess is that the best finds are to be had in small independent shops in very smart areas (there are a lot of charity shops on the King's Road and in Marylebone, Richmond and Chiswick among other places, but the bigger chains are scandalous in their pricing even though the gear is top-notch designer).

Having said that, Oxfam on Drury Lane has given me some good staple items over the years, including a seemingly endless supply of stretchy Gap t-shirts.

Hmmm. I really need a new spring coat at the moment. Where to try? My area is far from posh, I suppose Blackheath and Greenwich are probably worth a look.

alice's_mum

If I don't go into my local charity shops at least once a week, I'm scared I'll miss something. In the last two weeks I have bought

2 next blouses £2.25 and £2.75 respectively
1 per una blouse £2.20
1 pair Mens River Island work trouser (brand new) £4.50
1 Pilot cord jacket £3.80
1 boys next smart shirt £1.75
1 girls denim barbie skirt £1.50
1 girls winter coat Next £4.00 (for next year)

and £2 bag of girls next and m&s tops which were all 25p.

I only get things I like and that the quality is ok and obviously not worn too much. That lot would have cost most of my monthly budget if new but no-one knows where I bought them from and I never tell if asked, I just say "oh it's next or m&s". Here, we have a Scope, a Barnardos and a Roy Castle, We also have an Oxfam but it's too expensive. Barnados and Roy Castle are the best.

AND I DON'T Tell my mum coz she just can't understand it at all.

Dobie

My best charity shop bargain was a beautiful sheepskin jacket for £7.00. We were really short of money at the time & my DH thought I'd gone mad when he saw it because it looked brand new. He couldn't believe I'd got it second hand for that price.
I've had many other bargains too, clothes, handbags & books & I also like to buy new stuff there too sometimes - Christmas cards for example because it's helping the charity.
I usually go for brands I recognise - Next, M&S etc & I'm perfectly comfortable telling people where things have come from if they ask. I hope it'll encourage more people to use them. Cost is an issue for me but I really like the idea that I'm helping to save the planet by recycling so if I need something I'll try the charity shops first then if I have no luck there I go to Next clearance - I love that shop too. Last years styles (who cares) at least 50% off.

Sarahsaver

I think I will take the kids off to the charity shop tomorrow as a bit of a diversion. They have a day off school cos of the strike. They love to have a rummage, it's an independent one really close to where we live. DS 1 helped me fill a box with toddler toys to take there (got a bit disillusioned with freecycle lately - people a bit grabby but that's another story...)
Last time we went there we got something each ( 3 kids and me) and only spent £3:) Got DD a school dress from there brand new for £1. It is one of the slightly chaotic shops with an old lady behind the counter, but it is also an entertaining place to go, and a place you can go in for a chat anytime.
I have used '2nd hand' shoes but more so for the kids than me, and they have been stuff like barely worn doc martins, moschino leather shopes for dd(50p) and jelly shoes. Maybe we should call it 'pre-owned'like car dealers do;)

Prudent

One of my best charity shop buys was a pair of Clarks leather boots. they were brand new and boxed. The price on the box was £55 and I paid £3.50.

hermit-crab

This is probably not very relevant to this thread, so forgive me an off topic post. On Saturday I was in my local cancer research charity shop, moseying about as you do. And there was a pale and tired looking mother trying to find a suit for her adolescent son. Fair enough you may think, but it was for his fathers funeral. I thought it was very sad, that when they should be spending time together mourning they were rooting about in the charity shop looking for something to wear to the funeral. I left feeling humbled.

Queenie

coffeeandfags wrote:

......

BTW, my best "find" so far was a Helly Hansen snowboard jacket for DD, like new and cost £4!

A few years ago, I was driving with my middle ds and we passed some lads who were hanging around by the roadside with their bikes.

My son said: "Helly Hanson! Bet he go that for Christmas" :cool:
Sillybilly Queenie replied: "Do you know him? Do you want me to stop?"
Son: "No Mum!! That "jacket" is Helly Hanson, no the kid!!"



Oh hermit-crab!!!

frugglewump

Bargain_Rzl wrote:

On this subject, does anybody have any recommendations for particularly good charity shops in London?

Golder's Green - there are 10 (!) charity shops there within 5 mins walk of the tube station (except for the oxfam towards finchley which is a bit more of a walk) - always good stuff in one of them. Luckily for me on days when I can be late to work I can alter my route to have a quick look around.

Sarahsaver

hermit-crab wrote:

This is probably not very relevant to this thread, so forgive me an off topic post. On Saturday I was in my local cancer research charity shop, moseying about as you do. And there was a pale and tired looking mother trying to find a suit for her adolescent son. Fair enough you may think, but it was for his fathers funeral. I thought it was very sad, that when they should be spending time together mourning they were rooting about in the charity shop looking for something to wear to the funeral. I left feeling humbled.

aaw goosebump time
but I bet a charity shop often feels more personal and 'private' than a large chain store.