Let Thrift shopping thrive in 25!

Floss

I have a black leather DKNY that cost several hundred ££, but my most treasured is the black Italian leather handbag bought for my mum when my dad went on an international conference in Florence in 1973-ish.

Brie

My bags are really only of necessity - I've got a red leather bag just big enough to take my phone, wallet and keys.  I've got a lovely hand made dark green leather which is fine for phone and wallet only.  And I've got a big honking orange beige cross shoulder thing that will hold my laptop, lots of travel essentials and could be used as my only luggage if I was flying on a cheap airline.  It's for when I travel as it's actually quite light but takes a huge amount so handy when going through a German Christmas market. 

But my favourite, and one I used a few times in my foolish youth, is my grandmother's painted flapper's mesh chain mail evening bag.  It's so lovely I have it framed and hanging on the wall.  

goldfinches

I'm just popping my head round the door to give a link to this article by someone I'd never previously heard of but evidently their Majesties have. ‘I wore an £8.50 dress to meet the King’

SandyShores

Love those three items Miro.  I wish we had things like that in our charity shops - sadly they are either left over jumble or overpriced tat.  I need a trip to Otley but as its about 5 hours away by train and taxi I may have to pass.

Love the handbag talk.  I'm not sure what all the fuss about berkin's is - I've seen them on telly and watch some videos on fb of a shop buying and selling pre-loved: £30k or £40k for a bag - that would be going on my mortgage.  I was just looking up Chanel, very nice, but could only see pre-loved prices £4k-£10k and then my laptop froze and I had to re-boot - trying to tell me something!  I bought a couple of Coach bags years ago £100 each in the sale, still have one.  And I bought an Osprey one from v1nted for this year's holiday - huge thing that can be worn across the body but I think a rucksack probably would have been better as I wouldn't have been worried about shoving under seats and things.  

I enjoy hearing about all your wonderful finds though, so thank you

Nelliegrace

TKM for a good, leather organiser handbag. It takes a bit of patience for the right one to turn up. I did get an unused leather satchel on eB for £20 when they had been in fashion. I think it will last for ever. 

Miró

Ermmm...somewhat embarrassed to say I fell for the Hermes hype a few years ago.  Bought a 'Shooting Star' Birkin from a reseller site.  (It's one made by one of their apprentice artesans from start to finish in order to become a proper craftsperson artesan.) Only used it twice as it is soooo heavy and so hard to open and close.  At least it has doubled in value since I bought or so I'm told.

Anyhoo...... just had another visit from Daffers and her brood, sadly now down to six.....

London_1

Hi chums just been having a read through, some of you have great finds

 I love living on the IoW and we have been here a year on the 9th of this month.Where does the time fly to.

The nearest town to me (Ryde) is a five minute bus ride away (as I have a bus pass I use it instead of trying to find somewhere to park in the summer as there are so many visitors parking gets so filled up very quickly

 The bus stop is only a few minutes walk away and they are very regular every 30 minutes without fail

Ryde has lots of charity shops and you can spend a good morning just going from one to another, but I'm usually dropping stuff off as I am still decluttering bits from the move as my DD had a four bedroomed house and I had a three bedroomed on so we moved to one which was more than big enough for her, her OH and myself but obviously we also had virtually two of everything.

But Wightbuy online has helped us get some extra cash for our bigger garden and we have just had the patio extended. She sold the spare microwave for £20 as it was just sitting in a cupboard and we didn't need two

This morning I got the bus into Ryde which dropped me opposite the library as I had some books to go back It also gave me a 10 minute slot as it goes down to the Esplanade, unloads its passengers reloads ones to go to Newport, and comes back up the hill to return me to my house I can do the whole trip in half an hour

The Ryde  library is brilliant, and often has a table where they  have books they give away for free  so I always have a quick look on there and today I got a really nice story book for my eldest great granddaughter about Robin Hood which I know she will like as she is an avid 7 year old reader

My grandson Jack is coming over for a week next weekend, so he will take it with him to give to her as she lives in Kent and he pops in to see his sister and the children often (saves posting it )I also picked up a Bill Bryson book I hadn't read for free as well, so two decent books and free transport there and back meant I've not spent any cash this week at all (apart from the patio man who did the work for us ,but that comes from our House fund Money )

DD and I top it up with odds and ends we have sold She sold a good few items on Vinted as she had a clear out of her wardrobe of things she no longer wear as they are too big Now she's not at work anymore she is doing more walking, and swims just down the road at Appley in the sea (free again )
Plus we both like gardening so we do a fair bit of pottering 

Goldfinches How odd I was reading some of your posts, and I used to live in Headington back in the early 1960s when they had a tiny cinema there, and not that many shops I've not been back to Oxford for probably about 60 odd years.
 I used to live in Lime Walk, and in those days the coach back to London virtually stopped at the top of the road back then, there was no M4 either.I remember the coach fare being 7/6d  

 I met and married my late husband in Oxford although he came from the IoW, and I was a Londoner. In those days you could see the dreaming spires of Oxford from the top of Headington Hill and the Carfax Tower. I daresay it's changed out of all recognition nowadays. not many charity shops back then either, certainly none in Headington

Do they still have St Giles fair in the town, the town centre used to be closed off for it and it was great fun.I had many happy memories of Oxford from this days, being very broke my late OH and I sometimes would treat ourselves to a breakfast in Georges cafe in the Market, huge full english with all the trimmings and a huge white thick pint mug of tea for 2/6d all in   and the lady used to give us extra toast as she knew we were very broke 

its been so interesting seeing everyones purchases, especially the clothes ones

 Four years ago when on holiday in Torquay I went with my late friend into a charity shop, and snaffled two super cotton cardigans and they have washed and washed and I still wear them today I love anything in cotton anyway but it was the first time I'd bought any cardi's. I think I paid around £2.00 each for them and they have been a great bargain as they will probably last longer than I will as I'm an octogenarian

Right time for a cuppa I think ,gosh its been a very warm one today and its still very hot so I think I'll be reading more than sleeping tonight

Cheers chums  JackieO xxx 

SandyShores

What a lovely post @London_1.  I wish I could have my mum move in with us, or at least nearer - she's an octogenarian too (just looked it up and I'm a sexagenarian - which sounds like some odd affliction so I may not be sticking to 'sixties')

C_J

I think you'd be surprised Jackie that Oxford hasn't really changed very much since you left, you can still see the dreaming spires from Headington Hill and Brown's café in the covered market it still going strong and serving up full English breakfasts and mugs of builders' tea!

Sadly I had to return the portable DVD player I bought last Saturday - it did work, but there was a problem with the volume and I could barely hear anything even with it turned up to full. A quick google informed me that this was a common fault and costly to repair, so back it went. The shop manager was very very unhappy about processing the refund for me despite the very large sign next to the till saying electrical items could be returned within 30 days with receipt. The charity also has a repair café so I did point out (as she glowered at me) they could probably mend it when their electricals specialist was next visiting and then re-sell it.

In the hospice shop I bought an M&S Frozen dress (£1.50) for three year old granddaughter, it has a blue sequinned skirt attached to a pale blue sweatshirt style top so will be good for her to wear on cooler autumn days (I'm looking forward to those!). I also bought a new doll for her (£1), it's about 14" tall and has long blonde curly hair just like hers (I realised recently that all of her other dolls are 'baby' ones and don't have hair!). I'll sew a couple of dresses for the doll before I give it to her, I've got plenty of suitable material. I also bought a 19"x17" wooden picture frame for £2 and a plain pottery plant pot in exactly the right shade of pinky-beige to go in my newly-redecorated bedroom (£1.50). I now just have to choose a trailing plant to put in it.

Wednesday2000

I just had a good haul from the Cornerstone shop. A beige rucksack and a pair of brand new pyjama shorts set. A blue vest top and a white blouse for summer ☀️ and a blue jumper as I'm thinking about Autumn already! It feels like far away with this heat, but I want to be prepared.