MSE Forum poll: Have you ever bought any of your clothes second hand?

tenzin_2

I’m from the 1960s and an extended Irish family. The women knit, clothing that kids grew out of were given to other families, socks were darned never bought new.  When my baby was born I bough a load on new things for her. Then it was charity shops all the way. There was no Primark or cheapo places like now, I got her some great stuff in thrift places. 

RAS

Not just clothes. Kitchen gear as well. New costs quite a lot. Better quality can be found in chasers and bought for peanuts, over time.

Pollycat

Virtually all my wardrobe is 2nd hand (new to me).
From charity shops, Vinted & eBay.

I've shopped in charity shops for as long as I can remember - at least 40 years.
The quality has risen but so have the prices.
Some shops I don't even go into. I find BHF very overpriced.
Pricing of cheap items (Primark, Nutmeg etc) are ridiculous.
Why pay £2.00 for a well-worn Primark vest when you can buy new for £3.00?

I've had some amazing footwear bargains too.
A brand new pair of Embassy London shoes in box that retail around £150 for £12.50.

Kitty6791

Type your commentGreat to see so many of us have dipped into the thrift side of shopping

Personally, I love browsing charity shops and platforms like Vinted or eBay—they’re treasure troves for unique, well-made items at a fraction of the price. I’ve even found brand-new pieces you really can get high-street or designer quality for pocket-change.

A few easy tips: always check seller photos and filters for “new with tags”; wash everything before wearing; and start small maybe just a simple jacket or sweater to see how it feels.

It’s budget-savvy and eco-friendly. Win-win!

elsien

This is MSE - It’s going to be a skewed demographic on the money saving/secondhand clothes front. 

Dizzycap

I buy all my clothes & shoes secondhand and have done for years saving me an absolute forutune for quality clothes, with the exception of undies. However, I do like a very good discount on quality undies and when I get one, I buy in bulk. I haven't had a need to buy any more for over 15 years & I've still got half my original undies purchase left to use 

CapricornLass

My mother was heavily into new clothes - she bought them, wore them a couple of times, and then hung it in the wardrobe/put in a drawer.  She bought good, and she bought classic, so when we had to empty her home after she went into a home, my wardrobe doubled!  I have so much that now the only things I tend to buy are underwear, sportswear, shoes,  specialist (e.g.overtrousers) and things I forgot to pack in my suitcase!.

cj-mcg

In addition to buying second hand clothing, could I recommend clothes swaps as a great way of obtaining clothes, shoes and accessories in both a monetary and environmentally friendly way ?  I have two regular clothes swaps near me: SCRAP at Farsley and Leeds Community Clothing Exchange at Woodhouse in Leeds.  I have got some fantastic pieces from them both.