Can we talk about fashion for a bit ..?

paddy's_mum

Yesterday, hubby and I nipped into two charity shops in our nearest large town and came away with a couple of real bargains. The first item was a pair of M&S lined curtains, in as new condition. They are very similar to a set currently available called Trailing Rose Petal, which cost £175. I paid £7.35 for them but there was also a large valance, which will yield fabric for making co-ordinating items. Windows don't change their size so why would someone just give them away. Fashion?

There was also a set of good quality stainless steel saucepans and a Judge s/s preserving pan. The Judge pan currently retails at something over £50 and looked totally unused. When I took my heavy and still-brand-new-in-it's-box apple parer/corer/slicer to the till to pay over my £1.45 (don't some people have all the luck!) I mentioned the pans to the lady. She told me that she had received the items and the donor had up-graded to the in vogue cream coloured pans. Fashion strikes again!

Should OSers be stunned that anyone would knowingly waste money in this way or just grateful that someone else's desire to be in fashion gives us the opportunity to upgrade cheaply, in true OS style?

Is fashion actually a dirty word?

ceridwen

The phrase "having money to burn" comes to mind for anyone chucking out something perfectly good for a "fashionable" replacement.

Not exactly environmentally-friendly either - unless, of course, us OS-ers are there buying it.

shelovestobuystuff

Thank goodness for fashion victims otherwise where would we get all our lovely bargains from.Charity shops in my localle know what the things are worth though so I don,t get bargains quite like you describe,they even have antiques experts coming in once a week to sort through the brick a brac before it goes out for sale,well done spotting those!!!

I had an aunt who used to change her lounge decor once a year whether it needed it or not.She would redecorate and give everything, the curtains,carpet and sofa away to charity.

purpleivy

I purchased my SKK pans expecting that they will never wear out!

Olliebeak

When OH got his first flat (only a 3 yrs ago), we got all his curtains from local charity shops. Bedroom, 2 windows in Living Room matching (!), Kitchen and Bathroom for less than £15!

randomtask_2

paddy's_mum wrote: »

Should OSers be stunned that anyone would knowingly waste money in this way or just grateful that someone else's desire to be in fashion gives us the opportunity to upgrade cheaply, in true OS style?

Is fashion actually a dirty word?

One man's junk, another man's treasure. Isn't that the phrase?

A friend of mine gives away parts of their wardrobe fairly regularly, on the grounds that it's doing everyone a favour - others get clothes still in good nick at a discount cost, while she gets to buy a load of new stuff.

If everyone gets something out of it, then everyone's a winner (either financially or emotionally...or both!)

Steel_2

God I could wax lyrical all day about how fabulous charity shops are. I went out Thursday afternoon for a good snuffle and came back with:

1. An immaculate pair of Laura Ashley Gosford long drop curtains for £7 - price on website £104. I was told the previous owner dropped them off after dry cleaning them (!!!!!)
2. A new pair of leather Barratts kitten heeled shoes, unworn, boxed with labels still attached - £6
3. A new pair of leather Mary Jane style shoes, unworn, boxed with labels still attached from a local designer shoe shop - £7
4. Brand new Sarah Raven/BBC book 'The Great Vegetable Plot' for £2.50 - currently on Amazon for £14

God I was so happy when I got in!!!

Now if I can just find a new set of decent quality saucepans and two Denby mugs to replace the two I've broken I'll be bloody ecstatic!

mary43

Without other people throwing things out because they're not 'in' anymore folk like me would be lost. All my curtains came from the local charity shops and I got a lovely set of 6 copper bottomed saucepans, complete with rack for £20.............OH reckoned that was really cheap. I flinched a bit as I normally go for the £2.99 and under stuff.....................lol
Clothes, furnishings, all the bits that hang on the wall, virtually everything we own is second hand. We do get rid of it when we're fed up with it and back it goes to the charity shop for someone else to have a bargain and the charity to get more cash. At least buying it so cheaply we can afford to be bored with things,
And this year is going to be a 'recycled' year for birthdays and christmas pressies........................half way there already with other peoples unwanted gifts -all good stuff - ready to be someone elses pleasure.

pigpen

I got the mary berry fabulous cookbook.. the one with all the basic stuff in for £2.99 last weekend.. I was going to ebay it.. them became engrossed..

I took have a ton of stuff in this morning.. and am working on another load to go later.. they shut at 4 so I best get a wriggle on...

I have 9 charity shops on the avenue and most of them are fantasic for bargains.

Wish I'd have found some decent curtains though I am desperate for some but my windows are so blooming big they never have any... only tiny ones which are use to man nor beast in here! I resorted to making my own for most rooms!

A lot of it does seem to be getting rid for 'fashion/faddy' reasons.. suits me if I get some bargains out of it.. though I am staying well clear until I have located some room for my bargains!!

Steel_2

mary43 wrote: »

And this year is going to be a 'recycled' year for birthdays and christmas pressies........................half way there already with other peoples unwanted gifts -all good stuff - ready to be someone elses pleasure.

We do this in out family. We're all veteran secondhand snufflers and can't wait to see what's under the tree every year. One year I found a double stranded vintage pearl necklace with marcasite clasp for 20p. Mum was delighted.

I like to remake some things I find onto new gifts, especially if they're curtains, patchwork quilts or needlepoint designs. I remake them into smaller lap quilts (good use for curtains with clean linings as you can use the linings as the back of the quilt), tote bags, cushion covers and sofa throws.

The possibilites are endless....not to mention fun.

skint_spice

To be fair - maybe they'd moved into the property and the curtains weren't to their taste and they'd decorated eventually and changed them, I don't like lots of flowers or fuss so I've done the same myself in the past. it wasn't necessarily the person who bought the curtains who dropped them off at the charity shop. To change pans according to fashion though is very OTT though but lucky for someone I suppose.
Our charity shops never have anything so nice in them but I love looking at the old book and LPs despite the fact I have nothing to play them on anymore!