MovingForwards, he desperately needed "converting", he's an academic trying to live on a small stipend in a big city, with a taste for "posh" labels! And unlike his sisters, who can spot a genuine designer gem at 100 paces, he's always been convinced that CSs are full of "unwanted tat & ill-fitting cheap garments" so spotting that jacket - and it was him that spotted it - was a real & much-needed lightbulb moment!

Popped into Air Ambulance shop and found a White Stuff lined mini skirt.
Sort-of tweedy with a lovely pattern and a contrast hem.
Label says 'dry clean only'. But we don't take any notice of that. Do we, ladies?
So - dolly - how much did it cost?
Yes! You're right.
£1.00

Well, I don't. But then I'm a gent.

MovingForwards - shame about the sofa but overall you've done very well. I buy secondhand partly for money saving reasons but mainly because it is sustainable so your post makes me really happy. It is a good job I don't have a large barn as I would take up re-homing furniture, I have a particular love of 1930's/40's bedroom furniture.


Pollycat - I ignore Dry Clean Only too, they always come out of a gentle wash just fine.

Thrilled to bits with my finds this afty......

Firstly in the BHF shop I got a Country Casuals skirt for £2.79. Linen & viscose mix in an abstract pattern of squares & stylised flower shapes in shades of various greens and navy.Fully lined and a perfect fit...straightish over the hips with a flippy out calf length hem. Then on to the community shop where firstly, in a box of jumbled up stuff outside, I spotted a small cube shaped plain lacquer box about 4" across and deep. Obviously is a jewellery box for small items and has a mirrored lift up lid with a place for rings and earrings then a small drawer underneath for other small stuff. Bit dusty but perfectly clean cream suede inside. Priced at £1.50. Had to have it as I already have the much larger version which is now overflowing. Then in another box of jumbled up stuff I found a brand new Lonely Planet travel diary for 75p, (sticker still attached of £17.99!). Not sure if I will use it or gift it? Then inside the shop my eyes fell on a pair of Xavier, Bohemian lead crystal candlesticks in an Art Deco stylee. Just what I have been looking for to match a beautiful Art Deco candle holder I got a while back. £2.50 for the pair and in perfect condition. Just spent a happy half an hour spritzing and polishing the candlesticks and lacquer box with anti bac spray....I always like to get rid of other people's fingerprints and 'make' the items my own!!!

Had an absolutely bumper day today! I wanted to go into Rayleigh again to have a look around and I got so lucky!

From the Dog's Trust
A navy floral Simply Vera Wang (from Khol's) sleeveless blouse with waterfall frills - £6. Perhaps a bit expensive, but it is pretty and exactly what I wanted for my cousin's birthday barbecue next week

From Sue Ryder
A Two Danes t-shirt dress in a grey and black geometric print- £4. Will look very nice belted at the waist with a pair of loafers. They seem to be a 'cool person' brand. I am not cool in any sense of the word, but I did like this dress
A red cashmere jumper- £3.50. There is no brand on this but it is in very good condition and extremely soft so I am happy
A red Hobbs light trench coat/mac - £10. It is in immaculate condition and goes with every item in my wardrobe so I am very pleased. It will be incredible for Spring and Autumn
A pair of kitten heel, black suede Bally court shoes- £4. I originally picked these up because they reminded me of the classic Manolo Blahnik court shoe, though they had hideous gold decorations on them (silver/white gold/platinum are the superior metals ). I immediately noted that they were really nice quality and barely used, plus the gold decorations were actually clip on earrings so I just took them off. I have now disinfected them on the inside and they are catching the last of the sun to kill bacteria on the outside of the shoe.

Not a bad day at all

Four pairs of jegging/ stretchy jeans, TU, ASOS, New Look and George, all £1 each at local hospice charity shop outlet.

The amount of floor time etc with two kids under two means these will be great once the weather cools lol

Miro - wow to those candlesticks.


I got a Hobbs skirt, navy blue with a white stripe, deep waistband to hip level then full skirt with occasional pleat, fully lined, knee length in gorgeous thick fabric. It will be great with a white t shirt and white converse in summer and tights and heels in winter - £2.50.


DD got 2 pairs of Nike Dri Fit running tights, one black pair and one dark green patterned pair - £2.99 each, great for winter as they are nice thick fabric. DH picked up a Next copy of the Joules polo shirts for £2 and DS got a Topman checked flannel shirt for £2, a pair of dark wash denim shorts with turnups for £3 and a H&M sweatshirt with an unusal neckline and printed front for £2.50.

I forgot I also got DS 3 Hype t shirts for £2 each, very pleased as these are a rip off new and very expensive on ebay pre-owned too.

Miword. You know how a garment looks natural & inevitable & absolutely right on someone? Mum's worn it pink striped then blue striped & both ways looked absolutely stunning. It fits exactly as the designer intended & she is delighted. Me, I'm about ready to faint both with the heat down here & the relief. The idea of her regifting it anywhere has receded into an alternate reality, and indeed how it came to me is clearly a garment that knew where it wanted to be!

Not at all - ditto 'hand wash only', I'm not likely to pay for dry cleaning/do hand washing anyway so I take a chance on the machine and if it ruins it, well it wouldn't have been any use to me anyway, and 99% of the time it washes just fine

Got some lovely cushion walk sandals for £2.50, really pleased with them

Think it says something about the area I live in that I've just seen my first ever bit of Mantaray clothing, in the regional hospice shop.

They were hanging out several bits of DD's stuff I'd donated yesterday which was nice to see.

I found two things for DD, a teal, micro corded romper for over winter, M&S and a purple broderie angleise(?) Summer romper for next year which was from Gap I also got DS an M&S silver/grey occasion waistcoat (we go to several functions a year with my in laws), all three items for £5.00.

WOW, your skirt sounds absolutely beautiful! Best colours too . Fab bargain

A BNWT M and S pink cotton jumper with a star on the front £5 and a pair of as new maroon Converse shoes for £3.

Yesterday I got DS a pair of Navy blue Zara shorts, knee length with a turnup and little white anchors embroidered on them - £1.39. Also got him a bright blue (sort of light royal blue) Fat Face long sleeved top in very soft fabric with a sort of union jack type flag on the front saying Life is out There - £1.49.


I got a Jasper Conran cotton skirt in baby blue and white stripes, long sash to tie around the waist, deep waistband and full skirt £3.49 and a cropped Topshop top in white with cutout floral design edged in a sort of off white rubbery type line, it is sort of stiff and the sleeves are 3/4's but wide, it is see through but with a white cami on which is tucked into the above skirt for instance it will look lovely.

Bit of a strange thing this afty. In the Mind shop they had a pile of reasonably good quality perfumes, Calvin Klein, YSL, SJP, Lacoste, Lancome etc, (NOT B & H), all with a sticker on the box saying 'Tester, not for resale'. Most looked unused tho some had been used a little. All were priced at approx 1/3 of what they would cost on the internet. After rummaging through them I came across one I used to like a lot, (Elizabeth Arden - Red Door 100g), and after having a sneaky squirt I thought it smelled OK, (I've been caught before by 'gone orft' smellies). So ended up buying it for £7.50.....bit pricy for a chazza shop buy but it retails, at the cheapest, for between £22 - £23.

Then in the community chazza I got a pair of Next flowery trousers with a pink and lilac pattern of pansies on a black background. Straight legged and a nice fit...£2.75.

I seem to have spent lots of dosh in the charity shops this week!!!!

On Saturday we took mil to an appointment and to kill a bit of time dh and I went round the cs's. Outside the rspca shop was a £1 rail (I love £1 rails) and I got a lovely lemon and white a line Boden skirt. I then picked up a pair of new looking Evie linen trousers which I think are by peacocks so probably only £15 to begin with but I thought for £1 still a bargain. I've worn them for work this week with a cream top and they certainly didn't look like a £1 purchase

Visited our Sue Ryder shop yesterday and found a lovely Rotary watch, unsure if is a mans or ladies , but looks lovely on me, they have a retired jeweller doing some shifts so it has been serviced and a new battery. For the bargain price of £20, looking on their website retails around £169/£199.

Yesterday I found a small stainless steel flask with two matching stainless cups in a carry bag for £2.99. It's perfect for us as we have one small flask and one massive one but I drink my coffee black and no-one else does so two small flasks will be perfect.


I also got a very nice M&S cardigan, long sleeved, round neck in dark charcoal grey with dark grey faceted buttons and lovely bead detailing to the neckline in grey and clear faceted stones - £2.69