I don’t know about you, but when it comes to buying clothes I usually stick to the sale sections of high street stores. So much so in fact, that I can’t actually remember the last time I bought an item of clothing that was brand spanking new! You would usually find me rummaging through the £10 or less section in New Look – however, more recently I have started to spend more time looking through the huge variety of clothes that charity shops have to offer!
Last week I bought 8 items from my local St Clare Hospice charity shop, and the total came to under £10, which absolutely blows my mind!
Here’s a little break down of my purchases;
- Floral shirt – £1.50
- M&S white shirt – £1.50
- Red flared Primark trousers – £1.50
- UNI QLO Jumper – £1.50
- Grey River Island jacket – £2.00
- Navy blue and white belt– 50p
- Dawn French, A tiny bit Marvellous book – 50p
- Jodi Picoult, Small great things – 50p
I walked out of that charity shop experiencing feelings I’ve never had after shopping in a high street store.
I felt like I had just been on an episode of bargain hunt and had won the show – I was waiting for Tim Wonnacott to come round the corner to give me a golden gavel pin!
It also felt lovely knowing my money was going to good use, and I started wondering about whether any of the items I’d bought had a back story.
It can be a bit daunting when you first step foot into a charity shop, but with perseverance there really is something for everybody!
Here are 5 tips I’ve found help when exploring charity shops;
- Stay calm – This may sound silly, but the structure and organisation of a charity shop is very different in comparison to most shops, which can be a bit overwhelming when you first walk through the door.
- Look through everything – It may take quite some time to sift through all of the clothes, but trust me, there are some real gems to be found! Occasionally you may find some items that haven’t even been worn yet with the labels still attached! And it has been known for some people to find designer wear for a fraction of the price! Whatever you find though, will be a real bargain.
- Don’t limit yourself to size – When you’re working your way through all of the rails try not to worry too much about size. If it looks like it will fit, great! If it looks a bit big, not to worry, that’s what belts and accessories are for! The only time I worry about size is if I think something may be too small for me, anything else is fair game and can be sewn / accessorised to suit you!
- Be open-minded – Charity shops give you such a good opportunity to try something new! Pick a style that is out of your comfort zone and run with it! You can probably get an entire new outfit – shoes and all, for less than £20! – That’s less than you spent on Domino’s last week!
- Remember you’ll be making a difference – It doesn’t matter how much you choose to spend, because every purchase helps. The charity shop I visited recently provide compassionate care and support to adults with life limiting illnesses, alongside support for their families and carers. It’s nice to know my money will go towards such a worthwhile cause.
I been thinking about doing some OOTD blog posts showing you some of the looks I have put together using clothes I have found in various charity shops – if that sounds like something you would be interested in seeing please let me know!
And so, in the word of Tim Wonnacott,
Join us soon for some more bargain hunting – Yes?
YES!
Nicole x
Nicole's Notebook 