Charity shops divide people. They’re not quite marmite, as in you love them or hate them, but there are definitely those who do and those who don’t. Shop in them that is.
I’ll admit that some of the clothes on sale may be a smidgen plain or not terribly fashionable but that’s a matter of taste, there’s nothing wrong with the actual garment.
I’ve been buying kitchen goods from charity shops for years. A few of my favourite purchases include a turquoise glass water jug, vintage teacups and saucers, a vintage platter and crystal champagne flutes. To me, that it's been pre-loved adds to the charm, it doesn’t detract from or devalue it.
Recently I’ve spent more time looking through the clothing rails and do you know what I found? The odd gem! Yes there are plenty of clothes I would never wear, but the same can be said about high street chain stores. Some of the labels I recognise and some I’ve never heard of but that doesn’t matter to me, it’s whether I like the item, whether it fits me and whether I think it looks good on me. Some of my favourite pieces have come from charity shops – a green blazer, a Monsoon skirt, a Gap top and a Zara winter coat to name a few. Those four items would have originally cost around £130, at least. The total price I paid? £18. The clothes are in excellent condition, no-one would know they came from a charity shop if I didn’t tell them.
Charity shop clothes shopping is not the same as shopping for a brand new outfit on the high street, no-one would say it is. But there is definitely a buzz to be felt when you find a gorgeous garment, that you know would have cost a significant sum originally, for only a few pounds. And, of course, any purchase benefits the charity! Good feelings in abundance. If you’re watching the pennies, care about the growing throwaway fashion mountain and the exploitation of garment workers, it makes so much sense to charity shop.
