Getting the Best Out of Your Charity Shop

Hints and Tips

Back in the day we wouldn't have been seen dead in an item that had been brought from a charity shop, however 'vintage' or 'retro' it may have been. It just wasn't the done thing then! I think the ground would have swallowed me up if my mum would have wandered in through the front door with a " You'll never guess what I found you at the Hospicare Shop" shriek ! 

Today it is a whole different story. It has been made more acceptable to be seen rummaging amongst the purple rinses looking for gems and bargains. Recycling vintage items of unique clothing or bringing old pieces of furniture back to life with a lick of paint. Being thrifty has become a necessity for many of us in the current climate and I know for me I hate to part with money unnecessarily that has been earned through hours of hard graft. I do think there is a bit of a knack to charity shopping and you do have to persevere to get a bargain or two. We don't have any charity shops in the village where I live so I travel to the nearest town or city and make an outing of it. I take a bag of clothes and items to donate too. One mans junk is another mans treasure you know! 

These are my tips and hints for a trip out Charity Shopping:

• Have a rough plan. Know where the shops are and which ones you are going to visit.
•  Have an idea in your mind of the sort of things you are after, although be prepared to look for other things if you've time.
• Shop early in the week. People usually clear out at the weekend and drop off their goods then. They will be on the shop floor by Monday or Tuesday.
• Take cash and set a budget. You can overspend in a charity shop! I have known some shops not accept cards under £10 on the rare occasion.
• Check labels for brand names and fabrics. Check for genuine designer items. Take your phone so you can check and validate things online.
• Check for rips, tears, stains, missing buttons etc.
• Check the size, not just the size label. Be open to altering something or dyeing a white item another colour if it is a good buy. I am a size uk 8 - 10 , but I look for items up to a size 14 sometimes.
• Think outfits when you buy, the same as you do when you buy from new. Don't buy random items you will never wear.
• Look for items you may sell on E.Bay. Designer names. 
• Good finds are usually - leather belts, scarves, unique jewellery, jackets .
• Take a bag of your own unwanted items to donate. Recycing clothes in this way helps reduce textile landfill.
• Take some antibacterial handgel , just in case you feel a bit grubby after rummaging!

It really is worth it and to encourage you further just look at these bargains I have picked up this week!

• H and M  lined skirt. This looked new to me. £4.00

• Michael Morpurgo Kensuke's Kingdom 70p ( usually £5 new)

•  Toast fine cord lined skirt. Perfect condition. Beautiful detail. £4.00

• Fat face girl's age 5 skirt £.2.50

•  Topshop wool blend sleeveless wrap around top. £3.00

• Kookai blouse size 40 , but they come up small so I risked this and it fits ! Looks new. £2.25

• Topshop fine pinstripe blouse - lovely pink buttons. £3.50

• Faith leather boots with buckle detail £4.50 

• River Island leather belt with statement buckle £1.50

• Necklace with the word love. £1.00

•  Coral necklace - this was brought by a friend from a charity shop for me because she knows I love coral from reading my blog! Thank you Hayley! X

• Human Nature wool mix cropped cardigan £4.00

I don't usually buy all this in one go, but needed some props for a competition entry that I had to submit a you tube video for. I decided to talk about how you can save money by shopping at charity shops for your clothes, but you don't have to forgo style. The benefit is I get to keep and wear all these lovely items! I will post some outfit photos as I wear and style them.


I saw these definitions online and found them helpful so thought I would share with you. People do bandy the word Vintage around fairly freely nowadays to describe anything from a second hand modern cardigan to a genuine 1950s tea dress. So, as I understand it these are the loose definitions and boundaries:

Vintage - this is roughly the period from 1920's to about the 1970's. Look for labels, zippers, tell tale signs that your item comes from this period. Here is a good link to explain how to date vintage clothing.

Retro - This is the 1960 - 1970's period.

Antique - This is really the period pre 1920's

Charity or Thrifted - Pre used clothes that may include any of the above!

Are you a Charity Shopper or do you avoid them at all costs?