I thought I'd ask as there seems to be very mixed opinions. I personally love them, though I must agree some of them have a unpleasant smell about them. Post massive wardrobe cull, I've stopped simply browsing them for the sheer hell of it, as I'd usually end up buying something which of course could land me right back at square one. These days I go in for a specific purpose, like just this week I decided to hunt for a new skirt as I finally decided I'd get rid of my extremely pricey LK bennet short boucle black skirt. It's been too big for me for quite a while and because the waistline slips down it hangs too low and it's baggy around the sides it looks really frumpy. The fact I paid a lot of money for it has made me loath to part with it. When it fit, it looked fab, so I thought I'd try and find something similar in the correct size. I have now donated it. I found a perfect replacement for £3.99 ok it's Dorothy Perkins, but in mint condition, fully lined and looks just as classy as the LK Bennett. Now for me, anything I buy from a charity shop has to be brand new with tags or in absolutely tip top condition and believe me things like this are extremely easy to find. I know a couple of people who buy everything from charity shops but are far less discerning than me and sadly their clothes look second hand (or just old). Recently I was browsing with one of them after we'd met for a coffee and she bought a top that had definitely seen better days, then a skirt, that again looked a bit tatty and I noticed it had a stain on it which I pointed out, she said "no worries, I'll get that out" sorry, but eeww you've got to draw the line somewhere and removing other people's unknown stains is a step too far for me I'm afraid!
On the other hand, I know people who won't even go into a charity shop, let alone buy anything because they think they're disgusting places and the idea of wearing somebody else's cast offs gives them the collywobbles!
For me, they're a great way to spend an afternoon, you never know what you'll find, and it's not just clothing they sell, a couple of years ago I picked up a brand new aeropress for coffee that retails for £30 for a mere £2.99 and most of all you're supporting a good cause. In all if you're fussy about what you buy, then you can get some lovely clothes that nobody would ever know were second hand unless you told them. The only thing I've found is that it's extremely difficult to find knitwear in charity shops that looks new, there's usually some degree of bobbling, creasing and crispiness so I tend to avoid those.
Do you love a good charity shop, or are they a no no?
On the other hand, I know people who won't even go into a charity shop, let alone buy anything because they think they're disgusting places and the idea of wearing somebody else's cast offs gives them the collywobbles!
For me, they're a great way to spend an afternoon, you never know what you'll find, and it's not just clothing they sell, a couple of years ago I picked up a brand new aeropress for coffee that retails for £30 for a mere £2.99 and most of all you're supporting a good cause. In all if you're fussy about what you buy, then you can get some lovely clothes that nobody would ever know were second hand unless you told them. The only thing I've found is that it's extremely difficult to find knitwear in charity shops that looks new, there's usually some degree of bobbling, creasing and crispiness so I tend to avoid those.
Do you love a good charity shop, or are they a no no?
