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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To tell colleagues I bought it in a charity shop?

102 replies

Flowerplower · 09/03/2019 18:12

I was wearing a nice designer dress to work yesterday and a friendly woman colleague complimented me on it. I said thanks, I got it for a fiver in a charity shop, can you believe it? She looked at me like I had 2 heads!

I'm not from the UK so I don't really know what's the norm here...but surely as there are charity shops all over the high street then shopping in them must be pretty mainstream. We work in an office and are well paid professionals but I feel like I have better things to spend my money on than work clothes. If I'm lucky enough to buy a really nice dress for a fiver AIBU to brag about it or should I just say thank you, and I love your necklace or whatever.

OP posts:

Bloodybridget · 09/03/2019 19:56

I think all my friends would be pleased to say they got some lovely item of clothing in a charity shop!

BananasAreTheSourceOfEvil · 09/03/2019 20:01

Anyone Irish on this thread will recognise the ‘thanks! Got it in Penney’s!’ response.

I don’t like that sort of snobbery- I’m bloody delighted to find a bargain and I don’t care where it comes from. Some of my nicest stuff has come from charity shops, I give my stuff to charity- what’s there to be precious about?

Motoko · 09/03/2019 20:06

My last charity shop bargains were a Laura Ashley cardigan with velvet edging, for £4, and a Boden wraparound jersey dress (normally about £90) for £8.

Unlike a pp, I find you get better stuff in charity shops in well to do areas. We've got a small town near us that's very expensive to live in, and they regularly have Barbour, Laura Ashley, and higher end designer stuff, in the charity shops. In the main town (working class mostly) it's all high street stuff.

I love getting bargains!

Februaryblooms · 09/03/2019 20:18

I absolutely love charity shops. I'm due next month and I'm not ashamed to admit that almost all of DD's wardrobe is second hand and are nice brands. Everything is in perfect condition and I've saved an absolute fortune in comparison to what we spent on DS clothes when expecting him.

I picked up a good as new Ralph Lauren shirt for DS just the other day and it cost me a quid

Whoever disapproves or looks down on people who shop there then more fool them I say.

mathanxiety · 09/03/2019 20:25

YY to the 'Penney's' response.

99% of my clothes are from second hand shops, and a lot of footwear too. Plus my coats and jackets and scarves. I started buying clothes for myself second hand when I was flat stony broke and decided I would never pay retail again. My DDs are also keen thrifters.

I took my mum to the place I usually go to when she was over (in the US) last time. She was a bit funny about it. She herself goes to boutique style second hand places in Dublin and Kildare, and she donates to those places, but is far happier getting some bargain at the sales. Not sure what the hesitation is on her part... I send her items that she raves about - two cashmere sweaters last winter, and a silk blouse. Maybe she is happier to know things have been washed by the time they arrive in her letter box.

louderthan · 09/03/2019 23:00

I got a Marc Jacobs bag in Oxfam. You can be damn sure I'm telling anyone and everyone about such an amazing lucky find.

Motoko · 10/03/2019 02:47

I wouldn't buy footwear 2nd hand, unless obviously unworn, because shoes mould themselves to our feet, and because of things like athlete's foot and verrucas.

BarbaraofSevillle · 10/03/2019 03:02

clande

It might not be a snobbery thing about TK Maxx, or charity shops for that matter, it might just be that rummaging amongst hundreds of random items on the off chance of finding something that she likes, needs, fits and is a bargain is not her thing.

I'm the same, not snobbery at all, but I know it is almost certainly a total waste of my time. Some people see clothes shopping as an enjoyable hobby or activity, others a nasty chore, so if you are in the latter category, it seems utterly pointless to take a nasty chore and make it ten times more time consuming and futile.

Redwinestillfine · 10/03/2019 03:04

She was probably just jealous. Most of my wardrobe is charity shop/ eBay and I proudly announce it to anyone.

Handay · 10/03/2019 03:11

Charity shop shopping is an almost exclusively middle class pursuit, so I doubt she was being snobby. She was probably just taken aback that you went to such lengths to tell her how much your clothes cost, when she didn't ask you.

TheSerenDipitY · 10/03/2019 03:39

ignore her
one area i lived in there was a red cross charity shop and i would go there a lot, many of the people who donated clothing were extremely wealthy, so the clothing was mostly designer, i got my teenage daughter lots of barely worn designer clothing, even Channel and Donna Karen, Dior etc, at first she was all errrr its used, shock horror etc, but once she realized they were really good items she was happy
some people only wear clothes and shoes once or twice and then donate them or sell on ebay etc so there is nothing wrong with them

Mummadeeze · 10/03/2019 04:07

I would have been impressed that you got such a good bargain. Ignore her!

Seahorseshoe · 10/03/2019 04:19

Yanbu. I'd have said the same. It's great getting a charity shop score.

kateandme · 10/03/2019 05:36

i think it depends where you live.charity shops were we are basically easier to access fly tips!

MsHopey · 10/03/2019 05:47

I must live in a shit hole area.
I do go in charity shops a lot but struggle to find anything decent. It's mostly primark and matalan, definitely live in a poor area though.
I can't think of anywhere within a 30 minute drive that would realistically have better quality of stock.
You lucky devils who live closer to wealthy areas.
But I personally am on a very low income so always have a look in my local ones and donate lots as well (I over buy on cheap clothes alot).

Bowerbird5 · 10/03/2019 05:55

I met some one on a train once and after a while she told me she had just been in to an awards ceremony. Later after her partner picked up an award a woman was talking to them and admire her dress. She never let on where she bought it and when she told her partner they had a good giggle. They were also photographed for a celebrity magazine. She showed me a photo. She looked stunning in it.
We had a glass of wine and a giggle about it as she went on to tell me about the event and her bargain dress.
Maybe next time tell her it was from your favourite boutique!

origamiunicorn · 10/03/2019 07:33

Someone once said they like a jumper I was wearing, I said it was from H&M they're response was... "oh I thought you were going to say Primark then, that would've been awkward" ??? What?! So you would've suddenly NOT liked it if it was from Primark? Bit weird.

SileneOliveira · 10/03/2019 09:24

It's snowing today and I need to walk to the shops. I shall be going out in my Doc Marten chelsea boots (bought from Cancer Research for £6, brand new and never worn), my North Face waterproof jacket (£8 Oxfam) and a super cosy cashmere scarf (£3, can't remember which shop).

Dieu · 10/03/2019 09:31

Second hand shops are definitely the norm here in Edinburgh, particularly with the well-off. My working class Glaswegian family would never in a million years buy anything from one though

YogaWannabe · 10/03/2019 09:37

The only designer “pieces” I own are all from charity shops and I’m much more proud to say I got them for a fiver etc than I would be to say I bought new!

I love giving charity shop tips!
They’re full at the moment with great stuff because of everyone Kon Marie-ing!

ChocChocButtons · 10/03/2019 09:39

Charity shops are goldmines!! I live in crouch end. There’s some real treasures in charity shops. My boss gets a lot of my charges books from charity shops. Ignore snobs.

Slowknitter · 10/03/2019 09:50

However non- p.c. it is to admit it, it's definitely a class thing, as a previous poster said. It's particularly noticeable with children's clothes, prams etc. It's always the more traditional middle/upper class families with the hand-me-downs, second-hand stuff and often slightly scruffy children! Not all of them of course, but lots. Not that second hand adult clothes look scruffy - I've got some great good-as-new bargains too!

Bluesheep8 · 10/03/2019 10:26

Most of my clothes are from charity shops. If someone admires something, I ALWAYS tell them it was from a charity shop and tell them which one and where. I like to think that I'm encouraging other people to shop in charity shops. I can't walk past one without going in to have a look.

Bluesheep8 · 10/03/2019 10:29

Going out for a pub lunch later. I'll be wearing:
Black jumper £3 from a local hospice shop
Jeans £4.50 from rspca shop
Boots £5 from age UK
Scarf 50p from local hospice shop

DontCallMeCharlotte · 10/03/2019 10:29

I said thanks, I got it for a fiver in a charity shop, can you believe it?

You may not be from the UK but that is one of the most British things you could have said. You have truly integrated

Your colleague is a freak by the way.

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