To buy most of my families clothes secondhand

[Rowrowboat]

I am very thrifty when it comes to clothing as I feel it’s obviously better for the environment and you can usually get much better quality clothes for much cheaper. It’s always been the way I’ve shopped and I’ve never really thought much of it. I’m by no means poor but I’d rather have the money in the bank or spend it on something else.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve had several negative comments about this. Firstly when I mentioned I’d brought 5 babygrows for £1 from a local charity shop for my youngest about how yucky it was that other babies would have worn them any maybe got poo in them!

Secondly when I was complimented on my secondhand but hardly used DMs, the person said they didn’t know how I could wear shoes that have been on other people’s smelly feet. And just now, my colleague saying they’d spent £100 on a Christmas Day outfit for their toddler granddaughter. When I said I couldn’t bring myself to spend that kind of money on clothes and that mine would be wearing her sisters hand me down, didn’t I want to buy something new for her instead of putting her in all of her older sisters clothes, which were probably secondhand when I brought them anyway? It felt like a real dig at me and that it was obviously something my colleagues had discussed previously.

I’d like to point out that me and my family are always well turned out and clean and it got me thinking, do people genuinely look down on people who buy second hand? And why do so many people think that just because somethings been worn or used by someone else, it’s in some way gross!?

Oh come on, your first post clearly shows that you are the instigator of the judgement and then get butt hurt because they retaliate.

I had to wear second hand clothes as a young teen, because we couldn't afford new.
There were several of my mum's friends passing things on, my mum was really grateful.
Some of the stuff I probably would have been teased about, but I just saved that to wear at home. I also ended up with some great, expensive designer stuff because my mum's employer would pass her daughter's old stuff to me. So it sort of balanced out.

I can afford new now, but I prefer to look through the charity shops first. Better for the environment and I can afford better quality clothing - cashmere, wool, expensive brands.

I buy do shoes, coats, nightwear and underwear new, and I can spend more on it because I'm saving on the other clothes.

I do get the point about it being a choice rather than a necessity. But I think that even though it was a necessity for me, my mum always put a positive spin on, about how lucky we were to be given the clothes, so maybe that's why I'm choosing the same for my children.

I also think it depends on where you live as to the quality of second hand clothes.

I live in a not so well off area so the charity shop clothes are not particularly high quality. Anything that is gets sent to my nearest city. I'm sure the names / quality of second hand clothing available in more affluent areas are much better quality so people will be happy to be seen in them.

Theres no point buying no name bobbly clothing from a charity shop when you can pay a pound more and get new from Primark.

I can afford new but I enjoy charity shops and finding a bargain.
I dont see what's wrong with it at all!

I buy about half and half new vs. second hand. My DC think hand-me-downs are great, they really look up to their older cousins so having something a cousin wore seems to make it very cool. Some of the clothes are now 4th hand, and this is in a very well off family.

Everyone I know does a mix, we're always passing clothes on, and as well as having charity shops with good quality children's clothes, there are a couple of adult second hand shops for designer and high end high street clothing, very popular with the mothers. Most people pick up at least some of their uniform from the second hand shop at school where everything sells for £1 for the PTA.

Second hand is good for the environment and good for your pocket. If you get it from a charity shop the charity benefits too. And it’s a great way to get rid of your own clutter. There are no downsides to this. I love a charity shop rummage.

I love charity shops & would say 90% of mine & my dc clothes come from there.

The charity shops locally to me have children's clothes from 20 - 50p so I rarely need to buy new.

I actually bought myself a pair of next skinny jeans today for £2. Great condition & a bargain!

Also I'm more of the opinion that charity shops are there to make money for their charity. Who buys the goods is irrelevant.

I buy a mixture of second hand and new depending on what the item is.

There is nothing wrong with it!

Doesn't matte rmuch when they are babies. But once they are at school it does. We always had hand me downs and other children pick up on it. They think you are scruffy or unfashionable or neglected and therefore a bit of a target for isolation or bullying. Once they start school, make sure they have good quality uniform, good, well-fitting shoes and some really nice mufti as well as second hand stuff for mucking around in at home.

Sounds fab, don’t spend time on the opinions of others.
You are helping the environment and saving money!

I don’t like to wear second hand clothes and also often don’t find them to be much cheaper than lots of new clothes.
I always passed on my DC’s clothes when they were younger. It was nice to see friends of friends DC in our village wearing the clothes my DC had grown out of.

Sounds fab, don’t spend time on the opinions of others.
You are helping the environment and saving money!

But do also stay sensitive to whether you are enabling your children to fit in, belong and appear cared for or not. Good quality currently fashionable, clean second hand clothes are fine.

Also I'm more of the opinion that charity shops are there to make money for their charity. Who buys the goods is irrelevant.

This is exactly what charity shops are for.

Haha, I learnt the hard way how some people view second-hand clothes. My DM always loved a charity shop rummage (as do I), and when I started secondary school, she went along to the second-hand uniform sale and bought me the school-brand wool blazer for a fiver rather than full price, and was very pleased about it! When I started at school for some reason uniform came up in conversation, and I told everyone about mum’s bargain, only to be met with horrified stares. Eventually one girl asked me “are you too poor to buy new uniform?”, really concerned! One of many culture shocks starting at the local secondary school after my naice leafy primary school

Yep I buy almost all of my 20 months olds clothes from eBay second hand. I mainly buy bundles. Don't see the point of buying brand new expensive stuff when he gets it all messed up at nursery and he doesn't care what he's wearing. He does gets gifts of new thing at birthday time etc. I only buy things that state they good condition. Somethings when they've arrived have still had the tags on. I rarely buy myself anything new either, I don't throw things away unless they're really worn out. Manage to get some great bargains. I love the Joe Browns brand but mainly get stuff from eBay unless I've been given money for Christmas/birthday etc.

I mostly have second clothes,lots of things from charity shops. Most of the things in my house,such as photo frames,little lamps and mirrors are from charity shops.

I wouldn't dream of spending big money on fancy dresses,coats,or handbags etc. I know of plenty people who do though, and some get into debt by doing so. I have never had a credit card,so never tempted to buy anything expensive.

I hated hand me downs as a child. It stifles own tastes and feels like you are not important or worth enough to have new imo.

As an adult, I wouldn’t hesitate to wear a jumper from a friend but wouldn’t buy used shoes. I pass on my children’s clothes to those who I know actually want them and somebody has to buy new in the first place for there to be a second hand market.

I buy most stuff second hand including furniture, shoes and clothes. I get better quality for a fraction of the cost of new. I find it’s better to not discuss second hand shopping with most people as most people that I know in real life look down on it. It’s only on mums eat and other forums I use where I find people with likeminded shopping habits

Oh and also - hand me downs in my family consist of Ralph Lauren, Timberland, Nautica, Nike. All expensive brands that last well and don’t look scruffy and still costs me less than a Primark new equivalent.

Most of my clothing is secondhand. I never mention it as people do judge. I am a secondhand label snob though - only the best cashmere knitwear will do.

I also love a bargain, have had some wonderful 'finds' in charity shops.

I wouldn't buy secondhand clothes or shoes for my kids. However, my dd wore all of his sisters neutral baby clothes. He is 2 and wears jeans that his sister wore the year before. My mil have me clothes that my dh wore as a baby for our ds. I washed them again as they had been in storage for almost 40 years. I often borrow clothes from my sisters and my mum has given me quite a few of her old clothes.

I don't look down on people who buy secondhand and worked in a charity shop when younger, instead of buying clothes I would bunt for books.

Me too.. Although my local shops are not very cheap they do have some great labels. I’ve had particular success with shoes which all were new or nearly new including boots by Jones, Hogan, Steve Madden and Zara and shoes from Vivienne Westwood. Loads of tailored skirts and jackets including a beautiful Jean Muir skirt. For my DD I have a bit less luck as I suspect people pass things along within the family but I’ve had Boden and Gap sweaters recently, Monsoon & Autograph party dresses and a school coat from Gap ( a parka that cost £3) which she is choosing to wear rather than the new one I bought from M&S. They're all much better quality than items you would find at fast fashion retailers. It doesn’t mean I don’t buy new because I do but I really think about what I need. I also avoid looking like an identakit in the same trendy Zara dress that the entire world is wearing.

Love second hand! I only mention it when people ask where I got something, as I tend to avoid current trends and embrace my own style too. My kids also wear secondhand and don't mind at all

Second hand vlothes have become cool again because of climate change. I have several phase eight tops and a beautiful Boden dress plus some beautiful Chanel sunglasses...all second hand .