Second hand clothes

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Do you buy second hand clothes for your children and AIBU to ask why and how you feel about it?

Yes I love a bargain and think everything should be reused as much as possible rather than thrown away. I find things in charity shops and use ebay a lot. I buy second hand for myself and the kids, we do get new things too. Once I'm done with them I sell them on ebay again and feel good that they are going to a new home.

I do, and for myself too. We've got some pretty good charity shops locally and you can get some pretty decent stuff. Ebay is good too.

I don’t buy second hand clothes, I get given them by my sister and my neighbour, we’ve barely spent any money on kids clothes, even school uniforms.

We then pass it all into a friend.

Unless you've been hiding underneath a rock it is well known second hand clothing rocks in social circles across the spectrum.
Well maybe not Upper C.
Most people around use seconds in a WC area before the pp's who know best mention WC people only buy new.
It's popular for a variety of reasons.

I was always frugal with regard to clothes through sheer necessity.

When I was a teenager, my friends and I all had Saturday jobs or paper rounds, and each week, we would all descend on Chelsea Girl to buy one item of clothing each. We were all the same size and our clothes were like a communal wardrobe. Nobody ever dressed the same, nobody wore the same thing twice, and every week was spent deliriously planning for the weekend and who was going to wear what.

I thought all friendship groups operated like that and was gobsmacked when I made friends with a girl who had a monthly clothing allowance and didn't have to combine her clothes with her friends clothes in order to have something different to wear each week. Being a 70's teenager was fun

I don't need to be frugal these days, but I do love a bargain and I have absolutely no problem wearing second hand clothes or putting my children in hand me downs or charity shop wear.

@Tibtab oh I know that. I'm not averse to it at all, we have the odd hand me down from cousins and we love that. I love when we can say...oh this used to belong to you cousin isn't it lovely to se me it on you etc etc.

Yes I buy second hand when I can. I feel really pleased with myself and do so for environmental reasons.

I occasionally buy second hand but more often than not I get second hand free from the local clothes swap place.

How do I feel about it? As long as my kids don't mind I'll keep doing it as it saves cash for other things. DH minds so he gets new. I don't mind for myself

Yes and no. Second hand for nice clothes from nice brands that she won’t wear often (e.g. second hand JoJo). New for everyday wear that gets used a lot and stained. I prefer to wear clothes out rather than have loads. The new clothes are generally M&S snd John Lewis picked up in the sales. I feel bad about buying from Primark and H&M. Sainsbury’s Tu is also good.

No, you can get very cheap new clothes from Primark/Matalan etc. Second hand clothing always seems a bit manly. Selfishly I don't take environmental impact into account.

Yes. For environmental reasons - and baby clothes are worn for such a short time they’re usually in really good condition.

For context, I could easily afford new.

In my circle of friends we just all pass on to each other any outgrown children’s clothes and bits and pieces that can have more use. Why wouldn’t anyone?

@teenminustests because I tend to buy them ahead of time in the sale. For example Asda had them reduced to £10 recently for a coat that was £30 originally so I bought the next size up. Also when I have tried to buy second hand they are in poor condition so becomes a false economy.

I always bought/was given second hand when they were younger, and then passed them on.

Now they are teens with more definitely tastes I don't, although dd does get second hand stuff on Depop.

Aside from underwear and shoes, pretty much 100% second hand myself.

It feels sensible. Cheaper, more environmentally friendly.

I don't really buy second hand clothes for the kids as I get them second hand for free from freecycle/clothes exchanges.

They get some new clothes from relatives as gifts, but to be honest they don't like that stuff any better than the second hand stuff.

I buy second hand for myself but adult clothes are more likely to be worn until they are worn out than kids clothes that are outgrown before being used that much, so it's much harder to find good quality cheap/free stuff.

There's no difference between a piece of clothing I've worn and washed five times and one someone else has, it's all previously used.

I do think it will be harder when the girls get older and want more input into what they're wearing but equally they will be slightly less likely to get covered in body fluids, mud, paint etc by that point (I hope!) Then it will be a case of quality over quantity I think.

Terminally That makes sense.

Yes. My DC are adult now, but when they were younger I would - it was more convenient for me. My DC now buy second hand themselves.

Absolutely- growing up in the countryside my children spent most of their time in muddy streams and puddles, fields full of mud, climbing trees, digging holes.
I would only rarely buy new stuff for little ones- school uniforms, dance or sports wear, or if they were having a birthday party, maybe new swimwear for holidays etc.. 95% of my kids' clothes were second hand until they became old enough to work it out!!

DD (15) loves charity shops for clothes. She shops mainstream as well but she loves the one off finds you get in charity shops for the bargain prices.

I encourage it and happily buy second hand myself too.

It’s great on all sides - planet, purse, causes - the lot.

Yes, always have done when I can. It saves money and doesn't add to the huge environmental cost of the fashion industry. It's more difficult as they get older and clothes are often outworn not outgrown but DS still has some things secondhand at 15. Coat, hoodie, jeans, football boots for school and some uniform.

Yes

(But not shoes)

@coochyboochy what do you mean about second-hand being manly?

I have always bought second-hand, and swapped/passed on stuff to friends etc. Most of my own clothes are second-hand. I prefer it that way.

Absolutely. I hardly buy anything brand new, I’d far rather buy good brands second hand. Facebook marketplace/ eBay awash with bargains!