Secondhand clothes (charity shops / Ebay)

[Toastato]

I've noticed that prices are quite high in some of the local charity shops recently, but I did manage to get a Whistles dress (looks brand new) for £8.50 and a Planet skirt (again looks brand new) for £7. Anyone else got any good bargains recently?

I've always sworn by Ebay, but was really put off recently after buying a top with gross yellow sweat marks (to be fair the seller refunded me) but the experience has put me off somewhat.

I love both charity shops and eBay. You have to check often, and only buy if it's something you genuinely want, but I get loads of bargains. Recently a really nice long mustard Sisley top. Yes it was £6 so not nothing, but in a charity shop at least it's doing good as well. On eBay, my best bargains are when i buy stuff to replace much-loved old/worn out things I already have, because I know I'll use them. E.g my favourite white stuff cardie that has gone old and holey, replaced brand new for £11. Also my favourite styles of jeans when they are no longer available - I get most of my jeans on eBay, usually for around £10.

I'm crafty so if something turns out to be a mistake or bad fit, it can get altered/ made into something else or go in the fabric stash.

On eBay recently:

Brand new next denim mini skirt for £9
Brand new desigual dress for £20
Brand new firetrap blazer for £20
Brand new republic skinny jeans for £16
Genuine 2nd hand rayban wayfarers for £36

As soon as I need a replacement item of clothing ebay is my first port of call.
Have saved so much money that way, but try not to look too often as I can easily get carried away with things I don't need.

Only when I can't find what I need do I then venture to the shops.

I've noticed that things are more pricey than usual. For charity shops, go to the affluent areas, I always get nice things then, but am tempted a bit more too.

Ebay is a bit hit and miss, good for kids stuff as often they grow out of things before they get too worn, (well, girls stuff anyway).

Best ebay was a vintage sheepskin coat, looks like fur, very soft, warm and glam, £25 incl postage.

I don't go to any normal shops now (unless for underwear and nightwear). Even shoes, I bought some new leather clarks boots for DD, £8.

I am a charity shop addict. My favourite one has a £1 rail where items go if they don't sell after 3 weeks. Loads of bargains there!!!

I get a lot of fun searching for that special bargain and have found new Clark's shoes for £3 and some well known makes of clothes from £1 upto £4.
I bought a pencil skirt last week for £3.50 - it still had the High Street labels attached - so it had never been worn!

I got a Reiss jacket for £4.50 and a lovely long Twiggy at M&S coat for £12.50 from a local charity shop recently. Some charity shops seem to be more au fait about labels than others. I got a Kaliko cashmere and angora sweater for £4.99 a while back and the lady who took my money was a bit when she saw the label and the price.

You do have to trawl through a lot of stuff to find the bargains, but they are out there. I love charity shops.

There's a great Cancer research charity shop beside our local Waitrose ( says it all about the area really !). It's a couple of streets away from where JK Rowling used to live.

I got a great Hobbs leopard print skirt ( nicer than it sounds ) for £7 and a beautiful Boden raspberry pink full length coat for £17.00, plus the cost of dry cleaning.

They do know their labels and price accordingly, but its still a fraction of what you would pay in the shops.

I'm slightly wary of ebay now. I had my eye on a beautiful max mara winter padded coat. Paid £92 for it through ebay, there was a slight rip on the sleeve can't remember if it was there when I got it, and coat seems much less waterproof than a similar one I bought in the sales, which I guess means it must have been worn a lot.

Sadly, not me, but my friend paid £2.50 for a skirt in her local charity shop recently. Got it home to find a Monsoon label still inside, with £59 on it ! .
I get loads of bargains though - I'm not into 'brands' so wouldn't know one if I picked one up by accident, but I just love getting something I like, for such low prices.
We too have one fairly near here that has a £1 rail once clothes have been there a while and not shifted. Like everyone else said, the secret is to pop in quite often and browse generally, not wit until you need a specific item.