What's the best buy you've ever had in a charity shop?

[Corygal]

I am dithering (swank) over whether it was the aquascutum trench - new, in lovely pale bone - or my miu miu bag. Has anyone else done that well?

Nope - not that well.

Best I can offer is a gap denim jacket and a dark green cashmere sweater.

7FAMK jeans practically new for a fiver, so not quite as well but quite good I think!

2 toast jackets and skirts. Brand new with tags £3.50 each

Large bottle of Jo Malone, full in box £3

Loads of boden, joules and white stuff

The charity shops I go to are en route to the posh high street with free and easy parking. I am sure the posh shop shoppers drop there stuff of before going shopping

Not that well! Lovely pair of Nicole Farhi wool wide legs that I wore to death. Also a Gerard Darel blouse.

Going back 20 yrs, two 'silk' blue 70s blouses that I bought after seeing a The Face fashion shoot full of them - inspiration was half that, half Jarvis Cocker. Wore them a lot!

Cor, all these are brilliant. I didn't mean to show off!

Canada goose ski jacket last year -£5

Furla bag £5
Prada bag £35
Shirin Guild cashmere cardigan £15

ooh and a Longchamp bag for £1.99

I used to love charity shops when I was a student (a loooong time ago...) but now I just see Primark tat in them, although I do get some fab book bargains. I would be grateful for any tips - obviously I'm most likely to get better stuff from better areas, but are any charities better than others for their stock? I'm going to be in London tomorrow - any recommendations please?

Mulberry Duffle Coat £35.
Cerruti Trousers £5.00
Kookai Dress £5.00
French Connection Dress £5.00
Abercrombie Jumper £8.00
All perfect, French Connection Dress unworn.

I did once come across an Ozwald Boateng bag but didn't have the heart to buy it for the £2.99 it was on for. I made the shop google it whilst I was there, and suggested they either up the price or ebay it.

Last Saturday, I got the fitted denim shirt that I've been hunting for. £3.50.

Oooh one of my best buys was a lumie wake up light, brand new boxed for £12. They retail at £60 and I use it every day.

Probably not the kind of bargain you meant, but last year I picked up something that in its previous life must have been an utterly hideous
leather sleeveless coat. It cost me £4.50, and despite aforementioned utter hideousness I was pleased as anything because the whole thing was real, heavy, well worn and loved leather, and some serious sewing and converting and a bit of leatherwork later it had become a medieval-style leather jerkin. I wore it to a number of events and spotted something very similar at one of the traders' tents for well over £60, so I was pretty happy.

I still have no idea whatever possessed someone to wear the thing in its original guise, though. It looks pretty cool now, as a costume piece, but you couldn't have paid me to wear it beforehand.

Pink, grey and white 100% wool Pringle jumper in perfect condition - £1
Black and purple spotty 100% wool Hobbs skirt BNWT -£3
100% cashmere red blazer in perfect condition - £3
Unworn leather lined black velvet superga hi-tops -£5
BNWT cashmere and cotton mix GAP jumper -£1
BNWT 100% merino wool GAP cardigan - £2
BNWT floral long sleeved Phase Eight dress - £1
100% cotton houndstooth check Boden skirt NWOT- £3
Vintage paisley print maxi skirt -£1
Original pressing Diana Ross and The Supremes Baby Love 12" vinyl
BNWT Joules mid blue slim fit jeans - £1
No brand label, turquoise 100% wool cropped cardigan -99p
Vintage purple ribbed wool mix tube style skirt - 99p

I think I'd feel dishonest if i recognised a designer item and walked away having paid a few quid for it from a charity shop.

I wouldn't feel one bit dishonest!

Oooo loads!
Burberry trench £8.50 fits perfectly (bought a few years ago now)
Sandro black evening jacket £10
Ash ankle boots £6 bit battered but lovely all the same
Comptoir des Cotonniers black dress (£9.99) and then found the same dress in grey (5.99) in another other charity shop 5 mins later down the road. Bought both!
Various new bits and bobs (labels still on) from shops like uniqlo, zara...
And (wouldn't normally buy second hand undies) two Stella McCartney bras a fiver for the pair. Rarely worn though - not very supportive!
Wonderful soft leather Ally Capellino bag for £12
Chloe gold skirt as new, but not yet worn it as it's a bit too 'sparkly' £10
Kooples leather skirt £15 not yet worn - a bit too tight!
Nicole Farhi black skirt that I've worn to death over the years £3 I think

I live in London and dedicate a few days a year to visiting charity shops across the city. I would say that half my wardrobe is made up of bargains bought on these days. One of my favourite pastimes! Absolutely love it! In fact I am well overdue a spree...But it's boot sale season soon and I am forever trying to find bargains there that match the miu miu sandals I bought once in a farm for £2!!! Brand new, fit perfectly! The seller was having a huge clear out and was happy to part with the sandals that were given to her by a cheating ex. She was more than pleased to see them go to a good home.

Ooo yes and I forgot about the skinny fit black leather biker jacket from Top Shop which I bought for £5 last year. Wear it loads.

My friends get sick of me boasting about my bargainous finds!

Four dresses in the last year.

1 phase eight
1 h&m (new)
1 f&f
1 planet

Not that exciting but all 10 quid or less and I get as many compliments on these as I get on much more exxy Reiss and Hobbs dresses.

Wow, where do you lot live to find all of these wonderful charity shops All the ones I've visited in Leeds are rubbish.

Certainly no designer stuff - I am a larger size.

I did get a Dottie P jacket, the exact same as I had already ruined in the tumble dryer! So was very happy about that.

Years ago I got a Laura Ashley long dress which was lovely but I lost it in a move.

I did get some Monsoon tops.

Not quite a charity find but my Issa wrap dress came from a car boot sale for £10.

Oh, and the lovely travelincolour found me an as new pair of J brands for £8.

all last year;

lovely brand new hobbs blazer for £15

new with tags topshop jumper for £3

superdry coat for ds hardly worn £12

tu top not designer but I've worn it tons and it's lovely ,one of my faves £2

Loads, but best buys are:

fishtail style d&g denim skirt for 4

day birger et mikkelsen merino embellished cardi 5 (I think)

marl linen long cardi by fenn wright manson 5

black ghost top 5

loads of non designer stuff that I also love & wear eg. purple zebra print scarf 1, turquoise and silver beads 1

I do check them out regularly and our nearest one is luckily the best!

The lovely people in our local charity shop do recognise designer stuff so I am not ripping them off plus I donate loads of stuff to them as well.