Talk me out of (or into) a label-blinded charity shop purchase.

[AnyoneButAndre]

I'm looking for for Xmas party dress, vaguely thinking of something sparkly perhaps from M&S maximum budget around the 75 quid mark.

Went into local charity shop. Bought these boots, immaculate condition, Clarks, just what I wanted.

But also saw DKNY silk velvet jacket for twenty quid and thought that maybe I could wear that to Xmas do over a basic slim black/grey frock of which I have many. What do you reckon? Am I being blinded by the posh label? (I also tried on a Paul Smith jacket but even I had to admit it wasn't a good look on me - this is the least posh of the local charity shops but seems to have had a good batch of posh donations lately.)

Velvet is very on trend at the moment though cheap velvet can look awful. I like it & it's a good fit on you

LOVE the boots but think you've been label blinded a wee bit with the jacket. It looks a bit old-fashioned.

Anwser honestly, would you have even tried it on if the label was Atmosphere rather than DKNY?!

That's what I'm fearing. Pasadena. The boots are lovely, the tread is totally unworn and they're really comfy despite their height - I've already taken them out to the corner shop to check.

Love the boots. Agree the jacket isn't great. I'm very jealous though as I NEVER find any good stuff in charity shops and have given up looking now.

Not keen on the jacket, reminds me of wallpaper...the boots are nice though :)

Well that seems like a pretty decisive verdict. Someone else can buy the jacket, and I'll get something sparkly from M&S or get my Spanx on and dig out something from previous years.

Ooh, forgot to say thanks

dont like the jacket

Jacket v 80s. I'm not fond, sorry. Don't much like the boots either (too high on the ankle for me), personally, but v glad you've found a bargain that you love. :)

The boots fold over so you can wear them high or low!

Like 2 for the price of one then! Double bargain. :)

Love the boots.

The jacket isn't great. Its the label that's got you thinking. Velvet is in but the jacket still looks dated.

I love the jacket and dislike the boots but clearly that's just me!

Personally I'd get the jacket and wear it like you said but also with black jeans.

Boots are a good find! Jacket no.

Where do you live?! My charity shops sell Primark!

South London. We do have some pretty good charity shops - the DC wear quite a lot of Ralph Lauren.

Any specific S. London area?

Great boots! I've never had much luck with charity shop footwear, but the clothes.....I'm addicted. Yesterday I bought a beautiful Jaeger dress for eight quid.

I'm another one not crazy about the jacket; it's a bit "busy", but there's one advantage to buying good labels from a charity shop - if you change your mind, you can get good money on eBay.

I've PM'd you Single, but actually, while some charity shops are better than others, it's always about checking frequently and the luck of the draw - you could go in one day and be confronted by a sea of bobbly Primark and then the next day someone's dumped her DC's entire mini-Boden wardrobe and a huge box of Brio. I've never been so disappointed as the day I found myself with a spare hour to kill in highly affluent West Hampstead. "Surely the charity shops must be filled with top quality schmutter!" I thought, with visions of an entire nearly-new designer wardrobe. Were they bollocks.

It's the most unprepossessing ones that hold the greatest riches, I find. The more you have to burrow, the more likely you are to find treasure. There's a fairly chaotic RSPCA shop in Finsbury Park I used to visit every week, and among other things bought some All Saints ankle boots for £10, a Jigsaw cashmere and silk jumper for a fiver, and a Hobbs NW3 skirt on the sale rail for £3.

A well organised Oxfam will have shipped out the good stuff.

I like the boots but not the jacket. I can't ever see velvet making a come back.....not even as curtains and believe me I've been there, done it all and had it all. Dress, jackets, trousers, curtains and never ever will I go back to them.

I've had some lovely charity shop finds .hobbs boots , 9 west all new for under £15.

Lego as well.

Some nice dresses too but not for ages now. It all must end up on eBay. Don't bother with them now. Got a lovely DP dress yesterday that was £25 down to £7. There's more bargains inthe shops.

I actually quite like the jacket but it does look dated, I'm afraid. I like the boots though.