Charity shop chic!

By Jacqui Ramsey - Mature Times Fashion & Beauty Editor - 07/11/2011

Looking a million dollars need not cost a fortune as Fashion Editor Jacqui Ramsey reveals

 

As the recession bites and the high street struggles with sales,the charity shop is holding its own. “They offer the only opportunity for many people to buy high quality goods without spending a fortune” says Warren Alexander, Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association.

 

And with the current trend for vintage and that one-off piece, there is everything to recommend the perusal of your high street charity store for a unique fashion experience, at a bargain price.

 

Vintage dedication

 

Helena McKinnon, 65, has a long standing passion for just that – and long before it became a fashionable consumer concept.

Eighty per cent of her wardrobe consists of charity shop buys, purchased over a 40 year period. So she is perfectly au fait with the fact that finding something that is just the thing takes a certain dedication and a love of the browse with all its inherent therapy.

 

“I aim to visit charity shops once a week on my day off. It’s a kind of escapism. I know what I’m looking for and what suits me which does help, and I get a buzz when I find something that is a real bargain” says Helena, Head of Pastoral Care at St Monica’s Trust in Bristol.

 

A girl after my own heart, she understands that knowing your existing wardrobe is the key when casting your eye over a bevy of jumbled styles and standards of quality.

Careful buying

 

“I’ve got a memory bank of the clothes I’ve got, so I make sure with my choices that I end up with a series of different outfits. With careful buying you can extend your repertoire of clothing with just a few items that you can mix and match. One jacket, for instance, will go with several different skirts and I always look for quality fabrics and natural fibres.”

 

Like most of us, the Church minister has a budget. “Charity shopping is born out of necessity as I can’t afford the dresses that I’d really like. It gives me real enjoyment finding lovely designer clothes that amazingly others seem to want to dispose of and at low prices.”

 

But it’s not all about bagging a bargain and getting value for money.

 

With its green credentials of recycling and re-using, charity shopping presents the perfect alternative to cut price high street retailers for the ethically minded amongst us.

 

“There is a moral dimension to shopping in charity shops. I don’t want to shop in places which resort to sweat shops to make their clothes. There’s a hidden cost behind those prices. I know that the money I spend in a charity shop will benefit those that really need it,” says McKinnon.

 

Helena is aware that for some people,simply being a woman in the church can be quite a challenge for them, and though her work requires a ‘uniform’, she still likes to inject a bit of her own personality into how she looks.

 

Looking the part

 

“I can slop around when I’m at home but I have a job that is in the public eye and I need to look the part. People have an expectation. I like to fulfil that with a little twist so that when I perform a service, for example, I’ll wear my robes but wear a lace collar made for me by a resident of St Monica’s instead of a dog collar. Under the velvet it shines out and gets noticed.”

“Clothes give me confidence to engage with people and I like them to reflect my personality so there is always a little surprise in what I’m wearing,” says Helena, more than happy with her ‘loved for longer’wardrobe.

 

After all, one person’s cast off is another person’s Chanel equivalent! And it’s true to say that many a designer has taken inspiration from spotting someone on the street who has put their own secondhand look together which somehow has the wow factor!

 

So give it a go to save money and stamp your own style on your wardrobe and even start a new trend. But ultimately you’ll be helping those that really do need it. How good is that?

 

Picture one

Hobbs pink Jacket £12 , pink scarf 50p, pink top £2 all from St Peter’s Hospice

Picture two

Hobbs pattern dress £15, Shoes £6 from St Peter’s Hospice

 

Picture three

 

Jigsaw coat £12 and red shoes £3 from St Peter’s Hospice

 

 

Pictures by Jon Rowley