Fashion Thrifty Shopping

Now don’t get me wrong, I love the high street as much as the next girl and there is so much out there – but I’m no stranger to a charity shop or two.

The term ‘second-hand’ may strike horror in some people, wearing people’s castaways… But believe me, the clothes you can come across rummaging through thrift and charity shops is amazing – I’ll admit you may have to sort through some rather undesirable things to find them (90s tracksuit, no thanks) – but trust me, they are there!

Not only could you find some – dare I say it – classic pieces, you can also bring together a truly unique outfit that no one else out there is wearing. That, for me, beats the high street hands down. Too many times, I’ve been confronted with a girl wearing the same, beautiful, high street-bought dress as me. Needless to say, it can be a little embarrassing.

Not exactly a trend-follower myself, I prefer to take elements that I like or add hints to my outfits. With styles from years past coming back round – sixties mod and seventies hippy for instance – thrift stores can give you the originals from these eras and not some high street replica. Around a year ago, I came across a beautiful black bouclé jacket dating from the 1980s for just £7! I’ve yet to find a high street equivalent that comes close.

A common misconception is that all thrift stores charge a fortune for their stock – which, for some (particularly those labelled largely as “vintage”) may be true –


Another one of my favourite ways of avoiding a high street clone-outfit situation is customizing. I’m aware that some people aren’t nifty with a sewing machine or even a needle and thread – on the other hand, I managed a not too shabby A in Fashion Textiles GCSE, but I’m not here to boast – my point is, anyone can customize!

I’m not ashamed to admit being a Gok-addict. The fabulous stylist Mr.Wan is a lover of customizing – championing high street buys along with haberdashery finds on his programme Gok Wan’s Clothes Roadshow. My mother, on hearing his claims, questioned whether there were even any haberdasheries around nowadays – the answer is yes! Keep a keen eye out especially on market stalls for one. Many big department stores – John Lewis in particular – have a haberdashery section, offering endless choices of ribbons, fabrics, threads, velcros, sequins, buttons, beads, brooches and other bits and bobs to jazz up your outfits all for a small price. I’m partial to altering the buttons on shirts to something a bit more quirky and even pinning a simple badge to your jacket can add a bit of personality.

Alternatively, not only can you embellish your outfit, you could chop things off, alter sleeves, add collars or even wear a dress as a skirt if you wanted! Experiment and have fun with it!

So before you moan about not being able to find that top or shirt you’re after – get creative! You can create a completely different and new outfit from something you already own, follow that certain trend you love and avoid spending money finding a mass produced look on the high street.

Make like Gok and avoid that same-dress-on-a-night-out nightmare by getting thrifty!