Do charity shops enable us to justify buying too many clothes?

I think compulsive shopping is a common national sickness on a par with drug and alcohol abuse. The more you have the more you want.

WWM2 Dress making could be encouraged, but i think a slow clothes movement would include buying far fewer items of clothing and only on a replacement basis.

Having said that, DD makes many of her own clothes and some of mine. She knits her DB tank tops that are widely admired and has in fact made items of clothing for all the family at different times. She is one of those people, who if sitting down, always has her hands occupied.

Maybe we ought to have a slow clothes movement just like the slow food movement in Italy?

So, all the clothes we wear are made by ourselves or locally made?

I haven’t time to read all the thread, but did anyone see the photos of beaches in a country in Africa awash with dumped (by Europe) clothing?

Scribbles I am not asking you to justify your shopping activities, merely curious about the reasons why people already use a specific justification for a certain type of shopping and whether, if that justification was not available, would they buy less of that specific commodity.

I do wear my clothes until they fall apart. I still have things from the 70s that I wear. I also love to shop in charity shops. I admit I have more clothes than I need but I enjoy them all. So thank you to those who donate clothes. I also buy a lot of books.

I'm uncomfortable with the thread title. Why on earth would I need to "justify" my shopping activities?

I buy most of my clothes from charity shops now. I buy quality rather than quantity. Any that wear out are used as rags once I have removed any useful bits like buttons, zips etc. Some can be made into other items. I can't have many clothes as we have downsized our wardrobes to just the one. I also swap with a friend which gives new life to our clothes.
Incidentally, I volunteered in a charity shop and we bagged up unusable clothes which were then bought by a local business who sorted them for rags, which in turn, were sold to garages etc.

Paperbackwriter

Much as I appreciate the charity shop/garden wall/phone box/swap methods of acquiring books, please remember that the local library is not only free to use but that authors receive a small payout each time a book is borrowed. I think it is often forgotten that we who write are trying to make a living here. It's the day-job!

Sorry, I will go and rejoin the library. I did used to go regularly but they have funny opening hours now and I can never remember what they are.

Worked in a charity shop for many years & sold many books. Then a new manager started who thought Chick Lit was the the most popular type of book to sell. How wrong she was! Asked many times by regular customers what happened. She has now left & book sales increasing. When I wanted to donate books recently after stopping volunteering due to ill health, gave them to local Oxfam who could not get them quick enough. Think it depends on where the shop is, who decides on what to keep & the customers.

I should add that I buy all my books from our local charity shops or car boot sales. I have several hundred waiting to be read but cannot resist when they are 3 for a pound!

I sell clothes at car boot sales and am always amazed at the vast quantity of quality clothing that I can pick up! Many items are brand new with labels. I can sell them cheaper than the charity shops and do sell a lot for our Inner wheel charities. I rarely buy anything new from "proper" shops and feel almost guilty on the rare occasions when I do! Car boots are excellent for buying children's clothes and I wish they had been around when my boys were small.

Paperbackwriter

Much as I appreciate the charity shop/garden wall/phone box/swap methods of acquiring books, please remember that the local library is not only free to use but that authors receive a small payout each time a book is borrowed. I think it is often forgotten that we who write are trying to make a living here. It's the day-job!

I used our local library all the time, and loved their reading group too. Sadly our Council closed it down, the reason being that there was another one within walking distance - it was, just about, being 2 miles away, Within 18 months that had closed as well, along with several others in the area. So yes, I’d urge anyone who still has a local library to cherish it.

But back to the point of the thread. I have never been a hobby shopper, could never see the point of going out for a day's shopping; I only go out with a specific item in mind. Having said that, most of my clothes shopping is done online now, because I prefer trying on in my own home, and the faff of returning the item if unsuitable is less than the unpleasantness of being in a changing room. I am in the middle of a huge clear out at the moment, some items I have had for years although still in good, saleable condition. I am clearing out due to weight loss, not because I have overshopped. I rarely see anything in charity shops, but my DiL has a nose for finding great stuff at great prices, but perhaps living in an expensive part of London helps her!

nanna8

No one wants second hand books anymore, even if they are in as new condition. Our op shops won’t accept them. I don’t like chucking them in the bin when there is nothing wrong with them and so one of my groups has started a book swap. You bring a book to swap once a month.( I have to fess up and say I take 2 or 3 there and bring just 1 back.

where I live we have a thriving second hand book shop run by a local charity, well stocked, sorted properly, not just chucked onto a shelf. To all the world, a 'real' book shop. Teamed with a small coffee and cake area with tables and chairs, it is a huge success, and most people I know who are avid readers use it.

I’m wondering if I can wear the dress I wore to my DD’s wedding (25years old) to my nephews this year. I love it.

Why not? I recently wore the dress I wore for both DD’s and DS’s weddings, 22 and 20 years ago.

Still fits, a simple linen shift in my favourite colour, like to think I looked reasonably elegant back then and hopefully still did all these years later.

Can remember seeing the Princess Royal re-wearing the dress she had worn for Charles and Diana’s wedding about 20 years later. The dress obviously lasted much longer than the marriage.

If it’s good enough for the Royals….

Much as I appreciate the charity shop/garden wall/phone box/swap methods of acquiring books, please remember that the local library is not only free to use but that authors receive a small payout each time a book is borrowed. I think it is often forgotten that we who write are trying to make a living here. It's the day-job!

To answer the question. No.

Some like to shop, many, like me, hate to shop. IMO Charity shops are not a factor to desire to be a shopper if one enjoys shopping.

I also volunteer in a charity shop and get great pleasure in seeing young and old enjoying a new item. A trinket, a book, a new top, a wedding hat, at a reasonable price. It brings funds to the charity and a smile to the purchasers. It’s enough and makes life a little more cheery. Life is short !!!

baubles

Some people do actually think we have washing machines. I’ve had people tell me that their donations will just need a quick wash and were quite annoyed when I told them that we don’t have washing facilities. It was suggested that I take them home to wash and iron. Sure I’ll do that for you no problem Not!

I’m our charity shops washing m/c . If something is good and we know it will sell I take it home to wash.
Including trainers.
I do repairs as well.

I used to buy items from charity shops whe I was more mobile but only for the beautiful fabric and they got recycled into cushion covers and quilts.

I havnt bought new clothes for years. However I have to confess to just having bought two long sleeved t-shirts on Amazon to wear under kaftans in winter.

Probably. That’s why I’m determined to fit into my trousers by the autumn😁

Caravansera

I recommend Andrew Brooks 2019 book Clothing Poverty: The Hidden World of Fast Fashion and Second-Hand Clothes.

He explains how recycled clothes are traded across continents and uncovers how retailers and international charities are embroiled in commodity chains which perpetuate poverty and dependence in sub-Saharan Africa.

I became aware of this in the late 1990s through talking to a driver for Oxfam.

I can't imagine having 70 pairs of trousers.. that's greed gone mad..

Lathyrus

I think what I notice is how people buy the same clothes over and over again and never wear them.

Sometimes a bag at the Charity shop I volunteer in will have half a dozen black trousers with the labels still on or several white T-shirt’s or blouses ditto. Or for some reason, jumpers in that purple-pink.🤷🏽‍♀️

I admit to a tendency to navy blue but at least I do wear it (working hard to be able to get into the autumn navy blue trousers😳)

Weight gain and having to own up and being realistic?