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Do/would you wear second hand clothes?

(132 Posts)
readsalot Thu 01-Jul-21 12:53:45

I have lost two stone and gone down two dress sizes. I donated a lot of clothes to a couple of charity shops, but also had a look to see what they had on the rails. Not much in my size and nothing I liked. No luck in other nearby charity shops either, so I had a look on eBay. I have bought 12 items, averaging £10 each and have been really pleased at the quality. I love my clothes and usually wear them out, but the clothes I bought were all in nearly new condition. DH was horrified at first, but came round when I reminded him that I used to hire ballgowns and other formal outfits years ago and if I wasn't bothered, why was he? Does anyone else buy and wear pre-owned? I will definitely continue this way of shopping.

varian Thu 01-Jul-21 18:20:24

Of course. I give stuff I don't want to the charity shop and I but other folk's cast offs. That makes sense.

I hate waste. What would happen to that stuff if no-one was prepared to re-use it?

MissAdventure Thu 01-Jul-21 18:12:10

I have bought quite a few pairs of shoes from Ebay.
I found a nice woman who seems to sell shoes that have been on display, so are technically 'used'.
It means I can afford comfortable, well made shoes. smile

BBbevan Thu 01-Jul-21 17:59:21

Yes I have bought some excellent stuff from eBay. Dislike charity shops because of the smell, but my eBay stuff usually arrives washed and clean smelling. I do stick to labels I would normally buy though.

Oldbat1 Thu 01-Jul-21 17:10:35

Yes I’ve always “done” charity shops. Most of my tops and jackets are charity buys. Occasionally find some trousers. I only buy good makes like M&S, fat face, next, John Lewis as I know they will fit. I bought a pair of unworn walking shoes for £7 and they should be £90. I love it.

WishIwasyounger Thu 01-Jul-21 16:54:52

Crikey yes, of course, why wouldn't you?
Apart from being cheap, its a great way of recycling clothes, though my underwear is bought new. I bought a fabulous White Stuff dress last week from a local charity shop, though when I'm going to wear it I'm not sure.

MissAdventure Thu 01-Jul-21 16:50:21

I love second hand clothes, and always have.
My idea of a good day is if someone as fat as me, with the same taste as me, has donated lots of stuff that I can buy.

AGAA4 Thu 01-Jul-21 16:44:26

My 16 year old GD and her friends buy their clothes from charity shops. She recently bought a very smart silk top very cheaply but looks expensive.
I think this is a good idea as it is recycling and not buying cheap new clothes that end up in the bin after a few washes.

grandMattie Thu 01-Jul-21 16:20:45

I do and would if I found nice things.
What I wouldn't do, is wear second hand shoes!

TerriBull Thu 01-Jul-21 16:18:15

When I was a child, junior school age, every so often these wonderful clothes would turn up courtesy of a woman my grandmother knew from arranging the flowers together in their local church. Of course, like many I didn't have many clothes then, occasional new ones from M&S. I was delighted to receive these clothes, I believe they were quite expensive, I was sometimes asked by friends where I got them from. I just said "my grandmother". I only wished the girl whose clothes they were would grow quicker so I could have them more often. Eventually these offerings dwindled until I didn't get them anymore sad but I think I was a teenager by then and had a Saturday job and more money to spend on fripperies,.

beth20 Thu 01-Jul-21 15:34:27

Certainly do - mostly from charity shops though, as others have said, am selective and need to wash things before wearing them. My mum and dad used to run the church jumble sales (what happened to them?) when I was small so got the reusing bug at a young age. Love a bargain!

Kestrel Thu 01-Jul-21 15:26:53

Yes - especially as charity shops and bootsales etc are the only place to find BhS clothes these days. Lots of good brands - all items in my fave charity shop £1.99 each (or 99p when they have a sale grin)

Deedaa Thu 01-Jul-21 15:18:38

We've got a charity shop near us that has some lovely clothes, Per Una, White Stuff, Fat Face and Monsoon. I recently found a great Guess handbag for £25 - absolute steal. I also get a lot on ebay. Recently bought a lovely tropical print Joe Brown's maxi dress and a new Joe Brown's floaty top with all its tags.

Liz46 Thu 01-Jul-21 15:09:29

I used to volunteer in a charity shop and did buy a few items then. The rule was that the items had to have been out in the shop for 24 hours before a volunteer could buy them but then we got a 20% discount.

Chewbacca Thu 01-Jul-21 15:04:12

Absolutely I do. I'm lucky enough to live very close to the area where a lot of footballers and z list slebs live and you wouldn't believe what they cast out to charity shops! The majority of my office work wear came from those shops and I rarely paid more than £7 or £8 for anything. Pity so many of the donations were from thinner women than me though.

M0nica Thu 01-Jul-21 14:44:29

Gosh, yes, I have been doing it all my life. My mother dressed me in handmedowns from friends and family. In my teens she bought me clothes from the Thrift Shop on every army base. She also sold through them as well.

I bought a lovely hand made blouse in a charity shop yesterday. I was wearing a jacket I had bought previously in another charity shop.

My best summer, formal occasions like weddings, dress is a beautiful vintage 1960s Jaeger dress I bought in Oxfam. My Jacques Vert winter coat was bought on ebay.

Blossoming Thu 01-Jul-21 14:39:10

No, I never find anything I like.

Esspee Thu 01-Jul-21 14:35:22

I buy from charity shops. I am very selective and love pure silk and cashmere items. I have some lovely leather bags and have even bought new shoes. A lot of the things I buy are brand new but everything is washed regardless.

muse Thu 01-Jul-21 13:59:02

should read
Brilliant fun reading what GN husbands wear. ?

muse Thu 01-Jul-21 13:56:49

Lots. I buy off eBay and a Facebook page.
Being 6’1” off the peg clothes are no use except for the odd sleeveless T shirt and L leggings from M+S.

I sell a lot too. Tall / long ranges are sought after, in particular Long Tall Sally.

MrM ‘s eclectic wardrobe is 99% second/third hand clothing. I started a thread about his wardrobe months ago. Brilliant fun reading what DH husbands wear. ?

MiniMoon Thu 01-Jul-21 13:41:23

Absolutely, I buy from eBay but try to find clothes which are new with labels. My DD's wardrobe consists almost exclusively of items bought from eBay.

Ro60 Thu 01-Jul-21 13:33:52

A great way to ensure I'm not a clone on the high street - especially with so many brands disappearing.
Some of the slightly older clothes seem better made than they are now - compared to say, 5 years ago.

I like the fact that I'm recycling.

I too have a friend who buys all her clothes (bar underwear) in charity shops and always looks well turned out.

Philippa111 Thu 01-Jul-21 13:24:51

Yes, I love things from Ebay and charity shops. Many of them are new or hardly worn. Many good aspects to it... eliminating climate change, supporting either a charity or an individual ( as opposed to a huge company). Stopping slave labour half way across the world and all the resources that are involved with making the new items. Also they don't use fuel to be flown across the globe. I wear designer labels for next to nothing! (Underwear and bottom halves are from M&S) Whats not to like? Just give them a really good wash and hang out in the fresh air and sun!

Jaxjacky Thu 01-Jul-21 13:10:00

I have done in the past, clothes and shoes. I also bough my RO wedding dress in Oxfam, a Monsoon one for £20. And rented a hat a few years ago when I went to Henley Regatta…get me!

Witzend Thu 01-Jul-21 13:05:55

I don’t personally, since I never see anything I really like around here (one recent exception was a pair of shoes that looked brand new from a big Oxfam shop near dd), but dd buys nearly all hers from local charity shops - they must be better than ours! New looking dresses, sometimes even with the labels still attached, for £10-12, when they’d have cost a lot more new.
She even found her Reg Office wedding dress in a charity shop, having trawled ‘new’ shops in vain for anything to fit her hour-glass figure that was even bigger on top, since she was feeding a young baby. The dress was truly beautiful.

Sunnyoutlook Thu 01-Jul-21 13:00:29

Absolutely yes. Charity shops, eBay and Vinted.