SECOND-HAND THOUGHTS
I went to the UK’s richest charity shops – I found a £1k designer jacket for £20 & my hanger trick spots ‘premium’ buys
One charity shop shared a secret to make sure you find the designer clobber
WE'VE all had fruitless trips to charity shops over the years, but social media makes finding designer bargains seem super easy.
So I headed out to the some of the richest charity shops in the UK, to see how simple it really is.
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Walking towards Primrose Hill in Camden, it's easy to see why celebs like Daniel Craig, Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora settle down there.
It's close enough to central London that you don't miss out on the fun - it's also far away enough that you won't be woken up at 3am to hear the punters come out of the pubs.
That being said, the average home goes for just shy of £1 million and it's not uncommon for the wealthy in the area to donate to local charity shops - so you can imagine the kind of price tag on items heading to the stores.
So we at Fabulous decided to head down to some of the charity shops around the area to see what designer buys we could pick up for £25 - and I was stunned by what was on offer.
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Mary's Living and Giving
The first stop was Mary's Living and Giving, on Regent's Park Road.
With proceeds going to the Save The Children charity, it was filled to the brim with designer goods.
On first inspection, there were lots of pricey Chloe pieces up for grabs and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the unmissable tag in a yellow suede blouse.
I wondered, would I really be getting a Chloe shirt within my £25 budget?
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The answer, I'm afraid to say, is no. At £275, I swiftly put the blouse back onto the rail in hopes to find something in my price bracket.
But the shelves were stacked with Chloe pieces - including a bronze jumpsuit for £360, a leather midi dress for £600 and a stunning yellow coat for £650.
Although the prices may not reflect your typical charity shop - it's worth remembering that these pieces are really high-end and being located in Primrose Hill means the shop probably has a lot of rent to pay.
I found my dream wedding dress in a charity shop for £4.60
Despite almost giving up, I persevered and was thrilled to see a blazer in the men's section under my budget at £20.
After inspecting the label and spotting it was Canali, I quickly went on to Google to find out they retail for over £1,000 each.
Leaving the shop on a high, I headed to my next location which was just a short walk away.
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Shelter Boutique
Further up the hill on the same road was Shelter Boutique, who specialise in housing issues across the country, and offer a more high-end experience compared to their typical charity shops.
While the range of clothes weren't as upmarket as Mary's, there were definitely a lot of bargains to find and it seemed to be at a much cheaper price.
The shoe collection also impressed me as there were some on-trend pieces such as the Zara ballet bumps and Mango strappy pumps for £14.99 (that looked brand new) instead of the original £49.99.
Making my way to the clothes section - I rummaged through the rail until I caught a brand that caught my eye.
Tucked away in the trousers rail was a pair of Max Mara red slim-fit trousers.
Although the designer brand is often on the pricier side with trousers selling from £400 - these were an absolute steal at £26.99.
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Traid
My final stop of the day was Traid - a charity focused on helping those within the fashion industry to have safer work conditions and better pay.
I was let into a little secret when you go into Traid stores - to keep an eye out on items on a wooden hanger rather than a plastic one, as they display the more premium brands.
So off I went to dive head first into the sea of clothes - and I was shocked to find so many designer bits.
Although Traid is located on Camden High Street - there was plenty of designer gear in store and for a pretty reasonable price.
I came across Calvin Klein, Georgio Armani and Ralph Lauren shirts and blouses all for under £30.
And slapped on the wall for no one to miss was an adorable red and navy Dolce & Gabanna sweatshirt for £45.
Last but not least - I headed to the locked cabinet where I found Moschino bags and a vintage mulberry one for just £100.
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The Verdict
It's safe to say you can find some designer stuff at a bargain in the charity shops - especially if you go where the rich and famous live.
While not uncommon to find designer pieces at a good price, you have to be willing to spend more than a regular charity shop and I think it helps to go there if you have your eye on a particular style in the first place.
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Going in expecting to get Chloe for £20 will just leave you feeling disappointed, as these places know the worth of the clothes and price them accordingly.
While we've all seen people hit the jackpot on social media - I'm afraid to say it's a stroke of luck and not something you'll get every time you go in.
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