Tag: thrift

Sneaker Thrifting is the New Frontier

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Sneakers, trainers, kicks, runners or whatever you call them are probably not the first thing that come to your mind when you’re going on a thrifting adventure. But very much like thrifting for clothes, venturing into the world of thrifting for sneakers can be really interesting. Finding lost silhouettes of years gone by and maybe even finding a few pairs that are worth a few quid too.

Before you all rush out the door because of the new sneaker frontier I will tell you about later, I just want to give you a few tips of what to look out for the next time you go thrifting.

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Busting Open Your Comfort Zone

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Hi lovely charity shop fans! I’m Carrie, a Nottingham based vintage fiend and charity shop addict who boasts an entirely thrifted wardrobe (and a prodigious collection of thrifted books too). I blog at duckduckgoosevintagestyling.blogpsot.com.

One of the things I love most about charity shopping is the fact that it really encourages an open mind approach to fashion. Whilst some might be daunted by such a range of styles, eras, colours, shapes and fabrics, I find it hugely exciting. High street shops seem so finite by comparison! Charity shopping, on the other hand, provides the ideal blank canvas to reconfigure your ideas of what constitutes ‘your personal style’, be that by trying out a colour you’d normally shy away from, a style that seems a bit eccentric but might just be worth a try, or teaming two ostensibly mismatched pieces together. Hey, why not just throw the whole rulebook out of the window – the world (well more specifically the charity shops, but let’s not quibble) is your oyster. To prove it, here’s a handy guide to shopping in sections which you might otherwise overlook.

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Overcoming My Urge to Splurge: The Thrill of the Thrift

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My first thought when considering what to blog about for Barnardo’s, was that I could discuss a recent haul, or one of my brilliant and timeless finds. However, it soon became clear to me that what I should really be sharing is how, through the discovery of charity shops combined with an ever-declining bank balance, I overcame my urge to splurge.Read More »

Why I Love Vintage Shopping

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The popularity of vintage clothing is on the rise and I couldn’t be happier. It is so accessible now as it’s being sold on the high street and all over the internet. For some people, it can seem strange wearing clothing which is old or previously worn –  I didn’t like pre-loved clothes when I was younger but how times change! I’m now 21 and about 90% of my wardrobe is vintage.

Keep scrolling to see what I love shopping pre-loved!

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My Up-cycling Challenge

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I was asked by Barnardo’s to join in with Recycle Week by up-cycling an item of clothing surprisingly sent to me, I automatically thought, WHAT A FUN CHALLENGE!

As an avid repairs and up-cycling seamstress with my brand, Soul and Flare, I was excited to receive my parcel. I opened up the box and to my delight there was an indigo wash, women’s denim shirt by Uniqlo. HURRAH!

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College chic – Looking fashionable on a budget

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Hi there! My name is Imali and I’m a student blogger from the Midlands. If you are a student, or even if you’re not, I’m sure you can relate to the fact that clothes are expensive. It’s easy to spend £100 on accessories alone, and that’s before the clothes and makeup! As a full-time student, I just don’t have that kind of money but doesn’t mean I have to compromise on my style.

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Homing Your Houseplants, the Thrifty Way

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Houseplants are an absolute staple in home décor and this style statement shows no signs of disappearing any time soon. I, for one, am over the moon about this, as houseplants are taking over my home!

However, I wonder if any of you fellow houseplant lovers are familiar with the following scenario as much as I am? You arrive home with another dreamy green friend, only to realise that you’ve run out of pots to home your new shrub and soon discover that a new pot is more expensive than the plant itself!

Well, you can now cast those woes aside. I’m here with a few tips on how you can home your plants the thrifty way, whilst still staying chic and making a décor statement!

Thrift those pots

Check out the homeware section of your local Barnardo’s for some affordable plant pot possibilities. You may find a gem that is perfect just the way it is or you might discover something that offers a DIY opportunity. Either way, you will be sure to find something that does the job you need and doesn’t break that bank.

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When the coat you didn’t know you wanted, finds you – that’s the beauty of thrifting

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It was that awful point in January when it feels like payday will never come around again. All you want to do is go for a huge January sales splurge, but your bank account says a very firm no!

This is the perfect time to hit the charity shops. Not only can you scratch your wardrobe update-itch, but you can keep your bank account healthy, do brilliant things for the planet (save clothes going to landfill, reduce demand on the super-polluting garment-making industry and more!), and the people on it while you shop. How can all that not tempt you out of the house for a good poke around and maybe your next ‘This? It’s designer, but I picked it up for a fiver’ buy?

I set off with only £20 in my purse, so there was a whiff of a challenge in the air. Could I come back with a whole outfit within budget? Well, it was either that or spend the next couple of weeks eating those mystery label-less meals that get stuck at the bottom of the freezer.

I headed to my local Barnardo’s in Whitley Bay, a brilliant treasure trove with a great homeware section too, but that was for another day. Today was all about me!

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Reducing Waste By Shopping Pre-Loved

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Recycling week might be coming to an end but that doesn’t mean recycling has to. Keep reading to see what little but important changes you can make.

Worldwide, only 9% of plastic is recycled.

79% of the 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste plagues our environment in landfills or as litter.

Approximately 19 billion pounds of garbage pollute our oceans, contributing to the creation of “garbage patches” and threatening wildlife.

By shopping pre-loved, we can rely less on plastic or single-use items and reduce our carbon footprint. Below are some ways in which this can be accomplished.

Minimizing Packaging Demand

Purchasing pre-loved extends the life of any given item and creates less demand for the wasteful materials used to produce new packaging. New items are often shielded behind plastic wraps or laden with stickers and tags. The United States Environmental Protection Agency advises that reducing waste at the source “saves on natural resources, conserves energy, reduces pollution and toxicity of our waste, and saves money for consumers and business alike.”

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The Art Of Charity Shopping

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Not so long ago I read a post on my friend India’s blog about charity shopping, and essentially how to be the best at ‘thrifting’. After giving it a good read, I realised that over the years I’ve picked up some absolutely amazing pre-loved bargains so I thought I’d share a few as well as giving a few tips on how to find the best stuff!

The reason I started to thrift/charity shop was mainly that I had very little money at the time! I was so surprised to see the kind of clothes people would give to charity.  On pretty much every trip I’d find goodies such as Ralph Lauren shirts, Levis jeans, and the occasional band t shirt. As I started to earn more money I’d shop more on the high street but I found that the quality was lacking and my thrifted items would last longer in my wardrobe than my high street pick-ups.

As well as charity shops, I’ve found car boot sales, pop up vintage stalls and eBay to be just as nifty! Over the years I’ve managed to pick up a Levis denim jacket for £5, a faux suede bomber jacket for £1.75, countless Ben Sherman shirts and a fair few Fred Perry polos!

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