"Donate, Don't Dump!"

I saw this slogan in Primrose Hill a few weekends ago, in the window of a charity shop owned by Mary Portas - brilliant!  For those of you who are not familiar with this part of London, it is pretty smart with a bohemian twist: lots of wine bars, gift shops, boutiques and a lovely health-food shop and a fantastic second-hand book shop which really defines the area.

This was not your average charity shop, although having said that, gone are the days when charity shops were associated with old ladies looking for uninspiring blouses and skirts.  When I was growing up, I think I got the impression from my parent's that you don't shop in Charity shops - or at least that admitting that you do is slightly embarrassing.  So in my late teens it almost felt like a rebellion to go into one and find some cool piece of retro clothing (either from the 70s or even 60s, and with the emphasis on the hippy look. Luckily, no-one has kept the photos). Since having children, it now seems completely acceptable to browse in a charity shop; they are brilliant for baby clothes, which are often not very worn and which can save a lot of money. It's a lot better than buying things brand-new at that stage, since the little one will only fit into an outfit for a matter of months.

So it is partly as a result of moving through different stages of my life that I have changed my attitude to charity shops.  But I think there has been a wider change of perceptions, so that now it is generally seen as a good thing to be supporting a charity, and charity shops themselves are seen as places where you can find amazing bargains (from designer-wear to useful accessories, all of which  are generally in good condition and won't break the bank).  Gone is the stigma of wearing something that someone else has owned before you.

To be a connoisseur of charity shops, I think the key is probably location.  I use them from time to time, but my favourite type of bargain shop is actually a bric-a-brac/ antique store in Salisbury.  So I am still learning this skill of finding great things in charity shops.  "Donate, don't dump"... is the bit I have got the hang of; but now with the prospect of moving house looming for us, I will have to frequent those shops more often, looking for bargains to furnish our new home with - my plan is to start with a car-boot sale in the next few weeks, and see how I get on... I will keep you posted about any finds!