Charity shop fatigue got you down?
This agony aunt says don’t give up on secondhand shopping!
Oh hey! One of my fave things about co-writing the OG print mag was getting to live out my agony aunt fantasy. So when Tansy Hoskins asked me to bring Solidari-tea out of retirement and pen a thrifty edition of her advice column Patched, you bet I said yes! Keep reading for 8 reasons to put secondhand first 💋
Tansy is a fabulous, award-winning journalist and author investigating the global fashion industry. If you do anything today, subscribe to her newsletter to get the next Patched column in your inbox, plus anti-capitalist takes on fashion + politics, book updates, action invites and more!
Dear Patched & Solidari-tea,
I’ve spent most of my life - I’m in my 60s - buying clothes from charity shops. Good on me ! But mostly … to be honest, due to the fact I couldn’t afford new clothes. First time in my life I can afford something new. Unworn - crisp - clean. Im also aware we live in different times now. The consumerist hell hole.
I’ve never been bothered before about buying second hand clothes but find myself drawn to new unworn clothes like a line of some substance that not good for you ! Help please.
Love from Paris
Hey Paris, I’ve been there! Growing up in charity shops, I always craved a bit of newness. But when I finally cheated on Cancer Research with fast fashion, I realised the grass is deffo not greener.
My uni student loan gave me my first taste of disposable income. Online shopping + a sizable overdraft = a dangerously seductive mix. Cue the steady stream of pink Missguided parcels arriving at my door.
I fell for fashion’s fake democracy promise. And I fell hard! I felt so free… until I clocked that my purchases came at the cost of someone else’s freedom. Cheap, trendy clothes just weren’t worth the exploitation. So I did an 180, becoming a 365 secondhand girl again.
Around the same time, charity shopping started to rebrand. “Secondhand” was now “pre-loved”. Kilo sales were popping up everywhere. And eBay later became the official Love Island sponsor. But as the stigma declined, so did the quality. Charity shop fatigue is SO real when
The rails are flooded with cheap polyester. Thanks, fast fashion!!
They’ve basically become museums to microtrends - gone and forgotten.
They’re treated as dumping grounds for stained, holey donations.
They’re turning into outlets as brands offload their overstock for a cheeky lil tax break.
So I get it! I don’t always have the energy for charity shops either. Here are some ways I’m putting the joy back into secondhand shopping and resisting buying new.
Remembering secondhand ≠ second best: There’s so many reasons to choose pre-loved! It’s an affordable way to refresh your style. It’s perfect for finding unique, statement fits. It’s a great entry point to sustainable fashion. It keeps clothes in circulation for longer. And it’s substituting new purchases. When you weigh up the pros with the cons of Big Fashion, H&M just doesn’t hit the same.
Getting in the mood: I’m not a casual browser. I need to be in the right headspace to flick through 10 overflowing rails. So when a charity shop trip is on the cards, I make sure 1) I’m rested 2) I’ve eaten and 3) I’m wearing something I can actually bother to take off in the changing rooms.
Knowing what to look for: Gotta love a wishlist! Whenever I’m on the hunt for something specific, I swear I manifest it into being. My bestie calls it my super power. I call it luck. It helps when you’re after a particular item or colour palette. A quick scan of the shop floors tells me where I need to rummage and what areas I can skip. The more you visually filter = the more chances you have to strike gold.
Opting for curated: Shelter and the British Heart Foundation’s store layout is my definition of dreamy. It gives you that boutique shopping experience, minus the hefty price tag. Traid also has trendy curated rails - except on sale days. Then it’s absolute chaos! Era-specific vintage shops seem to be popping up everywhere. You can find everything from 1920s chic to y2k mini skirts. I’d be lying if I said they were cheap but they’ve put in the work to make their shops super browsable.
Deciding where my money goes: Funding a billionaires’ next superyacht or donating to a charity doing life-saving work? It’s a no brainer. Oxfam is my go-to for buying gifts. They sell so many gorge handmade items and the tag tells you which artisans made it. Sidenote: I’m here for them exposing billionaires’ outsized role in the climate crisis.
Switching to online resale: With apps like Vinted and Depop, you can always find what you’re looking for secondhand. Filters are your best friend - you can narrow your search down to the size, brand or fabric. Still craving something unworn? These apps have hundreds of thousands of brand new with tags (BNWT) listings to choose from. You get the same dopamine hit, plus the satisfaction of hunting it down yourself. It really is the best of both worlds! For investment or designer pieces, Vestiare Collective has you sorted, brand verification and all.
Inviting my besties: Going on a charity shop crawl with my bffs gives me all the nostalgia of teen shopping trips. I’ve met some of my closest friends at the thriftalong events I’ve hosted. The best part is they usually spot something “very me” that I’ve missed. Don’t worry if you have the same style - it’s a great excuse to go halves and share joint custody on that cute jacket.
Saying “thanks, it’s thrifted!”: Copping a tee for 50p at a carboot? Cosmo is calling it “the ultimate flex”. Then getting compliments on it? Yeah, that feeling’s unmatched!
Consumerism really does a number on us all. But shopping secondhand gifts us an exit route. It’s a chance to slow down, shop more intentionally and free up energy for deeper change. So don’t give up on shopping secondhand just yet! With these tips, I hope you can fall in love with it all over again.
You’ve got this!
Solidari-Tea <3
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