| Charity begins in the high street |
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| Written by Penny Kitchen, 2008 | |
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Clothes, wine glasses, books - Penny Kitchen can't pass a charity shop without going in for a browse and she's in good company.
Trying to be an environmentally conscious follower of fashion isn't quite as easy as buying a locally grown organic cucumber. For a start, the fashion industry is a mite more complex, with several stages of production to take into account. In her book 50 Ways to be a Greener Shopper, Sian Berry says: "For one simple garment, the fibres must be grown and harvested, then spun and woven into cloth, then dyed, cut and sewn into shape before being transported to the shops. With all this to monitor, certifying a piece of clothing as 'green and ethical' becomes very hard to do." In fact, you don't have to buy anything if you want to be really environmentally fashion-conscious. The current slogan 'Reuse, recycle and repair' is just 'make do and mend' revamped - recycled? - for another generation and can be applied to your wardrobe as easily as to your garden or objects round the house. Restyling or repairing clothes seems to be a dying art these days, even among WI members who are renowned for their needlework skills, but second-hand clothes agencies and charity shops are pleased to have any you no longer wear. 'Pre-owned' is the new second-hand is the new chic. I don't know about you, but I love finding a nearly-new bargain - giving a new life to someone's cast-off and helping a good cause at the same time. Oxfam, the champions of fair trade whose shops have been the cornerstone of student wardrobes and digs for years, are currently going deeper into the ethical clothing market. They have opened the first of a new breed of Oxfam store selling 'eco-fashion' in five categories:
These stores are currently only in London, but more are planned throughout the country. Although Oxfam, with their off-shoot bookshops and online shopping, seem to be top of the charity shop pecking order, you have a good chance of finding a designer t-shirt, some ski-wear or a pretty 'worn once' wedding outfit at your local hospice's shop. But be warned, shopping in charity shops can become addictive. Books are my weakness, but clothes and pretty glasses are a close second. Joy Miles, a WI member from Caterham, Surrey, signed her note to me "Second-hand Rose and loving it" and admits she can no longer bring herself to pay full price for clothes. "I can dress how I want with clothes from a charity shop to suit my style - I won't pay regular shop prices. In this photo [colour print] I'm dressed head to foot in charity shop finds, including my boots. My pendants and earrings are made from 'cannibalised' broken jewellery from charity shops." She knows what it's like on the other side of the counter, too, having volunteered in both Oxfam and Marie Curie shops. "I loved it when someone found a dress or item that was 'just right'," she says. The only downside was having the 'penny box' and several staff jackets stolen. "On that occasion the thief left behind his dirty old jacket with some keys in it and when he cheekily returned to ask for them, the manageress refused!" My market town on the Surrey-Hampshire border has six thriving charity shops supported by students from the local art college as well as people like me who go in bearing contributions or to browse, only to come out with a 'treasure'. Elderly shoppers feeling the pinch can find a decent M&S coat for a fraction of the High Street price and I've seen mums buying clothes to turn into costumes for a school play. Although store managers and assistant managers are often paid employees these days, volunteers are always in demand for shops, where people skills and retail experience are valued. As Jean Slater, a former charity shop volunteer for CLIC Sargent in Gloucester and a member of Stroud Shambles WI, says: "Go for it if you feel you could be of help on one of these shops - a job will always be found for you and you will meet some lovely people and make new friends. It's a great way of getting out of the house and making a difference." It's annoying to see clothes in your wardrobe that have hardly been worn and you know won't be worn - you feel you want to get back something of the price you paid for them. But regardless of the economic gloom, taking your cast-offs to sell at car boot sales and the like is soul-destroying, with aggressive dealers, pilferers and people offering you a derisory 5p for something you thought was a giveaway at £2. So why not take them to a charity shop instead, where we can all benefit? Romantic, with a hint of glamourJessica Simmons, East End WI, LondonSparkly numbers are usually the first to catch my eye. Charity shops are potential treasure troves - all they require is patience and a good eye for a bargain. I've been addicted to them since student days - it's a cheap way to accumulate an individual wardrobe, and frees you from the constraints of high street fashions. Second-hand belts, dresses, shoes, handbags and accessories have amounted to quite an eclectic collection over the years. I would describe my look as romantic, with a hint of glamour when the occasion arises. A lot of my greatest finds are sourced from the north where I grew up. Horncastle village in Lincolnshire has a great selection, which are always jam-packed with quality pieces - usually at half the price of southern equivalents. The trick is to balance old and new. If you're daunted by the prospect of buying second-hand, start by accessorising. An outfit can be transformed with a vintage scarf or pendant, which can brighten the most basic of looks and adds individuality. I genuinely find it hard to walk past a charity shop, but now I have scanning down to a fine art. Luckily my friends are similarly minded, but I've yet to encourage my fellow WI members to follow suit. Perhaps a WI clothes swap event could be the next best thing! |
