No more gloom.
I hope to include lots of pictures tomorrow, today I'll talk charity shops.
My mother has only ever shopped for clothes in charity shops, I can't remember a time in my life where I've steered clear of them. I'm definitely a charity shop addict.
When I visit a new town or city, finding the charity shops is usually a priority. Clothes are my first port of call, but I am not averse to the odd bit of pyrex, 50's shot glasses, ramekins, milk jugs and general kitchenalia (is that really a new word? I don't like it). Books, I'm afraid to admit, I rarely buy from them, maybe 10 a year.
Charity shops, at their best, are like little museums, or time warps. Though you'll always find a Sharon Osborne autobiography, rails of 'Atmosphere' (Primark) blouses, 10000000 piece jigsaws, with the troubling addition of a piece of masking tape with 'CHECKED - ALL PIECES INCLUDED' written in biro on it (who is counting?) and worst of all, for me, those teddy ornaments, teddies peeping out of a basket or holding a heart, you will also always find, if you're patient and look hard enough, something fascinating or worth buying.
Charity shops used to seem to be run solely by volunteers, usually middle-class elderly ladies. The stock was reasonably priced, no separation between 'vintage' and modern stock, the stuff would stink, and the bag would always be an inside-out 'Fine Fare' carrier. Now, they have a well-paid manager, who will be closely monitored by an even better paid Area Manager, the clothes are steam-cleaned, there will be lots of 'new' stock in the shop like keyrings, trinkets, notebooks and gifts and there'll be a posse of volunteers. Unemployed people wanting to keep their CV full, people with special needs, people on Community Service, people with mental health issues - all falling over each other (is this the case just in South Wales?). I'm not suggesting these volunteers shouldn't be there, it's just a shame there are so many in one place, and so few volunteering for more desperate charities.
Strict pricing guidelines have to be adhered to, but what makes a BHS coat so special that it's priced at £15.99 compared to a Jaeger one at £5.99 I do not know.
Don't know about you, but I wish they would stop fussing so much with the stock. T-Shirts and vest tops are ten a penny from the high street and Supermarket, being greedy with the pricing is a waste of time.
I can't remember the last time I went into a charity shop in town without someone trying to flog me a raffle ticket, sign me up for their 'lottery' or being disgusted by some of the prices.
Am I alone? Are the days where you unearth something of a hidden gem long gone? I hope not.
I hope to include lots of pictures tomorrow, today I'll talk charity shops.
My mother has only ever shopped for clothes in charity shops, I can't remember a time in my life where I've steered clear of them. I'm definitely a charity shop addict.
When I visit a new town or city, finding the charity shops is usually a priority. Clothes are my first port of call, but I am not averse to the odd bit of pyrex, 50's shot glasses, ramekins, milk jugs and general kitchenalia (is that really a new word? I don't like it). Books, I'm afraid to admit, I rarely buy from them, maybe 10 a year.
Charity shops, at their best, are like little museums, or time warps. Though you'll always find a Sharon Osborne autobiography, rails of 'Atmosphere' (Primark) blouses, 10000000 piece jigsaws, with the troubling addition of a piece of masking tape with 'CHECKED - ALL PIECES INCLUDED' written in biro on it (who is counting?) and worst of all, for me, those teddy ornaments, teddies peeping out of a basket or holding a heart, you will also always find, if you're patient and look hard enough, something fascinating or worth buying.
Charity shops used to seem to be run solely by volunteers, usually middle-class elderly ladies. The stock was reasonably priced, no separation between 'vintage' and modern stock, the stuff would stink, and the bag would always be an inside-out 'Fine Fare' carrier. Now, they have a well-paid manager, who will be closely monitored by an even better paid Area Manager, the clothes are steam-cleaned, there will be lots of 'new' stock in the shop like keyrings, trinkets, notebooks and gifts and there'll be a posse of volunteers. Unemployed people wanting to keep their CV full, people with special needs, people on Community Service, people with mental health issues - all falling over each other (is this the case just in South Wales?). I'm not suggesting these volunteers shouldn't be there, it's just a shame there are so many in one place, and so few volunteering for more desperate charities.
Strict pricing guidelines have to be adhered to, but what makes a BHS coat so special that it's priced at £15.99 compared to a Jaeger one at £5.99 I do not know.
Don't know about you, but I wish they would stop fussing so much with the stock. T-Shirts and vest tops are ten a penny from the high street and Supermarket, being greedy with the pricing is a waste of time.
I can't remember the last time I went into a charity shop in town without someone trying to flog me a raffle ticket, sign me up for their 'lottery' or being disgusted by some of the prices.
Am I alone? Are the days where you unearth something of a hidden gem long gone? I hope not.
