Cashmere!

It takes a bit of practice but you can learn to identify cashmere by feel so that you can quickly go through shop rails and find those cashmere sweaters.

Don’t worry too much about bobbles – pure cashmere (or any fabric that’s not a mixed fibre) should brush up quite well using a bobble comb. As long as you’re not going to resell the item, it’s easy to fix snags and holes using a couple of stitches, they soon blend in.

Shirin Guild shirt and Max & Moi cardigan

Yesterday I bought:

Shirin Guild shirt
Max & Moi cardigan
AllSaints shirt
AllSaints top
RVCA bomber jacket
Pure Collection cashmere jumper
COS jumper
Mint Velvet top

Buy it Now or Auction?

I’m a huge advocate of auctions. In most cases you will achieve a higher price by auctioning an item than you will by setting a fixed price. I’m no psychologist but I think buyers get caught up in the competitive, almost gambling nature of an auction and will often nudge their budget just a bit higher in order to ‘win’.

I also like setting auctions to start from 99p. This encourages lots of lower end bids. When a buyer sees that an item has attracted several bids already, it makes the item seem more attractive. Of course if you can’t afford to let an item go for less than a certain amount, then don’t risk it!

Baum und Pferdgarten dress and American Vintage t-shirt

Today I just popped into one local charity shop and picked up the following:

American Vintage t-shirt
COS dress
Patagonia shirt
M&S cashmere jumper
Baum und Pferdgarten dress

Things are picking up again…

No big hitters today but things are picking up again!

Essentiel Antwerp jumper, vintage Karrimor jacket, Mint Velvet trench

Today I bought:

Essentiel Antwerp jumper
vintage Karrimor jacket
Mint Velvet trench
Annette Gortz jacket and top
OSKA silk top
Peruvian Connection cardigan
Save the Queen dress

I will keep you posted with how well the Karrimor jacket does – I’m never sure but hopefully I can tap into the the youth Y2K market.

Not every day will be a great day

Well I’ve certainly had a bit of a dry couple of days in the shops. Lots of nice items from my lovely private clients but not much I’ve found myself. If this happens to you, don’t get disheartened – you’ll suddenly have an amazing day and you’ll be back in love with thrifting.

On quiet days it’s a good idea to go through your own wardrobe to see what you can sell. I never wear my Veja trainers because they hurt my feet! They seem more popular than ever so I’ll try to sell them for a decent price (UK 7 if anyone’s interested!).

The advantage of buying secondhand designer clothes is that you can nearly always find something in your own wardrobe to sell.

Today I did find a gorgeous Zadig & Voltaire foil top, an Icebreaker hiking top, and a Mint Velvet Lips print jumper. Not bad but I’ve become spoilt!

Don’t forget the sale rail!

Today I bought this Iris & Ink ‘Alexa’ jumpsuit for just £1.00!! Although sale rails can be a bit daunting, and there isn’t always much to be had, it’s always worth a look. Even if you find some Zara jeans or a Gap sweater, that’s not bad for £1.00 (or at least half price). I once found a Victoria Beckham dress on a sale rail.

I only managed to pop into one secondhand shop today but as well as the jumpsuit I found:

The White Company long cardigan
Joyce Ridings skirt
& Other Stories dress
Scotch & Soda shirt
Joules scarf

Stay seasonal

Although it’s tempting to buy unseasonal items, do so with caution. Some brands will always sell but in winter you’ll find it hard to shift vests, tees and shorts no made what the label is. If you have the space and the cash flow, keep items until the weather makes them more appealing.

Today I found a good range of items:

Hartford coat and Hansel from Basel jumper

Luisa Spagnoli jumper
Icebreaker jumper
Hansel from Basel jumper
Hartford coat
Peruvian Connection cardigans x 2
Carven skirt
Elisa Cavaletti dress
Hanne Bloch tunic
La Bottega di Brunella top

Another first time find

Really pleased to find this &Daughter jumper on an otherwise not very successful day.

In addition I found a Nicole Farhi belt, a Gudrun Sjoden shirt and some ISCHIKO knitted trousers.

Note that it’s always worth making time to have a rummage among the belts and scarves in charity shops because you can find some real treasures there, usually for just a couple of pounds.

Found something fantastic? Let me know!

High street finds

Some lovely high end high street finds today, nearly all from a single shop. Some of these things can fetch just as much as a designer garment so they’re worth buying. If you don’t want to sell them they can be great additions to your own wardrobe.

Anna Sui Anthropologie top, Mint Velvet sweater, Whistles blouse

Today I found:

Whistles floral blouse
Anna Sui Anthropologie blouse
Mint Velvet sweater
& Other Stories dress
Whistles wool jacket
Mango suede jacket
Oliver Bonas top
Cafe du Cycliste t-shirts x 2
Orlebar Brown t-shirt
Desigual Christian Lacroix cardigan
Hush star jumper

Nothing really designer but but still really nice things and nearly all under £5 each.

A great mix of high value items

I thoroughly enjoyed shopping today and came away with a really nice selection of high end items.

Baum und Pferdgarten trousers, Harmont & Blaine trainers, Rochas top

Today I found:

Harmont & Blaine trainers
Baum und Pferdgarten trousers
Band of Outsiders trousers
Icebreaker jacket
Finisterre jumper
ISCHIKO dress
Akris cardigan
Rochas top
AllSaints jumper (new)
Onjenu top

Really exciting to find the Rochas top as it’s a brand that I’ve never found in a charity shop before, however I expect the Icebreaker jacket will sell for more than any of the others – it’s hugely popular and it’s a great time of year to sell it. I’ll let you know if I’m right!

I did spot a Belstaff reefer jacket today and at £20 it looked like a bargain, but for me the lining was a bit tatty so I gave it a miss this time.

‘Of the brand…..’

Not much bought today but I did find a super cute Cath Kidston London bus cardigan.

It’s easy to snap up items just because of the label, but often things don’t sell for much unless they’re very ‘Of the brand’ – like this Cath Kidston cardigan. A Cath Kidston garment without a cutesy floral print or retro pattern won’t interest many buyers.

Likewise, when people search for Moschino they usually want something brash and bold. A plain pencil skirt won’t sell for much despite its high original price tag.

On the other hand, a buyer looking for Margaret Howell or Jil Sander will be after understated elegance, or something more utilitarian. This theory applies to lots of high end brands. Bear this in mind before purchasing and you’ll minimise losses.