10th October, 2021
I turned 63 this year and for as long as I can remember I have bought second hand items. My first memories of buying second hand clothes are back when I must have been 14 or 15 years old. The two things I can remember were a pair of baggy sailors trousers in an army surplus store in Barnsley where I lived and a pair of leather brogue shoes on the second hand market, also in Barnsley. I really loved those trousers. They had the seven creases up the leg, fastened with a flap, and buttons rather than a zip, which I thought was really cool. They also fit me which was a bonus, as I was over weight even back then.
The downside was that they were made of serge material and itched but I didn't care about that as they made me feel so good. I can't remember when I started to shop in charity shops, but it was many years ago. I have never really had much money, so it was a cheap way to find things and, of course, the money spent goes to the charity. Some charities gain more money from this than others, but that is a story for another day. As the years have gone by I have still shopped in these shops even when finances became a little easier, because I love shopping that way. You never know just what you might find, and there is a genuine feeling of pleasure when you find something unique and different for a good price. As I have lost weight, shopping in charity shops has really come into it's own. I could buy smaller clothes without paying a lot of money, which is what I wanted to do as I went through so many clothes sizes as I lost weight. Then, as things got too big for me, I could donate the clothes back so that the charity could gain again as they were resold.
The quality of second hand clothes can be so much better than cheap clothes in the shops and I can often find a one off piece that no one else will have, and, as you may have guessed from reading my blog, I love things that are different. I am able to experiment a bit more with new styles and colours because I am not spending a lot. If I was out in High Street shops I don't think I would be as adventurous with more expensive clothes. I have also been recycling for many years before it became fashionable.
I love fashion and even at 63 I still like to look at the new season's trends. These trends are out there mainly for the younger generation, but there are ways to adapt them to the styles that I like. That is a whole new subject about fashion, trends and the older woman which I feel passionate about, but I will cover this at a later date. Fashion always seemed to be not for the overweight or the older person, but it shouldn't be that way. There is nothing wrong with looking at trends and colours and adapting them for your own personal tastes. As I said earlier, being able to pay so much less for clothing in charity shops has enabled me to experiment with styles and colours and I find it so much fun. I have bought some really lovely things since the shops reopened after lockdown and it has helped me feel so good about myself. Since my hip operation I have not been able to go out shopping much, but all of that is about to change. :-) I look forward to this with great anticipation. I will be back soon to tell you all about it here in my blog.
Until then,
Love, Jackie
xx
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