charity shops, chinese and meeting the fishes

I need to get organised, I really should have written, reviewed and posted this days ago! I had a really nice day last Friday in Preston which is about 15-20 miles from Blackpool.   The main focus of the day was to take a browse round the charity shops with my friend Sylvia as we'd done a similar trip a couple of years ago to source jewellery to create my vintage wedding bouquet.


here's one we made earlier
Things have changed, I'm not sure if you've noticed with your local charity shops but a number of those found on the high street have really increased their prices.  Now, I'm not saying that its not important to support the shops and help raise much-needed funds but at the end of the day, they are still selling secondhand goods so this should really be reflected in the price.  I do think that they can put off potential customers.  One shop actually had primark and Matalan products for sale at a higher price than they would have been brand-new instore!

I did manage to buy a couple of bargains, with one bought for sentimental reasons . . .


hoping to get my disco diva back!

This top was the exact same top I bought from Dorothy Perkins over three years ago in Liverpool.  My husband and I had gone to see Richard Hawley at the Liverpool Philharmonic and we stayed at the Hope Street Hotel.  It was an exceptionally lovely night and the top will be a great reminder of this.  Unfortunately my original top was lent out and never returned (don't you hate when that happens) so I am currently devising a loan system based on libraries lending books for my clothes so this does not occur again. Maybe I'll wear it again when we go in March to celebrate our second wedding anniversary.

I bought this suede bag for a couple of pounds, I really wanted a great over the shoulder bag, this leather/suede bag was a bargain.



adding a bit a red to my handbag collection

I also bought a fab holdall from Preston market for short overnight stays.which I'm planning to use it for our night in Liverpool.  Our friend Chrissie joined us on the trip and managed to get the best bargains with a leather jacket, never-worn loafers and a really unique LBD from America all for under £30!



In one of the smaller shopping centres that Preston has to offer we spotted a new shop called Appy Feet, with those fish that nibble your hard skin!  My friend Sylvia had always wanted to try this out so for £10 she got fifteen minutes of treatment by the Garra Reef fish.  Her verdict - well worth a visit after she got over how ticklish it was!  She was that impressed she's booked vouchers for a return visit!


Meet the fishes (courtesy of Appy Feet)
We ended our successful shopping venture at China PaPa with an afternoon buffet that was delicious!

Comments

Victoria said…
That bouquet is beautiful and so unique :)

I know exactly what you mean about high street Charity shops, the prices are much higher in the city centre than they are in the suburbs near by, and it's putting me off using them which is not good for charities trying to make money.

Looks like you got a good haul though and had a lovely day :) xxx
Abi Gray said…
I love that red bag, it's right up my street! xx
Great that you managed to replace your top. Forget the loan system, just stop lending out! I go mad when my kids lend stuff to mates and you never see it again and they don't seem to care, but I do, I have usually paid for it!
Sharon S said…
Hi my dear-fabulous finds indeed, love your red bag and sparkly top, what a nice reason to buy it!! Have a good weekend x
noone said…
the red bag is really nice! simple and the color is eye popping
Vix said…
What a great haul and how fantastic to replace the top you had snaffled.
There's one of those fishy feet spas opened in my town, I'm very tempted. x
Pearl Westwood said…
I feel exactly the same about charity shops, I know the money is for charity but it is also going to the shop executives who are on huge salaries! I dont actually shop in them any more because of it, and donate clothes to charities who send them abroad to be give out to those in need. Some shops I have seen have a no Primark policy, how silly, if they put it all at 50p an item they would make a lot of money!!!
I don't lend out anything, it might sound mean but I have learnt my lesson in the past. People just dont seem to treat clothes with the same regard I do, even if they would never intentionally damage something. When I was at uni my frind used to borrow stuff all the time and I would never see costume jewellery again, she also drove in my favourite boots and creased up all the front of the boot - of course she then got upset when I wouldnt lend her anything again, but not as upset I would have been keep loosing things!
Bhushavali said…
You made that wedding bouquet???? AWESOME!!!!
Fashion Panache - Perfect Patialas for Sale
CameronPoe2409 said…
Thank you for your lovely comments, I've not had chance to use my bargains yet and my clothes lending days are coming to a close. Isn't a pity that charity shops are really out-pricing potential customers! PS the bouquet was made by a wonderful friend after I've spotted something similar for around £750!

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