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Day trippin' in the fashion world
Get a feel for the world of second-hand shopping.
Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour and Marie-Claire (to name just a few) all tell us where to go for our fashion fixes - where to dress and where to accessorise! However, these fashion gurus always tell us to check out ‘Top Shop’, ‘New Look’, ‘River Island’ or ‘Pennys’. What they don’t tell us is that we can buy clothes just as good as the ‘must-have’ clothes in the above retailers in charity shops across Ireland. Not only are they much, much cheaper but when you buy clothes in a charity shop you are putting your money towards a worthy cause!
Recently, I discovered the world of charity shopping in Galway. I was always aware of the shops but never actually stepped inside to have a nose. The amount of fantastic clothes on the rails blew me away! They have everything you could want from hats to shoes. I even found a salt and pepper set which was a little bizarre! They also have a fantastic variety: kids’ clothes, menswear, ladieswear, not to mention books, cards, magazines, ornaments and kitchenware. It’s like a treasure hunt to search through; you never know what you’ll find!
It’s the perfect place for creating your own individual style too! Every single charity shop across the country has clothes from different brands, different eras, they all come in different shapes, sizes and colours, whereas the high street shops only stock what’s in today. Go to a charity shop and you can create a mixture of the 60’s and the noughties- not a bother! You could call it the soughties!
Many people, I’m sure, have a preconceived view about charity shops, that the clothes are horrible and that they are of bad quality. This is not true. All the clothes are in perfect condition. Some, in fact, have never been worn. Many of the clothes bought in charity shops last much longer than the clothes that can be bought on the high-street. I know of plenty of people who have lots of designer gear and guess what...they get it in the charity shops! Don’t turn a blind eye to these little gems. All you have to do is to be patient while rooting through the rails!
Not only are charity shops a great place for clothes they’re also home to possibly the best customer service in Ireland. The charity shop workers are all so friendly and helpful; each shop is like a little community. I interviewed various workers in the charity shops across Galway City and they all said that one of the best things about working in their charity shop was that they have daily regular customers who feel that they can confide in the workers about problems they may have. Workers have said that this is very rewarding as they feel they have a special bond with their customers that you can’t find in many of the high-street retailers. When I asked Mary in Saint Vincent de Paul she informed me that “It is very rewarding to know that you are helping people who don’t have a lot of money. In our charity shop we meet people who have financial problems and they feel they can talk to us, the staff about their problems”.
Last, but not least, shopping in charity shops saves MONEY! Let’s face it; in these days of doom and gloom, money is top of the agenda for many people. You also don’t leave with the horrible feeling that you just wasted way too much money. The cost is slight but the money means so much to these charities.
I interviewed Fiona, working in the G.S.P.C.A. Charity Shop in Galway, and she told me: “There is a huge amount of reported cases of cruelty and neglect to animals. It’s great to help any way we can. There is an animal shelter in Killimer, near Portumnagh which looks after about sixty dogs and fifty cats. The money we get from this shop pays for the veterinary bills and food bills which can be incredibly expensive”.
You can also help these charities by offering a few hours of your time. Volunteering is a great way to help out. It could change your perspective of the world just by offering a couple of hours here and there to help out in the shops. I’m involved in charity myself and I find it is a brilliant way to just relax and realise some of the more important things in life! Some volunteers are in charge of putting together outfits for the display windows - a fun way to indulge your love of fashion for a great cause!
From interviewing people and getting in there and searching through the rails, I have learned a lot about the world. Expensive clothes and what’s ‘in’ are not a necessity in life. Clothes themselves are, but they don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Skirts, trousers, and tops can all be bought in charity shops for roughly €5 each. Bargain! Try thinking about the more important things in life and spend money on having fun with friends and family rather than spending it on how you look!
Two of the photos below show an outfit created from a simple black dress bought in Saint Vincent de Paul in Galway for only €5, and a Silk patterned skirt, also only €5 bought in The Simon Shop which I cut up to funk up the black dress! It’s so simple to create your own outfits and lots of fun too!!
By: Siobhan McGuire
SpunOut.ie Work Placement Writer in residence
