‘I dress my girls in great brands for £12 a month’
Mum-of-two Verity Bevan has saved hundreds of pounds buying second-hand clothes for her two girls. She spends just £12 per month to dress her daughters in brands such as Laura Ashley and Boden, and has even turned it into a business.
She says, “When my daughter Matilda [now three] was a baby, I kept her ‘best’ outfits for special occasions, then I’d realise she’d already grown out of them. A few months later, I heard about NCT Nearly New Sales and I couldn’t believe how much baby and toddler stuff was being sold and how cheap it was. We’ve since had our second daughter, Molly, one, and I buy almost all my girls’ clothes second-hand. Not only does it save money, it also helps the environment. As our girls grow, we want them to understand that they have a responsibility to be sustainable.
“I’ve had some amazing buys. I recently picked up a Laura Ashley wool coat for just 50p, and it was in fantastic condition! At one of the last Nearly New Sales before lockdown, I picked up a coral dress from Next for Matilda – it was brand new, with the tags still on, but cost me 50p. I also bought a black evening dress for my mum, which was just £2 at a local charity shop. My sister Florence also has a little girl, Phoebe, one, and we both enjoyed looking for second -hand buys so much that, last year, we decided to turn it into a business. We launched Togs 4 Tykes, selling secondhand children’s clothes online. We receive some items via donation, others we buy from parents, and we’ve recently joined up with our local recycling community who have been amazing. We check every item to ensure they meet our high standards, as it’s very important to us to show that second-hand clothes can still be in great condition. And people have been grateful to still be able to buy second-hand in lockdown.
“As two young mums, it’s been great to throw ourselves into this project while also knowing we’re helping the environment and allowing other parents to clothe their children without spending a fortune.”
Visit Togs4tykes.co.uk