Frock-a-hoop with sweet charity finds
HUNT FOR SUMMER DRESSES REVEALS A £200 BEAUTY BEING SOLD FOR £25
SUMMER is officially in full swing and many of us are looking for the perfect summer dress for the season.
Whether you’re heading abroad, or to the comfort of your own back garden, nothing can beat a nice frock to keep you cool, comfy, and on-trend.
But with the cost of living on the rise and many wanting to leave fast fashion behind, shoppers are looking for cheaper and more ethical ways to refresh their wardrobes. Charity shops are a great place to pick up a bargain, with many rarely pricing items above the £25 mark.
And when you do part with your cash, you can be sure it’s all going to a worthy cause, so everyone’s a winner here. Reporter Daniela Loffreda took a trip around some of Derby’s charity shops to see what summer dresses you can get your hands on right now.
BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
The Derbion was the first stop in my hunt for a summer dress, and thankfully the British Heart Foundation has really gone above and beyond to show off their new on-season arrivals. The price point for dresses here is anywhere between £5.99 and £19.99, and sizes range from a six up to a 24.
Some of the brands on offer include M&S, Wallis and Warehouse, and many items come with their original tags still on. Some of the bargains I found here included a size 16 M&S dress, with a RRP tag of £60, being sold for £19.99. I also found a vibrant Wallis maxi dress in a size 12, which the British Heart Foundation has priced at £5.99.
Angela Crossley, store manager, explained their summer range had been positioned at the front of the store so the dresses are the first thing people see on arrival.
She said: “People are great with donating, and there’s something for everyone here.
“Everyone likes a hunt for a bargain, and the thrill of finding one… shopping at charity shops means you’re saving the planet and you’re saving lives by donating to a good cause.”
SENSE
Next up on my hunt was Sense, a charity that supports people with complex disabilities. They’re currently stocking a number of high street brands, including Pretty Little Thing, Mango, and Billie & Blossom.
While I found fewer summer dresses on offer here, there was still a good range of colours, styles and sizes to choose from. A particular favourite find was a Billie & Blossom dress, still with its tag on.
The size 10 frock has an RRP of £35, but is on sale in Sense for £12.
MENCAP
I then popped just next door into
Mencap, a store that supports people with learning disabilities. The shop had a number of racks dedicated to summer dresses, with a fairly wide variety of sizes on offer – ranging from a six up to a 28.
Just some of the brands I found included Next, M&S, and New Look. Dianne, store manager, said: “We have lots of bright colours in at the moment, and we look to organise things by colour blocking.
“We’ve had an influx of people donating summer things, and dresses and shorts are currently our best sellers.”
Speaking about why people should shop at charity shops, she added: “It’s cheaper than most other places.”
CANCER RESEARCH
My fourth and final stop was Cancer Research, in Albert Street. Here I spotted a number of big names in the retail industry nestled in the
store’s rails, including Zara, Karren Millen, Bershka, and H&M.
Stephanie Green, store manager, said: “Often people are a season behind when donating items of clothing, so we’re currently searching for dresses. But some sit on the shelves for a while, there’s a Hobbs dress with a £200 price tag that we’re selling for £25.”
Sizes range from a six up to a 22. While here, I stumbled on a stunning Bershka bodycon dress in a vibrant cherry red for £4.50 and couldn’t resist snapping up the bargain.
I also pulled out a gorgeous Be Beau dress in size 8 for £4 - their dresses usually sell for around £22 in Matalan.
THE VERDICT
In general, I’m highly impressed by what Derby’s charity shops had to offer. They’re a great place to pick up a bargain, support a good cause and save the environment.
But on a personal level, they’re also one of the best places to find something unique.
Jumping on fast fashion trends can often leave you buying the same items as everyone else, so it’s nice to know you’re getting your hands on something a little bit different.
And once you’ve got your wear out of it, you can always re-donate it again, on to another loving home.