Favorite Thrifted Books

Today's post combines two of my favourite things; literature and thrifting. Upon entering a charity shop I tend to gravitate towards the book shelf as taking a gap year has given me the rare opportunity to spend time reading for pleasure.

Books in charity shops are usually under £1, which makes finding a much wanted book all the more exciting considering it is such good value. The following were all purchased from a treasure of a charity shop, in which all the books are 20p.

Kazuo Ishiguro - Never Let Me Go

I read this book when I was having a bit of a lull in my interest for reading. It certainly got me back into it. Ishiguro's fluent writing style made this book a rather easy quick read. However, this did not compromise the brilliant commentary on the sometimes worryingly fast paced developments in science. Ishiguro creates a very human and emotional side to the debates around genetic engineering. Side note - read the book before watching the film! The film in no way does it justice.

George Orwell - Nineteen Eighty Four

As I'm going to be studying Philosophy and English lit at university I felt Nineteen Eighty Four was a must read. The dystopian novel explores the dangers of totalitarianism and as such becomes a political warning for future generations. As The Party warps the minds of the population, very interesting questions regarding epistemology and social control arise. Some people I had spoken to who had read the book complained it was hard to get into, on the contrary, I found it to be extremely gripping and largely accessible.

Ian McEwan - Enduring Love

McEwan has always been a beast at opening chapters and Enduring Love is no exception to the rule. The book is centred on an obsessive unrequited love triggered by a sensationalist event. McEwan's methodical and detailed writing style really lends itself to the exploration of love, religion and science within the novel.

Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner

As much as a adore Hosseini's books I would almost recommend not reading them; they're heart-breaking. The Kite Runner follows the turbulent life of Amir and his search for redemption. Not only does this book paint a very relatable picture of the human condition, it achieves the important job of educating people about the travesties that occurred in Afghanistan.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden

For me this book is laced with nostalgia as it was a firm favourite of mine as a child. It was a pleasure to revisit the evocative tale with an adult(ish) mind. Having grown up in the countryside the rich depiction of the moors and garden appealed to me no end. The portrayal of the landscape unified with simple themes of magic and companionship made for an endearing read.

Cheap Berry Vodka

Today's post takes us off on a little tangent, yet is certainly relevant to the world of money saving. Infusing vodka is not only fun to do; it's cheap, can be given as a gift and tastes bloody nice. Ours came in at £3.40 a bottle (including the bottle!) here's how...

Air tight lemonade bottle - 30p charity shop

Ingredients -

Half a bottle of vodka - £5 (half price with coupons I had)

1 punnet of strawberries - 10p from Tesco's reduced section

50g sugar - 50p

1 cup of raspberries - free from garden

1 cup of blackcurrant - free from garden

2 tablespoons of water - free

String and scrap card for label - practically free 

Directions - 

• In a bowl, add the sugar and vodka to the fruit
• Give it a good mash up with a potato masher, although make sure to leave some fruit whole
• Stir in the vodka
• Pour into an air tight bottle / jar
• Shake it about
• Add a fancy label

 

Stored in a cool dry area, the vodka can keep well for a few weeks. It goes very nicely with lemonade or, as it sweetens over time, on its own with ice. Make sure to enjoy it with some lovely friends.

Louise. x

Thrifted Homeware/Storage

I particularly like to buy home bits from charity shops as the things you can find are much more unique in comparison to high street stores. In addition to this, mass manufactured items from the high street can often be poor quality, unless you're happy to spend what can sometimes be a small fortune on a high quality item. When trying to kit out a whole house these costs can definitely amount quickly. Sadly I don't own my own home, but here are some items I've thrifted nonetheless.

 The home section in a charity shop is usually brimming with a variety of boxes, pots and cups. These are perfect for storage, whether it be make-up, brushes, pens or even as seen above, cotton buds. Some of the things I have purchased in the past do have a rather worn look to them however, I like to think that adds to their charm. (From top left to bottom right: £1, £1, £1.50, 50p.)

 Moving onto the tray collection (yes I have a tray collection). Trays of course can be used for their traditional use, cup bearing and such. However they can be great for displaying items such as jewellery, perfume, make-up etc. You can find some with unusual and beautiful patterns, although I would always recommend a good wipe down before use. This one was just £2




This is one of those nifty trays with a cushion attached so you don't have to melt your legs when using a laptop. I may or may not use it to eat off all the time in my bedroom, as you might be able to notice from the tell-tell plate outline. Still, a bargain at £1.

A lot charities have now established larger shops which sell secondhand furniture. One of the many benefits of this is not only can you get cheap furniture, but older makes tend to be sturdier and long lasting. I bought this retro-esque wardrobe for £20. 

 Here are some more cheap homeware finds....

 50p

£2

£1

£2.99

Louise x

Favorite Thrifted Finds

I would predict that at least half my wardrobe is second hand clothing. Therefore, there are naturally a few favourites I always retire back to...   

This very light wash denim jacket is possibly my all time favourite thrifted find. Firstly, because I wear it so much. It practically goes with anything and is brilliant to layer with when the summer evenings get chilly. Secondly, because it was FREE. It had what seemed to be a coffee stain on it so the shop assistant told me to take it for nothing. The best part? The stain came out in the wash.

I always dig out these boots come winter. They were slightly caked in mud when I bought them, but a quick wipe over and they've already lasted me over a year of constant wear. The shoe section is always worth a look, especially if you buy unseasonably as it is even cheaper. These were just £1.

I went against my own rule on this occasion. I found this dress in a "vintage" section and it is, in fact, originally from Primark. It was also a little pricey for me at £4.99. As the ultimate cheapskate I don't like to spend over £5 on an item in a charity shop unless I really love it. Having said that this dress is perfect for going out. It looks like you've made an effort when you secretly all you've done is thrown on a dress.

Since buying it a few weeks ago this small rucksack has become my everyday handbag. It's a great size to throw everything in and go. It was a well-timed find as the day before I very nearly bought an almost identical bag in New Look for £23. This beauty was £1.

This is only a tiny selection of my thrifted favourites, I have enough to fill an entire blog let alone one post. I may categorise them and do separate posts (shoes, dresses, home ware etc). Let me know what you think!

Much love,

Louise. x

Top 5 Tips For Second Hand Shopping

Having shopped second hand for many years now, I like to consider myself quite the connoisseur. Besides, who doesn't love a good list? Here is my so called wisdom on the matter...

1. Look through EVERYTHING and I mean everything. The men's, the kid's, the home wear, the books, CDs e.t.c. You can find some great pieces in the most unexpected places. If you're fortunate enough to be on the slim side, you may find you can even squeeze into some of the older children's clothing. Conversely, the men's section offers up a fab array of oversized shirts, t-shirts and jumpers. Within the home wear section lies a plethora of possibility. A floral cake stand becomes a jewellery stand and that 60s style tea cup can be transformed into a dainty candle holder. Which brings me nicely onto number 2.

2. Be open minded. You can easily change something to fit your taste. Like the dress, but not the length? Hem it. Like the top but, not the colour? Dye it. Love the shoes, but they're too small? Get them stretched. If you don't possess the skills for all that crafty business you can always go to a shoe repair shop or seamstress. This may sound particularly pricey but surprisingly, in my experience, it's a lot cheaper than expected. Their services often only cost a few pounds.

3. Go early in the week. Stock is usually sorted over the weekend, so if you time your visit for early in the week you have the first pick of the haul. I recommend Tuesday.

4. Go late in the week. By the end of the week, if some stock is getting hard to budge it will find its way into the euphoric "bargain bin". Amongst the questionable knitted skirts and denim flares hides a multitude of good quality clothing. You just have to rummage through all of it  (see tip 1). On one memorable occasion I unearthed two lovely dresses and a denim shirt from a "3 for £1" bin, 33p each! I had to restrain myself from kissing the shop assistant.

5. Beware of the "vintage". As soon as someone attaches a "vintage" label to anything it suddenly triples in price. This is acceptable in antique shops and the like where the items truly are vintage. In which case you may consider it worth the money (and in such places you can always barter down!) However, when a charity shop claims a Primark top to be "vintage" I lean towards scepticism. If you want some real vintage pieces for less money I would recommend independent charity shops, car boot sales and junk shops. Each item is usually a mere pound.

Happy thrifting! 

Much love,

Louise. x

Intro

Evening all.

I am told that a blog is an online fashion must have these days, so welcome to mine. As a 19 year old soon-to-be student I have discovered a way of indulging in my love of shopping without making my bank account cry: thrifting. Many scoff at my initiative scheme and deem the humble charity shop as "grim", "dirty" and (as my younger sister phrased it) "full of old granny-ish shit".

But they are sorely mistaken. Charity shops are great places to find unique gems at affordable prices. This paired with the fact it's guilt free shopping (all the money goes to charity!) is surely reason enough to give it a whirl. What's more I am an avid fan of granny-ish shit, or as I like to call it "vintage".  As my obsession with charity shops and all round thrifting has reached a record high, I felt the need to project my tips/thoughts/finds onto the online world.

So stick around for posts on my latest bargains and thrifty ideas.

Much love,
Louise. x