What are you seeing right now?
I'm seeing a lot of Lands End, Van Heusen, Gap and Haggar.
It doesn't look half as good as M&S.
Burtons....lots of Burtons.
Ties are really the only thing I ever buy in charity shops. There's a nice one in British Heart Foundations store at the moment which i think i might buy. Polyester, but it's a nice stripe and made in the UK so i might as well.
Fake RL shirts marked up at twice the price of anything else.
Ah yes, the ubiquitous fake RL. Sadly, RL is overexposed in the market, their button downs, once a status symbol and a sign of being from an immaculate seemingly disinterested elite of extreme wealth has long gone. Remember when RL brought out the cheap and cheery Chaps label that was being sold at the equivalent level of George at ASDA? Scary, frightening, I lost my faith, there and then.
Sadly, here in Holland, the second hand shops seem to be stocked by flowery dresses and hats that my nan would have worn to go and watch Brief Encounter. I've never seen anything worthwhile.
Have you noticed how hardly anyone in charity shops seems to know what they're doing? I know they're only (mostly) volunteers, but they do love to give themselves an air of professionalism that is normally unwarranted. The pricing of books can be a major bugbear. As for so-called 'designer' clothing, well... they've all heard of RL, haven't they? and so they value it. I normally pass it over nowadays, unless it's A. Made in the USA, B. 100% cotton, C. being offered at a bargain price. That ensures I don't buy very many. Many have not yet latched onto, say, Smedley; bargains can still be had. My newest acquisition (from earlier in the week) is an Argyle lambswool crew neck jumper from James Pringle. Great Ivy colours. It'll be worn mainly at school during the autumn. Only £3.99.
2 pairs of deadstock, plain bottle green socks. By the looks of the label they're from the 1970s. 1 euro 50.
Oddly, lots of dinner suits. Like a bloody symphony orchestra decide to pack it in. Otherwise nothing inspiring. The days when clothing had a real value and was passed on are largely gone. Most of what I see is tired cotton tat.