Fashion: £74 for an entire winter wardrobe at Forget Me Not trust shop

Oct 15 2009 by Hilarie Stelfox, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Just £74 for an entire winter wardrobe

This has been a tough year for retailers, but there’s one sector enjoying a boom amid the economic gloom – charity shops. Perhaps that’s not surprising when it’s possible to get an entire ‘new’ winter wardrobe for less than £100, as HILARIE STELFOX discovered

THE latest fashion is ... recycling, in all its many forms. Which means that when it comes to looking for new winter clothes the first port of call for an increasing number of people is their local charity shop.

At the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust shop in Lindley, which has just celebrated its second anniversary, takings have seen a sharp rise since July.

“We’re getting busier, definitely,’’ says manager Diane Radcliffe. And there’s no sign of donations slowing down, either.

“We are very well supported by the local community, we don’t have to go around putting bags through people’s letter boxes,” added Diane.

But is it really possible to dress from top to toe in stylish garments bought entirely from a charity shop?

I set myself the challenge of finding three outfits for reader Anne Jennings, 70, who is a volunteer at the Lindley shop.

Anne, from Birchencliffe, works two mornings a week as a sorter so is familiar with the type of donations that the shop receives.

“The quality is very good but Diane is very choosy and so am I. We put out only the best,’’ said Anne, who enjoys fashion and has, by her own admission, wardrobes bursting with clothes.

We decided to see if we could find a winter coat, three outfits, three pairs of shoes and a range of accessories, all for less than £100.

Our first find was a full length fake fur in excellent condition for just £12. “I think,’’ said Anne, “that I might have to buy this.’’

We teamed it with some plain black trousers and a lurex, beaded sweater. Even with shoes and a bag the outfit only came to £31.