Vintage Schmintage

Hey guys!
So as you know my blog is mainly about affordable fashion, with mostly half of my wardrobe being from charity shops/jumble sales/bootsales etc. My friends are always asking me where I find my bargains so I thought I would share some tips to some successful hunting!!

1. Don't get ripped off.
The vintage/retro scene is bigger than ever currently and people are taking advantage of that, and of you. Don't head straight to your nearest 'vintage shop' because they will be taking you for a ride on 75% of their clothes. Do your research on whats what before you fork out £30 for a t-shirt that you could pick up for a couple of quid elsewhere. Look at labels, is that £20 skirt actually from primark and orginally £2.50? Don't be a taken for a fool!

2. Know where to go.
Like I said above don't always rely on 'vintage shops/fairs', i'm not saying avoid completely but take advantage of the hundreds of other resources around you that you probably don't know about. The best finds of mine have always been in the smallest/dingiest charity shops run by little old ladies. 'VINTAGE' has almost become a label in itself now and people who are not so clued on think that the only places to get these finds are at the likes of camden/spitalfields/shoreditch etc, although these places are wonderful and offer great delights you are always bound to spend a lot more money than necessary. Some charities are clocking on to this and are doing the same thing, such as Oxfam (as much as they are an amazing charity and carry out fantastic work) they charge extortionate prices in their shops now, just the other day a friend of mine saw a jacket for £60 in there, surely this defeats the object of charity shops, and for that reason I haven't set foot in one for years! Sue Ryder. little havens, and the salvation army are personal favourites of mine. Boot sale season is just beginning again (mini fist pump) and here you are bound to find a bargain, £10, even a fiver is classed as expensive when it comes to clothes at these places, they are mainly on saturdays and sundays and times and places are usually printed in your local paper, (if you're local to southend, the evening echo prints them on thursdays I think).  Jumble sales are even cheaper than bootsales, usually run by old dears in your local church hall, here £5 will go very far, plus you get to have a nice chit chat with some old dears and who doesn't love that hey?

3. Know when you've crossed the line.
There is a very very fine line between achieving the retro/vintage look, and literally looking like the ladies at the jumble sale took you on a personal shopping trip and chose your outfit, so be careful for that. That baby pink cardigan with the embroidery and pearl buttons definitely wasn't made for your age group, so unless your planning on keeping the elderly warm, put it back where it came from. We're all guilty of this though, I know I definitely have been, but it's all a learning curve. Oh and listen to your mum if she tells you you look like old Aunt Edna, she's probably right. Mum's know best.

Not everything you buy second hand is 'vintage'. 
Don't be that person who goes to the YMCA shop, buys a colourful shirt and wont stop hashtagging #vintage. Look on the labels, it might well be a circa 2005 topman! But there is nothing wrong with this, not everything you own has to be older than you, remember not to be #vintagesnob.

Hope you've enjoyed my tips and definitely learned something!! I'd love to hear of any secret tips you use when you're out bargain hunting!
Peace and Love,
Lil x