Frugal Fashion

Frugal Fashion

In an effort to save money, initially, I started to buy less clothing (very difficult for me after working for a multimillion-pound fashion business in the UK). I thought about what I was buying more, buying things to last and tuning them more to my current surroundings rather than the fast pace of the UK and my industry. Having said that, no one here cares a jot what you wear, and I learnt very early on that I had to worry less and that way, I would stop being the ‘overdressed English woman’. Don’t get me wrong, I still like to dress up on occasion, but high heels are out (or less of a heel at least), with dresses being few and far between.

I have also become more aware of waste, spending money on good food rather than clothes. The ones I do buy now are from places like Facebook Marketplace, NOZ, Lidl and charity shops. There is still the odd treat, a pair of boots (in the half-price sale) and a summer dress or two from Zalando.

Marketplace, particularly groups like LIPS (Ladies items preloved sales) has seen me purchase two lovely Pringle jumpers, brand new but unwanted at 15 euros each and two denim skirts in natural shades for five euros each, one very happy shopper. Vinted has seen me sell some of my ‘night on the town’ dresses and purchase a couple of pairs of jeans, new with tags, all brands that I already knew and loved, NOZ is not for the faint-hearted shopper and don’t get me wrong, some visits to the Limoges shop, or even Poitiers have been very disappointing, but other visits have seen me purchase a great branded coat for my son, Caterpillar work trousers for hubby and great khaki jeans for me at only 11.99! Lidl’s middle aisle items are another great source for long sleeved t-shirts and even a cord pinafore that I had been looking for for months, bargain at only 8.99!

The charity shops, of which we have a number of big concerns locally, including the HOPE 16 shop in Confolens and Rainbow in Bussiere-Poitevine. Both have provided me with a number of branded items, all in great condition, including a Joules sweatshirt that I love and a couple of denim skirts that are worn more days than not. I was even after a new Christmas jumper, my old one had been passed on to another charity shop earlier that year, and when I started to look for its replacement, I kept putting them back on the rack, as I could not justify 20/25 euros! I found the perfect one in the Rainbow shop, a bargain at only three euros.

So don’t write off any place as a chance to bag yourself a fashion bargain, just open your mind to preloved and end-of-line items.

Yours sincerely Worzel Gummidge

Ha-ha Kirsty-Anne Bissell