Passions: ‘I still get a thrill from uncovering a hidden gem in a charity shop’

Buying ‘pre-loved’ items makes so much sense, writes Rosemary Gallagher

When I get a few hours to myself at the weekend – which is a rare thing – you’ll often find me scouring the charity shops of Edinburgh. And the perfect outing usually involves trips to the rather salubrious neighbourhoods of Stockbridge and Morningside. They are real treasure troves when I’m in search of a dress, coat, bag or shoes that others have decided to give to a new home.

And If I have the time I’ll head through to Glasgow’s West End where my passion for buying pre-loved – then simply called second-hand – clothes began many years ago as a university student when money was particularly tight. A lot of the income I got from my grant (I did say it was a long time ago) and various part-time jobs, ranging from McDonald’s and ushering at the Tron Theatre, was spent on nights out dancing and gigs at the student union.

It was well before sustainable fashion and recycling was ‘a thing’, but my friends and I spent many happy hours raking through the rails of vintage and charity stores – such as Starry Starry Night off Byres Road or Queens Street’s legendary Flip – for items we thought made us particularly stylish on our limited budgets. I still fondly remember the flowery, taffeta off-the-shoulder dress I picked up for under a fiver, the Flip suede jacket I wore for years and knee-high boots from Oxfam.

Today, that passion for finding a bargain continues. I still get the same thrill from uncovering a hidden gem, and the good feeling that comes from giving to charity, of course. I love the anticipation as I walk through the doors of one of my favourite shops and the adrenaline rush when something catches my eye. It doesn’t have to be a designer item at a cut-price, just something that I like the look of and can imagine wearing.

Recent finds include a brand new navy blue, lace dress from Jigsaw that still had its £250 price label attached. For some reason, it had been handed in without being worn and I picked it up for £30. I take great pride in telling people who compliment it that it was a charity shop find.

If you haven’t got the charity shop bug, give it a go. I just hope you don’t get to all the best things before I do.

Rosemary Gallagher is Head of Commercial Content at The Scotsman