Bargains - a/w10

A selection of bargain buys from recent months, along with some old favourites and retro homewares.

Dress: £20 Topshop sale
Boots: £16 Traid
Bar: £30 Spiral charity shop
Cat: £1.50 Spiral charity shop
Couple figure: £2 Spiral charity shop
Ice bucket: £4 North Laine flea market
Roberts radio: £6 BHASVIC car boot sale
Lamp: £4 Shelter charity shopAs above
J letter necklace: £10 Tatty Devine at Clothes Show London
D&G little black velvet dress: £40 Oxfam charity shop, Western Road
Lou Shabner framed print: £25 Oxfam charity shop, Western Road
Long gold bird charm necklace: Handmade
Faux fur coat: £20 Upper Gardner Street Market
Red Formica table: £30 Spiral charity shop
Fur coat: As above
Purple court shoes: £15 H&M
Telephone table: £10 BHASVIC car boot sale
Joker painting: Commission Vicky Roberts
Floral H&M jacket: £5 charity shop in Crouch End
Black Topshop jeans: £6 Traid
Bird print shirt: £15 River Island sale
Small leather satchel: £10 Ebay
Typewriter: £15 Age Concern George Street
Mui Mui glasses: £175 Specs opticians
White coat: £5 BHASVIC car boot sale
Russell & Bromley boots: £30 Vintage @ Goodwood
Chair: £15 Spiral chairty shop

A fond farewell to Brighton Traid

I am a big fan of Brighton Traid on Duke Street. Just around the corner from where I work, I've spent many a lunchtime riffling through the rails of quality second-hand, vintage and re-made clothing and trying on beautiful shoes. In fact over the years I've done my bit to keep the shop in business, having bought coats, tops, dresses, boots and bags. And with profits going to fund projects to fight global poverty, it's the best kind of shopping - that of the guilt-free variety.

So I was very sad to hear that the shop will be no more as of September. Talking with one of the, always charmingly dressed, shop assistants, she told me that the rent is now so high that Traid head office has decided to lose its one store outside of London.

Sad face. What will I do with my lunch hour now?

There is, however, a silver lining to this sorry tale. Traid is known for its amazing 'everything £3 down to £1' sales, which it holds at the end of each season, so there is bound to be one mega closing-down sale as the shop sees out it's final weeks.

See you there!