Join the Charity Shop Treasure Hunt

I don't know about you, but I love having a good rummage through the donations at my local charity shops. In the past I've found gems like an Aquascutum blazer and Burberry purse - but next week there is the possibility of unearthing even more designer donations than usual as the Tatler Treasure Hunt returns to Cancer Research UK charity shops. From Monday 10th March head to your local Cancer Research and see if you can bag yourself some of the top designer items that have been hidden in shops around the UK, with no item costing more than £100.

Over £50,000 worth of items have been donated to the cause, with contributing designers include Alberta Ferretti, Anya Hindmarch, Belstaff, Bulgari, Chanel, Charlotte Olympia, Christian Dior, Christian Louboutin, Daks, Diane von Furstenburg, DKNY, Dolce & Gabbana, Emilia Wickstead, Erdem, Fendi, Hugo Boss, Jenny Packham, Jimmy Choo, Maje, Manolo Blahnik, Matthew Williamson,  Miu Miu, Moschino, Nicholas Kirkwood, Paul Smith, Ports 1961, Prada, Pringle, Ralph Lauren, Roksanda Ilincic, Roland Mouret, Rupert Sanderson, Stella McCartney, Temperley, Tod’s and Tommy Hilfiger.

Last year lucky Mina Thapa got her hands on a Mulberry bag worth over £1,000 for just £100. She said: “The day I got my lucky bag, I was just walking past the shop, decided to pop in and spotted it. I couldn’t believe my luck. The Tatler Treasure Hunt is a brilliant way of highlighting the wonderful things that can be found in the charity’s shops every day. And of course, the money raised is funding vital research, which is helping more people beat cancer.” Couldn't put it better myself, Mina! It's a brilliant idea and I'll definitely be having a look what's in store.

Charity Shop Buys

In a time of recession charity shops are a particularly popular way of getting your hands on cut price clothes - whilst making sure some of your hard earned cash goes to a good cause. But the rise of fast fashion has brought with it charity shops packed full of nothing but last season's Primark. A lot of people must now put anything of value up for grabs on ebay rather than donating their unwanted goods to charity shops, but there are still designer bargains and vintage gems to be found - you just have to be prepared to hunt around or be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

I've recently got hold of two great buys; a Barbara Hulanicki pussy bow blouse for £2 and a Roksanda Ilincic Edition cardigan for £5.99.

Addicted to Vintage

The allure of vintage shopping seems to have increased during the recession - after all, you can get a great piece for a fraction of new designer price tags. Then there's the appeal of owning a little piece of history. Hardened vintage shoppers often cite 'the story' - the fact that an item has had a whole other life before it fell into their manicured hands - as a reason for buying pre-owned items.

I recently stumbled across an Aladdin's cave of a vintage emporium in Warwick. Most of the shop is taken up with 'antique' nic-nacs - the kind of place David Dickinson would frequent at the weekends. But squashed in the back corner were a couple of clothes rails - which on closer inspection were filled with hidden gems - a DVF wrap dress could be yours for £40, or a YSL suit for £100. The only problem is when you fall in love with something that simply won't fit - you can't just grab an assistant to order in another one for you. I suppose that's another reason why vintage handbags are so great - it doesn't matter how much Ben & Jerry's you've knocked back.


Some girls have a shoe fetish, others collect bikinis - but my obsession has always been for handbags. The mock-croc bag pictured above was only £2.50, and I know I'm not going to walk down the street passing ten girls carrying the same one!

I can't help but wonder who owned it before - for all I know it could have been slung over the shoulder of a '40s screen siren.