Banbury 8th October.

Well I have been crap at keeping up with the writing side of the blog. Truth is, I made a promise to myself to only write stuff I would want to read and I have been involved in so many great projects recently that time has run away with me. So here I am, getting back into it - hopefully and coming up with the good shit.

With Christmas fast approaching I am desperately trying to come up with a plan for how to give you an insight on our Charity shop Christmas without giving away what I have got for people already. So I am hoping that getting back into the writing will prompt a genius idea out of me, In fact, I may have just had one, right that second. Fuck, better note it down.

This time of year I start exploring different towns and there local Charity shops to start looking at getting gifts for people ready for the festive period. We live in Northampton so regularly visit the surrounding villages and towns but wanted to try somewhere new and then a few months back the George inn in Banbury invited me to their relaunch. 2 birds, 1 stone.

For a day of Charity shopping you have to be comfy, so I threw on some jeans and vans. I thought I was prepared but nothing could prepare me for a day of shopping with my mum, this lady is dedicated and won't stop until she has looked at every thing in every shop. Twice over.

I wore my leather Jacket which I picked it up from Sue Ryder a few years ago for £10, a firm wardrobe staple piece. It's a funny shape and has no lining, its almost like its been hand made but I like how odd it is and I whack it out every year. I teamed this up with my favourite charity shop Tee brought in the RSCPA shop for £2.50 and my Oxfam 'fashion fighting poverty' tote which Is my absolute FAVE tote. Im fully into neck scarfs at the moment as well (late to the party, I know) so I finished it off with my paisley Age uk scarf, I it was like a quid but if your into wearing neck ties get down to your local chazza shops and you will find loads.

We parked up and hit up Oxfams book shop, rookie error. My mum is a book hoarder so then muggins here had to lug around the 15 odd books she brought. Side note, If you don’t carry your mums bags around you should because she carried your arse around for 9 months, it’s only fair.

To be fair Banbury surprised me, within a small distance they have packed in A LOT of Charity shops. We managed:

Oxfam

Salvation Army

Katherine house hospice Trust

British heart foundation

Scope

Blue cross

Cancer research

Wood Green animals charity

By this point I was hangry and my arm was about to fall off. We didn’t even do them all, there’s another 5 +more.

My recommendations would be for Katherine’s house hospice Trust, this place is so cheap and packed with clothes. I picked myself up a Versace shirt for £1.99, a floral number for £1.99 and some coasters for £1. This place isn't for the faint hearted, you have to rummage a lot and it can be a bit overwhelming with the amount of stuff they have.

For once, I didn't come home with huge amounts of stuff. I was to busy keeping an eye on my mum, In constant fear she would buy more books. The only other thing I picked up was this sheer shirt from Cancer research for £2.99, its an old New look job. I will probably wear it with just a black bra and jeans. Easy.

A top tip for charity shop Christmas, hit up an oxfam book store. I picked up some really easy gifts. I can show you these because nor my Nan, Dad or Auntie will see this. Books are easy, there are always hundreds of them in Charity shops and they make really good stocking fillers or presents. These were all £2 each and are nice little starting points for my family. BUT more on the gifting in a different post.

To finish our day we popped into the George inn, in Barford St Micheal on our way home for a nice glass of red. The have recently relaunched themselves and the pub and hotel rooms are beaut, worth a trip if your over that way.

I have unfinished business in Banbury and would 100% go back to finish the shopping I started. Overall I didn't pick up to much but I think thats more because I'm tightening the purse strings little and I'm trying to wear everything I have. The quality of stuff over there was good and the prices reasonable, my Mum managed to bag herself a barbour jacket for £12 and a sheepskin rug for £3.99 (if you don't want my insta stories, your missing out)

We aren't Local to the area but we just googled Banbury Charity shops and once you clock them you can't miss them, there all pretty close together.

Keep tagging your second hand, charity shop and vintage clothing #asseenonsomeoneelse and sharing your finds.

Alicia x

https://thegeorgebarford.co.uk