Sunday Date Outfit

So, this outfit is for a weekend dinner date. You want something classy, but not too conservative. Bright but not IN YOUR FACE BRIGHT COLOURS! And we think we have the perfect outfit here. Let us know what you think!

The dress is vintage, possibly late 1950s/early 1960s.
Cotton fabric, with this stunning print.
Under the skirt is some netting to give it added volume (and bounce, when you move) but over time there are some holes in the netting, but it doesn't detract from the dress and you can't see them unless you look reeeally hard.

No sizing in it, but our guess is an 8/10 (eur 36/38) as there is hardly any give in the bodice top.
£35

The red jacket is by J.Crew 

Sized as an M (12 (eur 40)), the big bold buttons add something to the jacket to make it more casual.
£45

The belt is by OSKA 
and is a size 2 (Med)
£30

Finally, to contrast with the silver grey belt, and to compliment the yellows in the dress print we have added this gold metal pendent. £4.

Bye for now
BG

Things and Stuff, Stuff and Things

Obviously you have got the memo that we sell whatever things people donate in to us, what with Brook Green being a Charity shop, an all.

After Christmas, there is always a small lull before the New year clear outs, and now we are running low on some stock, so here we are, cap in hand, with a biiiiiiiig smile asking for Ladies Tops and Men's Shirts.
These are our best sellers and so need to keep our rails topped up with fresh stock everyday, but recently the rails have been slightly more empty than we like!
Shirts, blouses, vest tops, t-shirts, jumpers, we will take them from you and make good use of them!
High Fashion. High Street. Doesn't matter.

If you have things buried in the back of your wardrobe which you no longer wear (or have never worn...we all do it...oops) or no longer like or no longer have room for, please, please, please think of us on Shepherds Bush Road, London and bring in your goodies during opening hours.
If you can, sign up to Gift Aid, and we will be eternally grateful.

Thanking you muchly
"We are the goon squad and we're coming to town...BEEP BEEP"

Bye for now
BG

So, What exactly is Gift Aid?

We mention it as often as we can as it really makes a difference to Trinity Hospice when raising funds, via the shops, ebay or fundraising.

Gift Aid increases the value of your donations and we can benefit even more at no extra cost to you, the donor.

If you're a UK taxpayer, add Gift Aid whenever you make a donation and the charity can reclaim the basic rate of tax on your gift - that's a 25p for every £1 you give.
And it works with donated items too! So if we sell that Jacket you no longer want for £10, with gift aid it will actually make £12.50 for Trinity Hospice! BRILLIANT!

Sign up and get a free fob! WIN

Gift Aid allows individuals who are subject to UK income tax to complete a simple, short declaration that they are a UK taxpayer. Gift Aid can only be reclaimed on money donated by UK taxpayers, so after asking if you would like to gift aid your item, we have to ask if you are a UK taxpayer - we are not being nosey, but it only works if you are, so please do not think we are prying.

In order to make a Gift Aid donation you’ll need to make a Gift Aid declaration, which is a simple and quick form we have here (or you can do it online here). We give you a fob which is yours to keep so when you donated again, you can bring it in and we can find your gift aid number. (But if you forget it, it is not a problem as we can still find you on the system, it just takes a bit longer....)

Each person signing up to gift aid gets a fob. This is so we can track every single item they donated with a barcode. The barcode is unique to that person so we know that Mr J Bloggs has donated 4 items as we sell them through the till we can claim the right amount.

It all seems rather complicated but we try to make it as easy as possible as the more people signed up, the more stuff we can sell with added gift aid and the more money we can raise!

That 25% works on everything once sold, be it clothes, books, CDs, DVDs, Bric-a-Brac, etc....

So please, if you can, please, please, pleeeeaaaase sign up to gift aid when donating goods or money to charity as it really does make a difference.

Plus Brook Green is currently TOP SHOP, NUMBERO UNO, THE BEST, NUMBER 1 for the percentage of items sold which are gift aided, and we like to keep it that way!

Bye for now
BG

New Year, New Handbag

...Well new for you, as this is a lovely well looked after late 1950's handbag.
(It even came in a bag for the handbag so no wonder it looks as new!)

This is in the satchel style and the lock is a very funky buckle.

The bag is a deep, rich, brown leather and the gold metal just brings a touch of bling to it. Lined inside in a black cotton fabric, it even includes a little make up mirror.

It is just such a lovely lush rick dark brown leather....

We couldn't find any label or make on or in the bag, so your guess is as good as ours!
Although we can tell you it was made in Argentina....
£65

Just lovely

Bye for now
BG

Wet Weather Wellies

So all these waves of low pressure are causing major dampness in the UK at the moment. Luckily it isn't the crazy minus temperatures that are happening in the US! But being British we know all about this wet weather lark. Layers of clothes, and shoes to keep your feet dry. (Nothing worse than damp feet, as I found out the other day, as I 'fell' into a lake puddle)

As I waffle on, in a roundabout way I am trying to get to -Wellington Boots.
They are waterproof and they were worn and popularised by Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. All his friends loved them and copied his style and so the 'Wellington' boot was born!

We have these brand new, Vivienne Westwood / Melissa boots to interest you today.
Size 7/8 (Eur 40/41) these green ankle boots are £30

A little contrasting red bow is the only detail on them.
All boxed up and ready to go to a good home.

Time to jump in puddles!
Although knowing our luck the Sun will come out and dry up everything now!..

Bye for now
BG

P is for Prada

Who wants some New Year Designer bargains? Got some Prada to tempt you with today.

The Italian luxury fashion label Prada is famous all over the world for their lush fabrics and lux leather bags and sexy shoes. Founded in 1913 by Mario Prada, they specialised in leather goods, before branching out into fashion once Mario's daughter took over.
Her daughter Miuccia then expanded and raised Prada to be the fashion powerhouse we know today.
It was also due to Miuccia that Miu Miu (after her nickname) was launched for the younger consumers.

So on with the stuff we have in with the Prada label.
Some are recent seasons and some are past / vintage, but still great.

Trousers and jeans in red, white and green.
Skinny fit.
(a small) Size 10 (eur 38) each
£38 each

Tried to do an Italian Flag in Prada....

Shoes - 2 of the same pair....
size 7 (eur 40)
£40 each

Miu miu skirt
Cotton and silk mix
Size 12 (eur 40)
£38
Cotton silk mix. Lined.
Even the zip says Prada

Finally these 'car' shoes are for sale for £40

 

Size 6 (eur 39)
Some markings on the toes, but these would come out in a good clean.
Soles in good condition with no holes! (always a bonus that haha!)

The devil no longer wears Prada. Our Brook Green customers do!

Bye for now
BG

Stock and Secrets

We have had a few emails regarding the nature of our shop and asking we only have designer stuff in! Well, we are just a lovely little shop with AMAZING patrons who donate brilliant items.

We don't just sell designer items of course. The majority of our sales and donations are of your regular items from the high street. For under £5 you can collect a variety of things, skirts, tops, trousers, dresses....
Topshop, Topman, Marks and Spencer, Cos, White Company, Hobbs, Jigsaw, Jaeger, Levis, TM Lewin, Thomas Pink, Zara, the list goes on.

These are then supplemented with our designer rail (and designer sale basket - up to 75% off! Bargainous!) and our shelf of designer shoes and bags.

Obviously this blog wouldn't be as interesting if I just posted photos of an M&S t-shirt for £3 or a Zara skirt for £5. We just want to show off all the goodies, but we do rely on these regular donations to keep coming in to keep our shop floor full of fresh stock

We put new things out EVERY DAY - although Monday and Tuesday is when the bulk of it goes out.

So whenever you are passing pop in as you never know what you might find!

Finally I have a little secret to tell you, as it is a new year and well, we like you, so will tell....Shush now....Lean in a bit, don't let *them* hear....OK, here goes
We at Brook Green HALF PRICE things once they have been out for 2 weeks on the shop floor.Then after another week they get sent to another shop to try selling it there.
There. I said it. That is our secret.

Although pretty much everyday some customer comments "Oh I saw a garment which I wanted but was waiting for it to be half priced and now it is gone."
That is the risk you have to take I'm afraid. And no, we won't discount it before hand. Sorry, but it doesn't work like that.

So now you know our secret. Time for a tea break.

Bye for now
BG