A thrifty woman has shared her money-saving tips which have saved her thousands of pounds on designer clothes.
Iso Neville, 25, predicts she has saved some £20,000 by searching charity shops and vintage markets for second-hand designer clothes.
Among her top finds was a Burberry trench coat worth £1,500, which she bought for £100 at a vintage flea market.
She told LatestDeals.co.uk: “My best buy most recently was a wool and cashmere Maison Margiela coat which was worth more than £2,500 – but I got it for just £25.
“This brand doesn’t have its name clearly displayed on the label, so the charity shop staff clearly didn’t realise what it was worth.
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“My keen eye for bargains means I can put together outfits which are worth thousands more than I paid for them.”
Her most expensive outfit she pieced together would have cost around £6,500 if she’d bought the clothes brand new.
This included a Maison Margiela coat, an Acne Studios leather jacket, a pair of Aquazzura boots, a Woolrich jumper, Mulberry skirt and Louis Vuitton bag.
But she paid less than £500 buying all these fashion items second hand, saving more than £6,000.
She usually spends between £100 and £200 a month on items with most of the money coming from selling clothes she no longer wears, or from working at car boot sales.
Sharing her tips for finding bargain designer clothes, she said shoppers should take a thorough look when visiting discount stores.
Iso said: “Look at everything in charity shops. Be really thorough – you can’t expect to find a hidden gem if you don’t search all over.
“Also make a point of browsing vintage markets and don’t be afraid to haggle. Point out any flaws in the item to increase the chances of your offer being accepted, or buy multiple items and request a bundle.”
She shared one unusual tip which she said is a great way to find rare bargains. She explained: “When you’re shopping online, search with spelling mistakes and you’ll find items that no-one else has seen.
“Try spelling your favourite designers incorrectly on eBay, Vinted and Depop – you just might stumble across a hidden treasure.”
People can switch to shopping second hand by changing their shopping apps from ASOS, PrettyLittleThing and Boohoo to alternatives such as Vinted, Depop and eBay.
Iso said: “That way, when you fancy browsing clothes, you won’t be defaulting to fast fashion.
“You’ll be training yourself to look at second hand bargains and over time you’ll get better and better at spotting great deals.
“Another habit to form is to go into charity shops whenever you pass them. The more you visit, the better the items you’ll find. It’s a numbers game.”
Another tip is to turn bargain hunting into a regular activity by making a day trip out of going to a car boot sale.
A person could visit a new area, starting with the car boot sale, go out for lunch, then browse the local charity shops.
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