Today I strolled along the local high street and spent some leisurely time investigating the local charity shops. I am always amazed at the treasures charity shops are packed with. Had I room in my life for clutter, there were many delights I could have taken home to line my shelves.
An old Wham LP fronts the music section in one shop, the pair looking as young as teenagers grinning to adoring fans, coiffed hair frozen in time. A Kiss action figure takes pride of place behind the counter at another: must be the spot for prime quality goods. I wonder for a moment whether I can possibly leave it behind... then walk on.
The kitchen section is packed with trinkets. Art deco glassware vies with faded pie dishes, Pyrex bowls and cartoon-print mugs licensed sometime in the mid-90s and carelessly discarded once the Easter egg chocolate is gone.
What catches my eye the most, is the book sections. Shelf upon shelf of well-read paperbacks line walls of every shop. Rankin, Binchy, Brown, Cookson, Child and Patterson regurgitated back-to-back; the bestseller list from recent years re-ordered and mingled with ancient Christie’s and Rendell’s.
What is so evident to me from this mismatch of items is changing trends. Styles come in and out of fashion in all areas of life and charity shops are living reminders that what is chic now will be outdated and undesirable in a few years time.
Elloise Hopkins.
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