Out with the old...

[HollyGreene]

I just took out every item of female attire that I own and it was a lot more than I realised.
So I spent some time sorting out stuff that I'll never wear again, or no longer fits me.
It's all in pretty good condition because it's not as if I wear this stuff every day
So the charity clothing bank is about to get 5 large bags of clothes.

I've always wondered what the recipients of the clothes from these clothing banks would think if they knew that the previous owner was a man.

Anyway, better to put the clothes in for charity than throw them away.

[kimdl93]

Hopefully, they’ll think the prior owner had very good taste :)

[Alice Torn]

Yes. I can relate, took 99% of my lady things to the rescue mission thrift store a few years ago. I wish i had kept some of the shoes and wig, and dresses, now, though. I checked at the store several times later, to see if i could rebuy them, but no sign of any of it.

[Micki_Finn]

Charity is never bad, but you might want to hang on to some of those old clothes. Several retailers will trade a discount on new products in return for you donating old items through them. I know H & M does this. I believe so does Levi’s, or they used to. There are others as well, so you may want to look into it. The clothes still go to a good cause and you get a discount on something new.

[alwayshave]

Holly, I have given my old femme clothes to charity in the past. I thought the same thing.

[lingerieLiz]

I've been sorting through my stuff. Most of the things that I own are classic and aren't that old. I tend to get rid of things that are trendy. The girls go through outfits on a regular basis. Then again they have jobs where people expect them to have the latest fashions.

[Tracii G]

I just dropped off two huge bags of things I don't fit in anymore to the Goodwill in my neighborhood.
Haven't had the time to look in that store for other things yet but I will.

[abbiedrake]

I still need to get rid of a few things from the period of figuring out my femme style. The 'good god did I really for a minute think' s have already gone. Just the stuff I was on the fence about to go.

Then it'll be time to shop again!

[CynthiaD]

.... I've always wondered what the recipients of the clothes from these clothing banks would think if they knew that the previous owner was a man. ...

And if the new owner is also a man? :)

[Tracii G]

Thrift shop employees are all aware of us and know why we are there.
The one in my neighborhood has a trans sister working there who is quite pretty that presents perfectly and another trans 20 something that seems to like to shock people by dressing like a circus clown.(pride parade every day look).

[HollyGreene]

The clothing banks that I use are not thrift shops. They are big metal drop-boxes, where you leave bags of clothes. They come and empty them every week or so.
Two of the ones I visited were full, so I had to go to a third one. Either they're not emptying them, or people are getting rid of a lot of stuff.
I have just sorted out another 5 bags to be deposited in the clothing bank.

A couple of years ago when taking clothes to the clothing bank, the drop-box hatch was jammed. This usually means it's full, but it turned out that somebody had put a leather shoulder bag in there, and the strap had caught.
After disentangling the bag, I was able to put my bags of clothes in the box. And as if by magic, when I got home, I found the bag on the car seat next to me.

[Tracii G]

They used to have those boxes here in the states but homeless people were sleeping in them and some people would climb in them and go thru the clothes and leave a big mess of clothes strewn about outside the box.

[BTWimRobin]

I don't think anyone would really care who previously owned the clothes.

[Helen_Highwater]

Holly,

"Anyway, better to put the clothes in for charity than throw them away."

Totally agree. Simply throwing them away is just a huge waste. Even if ripped, too badly damaged to be repaired, clothing can be re-purposed as industrial rags. Simply discarding them to go to landfill is the height of irresponsible laziness.

I've never bought anything from a charity shop. I'm fortunate to be able to buy new however that's not to say I don't look on the bargain rails or the end of line outlet shops. There are those however for whom charity shops are vitally important and on two levels. One the money raised helps those in dire need, often the poorest of the poor, Two for those on limited incomes it provides a source of decent affordable clothing. Donating should be everyone's default position.

[suzanne]

Hanging on to.them is not a bad idea either. I was in a dress shop last week and I found my self admiring the animal print top worn by the woman at the till. She told me it was ten years old but it looked perfect on her and animal prints are in this year. You never know what's coming back in style, especially if it's well made.

[Stephanie47]

I don't know about drop boxes in the U.K. However, in my area (Washington State) many of the drop boxes are not put out by charities. Many are put out by resellers of clothing and books, i.e., profit motivated companies. The Goodwill stores in my area have prices that are way out of line with others. Too high! Personally, much of my wife's lingerie donations has gone to a Cancer Society thrift store where all the associates are volunteers and the prices are very reasonable. As an alternative I would suggest seeking out a "battered women's shelter." And, not just women's clothing, but, also clothing for children. Many women staying at these shelters fled their abusive relationships with nothing, but, the clothes on their backs. They go through training and job placement and can use clothing usable for job interviews.

[HollyGreene]

We have a mixture in the UK. Some are commercial, and others are genuine charities. I favour the charities.
If I thought people were profiting from my donations, I might as well sell them myself on ebay.

[LingerieLuvr]

I have been attempting to go through all my lingerie, skirts, and dresses, and if it has very little wear on it, I'm selling on Poshmark. I don't make a bunch off it, but I'm able to get rid of the things that don't fit like I want, or were bad choices in style, or just don't get worn much. Plus, I'll find something another Posher is selling that appeals to me, so I have a little "slush fund" for purchases.