A savvy shopper took a trip to charity shops in “rich” areas of London and couldn’t believe the bargains he found – including a celeb’s hand-me-down.
As a menswear reseller on eBay, Tom Scott spends plenty of time browsing for bargains, but his luck was well and truly in when he decided to check out a string of shops in Chelsea, Marylebone and Parsons Green.
The 24-year-old was stunned by what he found there – including a tailored tweed jacket believed to have been made for actor Hugh Laurie, plus designer goods worth thousands of pounds.
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From one trip alone, he has made £1,000 in profit – and it’s all down to knowing where to shop.
“In London every charity shop is full of high-end brands,” Tom, from Northumberland, told What’s The Jam.
“I usually shop in and around Newcastle, and whilst I do get some great finds, they are getting rarer these days.”
The best items he found during the recent trip include a Ralph Lauren shirt for £29.99, a pair of Salomon trainers for £15, a Lock & Co. fedora for £35, and an Engineered Garments blazer for £58.
Tom also nabbed a Kjus ultra-lightweight golf jacket, priced at £14.99, which Tom sold for £150.
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And the star of the show, according to Tom, was a pair of loafers from designer brand Loro Piana, which he snagged for £30 and resold for £336.
He said, The Loro Piana shoes were an incredible find.
“I took them to a local shoe surgeon who freshened them up beautifully and added value.”
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Tom’s business, called Tweed & Tailored, offers a high-quality collection of premium men’s tweed jackets and bespoke tailoring.
He sources them from a variety of places, including charity shops.
Tom said: “It’s great to see people being enthusiastic about spending their money in charity shops.
“It is a fantastic way to shop – sustainable, affordable and fantastic for so many UK charities.
“I wouldn’t be as enthusiastic about charity shopping if I knew there wasn’t going to be the odd complete bargain like these!”
In the past, Tom has snapped up a range of other deals in charity shops too – including a Savile Row jacket for £160, which he believes was owned by actor Hugh Laurie in 2006 due to a label inside the garment.
The label reads: “Hugh Laurie Esq” and dates it as 26/10/06.
Tom went on to sell it online for £750.
He also found a bespoke overcoat from Huntsman Savile Row for £175 in a charity shop, which he sold for £995.
Tom’s flair for charity shopping dates back to his teens, when he found a leather jacket with a cashmere lining in a local shop while out with his dad in North Shields.
He bought it for £8 and went on to sell it for £650.
He said: “That was my first ever massive charity shop profit!”
Now, he sells clothes full-time, adding, “I wouldn’t say how much I make, but it’s a fantastic lifestyle.
“I love what I do,o and I make enough to get by!”
