SECOND LIFE
I’ve made £100k rummaging through old clothes and flogging the gems I find – the 9 rules I’ve stuck to to rake in cash
The art of bagging a bargain is in Becky’s genes after her mum taught her the art of charity shopping at an early age
Becky Chorlton, 26, has turned a lifelong passion for second-hand clothes into a thrifting empire in just four years.
She tells Emma Lazenby the secret.
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AS she rummages through a packed clothing rail in her local charity shop, Becky Chorlton’s eyes widen with excitement.
There, among the slightly threadbare second-hand togs, is a stunning dress by designer Julien Macdonald.
In a flash, Becky whips it off the hanger and rushes to the till, a satisfied smile on her face.
It costs £1.99, but she knows it will make a perfect wedding guest outfit and a good profit.
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Days later she sells it online for £40, a 1,900 per cent profit.
But then the art of bagging a bargain is in Becky’s genes. Her mum, Sandra, 62, has never bought anything new and taught Becky the art of charity shopping at an early age.
I started off small, selling my own clothes online from a little rail in my bedroom. I already had so much stuff that I’d bought from charity shops and it was all worth more than what I’d paid.
Becky Chorlton
Becky, from Lymm, Cheshire, started by selling pieces from her own wardrobe on second-hand clothing platforms Depop and Vinted while studying for a masters at Exeter University in 2019.
Five years on, she rakes in up to £3,000 a month selling pre-loved goods.
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She says: “As a student I had a part-time job in a shoe shop, earning around £6 an hour, but I knew I could earn more from reselling.
“I started off small, selling my own clothes online from a little rail in my bedroom. I already had so much stuff that I’d bought from charity shops and it was all worth more than what I’d paid.”
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Becky was soon pocketing £100 a week, so she started to scour car boot sales and charity shops for extra stock — often with Sandra, a retired receptionist, in tow.
She says: “I was having so much fun thrifting and thought other people might be interested in what we got up to at boot sales and charity superstores.
Always unique
“I started binge-watching YouTube videos, where American thrifters hit [charity shop] goodwill bins, where everything is sold by weight. They’d talk about where they’d been and what they’d found.”
Inspired by what she saw, Becky launched her online profile @beckysbazaar on Instagram, using it to give followers a glimpse into her thrifting techniques and to promote her own stock.
Soon she was taking home between £2,500 and £3,000 a month. She calculated she could make at least £24,000 a year from her business, the same as she would earn in a full-time graduate-entry job.
She says: “It was scary, but I wanted to work for myself full-time, doing something I absolutely love.
“It’s not just about the financial aspect. Promoting sustainability is important too.
“Some people think nothing of spending hundreds of pounds on a dress, but I feel great in my second-hand outfits and they’re always unique. A bargain outfit is like a badge of honour to me.”
Y2K [Nineties and Noughties] fashion is big at the minute. I picked up a Sweater Shop jumper at a car boot for £1 and it sold for £60.
Becky Chorlton
According to Sandra, Gen Z don’t squirm at the idea of buying pre-worn clothes — unlike previous generations.
She says: “There used to be this shame around charity shopping, but young ones these days are proud of their bargains. It has become cool.”
Becky has tapped into her buyers’ love of nostalgia and iconic 90s brands.
She says: “Y2K [Nineties and Noughties] fashion is big at the minute. I picked up a Sweater Shop jumper at a car boot for £1 and it sold for £60.
“At another car boot I spotted some old surfwear labels — Roxy and Quiksilver — and knew they’d sell well.
“I bought ten items for £1 each and they all sold for between £15 and £20 each.”
One of the entrepreneur’s biggest sales was an old leather Red Bull jacket that she found at a car boot sale.
“I paid £30 and it sold for £250,” says Becky proudly. “That’s pretty rare, but it’s a good example of what you can find if you look hard enough.”
Despite the business being her idea, her mum plays a vital role. Becky says: “Mum doesn’t just come on the shopping trips, she helps me out with the ironing and shipping.
“She also supports me emotionally with the stress of running my own business.
“Some days we can be up at 5am to go to car boot sales in the freezing cold, so I’m lucky to have her by my side.
“I live about a half-hour drive away from her, which is a bit too far to be honest, but I needed to find a flat to rent with plenty of storage for my stock and a space I can use as a studio for my online content.
“I’m hoping I can buy my own place soon, now that I’ve got a regular income.”
Due to the sheer size of Becky’s hauls at boot sales, her boyfriend Steff Roberts 28, an outdoor education instructor, chips in with heavy lifting and loading up her car.
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Sandra is also on hand to help her face any negative online comments.
Becky says: “Some people think selling something for more than you paid for it is wrong, so yes, I do get nasty comments.
“I try not to let them bother me, but it’s difficult.”
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With 269,000 followers on TikTok, 127,000 on Instagram and a booming business, Becky has no plans to throw in the thrifting towel. She has kitted out her flat in second-hand furniture and might branch out into selling homeware in the future.
She says: “For me, it’s really important that my buyers get a bargain. I want them to be happy with what they’ve bought — and what they’ve paid for it.”
BECKY’S TIPS
- Always think: “Is this really something I’d wear myself?” Don’t expect anybody to like something you wouldn’t feel good in.
- Look out for classic labels from the Nineties and Noughties, like Jane Norman and The Sweater Shop.
- For bigger hauls, look out for charity superstore pop-ups on their social media. Oxfam, Cancer Research, Shelter and Age UK all do them.
- Retro sportswear is a good seller and is unisex.
- Dig deep into those uninviting rummage bins.
- Join car boot sale Facebook groups to get the latest updates.
- Talk to car boot sellers to find out what else they might have in storage.
- Don’t forget to take cash and plenty of your own bags to car boot sales.
- Always haggle if you’re buying more than one item.
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