I searched prom and wedding charity shop bargains and found a …
Getting bargain prom dresses[1] and wedding outfits around Birmingham[2] can cost a small fortune and buying second hand has long been an invaluable money-saving tip. But finding charity shops that sell items in good condition and in a variety of sizes can be time-consuming, especially when it sometimes feels like pot luck. I headed off to one of the Midlands’ main charity shop hubs as I’d heard whispers about a store that could solve all my outfit hunting dramas with even designer names like Alfred Angelo bridalwear. Kidderminster,[3] on the border of the Black Country[4] and Worcestershire, has a relatively small town centre that is overflowing with charity shops.
There’s at least 13 within walking distance of each other in and around Worcester Street from Forces Support to St Richard’s Hospice, SENSE, Salvation Army, British Heart Foundation and more. But the charity shop I’m looking for isn’t a national name like Cancer Research UK but a local charity to Kidderminster that has become well-known for its bargains, particularly when it comes to formalwear. Kemp Hospice is Wyre Forest-based in Kidderminster’s Mason Road.
Its second hand stores are a hidden gem in this part of the world with two found in the historic carpet town and only a few others scattered in nearby towns of Bewdley and Stourport. It’s also now got an ebay shop. The main store is in Coventry Street, opposite Kidderminster’s Poundland.
A pretty wedding dress welcomes me into the shop and I know I’ve got the right place.
On one side is menswear with bargain bow ties, jackets and suits while the front right corner is dedicated to ballgowns. You can’t miss it as it is shines brightly with a rainbow of coloured dresses, as shown in the photo gallery above.
One price for prom and bridesmaid designer dresses
Browsing through the rail, there are at least 20 or 30 glamorous dresses that range from size 8 to 20. There’s every shade too from an on-trend magenta and pale blue to nude creams and vibrant greens.
These are not your average dresses either, but special occasion numbers that would do for a prom, bridesmaid or ball. There’s everything from corset tops with puffed up skirts and short and slinky silky numbers to long straight, classic cut dresses. POLL: Do you think the coronation is costing too much money?[6]
What I quickly notice is that every dress on the rail has the same price. They are all in extremely good condition, most appear to have been worn perhaps only once and they have big name labels. Along with Alfred Angelo, there’s also New York prom dress fashion company Morgan and Co.
Each dress is priced at GBP50, which is heavily discounted from the original price for these designer items. Most would have been well over GBP100 and running into double that.
A magenta designer dress priced at GBP50 (Image: Alison Brinkworth)
Where to find the Kemp Hospice charity shop and opening times
Kidderminster is easy to reach by bus and train, on the route from Birmingham’s Moor Street Train Station[7], through Rowley Regis and Stourbridge and on to Worcester. The Kemp charity shop with the formal dresses is at 116 Coventry St, Kidderminster, DY10 2BH.
It’s open from 9.30am to 4.30pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays – but closed on Sundays and Mondays. There is another Kemp store nearby at 7 Worcester St, in Kidderminster town centre, which sells rails of clothes with most items just GBP1. This shop doesn’t tend to sell the wedding and prom outfits, but if you are after a bargain of everyday items, this is worth a look too.
References
- ^ prom dresses (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Kidderminster, (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Black Country (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ I went to charity shop in Birmingham’s ‘poshest’ suburb and found loads of bargain designer clothes (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
- ^ Do you think the coronation is costing too much money? (xd.wayin.com)
- ^ Birmingham’s Moor Street Train Station (www.birminghammail.co.uk)