At European sales you can sometimes find haute couture items
But at one fine time, saturation with such things set in. We got tired of buying “disposable” T-shirts and jeans that faded after washing. We wanted high-quality “brand name” items, but at the old, low prices. And that's when the shuttle traders of a “new caliber” entered the scene.
The “Janitors” of the Neighborhoods
Yes, sometimes they perform exactly that function. In every house in prosperous neighborhoods of countries with a high standard of living, a certain amount of unwanted items accumulates sooner or later. Either they've become too big, or too small, or simply boring. And it's customary to get rid of things, that is, simply put, to throw them away. But removing “trash” from the neighborhood costs money – what an inconvenience for thrifty foreigners!
Resourceful entrepreneurs of Slavic origin came to their aid, quickly realizing that second-hand items bought (or simply collected) could be sold at home at a higher price. And they took on the transportation costs. In turn, the sanitary and epidemiological stations are on the alert – customs will not let untreated goods into the country. First, they are subjected to high temperatures and a special preparation that kills the spores of any bacteria and viruses. And only then, compressed and loaded into containers, the items set off on their journey.
• By the way, you can also buy second-hand clothing in Moscow. The wholesale warehouse “Hermes” offers European-quality clothing for the whole family. The assortment includes children's, women's and men's second-hand clothing wholesale. Knitwear, T-shirts, underwear, shirts, sweaters and trousers – a huge selection of goods of all sizes and styles from leading global brands.
God Give Me What's Not Good Enough for a German
However, why not? Second-hand shops exist in many, even the most developed countries in the world. Despite material prosperity, residents of Germany, for example, do not disdain to crowd into all kinds of flea markets. And their famous car scrapyards? The first one appeared once in Essen, and almost immediately became a local landmark. And, starting from the mid-80s, such “Schrotts,” as they were called, began to spread almost throughout the country.
Used car depots could be found near all more or less large cities in Germany. Many of our tourists flocked here with the sole purpose of picking up spare parts for their cars at reasonable prices. And the prices were indeed v-very reasonable, and the assortment was pleasing. And what cars were purchased there! What Germans consider a used car, we buy with great pleasure. After all, many companies have a flexible system of discounts for buyers.
I was very surprised when my acquaintances living in Dresden arrived every three years in a brand new Audi. As it turned out, exactly every three years they have the right, after a small additional payment, to exchange the car for a new model of the same company. How do you like those “used” cars? Even on the streets of Berlin you can see advertisements for the sale of an “old” car (only five years old) at a very low price.
Jeans in Which All America Grew Up
Quite a plausible statement. After all, Americans are a very thrifty nation. They will never pay $10 if they can get by with $9.99. It is they who closely follow newspaper advertisements for sales and cut out discount coupons from newspapers.
But especially popular are the so-called “garage sales”. Enterprising owners prefer to resell boring items. As a rule, neighbors buy them. But any passerby can freely enter and buy any item they like – from a set of tools to clothing.
Americans dress very simply, and see nothing wrong with wearing second-hand clothes. And there's nothing to say about young people. It's no wonder that children of rich parents work as babysitters and wash dishes in cafes. In short, thrift is highly valued, and a student dressed to the nines in designer clothes will only cause bewilderment. As for the stereotype “second-hand is clothes for the poor”... They say that Naomi Campbell herself is a regular at Parisian flea markets. And she invariably buys something.
The Eternal Life of Stylish English Things
So abroad, many people also buy second-hand items. And some prefer to shop exclusively at flea markets. Because it is here that you can dig up such treasures!
Once in London, learning that we were looking for a flea market, an elderly wealthy lady literally dragged my friend and me into her place. With a mysterious air, she led us into a large room. Crossing its threshold, we gasped and stood still in admiration. A whole collection appeared before our eyes – gorgeous evening dresses. Delighted by our enthusiasm, the lady told us that she had found all the exhibits of her collection precisely at London flea markets, among ordinary T-shirts and trousers. And with special pride, she boasted that she had paid a ridiculous sum for the purchases, and even haggled. So much for “clothes for the poor”!
After such a story, we rushed hot on the trail in search of “their” second-hand clothing markets. And one day, while walking through Paradise (don't be scared, Paradise is a small English town), I stumbled upon a local flea market. Wow! The lady was right – here indeed, clothes and costume jewelry turned out to be real “pearls”. Moreover, I can confidently assert that such sales are a real find for people who want to look original and stand out from the crowd of identically dressed compatriots. And, remembering the prices in our capital's fashionable boutiques for almost similar items, I was already mentally counting the dozens of pounds saved.
Indeed, why pay more?