Opshopologist of the week: Jill

She's a jewellery designer with a flair for vintage designs and a passion for recycled fashion

What is the first thing you do you do when you  enter an op shop?

I don't really have a ritual in this respect. I think it depends on which op shop I'm in and what they have laid out where.

You are an avid recycled clothing shopper. How did your interest in second hand clothing start?
As a kid, my mom always took me to charity shops. We hardly bought any clothes new, ever. It has always just been a normal part of life. It wasn't until I started Uni that op shopping started to be perceived as cool.

What is the one thing we should know about you?
I'm an Ebay addict. If it's for big stuff, I go straight to Gumtree. Second hand or handmade is second nature. Buying new things just doesn't make any sense.

What is the best advice you could give to those who are new to op shopping? 

Patience, young grasshoppa. You usually have to dig to find the good stuff. Oh, and STAY AWAY from second hand underthings. Blech.

How would you describe your sense of style? 

I told my mom once, "I think I figured out what kind of girl I am. I'm the kind of girl who wears Doc Martens with Tutu [my grandma]'s pearl necklace." Now, 20 years later, that's still true.
What is your favourite jewellery to wear with your recycled clothing?
Jewellery from www.BlueSerendipity.com

Opshopologist of the week - Mercedes

Skilled martial artist, expert opshopper. Is there anything this girl can't do?

When I go op shopping I buy the kind of clothes that  are comfortable and that I can muti wear ie to work, casual and dress up. I like them to be as natural as possible, though sometimes the grooviest clothes are the most synthetic and I will buy these - they are recycled after all. 


My first fashion memory involved..oh god I think it was the 80's and everything was fluorescent - I had big round florescent earrings and sunglasses which had paint speckled lenses - Yuk!! Boy George and Marilyn were big at the time. I also remember sewing clothes for my Barbie doll.
I like to go op shopping when I am feeling happy. 


I would describe shopping for recycled fashion as fun, inventive, creative, inspiring and sometimes a BIG MISTAKE - when you see something that you like in the shop or on e-bay, get it home and realise it does not match anything else you have!! Oops oh well it can be solved by more op shopping and I can easily pass it on to a friend. It is environmentally sound 

My favourite op shops are... on Anne St,  Brunswick St, West End, Blackwood St, Mitchelton, in Paddington and Redhill. In Melbourne I love the ones in St Kilda and Windsor. Also the OP shops that are in little country towns.

My fashion heroes are Dogstar Clothing, a very groovy Brisbane fashion designer. I also admire people who wear what they want to wear as opposed to what the media dictates them to wear. Of course there is the upcoming fashion designer I found Lucy created by Lucy Tranter.


When I wear my favourite recycled fashion finds I feel...Old and used. No really I feel proud that I have save something from being added to our waste pile, I feel frugal and ironically my partner tells me it keeps me young.


When I'm not op shopping you can find me shopping on e-bay (the next best thing to Op shops), being a mum and hanging out with my family, listening to music, dancing, walking, working, doing Aikido and catching up with friends

More then 50% of my wardrobe has either been passed on to me, or I have purchased second hand via e-bay or Op shops. I feel strongly about the waste that fashion can create, things come into fashion and then suddenly out of fashion so quickly that we can easily be purchasing new items every week to stay in fashion. I would rather put my efforts into giving things a new life again and again. It is also a way of expressing who I am as an individual.
The things that I do buy new usually last me a looong time.

Opshopologists Monica and Andrew furnish their house in style

Waiting room chairs $10 each from Vinnies 

Set of 4 dining chairs for $10 on ebay and fashionably refashioned by Monica

Danish sterling steel serving platters with teak handles

How old were you when you first started op-shopping?
I've been op-shopping for furniture and homewares since I was 18. I remember it clearly because it was my 18th birthday and I bought myself a very old but beautiful chair for $10. Buying furniture made me feel very grown up!

How much of your furniture has been bought at op shops?
We only have a few special pieces. Op-shopping is all about the hunt for me so I'm fairly picky about what I actually buy. 

What is your favourite piece of op shopped furniture?
I bought three 'waiting room' chairs at St Vinnies, Sumner Park. They had six in total but I could only fit three in my house. They were $10 each. I love that they have a kind of commercial look. My dining room chairs were definitely the biggest bargain though. I managed to 'win' a set of four for $10 on eBay. I recovered them with stripey fabric despite the original upholstery being oh-so fabulously retro chic. They were too damaged to use though. I'm also building up quite a collection of stainless serving serving wares. My favourites are these danish ones with teak handles. 

Why do you like to buy furniture from op shops?I love finding one-off, pre-loved items that you can't find new. I also love the charm of 'old things'. 

Do you have any good tips for buying recycled furniture?
Unless you are skilled, beware of items that require major repair but don't be afraid of objects that just need a good clean.

Is there a particular shop or area that you would recommend for finding furniture bargains?
St Vincent's, Sumner Park is a favourite and Lifeline Megastores are excellent too.