Back to School

Jill bought this bag new at a charity shop for $4. She covered up the ugly logos with awesome Queenslander fretwork inspired fabric that she found on Etsy. You can find fabric like this at  http://thea-sami.com.au 

This little project had been on her to do list for weeks and weeks. I am so lucky that she finished it and sent me this fantastic photo to share with you. 

Great work Jill!

Anna reveals why she adores recycled fashion

Describe your wardrobe. This is a tough one. I'd say it is an Anna wardrobe.

What inspires you when you go op shopping? I'm always keen to find things to wear that are not clogging up the racks of mainstream stores. Plus there's the potential for rescuing a great item from feeling unloved.

Tells us about your favourite recycled fashion finds. Some really high-use items that always make me feel great and which I am usually complimented on are a grey-blue cotton skirt with embroidery, denim capri pants, and navy platform peep-toe stilettos.


Describe the colour palette of your wardrobe. Black/grey/blue. I like these colours, they go with a lot... but my favourite colours are green (pure, emerald green) and red. There are a few items of these colours scattered around but they are not huge in number.


What is your favourite thing about op shopping? Acceptance. There is (usually) only one item of its kind, so if it doesn't fit me, I move on. None of this 'the smaller size fits mostly except for here where it's too tight, but the larger size fits there but not anywhere else what should I do' angst. I also love finding things I'd seen in a store months before but had resisted and being able to buy them in an op shop for a much lower price.

Here's why Noni loves to Op Shop

Dress $20 from Lifeline, Bag $6 Lifeline

When I go shopping, I look for colour, style and comfort...... preferably everything I buy should be non-iron and/or have at least 3% elastane or some other kind of stretch. I love anything in earthy tones, mauve or lilacs, mushroom pink or brown.


I love fabrics - textures and colours fascinate me.

My very first fashion memory is sewing a pair of yellow linen culottes and a tapestry waistcoat. The tapestry was upholstery fabric. I wore this amazing outfit to my very first school dance and thought I looked wonderful. Since then I have had a passion for fashion and have enjoyed many, many years of fashion experiments some OK, even good and some spectacularly disastrous. I have finally learnt to recognise which colours and style best suit me..... I think!


I always like to go shopping..... but for me, 2012 is going to be a shopping challenge. 2012 is going to be the Year of the Not-for-Profit Op Shop. This means shopping only in op shops for all of 2012. I’ll keep you posted on how this New Year’s resolution holds up. I’m excited about the challenge because I love the element of surprise associated with op-shopping. I never know what wonderful treasures are waiting for me .... and as an bonus, I am doing the planet a favour by recycling and as an added bonus, the money I spend is going to charity. It’s a win, win and win situation.


My favourite Op Shop is the Lifeline store in the Blockside & Ferguson Arcade on Adelaide Street.


My fashion heroine is my Aunty Dorothy, a beautiful woman who has perfected the art of finding treasures amongst trash and who introduced me to the pleasures of op-shopping when she gave me a beautiful piece of John Kaldor watered green silk which she found in a Salvos store. I ’m keeping it for a special occasion .........

Wynnum Op Shop Crawl Continued

These are some of Noni's purchases from the Wynnum Op Shop Crawl. Noni was very pleased with all of her purchases.

 

Pendant $4 from Asthma Foundation

Top $7.50 from St Vinnies

$7.50 from Lifeline

Wynnum Op Shop Crawl

Noni is wearing her new necklace and Laura is wearing her new hat and enjoying a newly purchased Readers Digest hard cover book. 

Today Laura, Emily, Zita, Noni and myself hit the op shops in Wynnum. Everyone scored a bargain. 

Laura bought some wonderful goodies. Here are some photos she took of her treasures.

Asthma Foundation $9

Endeavour Foundation $29 (I wish I could have squeezed my big feet into these)

Awesome LBD from Vinnies $8.50

$15

Another pretty little black dress from Vinnies $15

Funky sneakers $8 from Lifeline

Pretty sandals $7 from Vinnies

Nice work Laura!

Keep watching this space for more photographic evidence.

Zita tells us why she loves to hit the Charity Shops

When I go shopping I buy the kind of clothes that make me happy, anything girly or pink or shiny. I also like to buy things that are elegant and classic and will never go out of style.




I can't pinpoint my first fashion memory but have several early fashion memories. I remember going to the shops with my mum when I was little and staring at women's high heeled shoes. I remember going to play at a friends place whos Mother had the most amazing collection of heels and trying to walk in the highest pair. I also remember wanting a dress like Belle's in Beauty and the Beast.




I like to go op shopping when I want something that no one else has. There’s no better feeling then having someone compliment a piece of clothing and ask where you bought it and being able to reply 'I got it at an op shop for 3 bucks'.




I would describe shopping for recycled fashion as a skill. It requires patience and a knack for finding the gem amongst all the crap. Sometimes special things look ordinary on the rack.




My favourite op shop is Endos at Paddington. I have found odd gems all over the place but endos always delivers. I also love vintage stores like retro metro, adornments and the stalls in the Paddington antique centre.




My fashion heroes are Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Aubrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Carrie Bradshaw.I love Coco Chanel and Christian Dior because they reinvented fashion and their designs have lasted the test of time. I love Audrey and Grace because they were elegant and iconic and Carrie because she isn’t afraid to take fashion risks and I relate to her love of shoes.




When I wear my favourite recycled fashion finds I feel like a kid again.




One day I will own a Chanel handbag.

Zita turned up to coffee yesterday in this great dress that she bought from Bowerbird Vintage. What a talented shopper she is.

This is the pretty set I made for Anna using a strand of pearls I bought at the Salvos in Underwood. 

$25 Vinnies 

Handbag $9 Salvos

Handmade dress $12 Salvos 

Gold Shoes $3 Vinnies

70's Halter dress $9 Asthma Foundation

Necklace made with pearls and Swarovski Crystals puchased from Vinnies. 

Me at Vinnies choosing pearls.