Hello and welcome to the National Op Shop week festivities! National Op Shop Week is 27 August to 2 September 2017. The aim of the third ‘National Op Shop Week’ is boosting donations to charity op shops. An initiative of the Do Something charity in partnership with the National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations (NACRO). Living clothes is a great way to help the community,” said Jon Dee, the Managing Director of Do Something and founder of ‘National Op Shop Week’. We need the Australian public to dig deep into their wardrobes and donate good quality clothing directly to their nearest charity op shops.”
I love a good jazz around the op shop. It’s always an adventure and you never know what you might find. Finding a unique garment or piece of fabric is so exciting. I have planned three posts in celebration of National Op Shop Week – Yay! This is a lookbook with four vintage inspired outfits that are made up of my Op Shop finds. My last post was on planning your own Op Shop Tour (including a map of my fave shopping spots). My first post was everything you need to know about shopping and donating to Op Shops.
Hawaiian Heaven
This outfit gives me some seriously kitschy Florida vibes and I am in love! I picked up these pants because of the awesome print but I really wasn’t sure when I stepped out of the change room. A fellow shopper told me I needed these pants! She was totally right, the pants are perfect. And who could say no to a beaded flamingo bag? It goes with more than you think and I use it often. I’ve nearly worn these painted denim wedges to death! Denim is a neutral right?
- Floral Pants – Salvos Brighton
- Black Shrug Top – Red Cross St Mary’s
- Denim Painted Wedges – RSPCA Waradale
- Orange Hair Flower – Junktion
- Black Lacquer Bangle – Salvos Brighton
- Flamingo Bag – Red Cross St Marys
Work It Girl
I really wanted this City Chic brand top (chevroned stripes are a weakness) when it was new but couldn’t justify the price. So you can imagine my excitement when I snagged it for just $8.25 at Salvos! The Op Shop gods must have been on my side that day because I found my next two dresses in the same store, on the same day. The top pairs well with these black pants. The pants were way too big at the waist but I was able to put my sewing know how to work and fix them up. The whole look is very office appropriate but still has a little vintage personality. You could swap the pants for a pencil skirt if you want to amp up the vintage element. Remind me of this when I have a formal meeting to go to and can’t think what to wear!
- Black Pants (altered) – RSPCA Brighton
- Stripe Peplum – Salvos St Mary’s
- Black Slingback Heels – Red Cross St Mary’s
- Spotty Hair Bow – Junktion
- Glow Mesh Bag – Salvos Darlington
Jealous of Joan
I’m no Joan from Mad Men but this green dress makes me feel like I am! I love the twist details in the front, they are very flattering to my curvy figure and the stretchy fabric hugs but doesn’t tug. And it’s lined! I have no fears about looking too ‘Christmassy’ in red and green, I think they are made for each other. I adore these red shoes! The 1980’s doing 1950’s is my idea of vintage perfection. My handbag isn’t strictly op shop but it is second hand and it was too good to leave out. It belonged to my Grandma Beryl, she got it as a gift from her brother in 1958. I wrestled it from her in the late 1990’s and it has been a treasured part of my collection ever since. Charity begins a home, so they say!
- Green Dress – Salvos St Mary’s
- Red Heels – Second Chances
- Red Headscarf – Vinnies St Mary’s
- Red Wooden Beads – Junktion
- Red Handbag – Grandma
Mint Condition
Who can resist the charm of polka dots? I was going to go mega matchy matchy with polka dot shoes and scarf but I’m desperate for summer and nothing says summer like pastels. This whole look makes me think of a choc mint sundae, smothered in cream and sprinkles with a cherry on top! Well, a cherry scarf at any rate. As I have said in previous posts, Mum has a keen Op Shopping eye. I asked her to look out for a wicker basket like this and she found it the very next day! I use it to carry stuff around all the time and I love that it has a ‘lid’ that keeps curious kitties out. I do like to use a scarf as an adornment because why not? Speaking of adornment, these heels are so adorable and are another example of the 80’s doing the 50’s – yes please!
- Polka Dot Dress – Salvos St Mary’s
- Mint Heels – RSPCA
- Mint Hair Scarf – RSPCA Brighton
- Mint Sunglasses – Sunflower shop
- Wicker Basket – Vinnies St Mary’s
- Cherry Scarf – Red Cross St Mary’s
I have had a blast playing dress up for you! Three of the garments here were recent Op Shop purchases but the rest are previous thrifted items, straight out of my wardrobe. I think we tend to wear things in a certain way, ‘these shoes go with that dress’ and don’t mix and match enough. Challenges like Me Made May or various Instagram challenges or just putting these outfits for you, help you to really think differently about how things do together. Many years ago, I did a fashion parade for Vinnies. I had to put together three outfits, made up entirely from items in their Op Shops. Since I was only wearing them for the fashion parade (not buying or keeping) I chose things I might not have chosen normally. I was so shocked by how good they were, I ended up buying them! So remember to keep an open mind!
This is my final post in the National Op Shop Weeks series! The last one was a post on planning your own Op Shop Tour (including a map of my fave shopping spots) and before that, all the tips for shopping and donating to Op Shops. I hope you have enjoyed all this Op Shop fun! I’ve had a blast and found some awesome bargains. If you have too, let me know about your best op shop find in the comments xxx
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