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1.2.10

This entire outfit cost $35


I haven't posted for a while about how I shop for second hand clothes, mainly I suppose because it's just something that is so natural to me. I am always shopping, I never turn off from what is going on around me in terms of retail.

I. Love. To. Shop.

If someone enquires about what I'm wearing and finds out that its second hand or vintage, the first question I am mainly asked is, 'Where do you find this stuff?'

'I don't know...?' isn't really a helpful answer, but I hope as today's post shows the stuff is out there if you care to look. I found this entire outfit in the one Salvation Army store, spending a grand total of $35 and about 1 hour shopping.
It was all there for the taking, I guess my number one tip is that you simply have to look at everything. EVERYTHING. That means home wears, manchester(I found a lavender wool coat once someone had put under a duvet), furniture, childrenswear, books- EVERYTHING.

Make 'scour' your new mantra.

The second tip is that it takes time to shift through racks and racks of clothing, the reward is that you may just find a complete outfit for under $40. If I've learnt one thing from op-shopping since I was 13, it's that you have to spend time going through everything. Literally pulling every single scarf out of that 1 mt high bin.

Dr. Jones found a black and red Christian Lacroix scarf once doing this(the couture end of the business is now closed= collectors item= $$$) and you've seen some of the labels I've found over the years in op-shops.

It's all out there, happy shopping!

Dress: Second hand $7
Glasses: $3
Cotton trench with leather details: $5
Glomesh bag: $10
Leather boots: $10


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29 comments:

pip a la chic said...

Great finds! op-shopping is fun and it's worth looking if you know you can find something awesome.

Madame Bovary said...

you have found gorgeous treasures!!!
i love boots!!
xoxo

Chi Designs said...

Wow, what a great outfit! Mind if I buy it off you for $35? :)

Love the trench.

Jordan said...

Love the outfit!
I have that glomesh bag, and a whole lot of others too!

x

Mary Ann said...

What I love in bargain shopping is that you never know what treasure you might find---and I've never been disappointed,=))

Cotton Socks said...

Love the neckline on the trench.
I still haven't been to savers yet
It's on my list of things to do.

Madeline Veenstra said...

Love this outfit, the boots are gorgeous :)

Josephine Tale Peddler said...

I love op-shopping too but the prices in Sydney op-shops are getting so expensive. I really love the glomesh bag and boots.
Thank you so much for the lovely giveaway I won recently. I didn't expect it to but the dress fitted and it's fab. xx

Anonymous said...

Wow! Very impressive! And made me feel even more guilty for the little spree I went on this afternoon *puppy eyes*


Our new house is really close to Savers wohhh! But I've yet to find ground breaking things there, I think you've picked them all up.

XXASAB

Louise said...

And it is awesome!

MIss Tina said...

wow that's awesome - i should probably try op-shopping around Perth, because i'm very very bad shopoholic and its really eating into my budget. I don't know if I'll find such great buys like you! But hey worth a try.. thanks for the inspiration.

Christina xox

Anonymous said...

I adore op-shop Glomesh ^_^

Ellie said...

Fellow addict over here - I CAN'T buy retail 'normal' now!

esme and the laneway said...

Amazing op shop, I want to find that one!

Nicole said...

Another great post LM - I love this comment:
I found a lavender wool coat once someone had put under a duvet
it was probably hidden there by someone who didn't want you to find their favourite thing! Shoppers often hide things in op shops - another reason why you're right to search the whole shop!

Fashion Tidbits said...

you're the op-shopping queen!

megannielsen said...

You are my hero. Period.

flickity_split said...

WOW! That is so amazing!
My mum loves op shopping too, and I must say it has rubbed off on me a lil more over the last few years, i used to hate going into them when i was a kid!
It is definately true what you say - you need to take the time to look through absolutley everything! She has found some great things and i am slowly getting there. In fact, today i am wearing a dress that i bought for $5 from the Camberwell Market - i took the sleeves off and altered the neck and now i love it!
I love reading your blog, i think you have great style!
Keep up the amazing work!
Flick
x

Friend in Fashion said...

I <3 thrift! Check out my latest post to see the gorgeous vintage dress i picked up for $6! :)
www.friendinfashion.blogspot.com
x

E said...

wow 35 bucks for such a stylish look is unbelievable! great finds!

heyfancypants.blogspot.com

Lisa said...

How inspiring! Great outfit!

I love thrifting and now I think I'll see what I can come up with for under $40 (or less!) next time I'm out!

Great post! Love your blog!


Lisa.
Butterflies and Daisys Vintage

Julie said...

Fabulous outfit. Great shopping.

piglet said...

Ooooh I want that glomesh bag! I have a black one just like it, but I love it so much. There's always room for more!

queen of my galaxy said...

i love you blog. i love op shops too! i go as often as i can. last week i found a real vintage fur coat and even if i might never wear it i can not help but buy it. now i do not know what to do with it. when i ask people what they think about it, they say it's not so bad, it's recyling. any thoughts? suggestions?

cheers,
petite

http://www.queenofmygalaxy.blogspot.com/

Emilys Vs The World said...

Hey love op shopping been awhile since got lucky! I love those boots, I'm looking for something similar but with laces! Anyway you've inspired me to try and quit my retail habit! xoxo em

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Anonymous said...

You've got an eye for lovely things! I love this outfit, but I will be honest when I say that I probably wouldn't have envisioned these items would look so lovely put together like this.

I am not very comfortable with buying second hand shoes, they sort of gross to me.

Do you go through any process of dis-infecting them?

Anastasia said...

wow - inspiring post!! love the purple with the beige and dark leather boots - nice!! and cheap too...i need to do more scouring!

Shannon said...

I'm so glad you wrote this post. I got several funny looks from people at the May Day op shop during their $1 sale because I spent 2 1/2 hours going through every single item on every single rack (May Day is in an old warehouse with no air con, so people tend to just pop in and out.

I spent $11 and came out with a miss shop red sheath dress that fits like a glove, an unmarked black Cue jacket in my size, several tops and skirts and dresses and two other dress jackets. It's my mission this year to buy everything 2nd hand or handmade and one month in I'm actually wondering why I ever bothered to go to shops at all - Thrifting is much more zen and you find some beautiful things for dirt cheap if you actually bother to look.