Reporter and keen thrift-store shopper Ruth Keber shares her tips for scoring the best bargains.
Once seen as the poor man's option for clothing and homeware, op shops ("opportunity'' shops) have become everybody's go-to for something different or unique.
But getting the best out of your op-shop experience can be hard _ the over-crowded racks and messy displays can be off-putting and daunting for any bargain hunter.
Here are 10 tips for having a great op-shopping experience.
1 The early bird catches the worm: Op shops are becoming ever more popular so if you want to find a decent bargain you have to get in and claim your pieces before others beat you to it. It could be a good idea to ring ahead and find out when stores bring out their new stock.
2 Take your time: Thinking you will steal a bargain within minutes of walking into a store is a big no. You have to take your time to look through different racks and ponder pieces.
3 Try before you buy: Make sure you try on items before buying them. Like any store, what looks good on the mannequins or the shelf may look different on your body.
4 Remember your cash: Not all op shops will have eftpos facilities so it's a good idea to have enough cash so you're not caught short at the register.
5 Mix and match: Don't be afraid to mix it up; take the opportunity to try on new looks and genres of fashion at a fraction of the cost. Try out some new styles and things you wouldn't normally wear.
6 If in doubt, alter it: If you find a piece of clothing and it's not quite right, work out if it can be altered. I often come across trousers and dresses that fit fantastically but are too short. A flick of the hem tells you whether or not they can be let down.
7 Reveal the hoarder in you: Op shops are not just great for finding unique clothing but also homeware, books, CDs or records, and much more.
8 Simplify it: It's a good idea to go through your wardrobe and work out what pieces you actually need beforehand, and make a list of what you're looking for so you have some direction when you get in there.
9 Fancy dress: Nothing to wear to this weekend's fancy dress party? Hit the local op shop to find ball gowns, suits and leotards from previous decades. Mix this with a bit of highlighter pink and blue eyeshadow, and wham, here is your Jane Fonda look.
10 Give and take: Op shops rely on donations. After you have gone crazy at a few, go home and see what you can clean out and donate back to keep the cycle going. Remember, one man's trash is another man's treasure.
Vintage vanity
Fashionista and former associate editor of Vogue Australia, Leigh-Ann Pow, is a lover of all things vintage.
In an extract from her book, Fashionably Worn: How to Fill your Home with Divine Vintage Treasures, she shares her valuable first-hand experience of shopping for "fabulous eclectic vintage and secondhand pieces ... as well as a few sartorial tips on how to look completely chic and stylistically appropriate''.
When shopping for vintage clothes:
Choose quality fabrics and impeccable tailoring above all else as these simply never go out of style.
* Get hooked on classics and leave fads to the 14-year-olds.
* Think outside the gender box: if you are looking for a navy blazer, head to the men's section instead of the women's. The same goes for waistcoats, tuxedo pants and baggy boyfriend jeans.
* Don't do vintage from head to toe. Instead, elevate your second-hand pieces by mixing them with designer elements and statement accessories.
More dash than cash
Here are some key pieces to look for when venturing forth on your next shopping expedition.
Designer denim:
As denim has become something of a modern uniform for chic urbanites, so the prices have ratcheted up and up with each new arrival on the jean scene.
Now, I am not going to suggest for a second that there's no difference between $580 jeans and $40 jeans; it's about the perfect cut, the shape, the fade, the way they hug all the right places and, of course, the cachet of telling everyone they are Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, don't you know.
But there's really no reason to go to such extremes with your budget: designer jeans are the perfect second-hand buys at op shops or online, at a fraction of the price. You also come across vintage 70s jeans by the likes of Wrangler and Amco, high-waisted and flared in a thick denim that you just don't get nowadays.
These look amazing with a basic white T-shirt (try Petit Bateau, J.Crew or Bassike), tucked in of course, with a chunky sandal or Swedish Hasbeens clogs if you really want to amp up the retro appeal. Chanteuse and actress Jane Birkin has always been the go-to style icon for this look.
If you worry that you don't have the optimum level of insouciance to carry it off, stick with the vintage jeans but team them with an ever-so-slightly-loose V-neck sweater (black or grey), cashmere or new wool, and buttery-soft Car Shoes.
Not sure how loose is too loose? Reference the divine Ines de la Fressange, who gets the look just right every time.
Fabulous 50s:
I adore 1950s dresses and have quite a few hanging in my wardrobe, possibly as a result of watching one too many Doris Day movies in my youth. For anyone with an hourglass figure, these are the perfect choice when it comes to exploiting your natural assets.
Lest you end up looking like an extra from Mad Men, though, subvert the prim and proper 50s housewife effect by wearing them with stacked heels, something with a bit of serious hardware on them, a skinny leather jacket and a punkish cuff at the wrists, or perhaps leather sandals with a naive appeal, the sort you might buy on holidays in the Greek Islands (try the Ancient Greek Sandals label and save yourself the airfare).
The best place to search is on eBay, which has page after page of lovelies, most originating from the United States or dedicated vintage clothing stores.
If the shoe fits:
Ah, shoes, a subject close to many hearts. When it comes to true vintage shoes - whether the staggeringly pointy toes of the 50s, the patent boots of the 60s or the outlandish platforms of the 70s - the main obstacle you will come up against is size.
It is a scientific fact that the human race's feet are getting bigger, and most of the pristine examples you find in emporiums and op shops are teeny-tiny. I purchased a sublime pair of pony-skin heels from the late-1960s when I was in my early 20s that fit beautifully, but quite a few years and one pregnancy later and they don't even come close to making it on to my feet.
Instead they have become objets d'art, sitting pretty atop a stack of fashion books. If you do buy vintage or secondhand shoes, looking after them properly will extend their lifespan: have them resoled and reheeled, waterproof them if necessary and, when storing them, use shoe trees, wrap them in acid-free tissue paper and place them in boxes.
Fur sure:
Every time I browse a market (and let's face it, that's a lot), I find endless divine vintage fur coats on offer. It is important to be practical when considering a purchase such as this: don't buy a full-length fur coat unless you are a subscription holder to the opera or you live somewhere cold enough to do it justice, otherwise it is just going to take up room in your wardrobe.
If neither of the above applies but you are still determined to add fur to your fashion roster, search out car-coat lengths that can be worn on the school run with very little irony. Team with ankle-skimming capri pants and Oxfords for the ultimate high/low fashion combo.
Blazer of glory:
When I was a teenager I had the chance to raid my grandparents' wardrobe, with carte blanche to take whatever I wanted. While I found plenty to love on my nana's side, it was my papa's hanging rack that offered up the true prize: a navy-blue, double-breasted wool blazer with traditional horsehair canvas lining.
It fit me like a glove and I absolutely, positively adored it. I wore it everywhere and with everything. In fact, I wore it so much I wore it out, and I have been trying to fill the void ever since.
Men's suit jackets and sports coats look brilliant with a leather belt pulled tight at the waist and worn with skirts, either short pencil shapes or longer and fuller, or a wide-leg pant.
Diane Keaton originated the look in the late 70s and has stuck with it ever since, so look to the Woody Allen classic Annie Hall for your cues. When shopping, pay attention to the shape - long arms can be rolled up but the shoulders should be quite fitted or they will sag and you will look like you're drowning in material.
Fashionably Worn: How to Fill your Home with Divine Vintage Treasures by Leigh-Ann Pow
Published by HarperCollins.