Putting the op in shop

Newcastle Herald

Thursday March 31, 2011

JANE PARSONS

FOR A FEEL-GOODSHOPPING TRIP,JANE PARSONS LOOKS ATTHE BOOM IN OP-SHOPEXPERIENCES.IT��S a shopping trip like no other, where armfulsof clothing are acceptable and the dreadedshopper��s remorse doesn��t even rate a mention.This feel-good way to shop is winning more andmore fans as people from every walk of life enjoy apursuit that is all about the benefi ts and less aboutthe pitfalls.Yes, recycled clothing has come into its own, butwithout the credit card dilemma.The chance to grab a bargain is high on the list ofreasons to shop in ��pre-loved�� style, but snappingup that unique or unusual item that sets you apartfrom the throng is often an underlying reason toget out among the racks �� and racks �� of interestingand often quirky gear.The outlets catering for this style have certainlystepped up to the podium, creating a shoppingexperience for customers instead of an ��anythinggoes�� jumble.Op shops and recycled and vintage clothingstores are anything but a jumble sale.Neat, clean and tidy are key words for not just theitems themselves but the layout of the places thathouse any number of those dresses, skirts, blouses,pants, jeans, bags, scarves, jewellery and shoes.One dedicated shopper loves to wile away a quietafternoon looking at the shops dotted throughoutNewcastle, including the inner-city suburbs as wellas Wallsend and Boolaroo.So enthused is she by rare and interesting fi ndsshe visits the sites regularly.��I love the stunning vintage clothes and shopswith really interesting brooches and scarves, but Ihave also picked up fi ve work skirts for just $6 eachat The Salvos,�� says the mother of two.��My daughter loves the time we spend fossickingaround because she comes home with plenty aswell.��There really is no guilt in it at all, becauseit fosters recycling, so we are making use ofsomething that is already here.��On her travels she has also picked up home items,including a beautiful art deco bowl for $10, andvarious cheap but rare spoons for her daughter��ssouvenir collection.��It is silly to keep producing more plastic crapwhen these styles will live on forever,�� she says.The op shops have the added advantage ofraising funds for good causes, making them evenmore appealing from a philanthropic viewpoint.Samaritan��s communications and businessmanager Jenaleen Downie says the op-shop storeshave been changing focus to keep up with a newdemand from customers.��We now look like what a shop should look like inmainstream retail,�� she says. ��We know that aboveall, the shopper loves a bargain and they certainlyget it here.��We have noticed another demographic comingto the stores. They are more discerning about whatthey buy and are on the look out for a treasure.��Downie says brand labels are always popular asare the harder to come by vintage clothing.��After someone has been here, they usuallycome back with clothes they have cleaned out oftheir own wardrobe. They then shop around forsomething else.��In that way we have a big turnover, soyou are likely to see something differentevery time you come in.��We structure the shops now so thatstock is moved around. We want it tolook good so we can raise money. Thesestores help the community, notjust with recycled items, but withmoney for emergency reliefcentres, helping people withfood vouchers and otherareas of need.��She says recyclingretailers lookat ways topresent theirgoods in a��palatableway��.The clothesare clean,pressed, withno rips, tears orstains.��They are notput out on the fl oor ifthis is the case,�� Downiesays. ��They can all be put onstraight away.��She says it is a big job to go throughand sort everything and anattractive window display is amust.The items are usually pricedunder $10, with $2 and $3 the norm.> 9 >��I myself picked up a nice lime-coloured blouse with pintucks down the front, short sleeves and slits up the sidesfor $5.��New stock and those with the tags still on them can sellfor $10 or a little more.Recycled vintage or retro clothing is usually priced muchhigher because of its rarity and quality.��They are still a lot cheaper than new or designerclothing,�� Metro Retro owner Jennifer Harper says.��People want something that no-one else has and theyusually want it to add interest to an outfi t. They love mixingmodern and vintage.��If I dressed in all ��50s clothes, it wouldn��t work, but add agreat piece to your existing outfi t and it revamps the wholething.��The Mayfi eld shop attracts customers from all over, withuniversity students particularly keen on the offerings.��They usually fi nd something unique but at a cheaperprice. I also have a woman from Byron Bay who pays myshop prices to take things back to her own shop becausepeople are prepared to pay more up there,�� Harper, who hashad a lifelong interest in retro and recycled clothing, says.She has been in business for 13 years with customerscoming from Sydney and all over Newcastle and the Hunterto buy her sought-after clothes and accessories.��Good vintage can be hard to come across becausewomen, particularly young women, don��t want a dress a60-year-old wore in 1960,�� she says. ��It would look dowdy.You need a dress that a 20-year-old wore in 1960. There isa big difference.��Harper says the best item she has ever come across wasa ��60s go-go dress with key holes and medallions at thehem.��It was very Austin Powers and in perfect condition, but I>> 10 >>had to sell it. In my line of business you can��t keep everything. You have to letthings go.��Pam Ryan, of Op Shop Heaven at Belmont Marketplace, believes thestandard of donations to the Newcastle Revival Fellowship op shop is higherthan ever before.The boutique-style shop with hot pink walls decorated with fashion photosand funky accessories, appeals to a big cross section of people.��We try to display everything in an ordered fashion, so it has the feel of aboutique,�� Ryan says.��We don��t put rubbish in the shop and people have responded to that. Wehave quality, but there are also plenty of bargains, with big names like Sussanand Jump.��Blouses, jeans and skirts are usually about $4 or $6, but if it is designer ornew it can be up to $20. The stock changes regularly.Part of the shop��s proceeds go to supporting the Westpac RescueHelicopter, youth iniatives and overseas missions.Vinnies Gateshead Centre president Roslyn Martin says the shop is seeingmore new faces and people looking for a bargain in these stretched economictimes.��Everyone is after a bargain, but we get customers here for all differentreasons. Some want to buy a costume for a fancy dress party,��she says.��We have the shop set up really well, like a normal shop, so people can fi ndthings a lot easier.��We want to make money, so that aspect is important.��We sell a lot of handbags, shoes and jewellery. Most of the clothes sell forabout $4 or $5, but occasionally we have a big ticket item like a designer dressby George which still had the tag on it, for $359. We sold that for $40.��Sometimes we have things for $1 and people buy and buy and buy.��More than ever there is a defi nite need for this type of shop.��St Vincent de Paul executive offi cer Denise Lucas encourages people todonate ��good quality stuff��.��We want to present the pieces nicely,�� she says. ��They should be cleanand have everything working properly, no zippers that don��t work or buttonsmissing.��We change stock around because there is a constant stream of donations.��We hope more young people can become interested in volunteering asthey identify the trends. Lots of our accessories, shoes, beads and bags canjazz up an outfi t��.This long-time shopping experience has taken on a new face and a life of itsown with wins all round.Canny customers are revelling in the chance to score a bargain, help theplanet by recycling, giving their own wardrobes a much-needed declutter andin the case of community op shops, helping a great cause �� and all at the sametime.How to get the bestOP shopping is such a big deal these days that someorganisations are even giving suggestions on how to getthe most out of a store visit.Vinnies head stylist Karmyn Thomas is confi dent youcan look good, save dollars and even save lives with hertop tips.Her thrifty, not to mention stylish looks, come off theback of running Styled by Vinnies workshops across thestate since September. The workshops show shoppershow to put together fashion-forward outfi ts at a fractionof their usual cost. All the money raised in-store goes tohelping the local community.Her tips include:� BRING A WISH LISTTo save time, bring a wish list to guide your Vinniesvisit, because with so many gems in store and so fewhours in the day, it��s easy to go wild and forget what youwere originally looking for.Keep your list unspecifi c and include things liketrends, colours and the styles you are after. It will beclose to impossible to fi nd an exact piece, although it doeshappen. Not knowing what you��re going to fi nd is halfthe fun.� GET TO KNOW THE VINNIES VOLUNTEERS INSTOREIf you are looking for something specifi c, don��t be shy toask one of the volunteers for help because they do a lot ofthe sorting, so chances are they will know exactly whereto fi nd it.They can also tell you the best times to come in andwhen they are having sales.Every store will be different, so have a chat to thevolunteers and fi nd out all their insider tips.� GET THINGS ALTERED OR GIVE IT A GOYOURSELFIf you fi nd yourself besotted by a darling piece that issimply too big, why not get it altered? And if it��s too small,but you��re absolutely smitten with that print or thosebuttons, try your hand at recreating it. You could cut outa headscarf from that material or freshen up a top withthose buttons. Think Julie Andrews in The Sound of Musicand her adorable curtain outfi ts. A well-tailored Vinniesoutfi t will still be cheaper than a new one �� plus it��ll beone-of-a-kind and an awesome conversation starter.� WANDER INTO THE MEN��S SECTIONDon��t be afraid to visit the men��s section and try onthings you usually wouldn��t. Being ��styled by Vinnies��is not about looking like every second person on thestreet, it��s about being unique and sometimes that meanslooking at a man��s shirt and seeing the shirt/dresspotential.There��s a certain sense of magic in Vinnies, whereeverything is not what it seems - all you need is a littleimagination.� QUIRKY ACCESSORIESVinnies is brimming with quirky accessories andsometimes all it takes to lift an outfi t is one statementpiece.� BE A THRIFTY BRIDEWeddings can cost you an arm and a leg, so don��t forgetthat Vinnies is much more than a place to grab somethingcasual. There are formal dresses for every occasion andfor every shape and size.� BRING YOUR FRIENDSBring some mates along to share in the fun and helpgive you honest advice on what suits you. And why nothave a dress-up, movie-montage moment for a laugh ortake it a step further and have a dress-up party?� VISIT REGULARLYTo improve your chances of striking gold, it��s as simpleas visiting on a regular basis. Don��t forget to cast your netfurther afi eld and visit different Vinnies stores.There are almost 620 stores nationally and each one hasa different character. Some may be better for designerlabels, some for shoes and so on. The more you becomefamiliar with the stores, the better you��ll get at sniffi ngout the best of the best.