Help with op shopping...

[Little Star]

I'm a bit of sick of chain stores and how people can immediately identify a certain top as coming from a certain place straight off. So I think its time I introduced myself to op shopping properly. However I have a problem, whenever I walk into a op shop all I see is grandma clothes and mothballs...where are all these fabulous vintages pieces people are finding? I think I need some direction...!!!!

 

[softgrey]

what do you mean...op shopping?...
i don't understand...can you please explain?...

thx...

 

[Kimbyanne]

I think she means Old Person shopping? I am not sure. Do you mean you are looking for vintage old clothing?

I think, if i am not confused, that she is fed up of buying from high street stores because then everyone has the same clothes. I think she wants to start buying from like charity / vintage shops to get clothing no one else has?

Right??

 

[Little Star]

Softgrey, sorry if I didn't make sense!!!

Yes, I meant looking in charity shops, 2nd hand stores etc...I'm not sure what OP shopping stands for exactly...its just a term we use in Australia sometimes instead of 'charity shops'.

Kimbyanne, you put into words exactly what I was trying to say!

 

[softgrey]

i see...never heard that term before here...

well...my advice...personally...is that i buy mostly accessories from vintage and thrift stores...because you can take any basic piece and completely change it by adding some cute chunky beaded necklaces or a great belt or some vintage shoes...etc...

i think that's a good place to start if you're just beginning...because digging through racks of clothes can be daunting for even an expert...

some other things to look for though would be full skirts from the 50's...maybe with a great print...or cute cardigans and sweaters with beading...i got a sweet cropped suede vest with studs and grommets for $15 which looks like it came off the marni runway...sundresses are also a good thing to look for...

hope this helps a bit...good luck...

 

[stilista]

Some stores are obviously better then others. If you're after a bargain, your best bet is the "Salvation Army" type charity shops, but then you're only guaranteed to find a gem in every thousand pieces of stinky old ladies clothing!

The more fashion conscious vintage stores tend to have sorted through the rubbish and will only have the better things on their rails - easier for you to find something good, but much more pricey. In London, some of the prices would make the eyes pop out of your head!

I prefer the old-lady type charity shops. They have that distinct smell to them and you feel like you need a shower after a day's work trawling round them, but if you do find a goodie, it will have been mega-cheap and not 'pre-selected' for you.

 

[softgrey]

another bit of advice...

i would be careful...
i always feel like 'things' are living in some of the fabric...and you can get skin rashes that can be pretty nasty too...i saw this lady that it happened to...very nasty...
she had a thrift store and would go burrowing for stuff for the store...an she got this horrible scabby thing all over her face...

whatever you do...don't touch your face until you've washed your hands..!!...

 

[stilista]

oh yuck! I know some clothes are a bit smelly, but that really is disgusting!

 

[softgrey]

i know......
and it wouldn't go away either...i forget what she called it...but it was hideous..
scabies??...maybe?...i don't know...but she explained it all to me...she said she got it at the salvation army i think...

of course...then i wasn't going to buy anything there.......eek!

i try to only buy stuff that has been cleaned already...
or that i can run in the machine...in HOT water...and preferably the dryer...
the heat will kill anything...

other wise leather or plastic or stone or metal...(accessories)
cause nothing can live in there and they're pretty easy to disinfect anyway...
i'm always wary of shoes that look really worn as well...(fungus... )

i try to find 'dead stock' for footwear especially...old items that were never sold and have been sitting in a warehouse somewhere...so basically vintage...but not 'used'...

 

[stilista]

I really had no idea! Poor woman - she must have felt awful. This kind of story always makes me start to itch, so I couldn't imagine what she must have gone through!

I'm always very funny about used shoes (I've never seen any I liked anyway...) but the thought of putting my bare feet in where someone else's has been makes me all queasy! The deadstock idea for footwear is much more palatable! My friend in Paris used to know where to go for some great deadstock shoes from Stephane Kelian and Charles Jourdan. She complained when they put up their prices to 15 euros for boots and stopped going!

 

[softgrey]

OMG...:shock...wish i knew where that was..!!......
unbelievable...

 

[sophiedior]

lucky in australia we don't have to worry about scabies and stuff..
OP shop means Oppurtunity Shop, but yeah.
I prefer not to buy clothes from op shops and get most of my vintage stuff from ebay but shoes and accessories are great there. but this is in my area.

 

[stilista]

why don't you have to worry about scabies (and other nasties!) in Australia?

 

[softgrey]

haha......i know...right?...
bugs don't discriminate...

 

[wowandflutter]

I have been op-shopping for around ten years and never come across anything nasty. So long as you wash everything before you wear it, what's the problem? Ebay is no different really, it's generally stuff found by the seller in op-shops so it's still used, and even if it wasn't from an op shop, it's still 2nd hand .

Op-shopping definately takes persistance and dedication, of course you're not gonna find the good stuff if you don't wanna search through it all You won't always find something either, so you have to do it regularly too. Some days I'll go and come out dissapointed, the next time there's way too much good stuff for me to buy it all! I it, it's my favourite hobby!!!

 

[Kimbyanne]

Isnt that thing called imbatiger, or something that sounds like that. Kind of a scabby thing that you get on your face which is highly infectious?

I think that is what it would be. Nice.

I have always wanted to try and find some really nice things cheap, but I feel a bit embarrased about going in those shops. Sad, I no.

So places like Cancer research, salvo, etc are good places? In Norwich we have a place called the DUSTBIN, I might have a look in there.......maybe

 

[Little Star]

Oh my god, thank you heaps for all the advice guys!!!!!
I really didn't expect such a response!
Well, I'm motivated to do a bit of rummaging....with my rubber gloves and face mask and all....

 

[stilista]

Aahh, a red rashy face is worth it if you find a fabulous jacket!

 

[Little Star]

And maybe while I'm at it, I'll find a paper bag to wear with that fabulous jacket!