23 June 2014

Canberra Op Shop Guide - Nine to Five Style

| Heather Lansdowne
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Choosing what to wear to work can be tricky, but we spend a third of our lives there, so it’s worth putting in a bit of effort! That being said, you don’t need to drop a lot of cash on your office attire. As part of our Canberra Op Shop Guide, today we’ll show you how to put together a look that will bring a little pizzazz to the nine to five grind. And yep, you guessed it; the whole outfit has been sourced from Canberra op shops!

Polka-dot shirt – $7 Salvos Mitchell
Grey pencil skirt – $7 Salvos Jamison
Leather flats – $2 Vinnies Dickson
Black clutch – $4 Salvos Jamison

This polka-dot shirt is cute and playful while still being appropriate for the office. The black and white colour palette means it will go with a number of different ensembles while still adding a touch of interest. Op shops are treasure troves for finding quality button up shirts like these. You can often find even silk shirts, which can retail for hundreds of dollars, for just a couple of bucks. Keep an eye out for fitted styles that can be worn either tucked into high-waisted skirts or loose over mid-rise trousers.

Tucking our shirt into this grey pencil skirt cinches the silhouette in at the waist, keeping the focus on the slimmest part of the body and creating an hourglass shape. Finding a skirt that fits well can be a bit tricky, but stick with it. A basic pencil skirt in a classic colour like black, grey or navy will become a wardrobe staple.

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Rather than topping the outfit off with heels, we’ve chosen comfortable and modern man-style loafers. These were a total bargain considering they’re real Italian leather – just $2 from Vinnies. You’ll have no problems running out for multiple rounds of coffees in these babies!

And for toting around all your business essentials, we’ve gone for a sleek black clutch. It’s an unexpected accessory for the office, but can work surprisingly well. The small size means you’ll have to make tough decisions about what to pack it with, but when you think about it, strong decision-making is an important skill for any professional to have! If you’d rather have a little more room to stash your stuff, op shops are a gold mine for leather bags in a satchel or briefcase style, both of which would also look great with this outfit.

Can you believe the whole look cost just $20?! Each of the pieces can be used again and again in a number of different ways, proving that you can put together a stylish yet practical work wardrobe that doesn’t cost the Earth.

Have you ever worn a thrifted item to the office? Tell us what you think of our ensemble in the comments below!

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Photography by Jiawa Liu from Closet Voyage.

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Another Chance Op Shop in Scullin has been selling treasures to op shop customers in the last 20 years. It currently has summer sales on: 50% off ALL clothing until the end of February 2015.

I have volunteered here for the last ten years (so I’m not paid to say this) and I constantly hear customers say it is the cheapest in the Belconnen region. It’s located at Scullin shops, Ross Smith Crescent. It is open from 10am-4.30pm Monday to Friday, and 10am-1pm on Saturday.

Communities@Work recently launched our Best Dressed Store in the Tuggeranong Hyperdome, where you can find hidden treasures of women’s pre-loved and nearly new dressy, special occasion and work ready clothes and accessories, including a range of designer labels, with prices starting at only $5.

All money from the sale of this surplus clothing goes to Communities@Work’s social programs, helping vulnerable clients in the Canberra region. We assist up to 1,000 people every week with food and essential items, quality clothing, mentoring, job readiness, life skills and a safe and welcoming place to make new friends and circumvent social isolation. You can find out more about our services here: http://www.commsatwork.org/social-programs

We are now open with lots of new stock and hope to see you there! 🙂

P.S. Our stock is regularly refreshed, so it’s a good idea to visit regularly to find that hidden treasure.
P.P.S. If you are having a spring clean, we gratefully accept donations of clothing, shoes and accessories at the following locations :
• Best Dressed Store, Tuggeranong Hyperdome
• Tuggeranong Community & Function Centre, 245 Cowlishaw Street, Greenway (from January 5)
• Gungahlin Community Centre, 47 Ernest Cavanagh Street, Gungahlin (from January 5)

marcothepolopony10:27 am 26 Jun 14

Many years ago I purchased a pair of white three quarter pants form the Oberon Vinnies.
In my opinion this is the best Op Shop anywhere, there must be lots of money around Oberon!
These pants have been to Hawaii 3 times and Port Douglas. They cost $3.00

justin heywood12:26 am 26 Jun 14

Masquara said :

What a shame Poetix is no longer posting. She’s the op shop queen!

Yes I too miss the whimsical Poetix. And the sensible Thumper.

MS Community Shop in Tuggeranong has a lot of designer gear (Carla Zampatti, Perri Cutten, Country Road…). I know – because I’ve been clearing out my closets and donating there. Love their system too – what they don’t want to sell they will pass on to other charities, including overseas ones.

What a shame Poetix is no longer posting. She’s the op shop queen!

op-shop armani bargains for blokes piece in the offing soon?

Heather Lansdowne4:29 pm 24 Jun 14

Maya123 said :

I have managed to curtain a whole rental house with good quality (read as new/almost new) curtains (tasteful, nothing hideous) bought from op shops and church fetes for $100. (Plus a few given to me.) So for non-clothes I sometimes find op shops good and a bargain.

Don’t even get me started on the home wares, I always want to but the cute vintage sheets and crochet blankets! I even bought some curtains myself even though I don’t need them… not to worry I’m sure I’ll think of a project for them. Oh, and by the way the ‘model’ is me haha! 😀

Heather Lansdowne4:23 pm 24 Jun 14

LadyxBec said :

I don’t shop at opshops because I make most of my own clothes. When I have tried it in the past I never had much luck finding anything as good as this stuff. Maybe I should give it another shot.

Sometimes the key is to go regularly, they put loads of new stuff out every day 🙂 Good on you for making your own clothes though, I wish I had a talent for that! With that in mind, even if you find a nice item that doesn’t fit quite right, perhaps you could try altering it?

Closetvoyage4:10 pm 24 Jun 14

Maya123 said :

I have tried op shops for clothes, but never had much luck either. The clothes I like rarely seem to find their ways into op shops, or if they do they are a bit faded and stretched.

I used to think the same about opshops, but then I realised that I just wan’t looking that carefully. Half my wardrobe is from the opshop these days, and no one can tell!

I have tried op shops for clothes, but never had much luck either. The clothes I like rarely seem to find their ways into op shops, or if they do they are a bit faded and stretched. I have found warm tracksuit pants to wear in the cold weather when gardening or doing other outside work, but nothing that I would want to wear when leaving the house. I have also found a colourful decorative plate once, but the clothes I generally find a little dull. The model above looks neat, but the clothes are not me.
I have managed to curtain a whole rental house with good quality (read as new/almost new) curtains (tasteful, nothing hideous) bought from op shops and church fetes for $100. (Plus a few given to me.) So for non-clothes I sometimes find op shops good and a bargain.

I don’t shop at opshops because I make most of my own clothes. When I have tried it in the past I never had much luck finding anything as good as this stuff. Maybe I should give it another shot.

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